KATHMANDU, OCT 09 -
The ruling and opposition parties on Wednesday signed a five-point
agreement on forming a High-level Political Committee (HLPC), bringing
the Legislature-Parliament business back on track after being disrupted
for 39 days.
The three major parties—Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and UCPN
(Maoist)—reached the deal to form the cross-party panel and complete the
remaining tasks of the peace process.
Nepali Congress President and Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, CPN-UML
Chairman KP Oli and UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal signed the
agreement on behalf of their parties.
The main opposition party, UCPN (Maoist), had been demanding the
committee be formed and the party be handed its leadership permanently.
The Maoists had also insisted the cross-party panel include the task of
constitution writing. The members on the panel was among the contentious
issues, with the Maoists pressing for Madhes-centric parties, arguing
that they are important actors to the post-2006 changes that occurred in
the country.
But as a mid-point solution, parties have agreed to include a member
each from Rastriya Prajatantra Party and CPN-ML—both coalition partners.
The ruling Nepali Congress and CPN-UML insisted on having the two
parties on the panel after the Maoists insisted on having the Madhesis
on board. While the NC, UML and Maoist parties will each have three
members, three representatives from Madhes-based parties and as many
from other fringe parties will be drafted into the HLPC.
The Maoists, who had been reluctant to include the RPP, eventually gave
in after UML Parliamentary Party leader KP Oli refused to budge.
As per the agreement, the leadership of the committee will be rotated
every two months among the parties, beginning with Maoist Chairman
Pushpa Kamal Dahal. The parties also agreed to provide Rs 200,000 each
to conflict victims in two installments by formulating a directive; to
impose low registration fees on the land transaction in Rolpa, Rukum,
Salyan Jajarkot and Phyutan districts, and to continue levying tax on
Indian vehicles entering Nepal. In December last year, the parties had
agreed to form the HLPC as part of the four-point agreement reached
between them.
With the formation of the panel, the main opposition has also addressed
one of its unwritten demands for meaningful engagement in the
constitution writing and peace process.
Maoist leaders had been saying that the formation of HLPC would ensure engagement of a major party of peace process.
Speaking in Parliament after the agreement, Maoist Parliamentary Party
leader Dahal apologised for continued deadlock of the House. “I had not
imagined the obstruction would last this long. I apologise on behalf of
the opposition for that,” said Dahal, who also had some words of praise
for the ruling parties.
“I appreciate the positive and flexible attitude of the government in addressing the demands of the opposition.”
But he reminded that the formation of Truth and Reconciliation
Commission and Commission on Enforced Disappearance—bills regarding
which have already been approved by the House—need to be formed early to
complete the “remaining task of peace process”.
October 8 deal
- NC, UML and UCPN (Maoist) to have three leaders each in the HLPC, with three representatives from Madhes-based parties and three from other fringe parties
- The HLPC leadership to be rotated every two months among the parties; Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal first to coordinate
- Govt to provide Rs 200,000 each in two installments to conflict victims by formulating a guideline
- Impose low registration fee on the land transaction in Rolpa, Rukum, Salyan Jajarkot and Phyutan districts
- Continue levying tax on Indian vehicles entering Nepal
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