Maoists are not interested in talks: US envoy

Posted on 07 April 2005, © Indo Asian News Service

World News, Kathmandu, April 7 : "The Maoists have made it clear that they are not interested in talking," says US ambassador to Nepal James Francis Moriarty, whose government has put the rebels on its list of banned terrorist outfits."

Since September, the Maoists have had reasonable offers to come to the table to talk and their response has been nonsensical. Initially, it was 'We'll only talk to the king'. Then, 'Maybe we'll talk if the government responds to (our) legitimate questions (whether it controlled the army and was not under the king)," the US ambassador told IANS.

Despite increasing propaganda by the government-owned media that the rebels are weakening due to fighting between their top leaders, Moriarty feels the insurgents represent a threat that could turn Nepal into a "poor man's Cambodia". "I don't think any of us has enough insights into what exactly the Maoists are doing and thinking to say with any degree of certainty that ... the tide has turned against them," he said.

"The threat they represent is terrific. They have talked about collectivisation of agriculture repeatedly, about re-education of enemies, about expanding the 'revolution' - all this is basically a formula for an absolutely terrific totalitarian state in Nepal that also threatens the stability of the entire region."If there is actual infighting among the outlaws, the envoy fears it could worsen the situation: "(Differences are) not uncommon among totalitarian parties.

When factionalism arises, the top dog crushes the other faction or gets replaced as the top dog. Perhaps you end up with a more brutal and more unified party.

"Given a choice between the communist rebels and a king who has repeatedly overstepped his constitutional authority, Washington would unhesitatingly support the latter, he said."My government sees absolutely nothing wrong with what the king said in his proclamation (through which he assumed absolute power on Feb 1) about his two main goals: the Maoist insurgency needs to be addressed and there has to be a game plan for bringing Nepal back to a multi-party functional democracy."We recognise that as of Jan 31, Nepal didn't really have a functioning multi-party democracy, it had a multi-party government. We are worried that what is happening in the interim will make it more difficult for the king to achieve these goals."To achieve these goals, he says there has to be reconciliation between the king and the political parties, who are currently agitating against the royal coup and have a large number of their leaders under detention."Both have to act together. If you have one side or the other pointing the finger and saying the other side must change its way of action, it must apologise for past actions, then you are not going to go anywhere. But if you have both sides agreeing that Nepal is facing a crisis - which it is - and agreeing on a way forward to address that crisis, then you are. It's not a question of one side or the other taking the lead but two sides agreeing on a common programme.

"You have to look at the situation in hand. There is no denying that the king has power... there is equally no denying that the parties ... are essential players (too). The good news is, if you look at them, their interests should coincide. The king says his major goals are combating the insurgency, restoration of multi-party democracy, good governance and corruption control. I don't think the parties disagree with that."

Washington, he says, continues to push the government to release all political detainees, restore constitutional freedoms and begin a process of reaching out to the political parties. Until there is progress on these issues, Washington's security assistance to Nepal's army, especially lethal security assistance - about 3,55 M16 rifles - are at risk.There is no lethal security assistance before the end of May. After that, according to Moriarty, there is also a fairly significant shipment of non-lethal items."We'll be manufacturing these items in the next couple of months. Once we finish manufacturing them, we've to decide what to do with them. If there is progress, we'll go ahead and ship them. If there hasn't been, there will be a lot of pressure not to ship them."

Regarding the ongoing 61st session of the UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva, where several countries are asking for stern measures against Nepal on reports of increasing human rights abuses by the security forces, Moriarty says the US is still reviewing its position vis-à-vis the Himalayan kingdom."What we'd really like to see is progress. A big debate is going on and a tough draft going around. Instead of a tough draft that doesn't change the situation on the ground, we would like to see enough progress on the ground so that the international community can focus on how to help Nepal..."There is a wider view in the US not to do anything that would harm the poor people of Nepal - both people who are poor and those suffering so much under the insurgency."

Despite the allegations of rights abuses against the Royal Nepalese Army at the Geneva meet, Moriarty thinks the army is cleaning up its act since Feb 1."We all assumed there would be an increasing culture of impunity (after Feb 1) but that hasn't happened so far... The army is clearly getting more aggressive in investigating allegations of abuse. I have raised specific cases of abuse and the army has gone out and investigated them in a serious fashion..."If people know they will be tried and if convicted, will spend years in jail, they become much more reluctant to commit abuses... I am not aware of a single Maoist who has been convicted of abuses by a Maoist court."Also, the National Human Rights Commission says they are getting much better access to detainees. I feel uncomfortable saying this - people will say I am an apologist - but I am looking at facts on the ground," he said. Sphere: Related Content