Talks to end Nepal violence suffer major setback

November 7, 2000
Web posted at: 12:11 AM HKT (1611 GMT)

KATHMANDU, Nepal (Reuters) -- Efforts to end a bloody four-year rebellion in the landlocked Himalayan kingdom of Nepal have suffered a major setback, threatening meagre economic gains in one of the world's poorest countries.

Last month, government officials and Maoist guerrillas held informal talks for the first time since the revolt began, fueling hopes of a breakthrough in the conflict that has claimed 1,500 lives.

The government said it had met one of the rebels' key conditions for formal talks when on Friday it released two Maoist leaders, Dinesh Sharma and Dinanath Gautam, who announced they had renounced violence.

But Sharma retracted his statements hours later, saying they had been made under duress, and vowed to continue their guerrilla campaign to install a communist "people's republic."

Chances for talks with the centrist government had "been pushed to almost an end," the Maoists said in a statement at the weekend.

"The situation does not appear matured from both sides to begin serious talks to end the violence," Rajendra Dahal, editor of Himal magazine, said.

The conflict has hurt the limited economic progress made by Nepal. "It is undermining the limited development gains of previous decades," a Western aid agency said in a report.

While analysts believe there is little chance the Maoists could win their campaign to overthrow Nepal's constitutional monarchy, there are concerns that the violence could further discourage tourism, am economic mainstay.

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, chief of the centrist Nepali Congress party known for its anti-communist stance, rode to power last March vowing to crush the rebellion.

Police said the rebels killed a policeman and injured seven in east Nepal on Sunday, the first violent incident since last Friday's release of the rebels.

"These types of incidents will continue," Dahal said.

The rebels' demands have included the ending of police action against them, the release of arrested members and information on some of their leaders who have disappeared.

The Maoist rebellion began as a shadowy campaign in remote districts in west and central Nepal in early 1996 and now covers more than one-third of the mountainous nation.

"It is really tragic that the talks so near should now be pushed back towards uncertainty," the Kathmandu Post daily said.

Copyright 2000 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For more ASIANOW news, myCNN.com will bring you news from the areas and subjects you select.

See related sites about South Asia
South Asian media sites

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.