Comprehensive peace accord signed, decade-old Maoist armed insurgency ends

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Kantipur Report

KATHMANDU, Nov 21 - The government and the Maoists on Tuesday evening signed the much anticipated and long awaited Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA), formally ending the decade-long armed Maoist insurgency. Attended by the entire cabinet, political leaders, foreign ambassadors, dignitaries and members of the international press, the historic moment came at the Birendra International Convention Center (BICC) hall in the capital at 8:25 this evening.
Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and Maoist supremo Prachanda signed the http://www.kantipuronline.com/admin/news/upload/ag2006-11-21a.jpghistoric deal. Before the deal was signed, Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula read out the full text of the CPA.
Main features of the CPA, which includes 10 main sections are

Formal end of the Maoists' People's War that began in 1996
No political rights to King; his property to be nationalised under public trusts
To strictly implement all previous agreements reached between the government and Maoists.
Maoists' People's Liberation Army and Nepal Army and their arms to be managed as per the earlier agreement reached between the government and the Maoists
No attacks or any kind of violent and offensive activities from either side; no new recruitments in armed forces of both sides
OHCHR-Nepal to monitor human rights situation, and UN Team to monitor and supervise PLA cantonments and Nepal Army barracks
Full commitment to uphold human rights, all international human rights laws, civil libertieshttp://www.kantipuronline.com/admin/news/upload/ag2006-11-21b.jpg
Maoists' parallel administration (People's governments, People's Courts) across the country to be scrapped
National Peace and Rehabilitation Commission, Truth Commission, and a high-level Commission for State Restructuring to be formed
Feudal land-ownership system to end, Scientific land distribution system to be adopted
Strong punitive policy against corruption
Property earned illegally by anybody through corruption to be confiscated
Possession, display and use of arms and weapons by anybody a punishable crime
Both government and Maoist sides to assist each other to maintain law peace, law and order
Respectful rehabilitation and social integration of the people displaced during the insurgency

[Sujoy]

So as the Moaists are also part of the Govt then the tax on trekkers @ Rs 100 per day should stop. BUt will it?

[Boulia]

A short extract from the latest Nepal Tourist Board update.

"Since both the Government and Maoists have committed for free movement of tourists and all Nepali in any part of the country without hindrance, it will definitely provide a boost to ailing tourism industry of Nepal. The signing of CPA also put full stop to illegal donation collected by Maoists from trekkers in the different trekking routes. Now tourists can go anywhere in Nepal with any hiccup and hitch."

So maybe it is the end of the 'donations' but this ignores the TRC restrictions.

[yakshaver]

A short extract from the latest Nepal Tourist Board update.

"Since both the Government and Maoists have committed for free movement of tourists and all Nepali in any part of the country without hindrance, it will definitely provide a boost to ailing tourism industry of Nepal. The signing of CPA also put full stop to illegal donation collected by Maoists from trekkers in the different trekking routes. Now tourists can go anywhere in Nepal with any hiccup and hitch."

So maybe it is the end of the 'donations' but this ignores the TRC restrictions.

I have this theory. Some might call it a conspiracy theory. Ok, I myself call it a conspiracy theory. But it is a brilliant one, if I can say so myslf. I LOL while I write this. It is uncanny.
I have an idea.
Let's say that now with the official peace accord, the maobadi will no longer collect "donations". Then all this TRC stuff is just a smokeskreen for the Maoists to be able to still collect money. TAAN is just a front for the old MaoMao, who still wants the dosh.
The timing for the introduction of the TRC is just too cutely coinciding with the signing of the peace accord. The fact that the two did not come into effect on the same day, just adds strength of my theory. They just did not want to make the link between the two that obvious...

I challenge anyone to come up with a better theory.

[Ripper]

Yakshaver, your theory seems sound except, where is the money? I don't doubt that there is some level of complicity. TAAN either through necessity or by party affiliation seemed to have a relationship with the Maoist throughout the conflict. However, the CRT fee is a fraction of the donation rate. There's no way the CRT money offsets the lost donations unless the agencies, porters and guides are kicking back some of their new found income derived from the CRT. This would be way to difficult to collect.

My greater concern with the CPA is that it seems to leave the mao infrastructure intact. What's to stop the Maoists from using their military clout anytime a vote doesn't go their way?

[yakshaver]

Yakshaver, your theory seems sound except, where is the money? I don't doubt that there is some level of complicity. TAAN either through necessity or by party affiliation seemed to have a relationship with the Maoist throughout the conflict. However, the CRT fee is a fraction of the donation rate. There's no way the CRT money offsets the lost donations unless the agencies, porters and guides are kicking back some of their new found income derived from the CRT. This would be way to difficult to collect.

My greater concern with the CPA is that it seems to leave the mao infrastructure intact. What's to stop the Maoists from using their military clout anytime a vote doesn't go their way?

I agree with what you say Ripper, including the comment about the maomao infrastructure. I am reasonably interested in what will happen with the weapons of the maoists. Might have to read the details of the peace accord more carefully.

Regarding my theory above, I am always serious, even when I am not, which was the case when I wrote theose comments;)