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| Tuesday, 19 October 2004 |
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Andhra Pradesh to Maoists: Stop carrying guns or no full truce HYDERABAD, India, Monday (AFP) India's southern Andhra Pradesh state continued closed-door negotiations with powerful Maoist rebels despite rejecting their demand for a full truce unless they stopped carrying guns, officials said. Talks began Friday between two Maoist groups - the People's War Group (PWG) and the Maoist Communist Centre of India (MCCI) - and the Andhra Pradesh government. "There are contentious issues but the talks are friendly and cordial," said state home minister Jana Reddy, head of the government negotiating team. "People must understand that we cannot sign any truce pact with those who reject the rule of law," Reddy told reporters, referring to a rebel demand for a written ceasefire. According to government officials, there was a broad agreement on a truce but differences on whether Maoists could bear arms in villages. Reddy said there could be no truce agreement as long as the question of carrying weapons remained. In July, the state government invited the rebels for talks after lifting a ban on the People's War Group and agreeing verbally on a truce, preparing the ground for talks. State officials said they would have to consult the central government before signing a written ceasefire agreement with the Maoists. The discussions also focussed on the rebels' demands for property to be given to landless farmers and the ouster from the state of multilateral agencies such as the World Bank and multinational firms. "We're not against development but oppose exploitation by the World Bank and multinationals," said Maoist delegation leader Akkiraju Haragopal, who earlier this week held his first public rally in decades, drawing thousands of people. The Maoists have been waging an armed rebellion in largely rural Andhra Pradesh for more than three decades to create better living conditions for landless farmers and indigenous people. The People's War Group, India's oldest and most violent Maoist group, is strongest in Andhra Pradesh but has a presence in five other states and there are hopes that similar discussions can be held elsewhere if local governments are willing. The insurgency has claimed more than 10,000 lives. |
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