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Photo: Naresh Newar/IRIN

Maoist rebels are not ready to disarm until the government decommissions the Nepalese Army

KATHMANDU, 8 September 2006 (IRIN) - With peace talks in Nepal due to resume next week, the process aimed at ending the decade-long armed conflict between the state and Maoist rebels is still on track, said representatives from both sides on Friday.

“We are seriously committed towards a peaceful political resolution but we need to sort out the barriers in our way,” said senior Maoist leader Dinanath Sharma in the capital, Kathmandu.

The rebels have been part of the peace process aiming to end the conflict that has killed at least 14,000 people, since a new interim government was formed by seven leading parties in April. This followed a decision by Nepalese monarch King Gyanendra to relinquish absolute power, partly in response to popular pressure.

Since May, the Maoists and the interim government have had three rounds of talks, resulting in the signing of a ceasefire code of conduct, an agreement to hold elections to a constituent assembly and a commitment to writing a new constitution. The parties have also jointly requested United Nations support for the peace process and disarmament and demobilisation.

Despite the progress, observers said there are still many hurdles before the process is complete and that differences between the two parties were to be expected.

“This lack of trust is inevitable during such a transitional phase. The differences are naturally part of the political process but that should not suggest the peace process is failing,” said independent analyst Sumit Sharma.

Arjun Narsingh, leader of the Nepali Congress (NC), the country’s largest party, said key sticking points remained, including the timing of the dissolution of parliament immediately and, more importantly, disarming the Maoist’s army.

Narsingh added that the rebels had to stop carrying out the abduction of civilians and cease running their controversial “people’s courts” in rural areas. “All these things have to stop immediately if they [Maoists] are very serious about progressing the peace process.”

The Maoists say the government is too weak and the puppet of India and USA. “They [New Delhi and Washington] seem to be interfering in all our political decisions and this government seemed to be too influenced by them,” remarked Maoist leader Sharma.

Both countries have stood firm on insisting the Maoists disarm their militias before joining the peace process, a condition the insurgents have ignored.

“We want to ensure that all these issues are sorted during the talks next week, so that we can speed up with our political resolutions,” said Maoist leader Sharma.

NN/AT/SC