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Nepal begins to frame temporary constitution

KATHMANDU: A committee which will draft a temporary constitution for Nepal, paving the way for rebel Maoists to join an interim government, has started consulting the rebels and civil society leaders, officials said on Monday.

“We are discussing with civil society, professionals and community groups to collect their opinions for preparing an interim constitution,” said Laxman Prasad Aryal, coordinator of the six-member committee.

But Aryal said the committee, formed after the new government and the Maoists reached a landmark deal Friday to share power and end a decade of war, was not yet an official body. The two sides, who allied to force King Gyanendra from power during bloody protests in April, pledged to draft a temporary constitution within 15 days that would be the basis for power-sharing.

“We have not yet received the green light from the government to operate our activities formally. Nevertheless, we are preparing basic grounds for the proper functioning of the committee,” Aryal told AFP.

“The time period might be extended if we can not complete it within 15 days” he added. “Once an interim constitution is approved, the constitution of 1990 will be annulled. The formation of an interim government will take place only after the drafting of an interim constitution,” Aryal said. Rebel leader Prachanda, who made his first public appearance in a decade on Friday in an unprecedented meeting with Nepal’s prime minister, had returned to the countryside to take the proposed peace deal to his men, a spokesman said.

“We are engaged in discussions with the interim constitution-drafting committee,” said Krishna Bahadur Mahara, the rebel spokesman. “Our leader Prachanda is on a nationwide campaign of political training for party cadres. He will come back to Kathmandu within a week after completing the program,” he said. afp

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