He said the political parties should also be ready to go beyond the limits of the 12-point agreement and forge a new agreement to complete the peace process and constitution drafting. [break]
The Maoist vice-chairman argued that the ruling parties are not serious about ending the protracted political deadlock, and said the country is sliding into anarchy.
“Two months have elapsed since we set the six-point agenda to complete the peace process and constitution drafting, but talks have never been held in a serious manner,” Dr Bhattarai said talking to myrepublica.com.
He also flatly rejected the ruling parties´ stance that they are open to the formation of a national government led by the Maoists if the latter first agree to the agenda of the constitution and integration and rehabilitation of Maoist combatants. “The deal should be reached in a package. And you cannot just ask for our approval for the constitution. What really matters is the content of the constitution,” he said.
To end the protracted political deadlock, the ruling Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN(UML) and the main opposition UCPN (Maoist) are currently holding talks on six agenda items: review of all peace agreements, removing mutual inter-party mistrust, ending the current political deadlock, agreement on integration and rehabilitation of Maoist combatants, constitution drafting and power-sharing.
During the five-hour three-party meeting at Godavari Village Resort on March 2, the political parties had “frankly” expressed their views on the six-item agenda, and agreed to hold a series of talks to reach consensus, but consensus looks as distant as ever.
While the ruling parties have argued that they would be open to a national government led by the Maoists should they agree on the constitution and integration and rehabilitation of Maoist combatants, the Maoists have demanded a package deal including a Maoist-led national government.
According to Dr Bhattarai, the conflict was triangular when the 12-point agreement was forged and the political parties and Maoists joined hands to overthrow the monarchy. But with the abolition of the monarchy, a new agreement should be reached to drive the political transition towards a new political system.
“The political parties should strike a new deal and come up with a common program to complete the peace process and constitution drafting,” he said adding, “And a national government is a must to implement such an agreement”.
He said the formation of a national government would make it possible to garner a two-thirds majority to endorse the constitution in the constituent assembly. The Maoists say they fought against the monarchy as well as liberal democracy, and now they are not in a position to accept liberal democracy in its current form.
“We are for a radical democracy, while the ruling parties have been sticking to liberal democracy in its current form. So we should agree to a fusion of both types of thought in the constitution,” he said, adding, “The country would slide into chaos and anarchy if we cannot reach a national consensus.”
post@myrepublica.com
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