Taking strong exception to the Maoist failure to return the seized properties, the leaders of the Nepali Congress (NC) have stated that they would raise the issue seriously during their upcoming meetings with the Maoist brass.[break]
“It is the duty of the government and the Maoists to implement the agreement. We will seek answers from the prime minister as well as the Maoists before holding talks on other issues,” NC General Secretary Krishna Prasad Sitaula told Republica.
The peace deal signed between the Maoists and the non-Maoist parties states that the properties seized by the Maoists will be returned to the rightful owners by November 23.
The NC has also accused Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai of not taking serious initiatives to implement the peace deal.
“It is the responsibility of the government to implement the agreement through local administration. But the prime minister miserably failed to implement the agreement. Now he doesn´t have the moral ground to stay in power,” Sitaula said.
Accompanied by Sitaula and UML leader Bamdev Gautam, Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal had visited Bardiya district to begin the implementation of the agreement.
But Dahal returned Kathmandu without giving clear directives to the party cadres in this regard. He had also publicly stated that the landless people staying in others´ land should not be evicted forcibly.
“So far, we have not received any information about the return of seized properties,” he said.
Ever since the peace process began in 2006, the issue of returning the seized properties to their rightful owners has been one of the major demands of the NC and the UML. And, the Maoists have signed an agreement with the NC and UML promising to return the properties, but have failed to do so.
Maoist radical faction led by Senior Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya has openly stated that they would retaliate if the government uses force to return the seized properties.
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