Fourteen noted professionals including Prem Bhahadur Khadaka of Nepal Bar Association, Kedar Narsingh KC of Nepal Medical Association, advocate Sher Bahadur KC, human rights activist Sudeep Pathak, journalist Harihar Birahi, among others, asked the Maoist party to instantly call off strike and seek solution constitutionally.[break]
"The country has come to a standstill," reads the appeal, adding, "We request the Maoists to call off strike and seek solution through dialogue." They have also urged the Maoists and the government to abide by agreements reached among political parties in the past, interim constitution and the Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA).
Issuing press release issued by the Citizens Movement for Democracy and Peace (CMDP) and signed by noted civil society leaders Dr Devendra Raj Panday, has asked Prime Minister Nepal to immediately resign and pave way for consensus.
"We ask the prime minister to immediately quit to pave way for forming a consensus-based national government, reads the release, adding, "We also urge the Maoists to immediately call off indefinite general strike."
The CMDP has also suggested to both the government and Maoists to strike deals for the prime minister´s resignation and for calling off the strike at the same time.
"CMDP calls for forming national consensus government until a new constitution is promulgated, Maoist combatants are managed and integrated, and the peace process ends," the release further reads.
In their separate press releases, the civil society leaders have appealed to the Maoists to end the general strike and return to the parliament for seeking constitutional solution.
"As the largest party in the House, we urge the UCPN (Maoist) to re-engage in the task of constitution-writing, and abide by past agreements and CPA," reads the press releases issued by civil society leaders.
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