Maoists riding a tiger: Can’t call off stir, can’t go on

AKHILESH UPADHYAY 
KATHMANDU, MAY 06 -
On the fifth day of their indefinite strike on Thursday, Maoists faced retaliation across the country, with at least three violent incidents reported in the Capital. Curfew was clamped in Parbat (West), Jumla (Mid West) and Dhankuta (East). Timely intervention by the police stopped the confrontation between Maoists and pro-Hindu activists in Birgunj (Central Tarai) from getting out of hand. Still, sources say, the danger is far from over and that the Central and Eastern Tarai could see major flare-ups in the near future.

Opinion is divided over whether these incidents have been engineered or are spontaneous. It could be both.

Organised forces seem to have tapped on the growing public anger over a strike that has severely crippled life and shows no early sign of ending. An informed source had told this correspondent as far back in February that “strong ground preparations” were on to counter the Maoists across the country and that the anti-Maoist surge would be especially evident in the Tarai where “they will be completely annihilated.”

The major bone of contention has been the modalities (and the number) for the integration and rehabilitation of the Maoist combatants. Agreement on the issue and commitment to a date, say NC and UML leaders, will go a long way in convincing them that the Maoist party is committed to transforming itself to a civilian party. Non-Maoist parties also want an agreement on a framework and quick action on returning seized property; this is especially urgent for the NC. “Those two issues and dismantling the barracks of YCL would go a long way in assuring us that the Maoists are serious about keeping their pledge to past accords,” says Pradeep Gyawali, a UML central committee leader ……….

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