BHUBANESWAR: The much-awaited negotiation between the interlocutors appointed by the Maoists and the State Government took off on Thursday with no tangible progress towards safe release of the two Italians held hostage since March 14. There were clear signs though that the rebels were desperate for a deal, sooner than later. Three senior IAS officers __ Home Secretary UN Behera, Panchayati Raj Secretary PK Jena and SC and ST Development Secretary Santosh Sarangi __ were closeted with civil rights activist BD Sharma and Dandapani Mohanty in a two-hour long discussion here. While Mohanty made it clear after the first round of discussion that no demand has been considered yet by the Government and Maoists have not released any of the hostages, he also sounded positive that one of the hostages could be released if the Government accepted at least two demands. If more demands are met, the other could also be released soon. Though he did not specify the demands, sources said Maoists have pressed for release of activists (including Subhashree Panda, wife of rebel leader Sabyasachi Panda) who have been re-arrested after getting bail while seeking action against security personnel allegedly involved in gangrape of a tribal girl Arati Majhi in Gajapati district. ‘’We discussed all the 13 demands which the officers will take to the Government and get back to us tomorrow so that we could resolve the issue,’’ Sharma said after negotiation. Mohanty, on his part, scotched rumours that the Italians were indisposed saying both Paolo Bosusco and Claudio Colangelo were hale and hearty. There was one common point of agreement between the Government and the interlocutors, Sharma claimed saying, the issue of tribal tourism should be dissuaded since it portrays tribals as subjects. Asked will there be a third mediator taking part in the negotiations, the two interlocutors said the matter also came up during the discussion. The names of politburo members of CPI (Maoist) Kobad Ghandy and Amit Bagchi have been proposed to the IAS officers. “Any of them could be brought to the Special Jail here so that we could send the feedbacks to the Maoist party through them,” Sharma said. However, till the time Government responds to the demand, Mohanty said the discussions will not stop. He also appealed to cadres of Maoist groups not to indulge in violence. Meanwhile, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik told the Assembly that negotiations have started and Italian Ambassador spoke to him again on Thursday evening. He reiterated his appeal for release of the hostages.
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