Nepal still awaits a united democratic government
Surya B. Prasai
April 26, 2008
Although various possibilities are being mooted this week on the proposed Maoist led government, most of such ´informed´ reporting does not seem to meet the actual geopolitical expectations of what the Maoists seek within. The Maoists have hinted at a firm democratic coalition which allows sufficient time to consult with the international community to ensure a transition that is smooth and acceptable to all.
Some have hurriedly suggested giving the Maoists unconditional support feeling they should quickly form a Leftists-only government. But the South Asian broadsheets indicate preference for a broader democratic coalition structure accommodating both winners and losers. Kathmandu based political pundits and foreign aid experts assert this coalition must consist of existing political forces, have broad cabinet representation, be geo-politically, sociologically and culturally representative, and meet the Nepali voters expectations of peace and economic progress. Some are even suggesting cabinet ministers should be given the option in future to be posted in different regions, or in charge of specific development regions, so that all round growth, equal resource distribution and economic spontaneity be maintained aiming at budgetary and administrative efficiency.
However, the CPN-UML and NC, continue expressing reservations and general uneasiness in assimilating their leaders in a Maoist led government. They consider the Maoists canny and unpredictable. They feel lending their support at this moment could hurt their international democratic credentials. They have even suggested that some amount of voter coercion did exist which was not well observed by various international teams during the CA Poll. However, the Carter Center, UNMIN, EU and ANFRIL have all declared the election as being "free, fair and impartial" despite some incidents of violence. Moreover, both Prime Minister Koirala and NC number two, Sher Bahadur Deuba are known to be firmly against any leftist government, that too for a transitory period of two years until a new Nepal constitution is written that itself being a formidable task. The Maoists success will also depend on whether MJF´s president Upendra Yadav will sincerely extend full fledged support to a CPN-M government, although he did indicate some sort of moral support provided the future government can fulfill some of the remaining Terai party´s demands.
NC is still sticking to its democratic guns with a new verbal salvo launched by Gopal Man Shrestha, Vice President of the party, who usually comes up with the party´s more innovative policy statements. Gopal Man has suggested that the Maoist affiliated Young Communist League be dismantled first, to be followed by the integration of the Nepal Army and ex-People´s Liberation Army, based on the wishes of NA, the larger military force, before NC can join such a government. However, NA has declined to make any comments on the integration issue. A meeting did take place on Sunday morning between Prime Minister Koirala and the NA Chief, General Rookmangud Katawal at a time when there is mounting pressure on the PM to quit his position and make way for a Maoist-led government. However, the Nepal Army Headquarters has toned down the meeting´s significance as a "routine briefing".
Prachanda through earlier statements had indicated interest in integrating the two armies in a ´miraculous´ bond that will amaze global conflict resolution specialists, though he has not spelled out its modicum or indicated a definite timeline. He has also expressed his interest to head the next Nepal Government. This is so far proving to be a major obstacle for CPN-M and all political parties, since NA is considered a highly disciplined and democratic force going by the finer traditions of international UN peace keeping to which it has dedicated itself for nearly four decades. The PLA will have to also do the same if it integrates itself into NA in future. Thus, NA and Maoist integration experts are currently known to be doing their homework seriously, with the final decision to be made known before or much later after UNMIN´s term rolls over in June 2008. The UN Security Council in New York so far is known to be mulling a timeline for UNMIN given its moderate success, though some permanent members have influential Nepal-concentric friendship which might buy it some more time in Kathmandu, despite Maoist objections.
Both the US and India definitely are planning to continue giving Nepal unconditional political support to the ongoing peace process by providing technically oriented foreign aid assistance in the days ahead, which could also encompass a wider humanitarian dose based on current post conflict recovery and rehabilitation efforts. However the psycho-social counseling and economic rehabilitation of Nepali civil conflict victims must be given a higher priority, according to various international development experts, in stabilizing the Nepali peace process.
South Asian policy think tank institutions are also hinting at emergence of closer quadrangular relationship between India, US, China and Nepal, positioning it as a transitional inter-linking centralized SAARC economic hub. China had recently indicated its willingness to build a broad rail link to Lhasa just across the border from Kathmandu, while India has already supported a UN-ESCAP proposal in opening a broader transport segment of the Asian Highway to reach Kathmandu. India recently organized a get together of sorts between Nepali and Indian intellectuals, foreign policy experts and the media representatives which is an indicator of New Delhi´s interest to warm up relations with the Maoists as well, since Hisila Yami from CPN-M led the Nepali side.
Dina Nath Sharma from CPN-M cautiously notes, "We will lead the government, there is no question about it, but then we want all other parties to join us in the democratic government. It will be a party led by the Nepali people in the end." However, the Maoists will have to work harder at convincing NC and UML, not just the smaller parties in forming the wider coalition berth they seek. Prime Minister and President of Nepali Congress (NC) Girija Prasad Koirala has already indicated that everything, including the formation of next democratic government and handing over of powers will be done with full constitutional respect, though according to Krishna Bahadur Mahara from CPN-M, one will have to wait patiently still so that a wider democratic consensus can be reached. It appears Nepal´s Maoists do not want to repeat the mistakes of the past SPA as Mahara has indicated indirectly.
Some have hurriedly suggested giving the Maoists unconditional support feeling they should quickly form a Leftists-only government. But the South Asian broadsheets indicate preference for a broader democratic coalition structure accommodating both winners and losers. Kathmandu based political pundits and foreign aid experts assert this coalition must consist of existing political forces, have broad cabinet representation, be geo-politically, sociologically and culturally representative, and meet the Nepali voters expectations of peace and economic progress. Some are even suggesting cabinet ministers should be given the option in future to be posted in different regions, or in charge of specific development regions, so that all round growth, equal resource distribution and economic spontaneity be maintained aiming at budgetary and administrative efficiency.
However, the CPN-UML and NC, continue expressing reservations and general uneasiness in assimilating their leaders in a Maoist led government. They consider the Maoists canny and unpredictable. They feel lending their support at this moment could hurt their international democratic credentials. They have even suggested that some amount of voter coercion did exist which was not well observed by various international teams during the CA Poll. However, the Carter Center, UNMIN, EU and ANFRIL have all declared the election as being "free, fair and impartial" despite some incidents of violence. Moreover, both Prime Minister Koirala and NC number two, Sher Bahadur Deuba are known to be firmly against any leftist government, that too for a transitory period of two years until a new Nepal constitution is written that itself being a formidable task. The Maoists success will also depend on whether MJF´s president Upendra Yadav will sincerely extend full fledged support to a CPN-M government, although he did indicate some sort of moral support provided the future government can fulfill some of the remaining Terai party´s demands.
NC is still sticking to its democratic guns with a new verbal salvo launched by Gopal Man Shrestha, Vice President of the party, who usually comes up with the party´s more innovative policy statements. Gopal Man has suggested that the Maoist affiliated Young Communist League be dismantled first, to be followed by the integration of the Nepal Army and ex-People´s Liberation Army, based on the wishes of NA, the larger military force, before NC can join such a government. However, NA has declined to make any comments on the integration issue. A meeting did take place on Sunday morning between Prime Minister Koirala and the NA Chief, General Rookmangud Katawal at a time when there is mounting pressure on the PM to quit his position and make way for a Maoist-led government. However, the Nepal Army Headquarters has toned down the meeting´s significance as a "routine briefing".
Prachanda through earlier statements had indicated interest in integrating the two armies in a ´miraculous´ bond that will amaze global conflict resolution specialists, though he has not spelled out its modicum or indicated a definite timeline. He has also expressed his interest to head the next Nepal Government. This is so far proving to be a major obstacle for CPN-M and all political parties, since NA is considered a highly disciplined and democratic force going by the finer traditions of international UN peace keeping to which it has dedicated itself for nearly four decades. The PLA will have to also do the same if it integrates itself into NA in future. Thus, NA and Maoist integration experts are currently known to be doing their homework seriously, with the final decision to be made known before or much later after UNMIN´s term rolls over in June 2008. The UN Security Council in New York so far is known to be mulling a timeline for UNMIN given its moderate success, though some permanent members have influential Nepal-concentric friendship which might buy it some more time in Kathmandu, despite Maoist objections.
Both the US and India definitely are planning to continue giving Nepal unconditional political support to the ongoing peace process by providing technically oriented foreign aid assistance in the days ahead, which could also encompass a wider humanitarian dose based on current post conflict recovery and rehabilitation efforts. However the psycho-social counseling and economic rehabilitation of Nepali civil conflict victims must be given a higher priority, according to various international development experts, in stabilizing the Nepali peace process.
South Asian policy think tank institutions are also hinting at emergence of closer quadrangular relationship between India, US, China and Nepal, positioning it as a transitional inter-linking centralized SAARC economic hub. China had recently indicated its willingness to build a broad rail link to Lhasa just across the border from Kathmandu, while India has already supported a UN-ESCAP proposal in opening a broader transport segment of the Asian Highway to reach Kathmandu. India recently organized a get together of sorts between Nepali and Indian intellectuals, foreign policy experts and the media representatives which is an indicator of New Delhi´s interest to warm up relations with the Maoists as well, since Hisila Yami from CPN-M led the Nepali side.
Dina Nath Sharma from CPN-M cautiously notes, "We will lead the government, there is no question about it, but then we want all other parties to join us in the democratic government. It will be a party led by the Nepali people in the end." However, the Maoists will have to work harder at convincing NC and UML, not just the smaller parties in forming the wider coalition berth they seek. Prime Minister and President of Nepali Congress (NC) Girija Prasad Koirala has already indicated that everything, including the formation of next democratic government and handing over of powers will be done with full constitutional respect, though according to Krishna Bahadur Mahara from CPN-M, one will have to wait patiently still so that a wider democratic consensus can be reached. It appears Nepal´s Maoists do not want to repeat the mistakes of the past SPA as Mahara has indicated indirectly.