[Marxism] Nepal Maoists formally join government

["Fei Jiao" <feijiao@xxxxxxxxx>]

Nepal Maoists formally join government
from A World to Win News Service
2 April 2007

('A World to Win News Service' is put out by 'A World to Win magazine'
(www.awtw.org), a political and theoretical review published by the
Revolutionary Internationalist Movement (RIM) - a Maoist international
tendency that advocates 'armed struggle' and to which the Communist
Party of Nepal (Maoist) is officially affiliated.)

The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) formally joined the government 1
April with the establishment of a new 21-member cabinet including five
CPN(M) ministers. The naming of the cabinet completes the process of
forming an interim government that began last November with the
signing of a peace agreement by the CPN(M) and the seven parliamentary
parties, following the collapse of the king's direct rule in the mass
urban upheaval of last April. That treaty marked the end of the
decade-long people's war that had led to revolutionary political power
in 80 percent of the country and the beginnings of sweeping social
changes

The government of the new eight-party alliance, as it is widely called
in Nepal, was ratified by parliament, as was the re-appointment of
Congress Party leader G. P. Koirala, formerly the king's prime
minister, as the prime minister of the new government. Koirala also
holds the portfolios of the Defence and Health and Population
ministries. The Home Ministry is also under the control of his party.
The CPN(M) was given the ministries of Information, Local Development,
Forestry and Soil Conservation, Works and Physical Planning, and
Women, Children and Social Welfare.

This government is to organize the 20 June elections for a Constituent
Assembly that will decide the monarchy's fate. The period of electoral
campaigning is to last only two and a half months instead of the six
months originally envisioned. After the ministers were sworn in,
CPN(M) Chairman Prachanda told reporters, in the words of
Nepalnews.com,  that "his party's main priority after having joined
the interim cabinet will be to ensure elections of a Constituent
Assembly in a free, fair and fearless environment." According to the
Nepali news outlet and television reports, he added that "his party
will have two other priorities as well – to provide immediate relief
to the people and to orient the state in the long term towards a new
process." Chairman Prachanda was quoted as saying, "Let us not think
that we have joined the old system. The formation of an interim
cabinet has started a new process. There is no more two states now."
He continued that the eight parties had signed an agreement that the
king can be deposed by a vote of two-thirds of the legislature if he
is found to be conspiring to undermine the election. From now on the
Maoist ministers will have their security provided by the government.

Many countries and international organizations, including the UK and
UN, hailed the formation of the new government. India said, "The
Government of India looks forward to working with the interim
government to further strengthen India's traditionally close and
mutually beneficial relations with Nepal." The US Embassy issued a
statement expressing "full support" and continuing "assistance" to the
new government, while adding a not-so-veiled threat: "The Communist
Party of Nepal (Maoist), which to date has refused to abandon
violence, must finally do so. As a partner in the Interim Government,
the Maoists must now be held fully accountable for their actions. They
must meet their commitments and at last join the mainstream as a
non-violent political party."
________________________________________________
YOU MUST clip all extraneous text before replying to a message.
Send list submissions to: Marxism@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/marxism