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 yesterday.
"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 on Friday to share power and end a decade of war, is 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 within a month.
"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 reporters yesterday. "The time period might be extended if we could not complete it within 15 days."
The rebels have fought a "people's war" since 1996, during which at least 12,500 people have been killed. They agreed to a ceasefire last month after Gyanen-dra was forced to reinstate parliament and was stripped of most of his powers, including control of the army.
"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," the spokesman said.
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