NEPAL'S DEMOCRACY RIGHT NOW IS THE JOKE IN THE NAME OF DEMOCRACY!!!
AFTER ALL THIS WHAT DID WE GAIN , WHAT DID WE LOSE !!!TIME TO EVALUATE.
THIS IS EXCELLENT ARTICLE .THE EDUCATED POPULATION CANNOT SEE RIGHT NOW- NAGRIK SAMAJ ETC..

Who Has Gained?

As the country finds itself in the most volatile and unstable situation of instability and anarchy, all forces seem to have become losers in one way or the other

By Keshab Poudel

From the promulgation of interim constitution to formation of new interim parliament, eight political parties have many reasons to rejoice as victorious forces. In reality, however, they are unable to contain the instability and anarchy promoted by them through an unseen power.

Although the whole political agitation by them was aimed to restore democracy, peace and stability, the recent events in terai region indicate that there is no sign of returning to democracy and normalcy in the country any time soon.

“The country has lost the stability and the people have lost their pride and dignity which were upheld by them. Political parties have lost their committed direction and objective. The country has been put into most volatile and unstable situation of instability and anarchy has loomed large over the country. And immediate neighboring countries must have been alarmed against each other due to the present precarious situation of Nepal,” said a political analyst. “Any miscalculation and misjudgment from any of them may create regional or even a large escalation of conflicts.”

As Nepal has been passing through a very critical situation, no one is there to openly speak the reality. “Among them the most vocal diplomat is from USA only. Perhaps that country has sensed the gravity of the situation but unfortunately there is no such seasonal and balanced political expression from our own government. The glaring example is of the instant reaction from Home minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula.”

American ambassador Moriarty revealed that Maoists are importing handmade guns and scrapped weapons from Indian state of Bihar. However, Home Minister Sitaula refuted it as a baseless remark the very next day. Home Minister even did not see the need of investigating the fact openly expressed by a highly resourceful foreign friend of Nepal.

The agitation l aunched a year ago by eight political parties to deprive the power of the King is now gradually heading towards anarchic situation and it is inevitable that in this invisible war, all the forces are going to be losers.

Along with internal forces, Nepal’s two neighbors have also lost the stability of Nepal which is vital for their own national security interest. For the Gandhian democratic juggernaut of South, chaotic Nepal may have immediate spillover effect but some of its prominent intellectuals, politicians of higher status, surprisingly, have expressed happiness because Nepal has made not Gandhian democratic upsurge but a Maoist upsurge.

Nepalese politicians argue that they have commenced a new era with a major historical political change depriving the King from his powers and privileges. However, they too have nothing to boast about their achievements. In the last ten months following the reinstatement of House of Representatives, politicians destroyed everything from basic democratic norms and values to political institutions under which their survival depends.

Role of G.P. Koirala

Koirala : Powerful but ceremonial
Koirala : Powerful but ceremonial
Had prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala, who was politically humiliated by King Gyanendra to resign after the Royal massacre in 2001, upheld the legacy of his legendary brother B.P. Koirala, he would have prevented the destruction of democratic ideals and values and he would not have to see his party turning from majority to minority at his last leg of political career.

When Koirala, a relentless fighter of democracy, took oath of office as a PM in April 2006, his party, though divided but ideologically one, was in majority in the House of Representatives. But now his party is in a minority following the formation of interim constitution and interim parliament. In fact, the parliament is now under the control of majority communist leaders.

At the cost of country’s stability and his own democratic ideals and values which he championed throughout his political career, Koirala justified every means to deprive the monarchy of its power and privilege. He succeeded to deprive monarchy from its traditional power and privilege but ultimately he has made himself a ceremonial figure.

According to the analyst, there was no ideological deviation till the power was handed over to a democratic leader GP. Koirala by the King on April as the King took a U-turn logically on his determined style of governance to prevent unseen meddlers in internal strife in Nepal.
“Had the leadership of Koirala been able to continue his posture and commitments as a democrat in real terms, the country would not have to see the present phase of series of anarchy and as well as the destruction of ideals and values.” The declaration of parliament in May was the first step of derailment of democratic norms and constitutional practices.

“After a series of such negative performance in the matter of democratic process, a most serious jolt has come by this interim constitution of 2007. There have been recorded views of attorneys and attorney generals of his time to testify that Koirala has failed to maintain his image as well as the goodwill of his party as a champion of rights of the people for self governance,” said the analyst.

Though the prime minister seems to have enormous power at present, in real terms all these are decorative and ceremonial with enormous negative implications.

Nepali Congress As A Loser

/contents/2007/englishweekly/spotlight/jan/jan26/page%2019.jpg
Apex Court : Dilution of independence
After the monarchy, the greatest loser in present politics are both factions of Nepali Congress in moral as well as political sense. Nepali Congress had a legacy from its pinnacle reached under the legendary leader B.P. Koirala. Though it has been divided at present due to the power sharing politics, it has remained almost intact ideologically and emotionally.

