Stop operation, we will hold arms for a month: Maoists
October 4th, 2011 - 10:01 pm ICT by IANS
Kolkata, Oct 4 (IANS) The Maoists Tuesday announced they were prepared to hold arms for a month if the West Bengal government halted the joint security forces’ operation to build a congenial atmosphere for dialogue.
“We are prepared to restrain arms for a month if there is no joint security forces’ operation in Junglemahal (Maoist-hit forested stretches of West Midnapore, Purulia and Bankura districts),” said a joint statement signed by Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) state committee spokesman Akash and two government-appointed interlocutors Sujato Bhadra and Choton Das.
The statement was given Friday after lengthy talks between CPI-Maoist leaders and the interlocutors.
“We are in favour of peace. If the state government promises to stop the joint operation for a month and implements it in letter and spirit, we will also announce the month-long ceasefire and carry it out in letter and spirit,” it said.
Das told IANS that the missive also called for disarming the anti-Maoist armed groups and asked the government to take the responsibility.
“If these groups carry out attacks, we will talk to the interlocutors for the government to take steps to stop such attacks. Through this, we hope a congenial atmosphere will be created for a dialogue,” he said quoting the letter.
Das said though the left-wing extremists have given the proposal unilaterally, the government needs to do its bit by stopping the joint forces operation for the proposal to take effect. “The ball is now in the government’s court,” Das said.
The letter signed Sep 30 was embargoed till Oct 3. “We have released it to the media today (Tuesday) after the embargo got over,” he added.
The joint statement comes days after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee issued a stern warning saying the guerrillas would have to decide whether they wanted talks or would continue their politics of killing.
“Who has given you the right to kill? If you want to sit for negotiations, do so. But you cannot have both. You have to choose one,” she said after a series of fresh killings in the Junglemahal area.
- Bengal Maoists ready for talks, says interlocutor - Sep 03, 2011
- Maoists demand Mamata's written commitment on talks - Oct 29, 2011
- Bengal interlocutors step aside from peace process - Nov 28, 2011
- Maoist sympathisers doubt Mamata's commitment to peace talks - Oct 15, 2011
- Peace initiative to continue, say Bengal interlocutors - Nov 19, 2011
- Strands of similarity in Azad, Kishenji killings - Nov 26, 2011
- 'Bengal committed to peace with Maoists' - Sep 30, 2011
- Talks with Maoists to continue: Bengal interlocutors - Oct 18, 2011
- Mamata's Junglemahal package: Does it address main issues? - Jul 22, 2011
- Junglemahal peacful, shutdown call partial - Oct 22, 2011
- Mamata raising another Salwa Judum: Maoist sympathiser - Sep 19, 2011
- Talks with Maoists will be fruitful, Binayak Sen asserts - Sep 08, 2011
- Arms or talks? Choose in seven days, Mamata tells Maoists - Oct 15, 2011
- Surrender arms and talk: Mamata appeals to Maoists - Jul 08, 2011
- Mamata should withdraw joint forces: Mahasweta Devi - Oct 08, 2011
Tags: akash, bankura, bhadra, ceasefire, chief minister, communist party of india, congenial atmosphere, CPI, guerrillas, lengthy talks, mamata banerjee, maoist, maoists, midnapore, missive, purulia, security forces, state committee, west bengal government, wing extremists