The unilateral ceasefire declared by the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) has been welcomed by the Christian community of Nepal. Dr. K. B. Rokaya, General Secretary of the National Council of Churches in Nepal and coordinator of Christian Efforts for Peace, Justice and Reconciliation (CEPJAR), issued a statement on Sunday which declared that the ceasefire was definitely a welcome step. He said that all sections of society, including the international community, must make the most of this opportunity to change it into long-lasting ceasefire and peace.

“We urge the government to reciprocate this positive gesture shown by the Maoists by declaring ceasefire from its side,” Dr. Rokaya said in the statement.

The statement said that the Christian community in Nepal is prepared to take any role to resolve the continuing conflict through dialogue and negotiated settlement. The community has always sided for peace.

There is no alternative to peace talks to resolve the current crisis in the country. The Christian community in Nepal has appealed to the Nepal government and Maoists to come to the dialogue table, build an environment of trust towards each other, and release the country from the crisis.

The small Hindu kingdom of Nepal, tucked away in the Himalayas, has never faced any crisis like the one it is facing today. Ever since, King Gyanendra, the only Hindu monarch in the world, dissolved the parliament in February 1, 2005 and seized full and complete power in his own hands, civil war has broken out and human rights violations have been seen at their worst.

The king (backed by the Royal Nepalese Army), the political parties, the Maoist rebels (disillusioned members of the Communist Party of Nepal) and the civilians have all been involved in a bloody struggle in their search for the elusive word – Democracy.

Rokaya, gave his frank opinion about the ongoing crisis in Nepal earlier this month in an interview with Christian Today. (NCC Nepal Crisis Interview)

“The Maoists, the political parties, the civil society, the human rights community are all ready for a dialogue...they all want a dialogue and a peaceful resolution of the problem,” he said. “But it is the military aid that is coming from outside that is hindering the peace process. It is making dialogues and peaceful settlement difficult. There should be no military aid from outside so that the Nepali people are allowed to solve their own problem. The international community should leave the Nepali people alone to solve their own problem. The international community can be allowed to play a facilitating role, a mediating role. They can definitely play that role and there is a need for that. Intervention of the international community should be limited but productive and constructive.”