Govt initiate talks with Terai insurgents

Nepal’s Maoist-led government on Wednesday decided to immediately kick-start peace-talks with the separatist armed groups operating in Terai.

Janardhan Sharma, Nepal’s Minister for Peace and Reconciliation on Wednesday briefed the cabinet on the initiatives taken by the committee to initiate talks with the insurgent outfits in Terai.

More than half-a-dozen insurgent outfits, including the Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM), have been fighting for separate homeland for the Maitheli and Bhojpuri-speaking population in South Nepal.

“Peaceful settlement of the political demands of the insurgent outfits in Terai is a must to ensure sustainable peace in Nepal,” Sharma said, adding that the peace-talk committee has been able to prepare grounds for a dialogue.

Convinced with Sharma’s presentation, the members of the cabinet unanimously decided to initiate talks with the insurgent outfits at the earliest. Sharma is the coordinator of the government’s peace-talk team.

In addition to Sharma, the government peace talk team is also being represented by few more ministers from the Terai region. Some of the members of the team have already held a series of informal meetings with the leaders of the insurgent outfits.

Sharma said the initial response of the insurgent outfit is positive. The government is also likely to announce unilateral ceasefire to create a conducive environment for talks.

So far, the government have not been able to have any form of dialogue with the government as most of the top leaders of the insurgent outfits are based in Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal directed Sharma and the other members of the peace-talks team to initiate the official dialogue as soon as possible while and pledged full support of the government.