KIRAN PANDAY

Everyone is well aware of the 12-point understanding reached between the seven party alliance and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) on 22 November 2005 for loktantra, peace, prosperity, progressive thinking and national independence. The understanding created a nationwide wave that completely swamped the 8 February municipal polls orchestrated by the autocratic regime. That failure leaves no doubt that the understanding has been endorsed by the people. The widespread international support for the understanding also proves that it will be the true foundation for the resolution of the conflict.

Today, we express our strong commitment to implement the understanding. The seven parties are fully convinced that the force of the opposition movement will restore parliament, which in turn will create an interim government and conduct constituent assembly elections after dialogue and agreement with the Maoists. Such elections will end the conflict, establish loktantra and restore the people's sovereign and state power. The Maoists believe fully that an interim government formed by a national conference of democratic forces and constituent assembly elections can achieve this political goal. We have agreed that we will continue talks in order to reach a common agreement on the process.

We also agreed that the people's movement is the only means feasible for achieving our goal. We appeal to all democratic forces, civil society, professional groups, marginalised and oppressed peoples, the press and public to actively take part in the ongoing peaceful movement to establish absolute democracy and restore people's sovereignty through constituent assembly elections.

We appeal also to the international community to provide all support in our attempt to end the 10-year armed conflict and establish peace and loktantra by ending Nepal's autocratic monarchy. Along with this understanding, the seven party alliance has called for a non-cooperation movement and massive mobilisations on 6-8 April in Kathmandu. The SPA has also requested the Maoists to withdraw their ongoing blockade and extend their full support to its programs. In response, the CPN (M) has agreed to end the blockade programs and extend its full support and cooperation to the SPA's Kathmandu agitation programs.

Signed: Girija Prasad Koirala (president, Nepali Congress), Amrit Kumar Bohara (acting general secretary, CPN-UML), Sher Bahadur Deuba (president, NC-D), Lila Mani Pokhrel (vice president,Janamorcha Nepal), Narayan Man Bijukche (president, NWPP), Rajendra Mahato (general secretary, NSP), Nanda Kumar Prasai (president, ULF), Prachanda (president of CPN-M issued a separate signed version of the same statement).