I wonder why it took the Nepalese people so long to finally realize that in order to restore democracy they would have go back and replay history. Having said that, very different circumstance prevails today, in comparison to 16 yrs ago.
1. Nepal didn’t have a Maoist insurgency gobbling up 50% of the nation.
2. Democracy hadn’t been a failure yet.
It’s easy for all the political parties go out ranting on the streets about how they don’t have their cushy parliament seats and duty free vehicles anymore, how the nation has been robbed of human and civil rights etc... I think they need to look back and realize that it was their maladministering of Democracy that led to the fall of it. We had around 12 Prime Minister's in as many years, now that’s a statistic that one needs to remember.
The Maoists arrived out of people's disillusionment of the political parties.
Democracy is the best form of government only when it’s governed by leaders who put the people's needs before their own. What the royal palace didn’t amass financially iin over 300 years of rule, our politicians topped in less than ten years.
Some own over 50 homes in Kathmandu valley alone, others have million dollar apartments in western countries. If that’s what Democracy bought about, then maybe we the people need to sit and re-think, who has it really benefited the most?
The Ironic tragedy today is, that the politicians who were defeated by the Mao's and hence surrendered democracy over to the palace( by not being able to dir successfully negotiate with them and hold elections for fear of them) are now back sitting tight with the Mao's in the hope that a common enemy needs to be eliminated first.
So what happens even if the King were to step down, do we the people really see the Maoists and Politicians getting along like a walk down a beach??
I’m skeptical. What the failed Politicians need to sit up and realize is that it’s because of them - we have a Maoist insurgency, and now a country heading towards being a failed state.
Nepal needs to address its very basic core issues first- poverty, education, infrastructure, hospitals, and the creation of jobs so people don’t migrate out of the country @ 3000 a day.
Democracy isn’t the elixir, it will always bring along a host of challenges, and in our country we are blessed with a King that is willing to face up to these challenges when 205 elected impotents cant.
Maybe its time the politicians start assuming responsibility rather than looking for a scapegoat, who knows then maybe Democracy, might have a glimmer of hope in Nepal, until then get used to this impasse.
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