The UCPN (Maoist) has marked the 17th anniversary of the 'People's War' by organising various programmes on Monday.

The party organised a mass meeting at Khulla Manch in Kathmandu and similar gatherings in different parts of the country to mark the day. Senior leaders addressed the programmes in different districts. Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai addressed the mass meeting in Pokhara.

Addressing the Khula Manch programme, chairman Dahal said the party had not given up or forgotten the causes the party had espoused while waging the armed movement.

“The party will launch people’s revolt if attempts to derail the peace process and the constitution are made,” he warned, “But, our current priorities are to bring the peace and constitution to a conclusion.”

Admitting that the party leadership did make mistakes during the transition, Dahal claimed that the party unity would not be broken at any cost.

Similarly, vice chairman Mohan Baidya said the ideological unity would determine how united the party will remain. He also asked chairman Dahal whether he wanted to become a leader of the proletariat and or “ the statesman of the Nepali Congress, UML or Rastria Prajatantra Party”.

Meanwhile, in a press statement issued on the occasion of the People’s War anniversary Dahal expressed commitment to institutionalise the achievements of the People’s War by concluding the peace process and the constitution.

He also described secularism, federal republic and inclusive Constituent Assembly (CA) as the achievements of the war waged by the party for a decade.

The Maoist party had launched the war on February 13, 1996 with various demands including the end of monarchy and an election to the Constituent Assembly. nepalnews.com

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