The Hindu : Front Page : Nepal to talk to Maoists

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Front Page

Front Page

Nepal to talk to Maoists

Ameet Dhakal

Ceasefire announcement soon

KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's first Cabinet meeting on Tuesday agreed "in principle" to take immediate initiatives to bring the Maoists into the political mainstream.

Speaking after the meeting, newly appointed Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula told the reporters that the Government would soon announce ceasefire, scrap terrorist tag slapped on the rebels and remove the Red Corner notice issued against them. The Cabinet will soon invite the rebels for talks, he said.

Earlier on Tuesday, Mr. Koirala announced his seven-member Cabinet after much political wrangling for key Ministries among the main parties in the seven-party alliance (SPA). He is expected to announce his full Cabinet within a week.

Departure from tradition

K.P. Sharma Oli, senior leader of CPN-UML, one of the major constituents in the SPA, has been appointed Deputy Prime Minister and given the Foreign Ministry portfolio.

Acting president of the Nepali Congress (Democratic) Gopal Man Shrestha has been given the Ministry for Planning and Construction.

President of the alliance of fringe leftist parties, Left Front, Prabhu Narayan Choudhary, has become the Minister for Land Reforms.

Mr. Koirala has also included three Ministers from his party, Nepali Congress. Breaking with the tradition of taking the oath of the office in the Palace, the Ministers were sworn in at the hall of National Planning Commission in Singhadurbar. Later, Mr. Koirala said his Government would propose major constitutional amendments in Parliament to consolidate the gains of the pro-democracy movement.

Journalists' demand

PTI reports:

Journalists have demanded the release of three of their colleagues who were taken into custody by the erstwhile Royal regime and asked the new Government to withdraw all rules and regulations introduced by King Gyanendra to curb the media.

Journalists Tejnarayan Sapkota, Rajendra Gautam and Hom Prasad Basyal who are still in jail should be immediately released, said the Federation of Nepalese Journalists in a statement.

The FNJ also asked the Government to withdraw all laws, rules and ordinances introduced by the Royal government to curb the media.

Asking the Government to withdraw all political appointments made by the previous regime in the government media, the organisation demanded that those journalists, who were working in private and government media and had lost their jobs following last year's Royal takeover should be returned their jobs and provided with compensation.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail