Red letter day for Nepal's Maoists

Pushpa Kamal Dahal, chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) is now the former Himalayan kingdom's first elected prime minister. Better known as Prachanda (fierce) the man and his party, who had fought a civil war against the now deposed monarchy, now stands to guide his country and the Nepalese people forward.

Many innocent lives were lost when the Maoists sought to exercise political and social control, but today the party has been given a golden opportunity to stabilise Nepal.

As Nepal prepares to walk into a new era, its government must be mindful of the fact that the path to progress and stability lies in forming strong economic alliances within the region. The Maoists have long been labelled a terrorist organisation, blacklisted by the US and others. The time has now come for them to assert their intention that they are a people's party.