By IANS
Kathmandu : A group of former Maoists, which has been declared a terrorist group by the US government, Wednesday called for a four-day closure in Nepal’s Terai plains in November to thwart the much-awaited elections.
Headed by Jay Krishna Goit, who was one of the top Maoist leaders in the plains, the Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha that broke away to spearhead a separate struggle for an autonomous state, announced a shutdown in the plains Nov 20-23.
The constituent assembly election, on which Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s credibility and legitimacy rests, is scheduled for Nov 22. The splinter group, which has been responsible for a string of abductions, killings and strikes in the plains, has also called a four-day strike Oct 3-6.
The underground group was recently asked by the government to open dialogue, but it rejected the offer, saying it would hold talks only under the aegis of the United Nations (UN).
But Nepal’s government has ruled out involving the UN, which is already monitoring the peace negotiation with Maoist guerrillas.
Goit is urging Madhesis, the people from the plains, not to take part in the constituent assembly election that will write a new statute for Nepal and determine if it would remain a kingdom or become a republic.
“If you take part in the polls, you will stamp a paper that will perpetuate Terai’s slavery to Nepalis,” Goit said in a brief but fiery statement issued from underground.
After the Morcha began an armed struggle for an autonomous Madhes state in the plains, his former lieutenant Jwala Singh quit, taking a faction with him and forming the Singh faction that too is waging a war in the plains demanding an autonomous state.
On Tuesday, the Jwala Singh faction abducted and killed a school principal for allegedly advocating the polls.
Singh too has expressed his opposition to the election and announced a series of protests to disrupt it.
Besides the Maoist renegades, the Maoists themselves, who had launched their people’s war in 1996 demanding the polls, are now threatening its disruption.
The guerrillas have given Koirala time till Sep 17 to declare Nepal a republic. Else, they have threatened to pull out of the government and start a series of protests from Sep 18.
The international community, including India, have cautioned the government that it would lose its credibility if it failed to hold the polls in November.
The exercise had to be deferred in June due to the fragile security situation, especially in the Terai, where over 150 people have died since this year.