Govt open on all issues

KATHMANDU, Oct 6 - A day after armed Terai groups expressed willingness to sit for 'meaningful' talks, the newly-formed talks team on Sunday said the government is open to hold discussion on all issues with the agitating armed groups. The talks team coordinator, Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Janardan Sharma, ...

Speaking at a press conference organised at the ministry to formally invite the armed groups for talks, Sharma said the government would hold talks without any mediation.  He said that the government talks team would send written invitations to the armed groups if this is felt necessary.

Sharma said that the government would initiate a dialogue with the armed groups after determining whether or not they are political groups through consultations with the Home Ministry.

On Friday, the government formed a three-member talks team comprising Minister Sharma of the CPN-Maoist, Minister for Local Development Ram Chandra Jha of CPN-UML and Minister for Education Renu Yadav of Madhesi People’s Rights Forum (MPRF).

Over a dozen underground Terai outfits, which reportedly held a meeting at Katihar in the Indian state of Bihar recently to forge a working alliance, said on Saturday that there was a possibility of dialogue with the government if the latter pledges to make it 'meaningful'.

Winding up their meeting, various armed outfits including the JTMM led by Jwala Singh, Akhil Terai Mukti Morcha (ATMM) of Jaya Krishna Goit, other JTMM factions led by Bibas Bidrohi and Kris, the Madhesi Mukti Tigers, Virus Killers and Terai Cobra reportedly inked a 15-point agreement on forging a working alliance.

As many as 14 armed groups operating in various Terai districts have declared a 'ceasefire' for Dashain from October 6 to 14.