Saorsa
9th May 2010, 02:37
Ball in ruling parties' court: Dahal
REPUBLICA
KATHMANDU, May 8: A day after the Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (UCPN-M) called off its six-day general strike, the party´s chairman, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, said the ball is now in the court of the ruling parties and his party would watch their move and take its decisions accordingly.
Listen/download Dahal´s speech
“We will not negotiate with the ruling parties out of submission. We will see how you (ruling parties) react to the nation and the people, and make the next move accordingly. Now the ball is in the ruling parties´ court,” Dahal said while addressing a rally at the Khulamunch, Saturday.
He also said his party has only changed the nature of its protest -- not withdrawn it, and that the strike was just a rehearsal. "The six-day strike is just a rehearsal. We put off the agitation for the time being to make further preparations and give a respite to the people."
He said the general strike should be construed as preparations for a revolt if the ruling parties do not become ready for consensus and address the Maoist demands. “If a national government is not formed and the constitution not drafted as we have envisioned, we will stage the real show before May 28,” said Dahal. He demanded that the ruling parties immediately take a decision in favor of peace, constitution and the nation.
Journalists, writers humiliated rural folk
Dahal also accused journalists and writers of humiliating the rural folks who have descended on the Valley to participate in what they call Janaandolan-3.
“The shabbily dressed, poor, and hungry rustics who came to Kathmandu were humiliated by the so-called learned. These neat and clean intellectuals will now have to decide whether they want peace or war” he said. “Nepali people have maintained a diary on who wrote what,” he added.
He said when these people came to Kathmandu to participate in the April uprising in 2006, they were not termed “outsiders”, but when they came to Kathmandu for republicanism, federalism and secularism this time round, they had been called outsiders. The Maoists have brought in thousands of people from across the country, especially from districts surrounding the Valley, to heat up the streets.
Dahal was especially angry with middle class Kathmanduties who did not participate in the Maoist demonstrations.
The Maoist chairman also accused the government of deploying “vigilantes” who attacked his party cadres with pistols and khukuris, and the media of disseminating propaganda that locals retaliated against the Maoists for enforcing the strike.
“What could be greater dishonesty than that? History will show the consequences of the hooliganism. People will not spare them,” he said. He also said the peace rally on Friday was infiltrated by vigilantes to incite violence.
“That´s why we requested organizers to postpone the program,” he said. “If that was purely a peace rally why did some march chanting slogans demanding Prachanda´s execution,” he said. He argued that the war is now between those who want to institutionalize rebublicanism, federalism and secularism and those who are against these concepts.
Two reasons for withdrawing strike
The former rebel leader said his party withdrew the general strike for two reasons: Out of its understanding as the largest political party for the sentiments of the people, and the conspiracy to pit people against people. According to him, the party has not retreated, but changed the form of protest. “This mass movement, which we have termed Jajaandolan-3, will not be called off until we reach our goal,” he said. Dahal also urged his cadres not to lose patience and deviate from the path.
http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=18372
Maoists call off strike, Prachanda gives government two days time to respond
Saturday, May 8, 2010, 16:56 [IST]
Kathmandu (Nepal),May 8 (ANI): Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda on Saturday called of his party's indefinite general strike, but warned the government of Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal that it had two days time to respond to his demands.
Prachanda said his party would not engage in talks with the ruling parties, but would wait for their reaction to issues raised by his party concerning the new Constitution, the peace process and a national unity government before the party decides its next move.
A Nepal News report quoted Prachanda, as saying at a mass meeting of Maoists in Khula Manch: "The ball is now in their (government's) court. How we strike depends on the move they make."
Prachanda said the Maoists would carry out protests including picketing of the Singha Durbar before declaring a stronger stir.
"Our peaceful and disciplined general strike was just a trailer. They (parties) will see the entire film if they don't decide now," he said, adding that the Maoist leadership decided to call off the bandh not because of any pressure neither the party was backpedaling from its protest movement.
"It was not because of the peace rally or any other pressure that we decided to stop the general strike. In fact, we had been discussing for some days about changing the nature of protest and we only arrived at a decision Friday evening," he clarified, adding that the agitations, which the party describes as 3rd Janandolan, would not end until the goals are achieved. He also accused the government of trying to instigate violence in the Maoist demonstrations.
During his fiery speech, Dahal also vented anger at the media and 'Kathmandu elites' for not responding positively to the Maoist protest movement. He also insisted that the government-sanctioned 'vigilantes' hijacked yesterday's peace rally organised by the professional groups.
Prime Minister Nepal welcomed the decision that came after six days.
In a statement,Nepal said the decision would play a positive role for discussion, consensus and cooperation among the political forces.
He said, the parties have no alternative to consensus and cooperation to ensure that peace process concludes and a new constitution is written.
He urged the Maoists to seek solution of all problems through consensus, constitutional principles and democratic values.
The European Union and the United States also welcomed the Maoist decision to postpone the indefinite general strike.
In their statements, the ambassadors of Norway, Switzerland the United States of America as well as the Heads of the mission of the European Union expressed hope that this will prove to be a ecisive step in the pursuit of a solution to the protracted political deadlock. (ANI)
http://news.oneindia.in/2010/05/08/maoistscall-off-strike-prachanda-gives-government-two.html
REPUBLICA
KATHMANDU, May 8: A day after the Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (UCPN-M) called off its six-day general strike, the party´s chairman, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, said the ball is now in the court of the ruling parties and his party would watch their move and take its decisions accordingly.
