PM Koirala tells Maoist top brass to halt YCL activities

KATHMANDU, May 22 - Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala Tuesday reiterated that the already overdue eight-party meeting could not take place until the Maoist wing Young Communist League (YCL) changes its ways. In a meeting with Maoist leadership this morning, the PM said that the YCL's activities were becoming increasingly unruly and maintained that the top level meet could not begin until the league mends its ways. Talking to media persons after the two-hour long meeting with the PM government spokesperson and Maoist Minister for Information and Communication Krishna Bahadur Mahara said that the PM had urged the Maoists to halt the YCL activities and see through the implementation of the peace accord honestly.

The Maoist side including chairman Prachanda had sought the PM's attention towards the growing confusion in the nation because of the uncertainty surrounding the Constituent Assembly (CA) polls and urged the latter to call an eight party meet immediately. The Maoists also asked the government to immediately release funds as per yesterday's government ratification of Maoist benefits and construction of houses for the combatants. Mahara informed that the meeting had also discussed the second phase of the UN-monitored PLA verification. Besides Prachanda, another top Maoist leader Babu Ram Bhattarai was also present during the meeting.

Source: The Kathmandu Post, May 22, 2007