Stressing the need to protect democratic achievements of the past in building road to the future, they said, “…all political parties must concentrate on the peace process and constitution writing, based on combatant integration-rehabilitation as agreed in past agreements. This is the national agenda of the moment, and we request the well-informed citizenry to be alert to any diversion from this path.” [break]
In the appeal, they said that with diligent and urgent effort based on eight values, it is still possible to promulgate new constitution by the deadline.
They listed social justice, non-violence, plurality and pluralism, separation of powers, freedoms, federalism, secularism and nationalism as non-negotiable values.
After reading out the appeal at a press conference called by Madan Krishna Shrestha and Hari Bansha Acharya, former UN under-secretary general Kul Chandra Gautam informed that such appeal were simultaneously issued in several parts of the country on Sunday.
“This appeal is not directed toward one party. It is directed toward all parties represented in the Constituent Assembly,” he said, adding that while the constitution should be drafted by the deadline, a hurriedly drafted constitution should not come at the cost of the aforementioned values.
Actor Madan Krishna Shrestha warned that there are ample indications the political parties are not serious about constitution making. “There is widespread concern. People tell me we should picket the residences of all 601 assembly members. Others say, if the constitution is not framed by the deadline, the assembly members must be made to pay back with interest the salary and expenses they received in the past two years,” he said.
Former speaker Daman Nath Dhungana said there is no provision in the interim constitution to prolong the CA´s life. “If the political parties want to prolong its life through a political decision, they must first seek permission of the people. So far, there has been no effort in this direction,” he said.
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