Listen/download Dahal´s speech
“We will not negotiate with the ruling parties out of submission. We will see how you (ruling parties) react to the nation and the people, and make the next move accordingly. Now the ball is in the ruling parties´ court,” Dahal said while addressing a rally at the Khulamunch, Saturday.
He also said his party has only changed the nature of its protest -- not withdrawn it, and that the strike was just a rehearsal. "The six-day strike is just a rehearsal. We put off the agitation for the time being to make further preparations and give a respite to the people."
He said the general strike should be construed as preparations for a revolt if the ruling parties do not become ready for consensus and address the Maoist demands. “If a national government is not formed and the constitution not drafted as we have envisioned, we will stage the real show before May 28,” said Dahal. He demanded that the ruling parties immediately take a decision in favor of peace, constitution and the nation.
Journalists, writers humiliated rural folk
Dahal also accused journalists and writers of humiliating the rural folks who have descended on the Valley to participate in what they call Janaandolan-3.
“The shabbily dressed, poor, and hungry rustics who came to Kathmandu were humiliated by the so-called learned. These neat and clean intellectuals will now have to decide whether they want peace or war” he said. “Nepali people have maintained a diary on who wrote what,” he added.
He said when these people came to Kathmandu to participate in the April uprising in 2006, they were not termed “outsiders”, but when they came to Kathmandu for republicanism, federalism and secularism this time round, they had been called outsiders. The Maoists have brought in thousands of people from across the country, especially from districts surrounding the Valley, to heat up the streets.
Dahal was especially angry with middle class Kathmanduties who did not participate in the Maoist demonstrations.
The Maoist chairman also accused the government of deploying “vigilantes” who attacked his party cadres with pistols and khukuris, and the media of disseminating propaganda that locals retaliated against the Maoists for enforcing the strike.
“What could be greater dishonesty than that? History will show the consequences of the hooliganism. People will not spare them,” he said. He also said the peace rally on Friday was infiltrated by vigilantes to incite violence.
“That´s why we requested organizers to postpone the program,” he said. “If that was purely a peace rally why did some march chanting slogans demanding Prachanda´s execution,” he said. He argued that the war is now between those who want to institutionalize rebublicanism, federalism and secularism and those who are against these concepts.
Two reasons for withdrawing strike
The former rebel leader said his party withdrew the general strike for two reasons: Out of its understanding as the largest political party for the sentiments of the people, and the conspiracy to pit people against people. According to him, the party has not retreated, but changed the form of protest. “This mass movement, which we have termed Jajaandolan-3, will not be called off until we reach our goal,” he said. Dahal also urged his cadres not to lose patience and deviate from the path.
http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=18372
Maoists call off strike, Prachanda gives government two days time to respond
Saturday, May 8, 2010, 16:56 [IST]
Kathmandu (Nepal),May 8 (ANI): Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda on Saturday called of his party's indefinite general strike, but warned the government of Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal that it had two days time to respond to his demands.
Prachanda said his party would not engage in talks with the ruling parties, but would wait for their reaction to issues raised by his party concerning the new Constitution, the peace process and a national unity government before the party decides its next move.
A Nepal News report quoted Prachanda, as saying at a mass meeting of Maoists in Khula Manch: "The ball is now in their (government's) court. How we strike depends on the move they make."
Prachanda said the Maoists would carry out protests including picketing of the Singha Durbar before declaring a stronger stir.
"Our peaceful and disciplined general strike was just a trailer. They (parties) will see the entire film if they don't decide now," he said, adding that the Maoist leadership decided to call off the bandh not because of any pressure neither the party was backpedaling from its protest movement.
"It was not because of the peace rally or any other pressure that we decided to stop the general strike. In fact, we had been discussing for some days about changing the nature of protest and we only arrived at a decision Friday evening," he clarified, adding that the agitations, which the party describes as 3rd Janandolan, would not end until the goals are achieved. He also accused the government of trying to instigate violence in the Maoist demonstrations.
During his fiery speech, Dahal also vented anger at the media and 'Kathmandu elites' for not responding positively to the Maoist protest movement. He also insisted that the government-sanctioned 'vigilantes' hijacked yesterday's peace rally organised by the professional groups.
Prime Minister Nepal welcomed the decision that came after six days.
In a statement,Nepal said the decision would play a positive role for discussion, consensus and cooperation among the political forces.
He said, the parties have no alternative to consensus and cooperation to ensure that peace process concludes and a new constitution is written.
He urged the Maoists to seek solution of all problems through consensus, constitutional principles and democratic values.
The European Union and the United States also welcomed the Maoist decision to postpone the indefinite general strike.
In their statements, the ambassadors of Norway, Switzerland the United States of America as well as the Heads of the mission of the European Union expressed hope that this will prove to be a ecisive step in the pursuit of a solution to the protracted political deadlock. (ANI)
http://news.oneindia.in/2010/05/08/maoistscall-off-strike-prachanda-gives-government-two.html