Nepal's former communist rebels prepare to form new coalition government

The Associated Press ,  Katmandu   |  Sun, 06/29/2008 5:03 PM  |  World

Nepal's former communist rebels said Sunday they could reach an agreement within days on a coalition government that they pledge will bring sweeping changes to the Himalayan nation after years of insurgency and political turmoil.

The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) won the most seats in April elections for a newly created Constituent Assembly that will rewrite the constitution and govern the country, but failed to secure a majority, forcing the to seek other parties' support.

"We are negotiating with other political parties to form the alliance, which we hope to finalize in the next few days," said Dev Gurung, a senior Maoist leader. "We are also hoping to break all political deadlocks within a day or two."

The resignation last Thursday of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala helped clear the way for a new Maoist-led government.

Koirala had refused for months to step down and make way for a new government, and the Maoists resigned from the interim government two weeks ago in an effort to force him out.

Koirala's Nepali Congress, Nepal's second-largest party, has said it will be in the opposition rather than joining the ruling coalition.

The Maoists and their prospective coalition partners must still agree on amendments to the interim constitution and the selection of a president before the new government and prime
minister can take over.

Another Maoist leader, Chandra Prakash Gajurel, said the main partner in the new coalition would most likely be the Communist Party of Nepal, the country's third-largest party.

"We have almost reached an agreement on the partnership," he said. "There are only a couple of points which need to be settled."

He did not elaborate.

The Maoists have promised to focus on erasing the remains of the feudal system in Nepal, which dissolved its centuries-old monarchy last month.

"We will follow the people's mandate expressed through the people's war and the recently concluded polls to end the vestiges of the feudal monarchy," Gurung said.

"We will ensure rights to all the ethic minorities, workers and peasants," he said. "We will focus on socio-economic transformation of the country and develop an independent national economy, giving special emphasis to reducing unemployment."

The Maoists gave up their 10-year-old insurgency in 2006 to join a peace process. They then joined mainstream politics and contested the April 10 elections.

The Maoists were key players in ending the monarchy. Nepal was declared a republic last month and the last king, Gyanendra, was removed from the throne. Gyanendra left the royal palace earlier this month and moved to a summer house just outside Katmandu.(**)

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