PLA should be inducted into security force: Madhav Nepal

General secretary of the CPN-UML Madhav Kumar Nepal said on Friday problems will arise if Maoist combatants are kept in cantonments for long."The combatants can be integrated into national security wings. Border security force or industrial security force can also be created to absorb them," he said.The registration and verification process of Maoist combatants and their arms would have been easier had the parties agreed to the one-man-one-weapon principle as suggested by security experts, Nepal said while releasing a book entitled "Shanti Vrta: Anterkatha" authored by journalist Subhas Devkota."Following the eight-point agreement on June 16, 2006, Maoist chairman Prachanda had agreed to the one-man-one-weapon principle. He had put the strength of People's Liberation Army (PLA) at 10 to 12 thousands. But they later invited youths to join the PLA as time elapsed," Nepal said.

Nepal urged the parties to speak clearly on monarchy and give others no room for suspicion. He reiterated the party's stance that there was no alternative to proportional representation system of election to address the issues of Madhesis, Janajatis, women and Dalits. He also urged the Maoists to return the seized property and abide by the rule of law.Devkota said he tried his best to cover the untold stories of the entire peace process, including the 12-point understanding, in the book.Dr Shekhar Koirala, Nepali Congress central leader and close aide to PM Girija Prasad Koirala, however, claimed that the peace process had moved ahead faster than had been expected initially.He also admitted having political deadlock among the eight parties when they were close to declaring the date for the constituent assembly election. "Such problems do arise when we reach close to our goals," Koirala said, adding that parties would sort out their differences amicably.

Koirala said the king's power can be further curbed by if the strength of the army deployed inside the Narayanhiti Royal Palace is halved and Gyanendra's property held in the capacity of the king and assets belonging to late King Birendra, Aishworya and their families are nationalised.He also suggested forming a high-level commission to recommend the type of federalism for Nepal. He said concrete measures should be taken within a month to ameliorate the plight of Maoist combatants living in camps.He suggested that top leaders of the eight parties should come up with a package solution to all the pressing issues.

'OLD COMMUNISM OBSOLETE'KATHMANDU: Nepali communist parties should adopt democratic norms and pluralism in keeping with the ever-changing society, Nepal said on Friday. "The conventional communism has become obsolete now," he said at a programme organised by the Madan Bhandari Foundation to commemorate the 14th death anniversary of CPN (UML) leaders Madan Bhandari and Jibraj Ashrit. Nepal said it will be wise to strike a balance of power among various political parties. He called on the Maoists to put people at the centre. — HNS

Source: The Himalayan Times, May 19, 2007