Talking to media persons after a function in the capital Saturday, Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal said that though the Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA) bars the Nepal Army from importing arms there is no such restriction on police personnel for purposes of maintaining law and order. [break]
Organizing an emergency press conference at the Ministry Saturday morning, Home Minister Rawal said the Maoist obstruction was against the CPA and other existing laws of the country. "Nowhere has the Comprehensive Peace Accord and other agreements barred police personnel for procuring necessary arms, ammunition and logistics for maintaining law and order," he said.
Rawal maintained that the CPA only bars the Nepal Army for importing ´lethal´ arms, but it does not restrict the police agencies, which are entrusted with maintaining law and order in the country.
The Maoists have termed the government´s move to import arms a planned conspiracy to derail the ongoing peace process in the country.
Maoists obstructed APF vehicles carrying explosives, wire and detonators from the APF Training Center at Bardaghat, Nawalparasi to APF Headquarters at Swayambhu, alleging that the arms were imported from India in contravention of the spirit of the CPA. The explosives were meant for the training of APF personnel.
"Neither side shall recruit additional armed forces or conduct military activities, including transporting weapons, ammunition and explosives." Article 5.1.2. of the CPA.
Rawal claimed that hundreds of Young Communist League (YCL) cadres, accompanied by the party´s central leaders including Janardan Sharma, Chandra Bahadur Thapa, Lekha Raj Bhatta and Narayan Dahal, were present during the obstruction. "It is unfortunate to find Maoist central level leaders involved in the obstruction," he further said.
The Maoist cadres obstructed the road at Dharke in Dhading, placing two trucks with flat tires in the middle of the road, the minister said.
Additional police personnel were mobilized at the spot to clear the obstruction as repeated pleas by police personnel on duty were not heeded by the irate Maoist cadres.
It was also stated at the press meet that the Maoists obstructed the vehicle since 12:45 a.m. The additional forces were able to clear the Maoist obstruction at around 3:45 a.m., the minister added. Swayambhu area remained tense almost throughout Saturday as the agitating Maoist cadres staged a demonstration outside APF headquarters.
The Maoist cadres had repeatedly targeted police personnel with stones as they removed the road obstruction and drove the vehicles towards their destination of APF headquarters at Swayambhu. "Tremendous exercise of patience on the part of police personnel on duty averted any untoward incident on the occasion," argued the minister.
Article 5.1.2 of the CPA stipulates that the armies of neither sides (the state and the Maoists) shall recruit additional armed forces or conduct military activities including transporting weapons, ammunition and explosives.
However, Article 5.1.6 of the CPA states that the Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force (APF) shall give continuity to the task of upholding the legal system and maintaining law and order along with carrying out criminal investigations as per the norms and sentiments of the Jana Andolan and the peace accord as well as other prevailing laws.
Minister Rawal argued that the provision allows security agencies under the aegis of the Home Ministry to bring in necessary arms, ammunition and other logistics for the purpose of maintaining law and order in the country.
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