'Nepal parties must get their act together'

Special Representative of the UN Secretary General to Nepal requests all parties to recommit themselves to the path of peace, reports Anirban Roy.

As Nepal's political theatre continued, Ian Martin, Special Representative of the UN Secretary General to Nepal has requested all the eight political parties to recommit themselves to the path of peace.

HT Image

In a statement issued on Friday, on the occasion of the International Day of Peace, Martin said political parties faced a special challenge in exercising their stewardship of the peace process.

Nepal's political crisis has deepened after the Maoists quit the interim government led by Girija Prasad Koirala and threatened to launch a massive protest demanding a republican form of government.

"All the parties need to work together to seize this historic opportunity for restoration of peace in Nepal," Martin stressed. The UN envoy said that violence can put the peace process at risk, and also urged the government to ensure security to the people.

"The spirit of this movement needs to be harnessed to ensure that political parties and civil society work together to meet the current challenges," the UN official, said.

Earlier, Indian, the European Union and the US have already expressed concern over the Maoist withdrawal from the interim government in Nepal. Meanwhile, the Maoists have started a door-to-door campaign across the country to acquaint the people that a republican government is the need of the hour to give final shape to a "new Nepal". The Maoist door-to-door has been launched in a big way in Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts, the ultra-left leaders, said. They also asked the people to join their protest rallies on Saturday across the country.

Despite the political uncertainty, Janamorcha Nepal, a tiny partner in the interim government, on Friday started its campaign for the Constituent Assembly election.

The party took out rallies in different parts of the capital city and converged at the Tudikhel ground for a public meeting.

While Maoists are opposed to the election, the other major political parties, including the Nepali Congress, are yet to launch their campaign.