Resignation first, talks later; five dozen injured in Maoist Singha Durdar gherao; other details

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 8 May: A marathon meeting of the Maoist standing committee Sunday decided a dialogue with ruling parties will be conducted only after the resignation of Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal.
The party took a rigid stance even though it earlier withdrew an indefinite nation-wide in six days after national and international pressure.
A representative of Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal Sunday delivered a government invitation for talks to break a prolonged deadlock.
The country is heading towards a political crisis as a constitution to institutionalize a republic already declared won’t be promulgated by the 28 May deadline.
Maoist standing committee agreed on details of further anti-government protests without a seizure of streets.
Parties are only talking of pulling down the government to retaining control of Singha Durbar.
Parliament didn’t meet again Sunday with the Singha Durbar gherao.
Five dozen persons, including journalists and policemen, were injured in a Maoist gherao of Singha Durbar from nine in the morning to five in the afternoon.
Police charged Maoists for defying prohibitory orders around the central secretariat as they attempted to break a security cordon; police fired dozens of teargas shells to control the crowd.
At least one dozen ministers and senior officials entered the secretariat before the main opposition gherao.
Pine Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal reiterated Sunday he will resign only through constitutional means and set two pre-conditions for a break in the deadlock- dismantling of YCL and integration of Maoist combatants.
USA, INDIA, CHINA
US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Robert Blake told PTI China and India, Nepal’s immediate neighbour and USA the, world’s only super power, have a convergence of views on the strategic Himalayan state which was a Hindu monarchy three years ago.
India and USA assisted Nepal’s political parties to bring down the Hindu state and monarchy with the help of political parties.
They have failed to manage the change and institutionalize a republic in four years.
The Maoist army hasn’t been integrated and resettled in six months as envisaged and a re[publican constitution won’t be promulgated by 28 May.
“There is a broad convergence of views on Nepal. China, like the United States and India, wants to see stability and prosperity in this important country.
“Nepal is facing difficult issues. We have expressed our concern about the strikes and the need to ensure that all parties work together to reach agreement on issues important to them so that the peace process can be concluded and stability enhanced.
“I think they [Maoists] made a significant effort to do so At the same time, the best way to arrive at a solution to this is not by pressure. This is why, I issued a statement on Friday urging the Maoist to end the strike and engage in a more peaceful way with other parties,” Blake said.
Stock market and schools re-opened Sunday after a week-long closure.
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