Maoists to remain on US list of terrorist organisations

Dec 11, 2007, 4:56 GMT

Kathmandu - The United States said the Maoists will continue to remain on its list of organisations supporting terrorist activities and blamed the former rebels for the postponement of the key elections.

US Ambassador to Nepal Nancy Powell said there was very little that would inspire the US to change its policy towards the Maoists, according to the Himalayan Times on Tuesday.

'It means the US will continue with the policy of not carrying out any official communication with the Maoists,' she said.

Powell said until there was substantial improvement on the part of the Maoists, the Communist party would continue to remain on the US government's terrorist watch-list.

'The newspapers carry listing of the various atrocities that have been committed by the Maoist group in one form or another,' Powell said.

    The 'happenings in the past four months' do not indicate to Powell a continuing direction of improvement.

She also blamed the Maoists for the indefinite postponement of the elections that was scheduled for November to choose an assembly.

The election of the constituent assembly is a key component of the peace deal and the elected body was to draft the country's new constitution and vote on the future of monarchy.

'The Maoists got to admit the majority of the blame for the cancellation of the election with their demands and they are consistent that they could not go forward with the election,' Powell said.

Powell called for the elections to be held as soon as possible and said the political parties must reach an agreement on the issue.

Powell's interview came amid Maoist claims that they are holding secret meetings with the US government and are hopeful of being removed from its list of terrorist organisations.

The Maoists, who were involved in a decade long insurgency to establish a communist republic in the Himalayan nation, have been vehemently critical of the US government and its support to Nepal in the past.

Powell also ruled out granting a visa to the Maoist leader Prachanda who has publicly said he wishes to visit the US.

'As long as he is part of a terrorist organisation, individual decisions are made on visas, but it would require us to issue a waiver and I don't think that would be forthcoming,' Powell said.

The Maoist formally gave up fighting after signing a peace deal with the government in November 2006.

However, they have been accused of continued abductions, extortion and murder even after joining mainstream politics.