“Workers and leaders from both the parties do not find logical reason why they have been kept into different brackets under different power mongering leaders The greatest legacy of Nepali Congress of both the fractions have been the same ideological and moral plank. The most inspiring and therefore unifying elements of those two fractions under the same legacy are common ideals and common objectives,” said the analyst.

Former prime minister and Nepali Congress Democratic Leader Sher Bahadur Deuba agreed, “Our party will unite soon as we don’t have any ideological difference. But, the process of unification depends upon Girijababu.”

Where Communists Stand

The communist parties including the CPN-UML, which was a fire brand radical party in 1990, too, have lost their ideological image giving up Marxism, Leninism and party of proletariat. At the cost of power and privilege, the CPN-UML sacrificed its ideological image.

The Maoists – under whose call 15,000 people were killed and many disabled, finally joined political mainstream giving up their ideological identity. All five communist parties got their share in power but they had to lose their ideological image. The communist trademark is now just reflected in their flags with hammer and sickle.

“Whatever the cost we have to pay, we are able to turn Nepal from a traditional monarchical state to republican. This constitution ushers the era of republican in Nepal,” said CPN-UML leader Jhalnath Khanal. “This is a major victory of our party.”

Communist leaders still have something to say while former prime minister and veteran politician Surya Bahadur Thapa and RPP leader Pashupati Sumsher Rana have nothing to boast about except that they are members of interim parliament. They are also deprived of any political role except to endorse the proposal tabled by eight party leaders.

And Monarchy

Although the monarchy is the major loser of present political crisis as it has lost all its power and privileges under the present interim constitution, it seems to be gradually picking up its traditional position as a guarantor of political stability.

People, in general, have very short memory - whatever bitterness there have been in their mind in the past may fade away soon if the King maintains the present posture of patience and tolerance. By losing all the real power exercised by constitutional monarch in democratic countries, the monarchy still is a popular institution.

R ecent polls, sponsored by some media regarding monarchy and particularly late King Prithvi Narayan Shah, give indications that the majority of opinion is still in favor of monarchy.

“Had the strength of monarchy in Nepal been merely based upon military force, it would not have been converted politically as the present constitution has already ignored it. Monarchy in Nepal has again proved that its strength is popular will and, therefore, is people’s monarchy,” said the analyst.

Monopoly of Power

The interim constitution does not permit others except the eight parties to be in the parliament and to be in the government. That, too, has no popular representation as the restored House of Representatives was. This parliament is a representative house of previous parliament which was revived not based upon any provision of the constitution but an act of necessity.

“In fact, this parliament has come in a manner of abrupt and unusual shift of power like it was done by military officers in a manner of coup d'etat. A unique situation has appeared in Nepal where anything could be possible under the scheme of unseen powers than the seen forces and procedures,” said the analyst.

The independence of judiciary is another loser of the great game. Although it has given certain constitutional roles, the judiciary has to work now as a committed judiciary. For the first time in the history of Nepal, chief justice took oath of his office and secrecy from the prime minister.

“We have to uphold the spirit of competent, independent and clean judiciary,” said Bishwokanta Mainali, newly elected president of Nepal Bar Association.

The Silent Cry

Seven party workers : privileged lot
Seven party workers : privileged lot

The greatest losers are the Nepalese people who are given the right to vote but deprived to be in government. Along with losing political power, people of Nepal in general have lost peace, stability and economic opportunities.

The silent majority is crying for the nation’s salvation from instability and invisible interference and invasion against Nepal. The cry of silent majority is a silent cry in the words of historian Ludwig F. Stiller, S.J. According to him the silent cry was there in the past and it is there at present. “The cry of village Nepal is still echoing around us. The modalities have changed and the content has changed but the cry is still there. Will it be heard any more clearly today than it was during the silent years?,” writes Stiller in his book the Silent Cry describing the history of Nepal after the war of 1814.

“It is shrouded in mystery why and how it happens but one can definitely feel that this has nothing to do with the common people of Nepal and their aspirations,” said the analyst. “When the whole world is lurking to get migrated to America, Stiller, an American who was so much emotionally attached to Nepal and opted to be a Nepali Citizen, has made outstanding contribution in writing the history of Nepal. The book - the Silent Cry is one of them. ”

Despite his diplomatic engagement and discipline, American ambassador James Moriarty, representing America’s emotional feelings towards Nepal, has been ventilating certain views, which annoys some extremists, but his opinion generally takes care of the silent cry of the people of Nepal.

“Forms and characters have changed but the pain and agonies are in continuation. Because of the nefarious great game, all are losers in Nepal and ultimately even the players of the great game may lose whatever goodwill and influence are still there,” said the analyst.

One has to reach to a conclusion that except the short sighted destabilizing force, no one has been the gainer. It may take decades to bring back Nepal into the previous position of peace and stability - which all have lost.