Nepal army, rebels trade blame on peace violations

NEPAL: Nepal's army and Maoist rebels have accused each other of violating a code of conduct agreed last week which commits both sides to cease provocations and stop intimidating people with arms.

In their first peace talks since 2003, the Maoists and the new multi-party government agreed to the code which also committed both sides to stop recruitment. The rebels also pledged not to force people to pay donations.

"The Maoists are ignoring the code of conduct and continue kidnapping civilians, (indulge in) forcible collection of funds and recruitment," the army said in a statement late on Monday.

It said the rebels were carrying out recruitment and training in the western district of Nawalparasi and had kidnapped a businessman in Lamjung in west Nepal.

On Tuesday, chief rebel negotiator Krishna Bahadur Mahara denied the guerrillas were forcing people to pay and said army patrols and searches continued despite the code.

"The government is seriously violating the code," Mahara told Reuters.

Mahara also said a local Maoist leader was killed in the western district of Bardiya by vigilante groups which were set up by the royalist government of the king to fight the rebels.

Last week, the government and Maoists began peace talks following weeks of violent street protests in April that forced King Gyanendra to end his absolute rule and hand back power to political parties.

A ceasefire was agreed earlier this month.

Nepal's new government has agreed to hold elections for a special assembly to draft a new constitution and decide the future of the monarchy, a key rebel demand. Both sides are preparing for the vote but no date has been fixed.

The insurgency has claimed more than 13,000 lives and wrecked the economy of the impoverished Himalayan country. Previous peace talks failed in 2001 and 2003.

Kathmandu, Tuesday, Reuters