Bhubaneswar:
It's been two weeks of tedious discussion between the Odisha govt and the two mediators selected by the Maoists.
But a 6 page statement announced by the Chief Minister on the 4th of April , a document which is with NDTV seems to indicate that the Govt has infact, addressed all the demands forwarded by the Maoists. The question is whether the Maoist leadership has at all been informed by the mediators? Do the mediators have a direct access to the Maoist leadership or are they too depending on the media to convey, hoping that the Maoists will get to know?
There are no templates for hostage crisis negotiations. Each is unique and the details are never revealed. Almost always ransom is paid. It is a tightrope walk for the government who wouldn't want precedents to be set. This mediation and agreement and possible release of hostages is no guarantee that the armed outfits won't abduct again.
So what are the options before the government?
With time running out probably the government already arm twisted to agree on the demands needs to convince that their agreement is sincere and they won't go back on the promises.
The government needs to impress upon the mediators the government stand and ensure that the Maoist leadership is conveyed the reality.