New Delhi
1 January 2006
As the deadline for the expiry of ceasefire declared by the Communist
Party of Nepal (Maoist) approaches, the United Nations has reiterated its appeal to King
Gyanendra to push for a "mutually agreed truce" and asked the Maoists to extend their
unilateral ceasefire.
The four-month-old unilateral ceasefire declared by the CPN-M expires on January 2.
"The Secretary-General is seriously concerned that fighting could escalate in Nepal after
the [ceasefire expires.] He deeply regrets that despite the appeal of so many national
and international voices, including his own, no progress appears to have been made
towards a mutually agreed truce between the Government of Nepal and the CPN-M," the
UN said.
"The people of Nepal have benefited from the de-escalation of violence in the last four
months and they would bear the brunt of a renewal in fighting. In the interest of peace
and the welfare of civilians throughout the country, the Secretary-General therefore
reiterates his strong appeal to the Government of Nepal to reciprocate the ceasefire and
to the CPN-M to extend its unilateral ceasefire. The United Nations stands ready to
assist in the realisation of this objective should the parties so desire," it added.
The UN appeal comes at a time when the seven-party alliance has appealed the Nepali
people to boycott the February 8 municipal election. The King is trying to "fool" the
international community by staging a "poll drama," the political parties said.
The Maoists have already decided to boycott the polls and said they would take "special
action" against those participating in the polls. They have also announced seven day
general strike coinciding with the poll date.
Meanwhile, Indian ambassador to Nepal Shiv Shankar Mukherjee recently discussed the
present political situation in the Kingdom, including the seven-party agitation against
King Gyanendra's direct rule and the Maoist problem, with Nepali Congress Party
president and former prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala and Nepal Communist Party-
UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal.
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