http://kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=96800

'I-Can-Do-No-Wrong' Oppositional Syndrome

By John Narayan Parajuli

Amid calls for expediting the ongoing peace process, some of those voices have started to bug me. Either some of them trying to put pressure on the government are too naïve or are doing the Maoists’ bidding, without clearly saying so. What bothers me is not so much that they are voicing it, but the claim that they make, that it is the voice of the people. Hello: how many of them have you spoken to? Where is the rest of the the Civil Society? Where is the outrage? This eerie silence will only strengthen the criticism that the Nepali Civil Society is overly pro-Maoists. Or is it a part of "Oppositionstruckness"—that everything oppositional is fine and dandy?


It shouldn't be only an eight party show, nor should the Maoists and the Civil Society hijack the process.


But to begin, the mother of all ills, the self-presumption of innocence—come what may "I-can-do-no-wrong" oppositional syndrome needs to be overcome. And finally, can someone go over and politely tell those stand-up or sit-in guys to issue a disclaimer—when they say they speak for the people.