Maoists appeal to UN for help to maintain peace

KATHMANDU: Nepal’s Maoist rebels have appealed to the United Nations for help to maintain peace, saying a ceasefire they announced last week was at risk because the government was trying to sabotage the truce.

Maoist chief Prachanda last week announced a unilateral truce for three months in a move to win the support of the kingdom’s mainstream parties opposed to King Gyanendra, who sacked the government and assumed absolute power in February.

“We appeal to the United Nations and the international community to raise a stronger voice for a democratic solution and for the aspiration of the Nepali people for peace,” Prachanda said in a statement late on Saturday. The appeal by the elusive leader came hours after Manfred Nowak, the Special Rapporteur of the UN Commission on Human Rights, began a week-long tour to investigate cases of torture and other rights violations in Nepal.

“We hope our ceasefire announcement will help find a forward moving political solution and peace in the country,” Prachanda said. “The royal regime is instead hatching a conspiracy to sabotage the ceasefire,” he said, adding government troops were attacking guerrillas who he said were in defensive positions.

The Maoists have always insisted the UN or any other international organisation be involved in talks between the government and the rebels. But the government is opposed to third-party involvement.

Nepal’s government has yet to match the rebel truce but says it cannot trust the guerrillas who broke ceasefires in 2001 and 2003 after talks failed. There was no immediate comment from the royalist government but the army says kidnappings by the rebels have not stopped despite the truce.

More than 12,500 people have died in Nepal since 1996 when the Maoists took up arms against the Hindu monarchy. They want to install a single-party communist republic in the impoverished nation wedged between China and India.

Nepal has been in turmoil since King Gyanendra took full control of the nation seven months ago. He said he was forced to act to stamp out the revolt that has also forced thousands to flee and scared away tourists and investors.

Meanwhile, Manfred Nowak, a special rapporteur of the UN Commission on Human Rights, arrived Saturday for meetings with government officials, as well as the attorney general and representatives of the army, police and the Supreme Court.

Nowak is also expected to meet representatives of Nepal’s National Human Rights Commission and local human rights activists, according to a UN statement. Criticism of Nepal’s human rights record has grown as fighting between government troops and communist rebels has escalated over the past few years. Government troops have been accused of widespread abuses, including extra-judicial killings, while fighting the Maoist rebels.

The rebels, who say they are inspired by the late Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong, are also accused of brutal attacks on civilians and killing or abusing those who oppose them.

The Maoists have been trying since 1996 to overthrow the government and establish a socialist state in a conflict that has claimed 11,500 lives.

During his Sept 10-17 stay, Nowak will visit jails and detention centres in the capital, Katmandu, and Nepalgunj in western Nepal, the statement said. The UN envoy will present his findings to the Commission on Human Rights when it meets again in 2006, the statement said. agencies

I think the Maoists are regrouping and arming themselves in the "ceasefire". The army should not stop just because the Maoists have run out of their supplies. Do not play by the Maoist rule. Either accept unconditional surrender and disarmament, or kill them all.

To bad they don't wear uniforms , or even hats with red stars on them. The problem is , like in Iraq , when they are attacked , they just blend in to the regular population .
Only with the total assistance and commitment of India
which is their logistics base , can these characters me defeated. The Thai model should be followed as well.

In other words: Kill them all. I'm with you.

I say "BOMB" the bastards until they are "AT" peace.

4 posted on 09/12/2005 5:26:50 AM PDT by stockpirate (If you are a John Kerry fan check out my about me page, you'll toss your lunch.)

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