Sustaining the moral political order in Nepali democracy
Surya B. Prasai
July 05, 2008
For Nepal, the oath taking ceremony of the Constituent Assembly members on May 28, 2008,, was an important historic day since it fulfilled the promised of the April 10 Constituent Assembly Polls. The new road that Nepal chose was a Federal Democratic one, with a President, a Prime Minister and a 601 seater Constituent Assembly. On July 4, 2008 the Constituent Assembly took another important step by completing its membership when 26 new members were nominated. Despite, there is slow progress in forming a government, mired by the political culture of mistrust between Nepali political parties in electing a president.
Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, who is widely respected as the leader who brought in the national reconciliation in Nepali politics, recently remarked that the issue of proper political moral conduct was a big question in Nepali politics today. It was his feeling that much political backslapping and lazy feet dragging was evident among the various political quarters namely at the BICC, Singha Durbar, Naya Bazaar and Balkhu, gullies of the new power equation. As for Baluwatar, ever since the CA Poll was held, PM Koirala has somewhat managed to convert it into a neutral political venue to sustain the new political dialogue.
Nepali politicians should not forget that contributing to the new political order will require high moral sacrifice, which means rising above petty and individual interests favoring a more democratic and transparent political spirit, perhaps even political team building. For instance, earlier to the CA Poll, there used to be seven party wallas, now it is the 25 parties that seek accommodation in the new political dialogue. The issue of Terai voices raising their own unity call also largely stems from the absence of such larger recognition of their cause among the bigger three. The truth is, taking sides is not as important as narrowing down differences. There must political give and take to form the next government, this is why Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, tendered his resignation a few days back hoping that the new government would be formed soon!
However, there is a total lack of political confidence from any party wanting to head the next simple majority government. On the other hand, Nepal does need a functional government to keep the economy and foreign migrant remittances moving, sustain the tourism growth rate, and keep alive the dialogue open between the Maoists and the Nepal Army on the integration of the two arms and armies. So far NC´s leadership has been largely respected, despite inner party flaws. For instance. UNMIN´s term has been renewed by another six months, while the peace process still needs to be concluded. Yet, by virtue of democratic transition, it is the Maoists who should have the right to form the next government since they won the majority of votes. These are the issues that need serious brainstorming in the days ahead. The truth is the Maoists alone cannot form a government of their true lacking.
The Nepali people though patient, do need a definite answer from the 25 political parties on what inhibits theme from forming a new democratic government. Media views in Kathmandu favor leaving the past political differences aside, and keeping intra-party ideological differences in the private, thus ushering in a new Nepali order aligned with the country´s anticipated economic growth rate. It is important at this juncture to sustain the three year interim development plan formulated by the National Planning Commission before the CA Polls took place , though the Maoist vision of having a long term development plan is equally welcome as long as it has a workable poverty reduction strategy, The UN, the various donors, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, our traditional friends such as the US, UK, India, China, the EU, Japan have shown their willingness to help Nepal on development, but the inner will to develop Nepal must come from within. It must be a national aspiration, not donor motivated, which is something the donors themselves have repeatedly expressed. Similarly, the humanitarian angle of rehabilitation, reconstruction and focusing on the post-conflict employment scenario of many young Nepalis displaced by the conflict needs serious attention. The UN is most qualified to help Nepal in this effort, as much as other international humanitarian agencies in Nepal which already have been providing the required technical, material, logistical and human resources support and expertise.
To many in the Nepali media, it appears the earlier nine point proposal mooted by the Maoists, namely, that Nepali Congress President and Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala head a high-level mechanism which will operate both the government and parliament, is for the moment, the best democratic path for Nepal, that is until there is a definite political agreement between the three larger parties. Koirala can become the next ceremonial president, if Prachanda does not want the post. But rightfully, the Maoists should have the right to head the new government and run it with the participation of others, including the Terai parties.
It is also the public view of many senior media voices in Kathmandu, that ex-King Gyanendra after owing up to the Feb 2005 royal takeover, believed that democracy was the best way forward for Nepal, and has whole heartedly been supporting the cause ever since, including his recent shift from Narayanhiti to Nagarjuna to complete the Nepali political and democratic transformation based on the people´s aspirations. Thus, whoever becomes the next Prime Minister, one simple fact in our modern history cannot be rejected: Nepal has transformed itself completely from an isolated medieval kingdom to constitutional monarchy to now a Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. While progress is significantly evident in some areas, Nepal still needs to work on more sensitive issues including providing wider literacy, food security and sustaining equitable regional growth by defeating poverty. It is stated that Nepali foreign migrant workers remittance helped decrease poverty by 11 percent in the past decade. However, the Nepali political cycle cannot be completed without a new focus on regionally balanced economic growth and a common vision of sustained development action to back up the current democratic quest. This, in essence, is where Nepali politicians need to be together, sailing in one boat, if the Nepali people are to enjoy long term peace, prosperity democratic growth and happiness.
Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, who is widely respected as the leader who brought in the national reconciliation in Nepali politics, recently remarked that the issue of proper political moral conduct was a big question in Nepali politics today. It was his feeling that much political backslapping and lazy feet dragging was evident among the various political quarters namely at the BICC, Singha Durbar, Naya Bazaar and Balkhu, gullies of the new power equation. As for Baluwatar, ever since the CA Poll was held, PM Koirala has somewhat managed to convert it into a neutral political venue to sustain the new political dialogue.
Nepali politicians should not forget that contributing to the new political order will require high moral sacrifice, which means rising above petty and individual interests favoring a more democratic and transparent political spirit, perhaps even political team building. For instance, earlier to the CA Poll, there used to be seven party wallas, now it is the 25 parties that seek accommodation in the new political dialogue. The issue of Terai voices raising their own unity call also largely stems from the absence of such larger recognition of their cause among the bigger three. The truth is, taking sides is not as important as narrowing down differences. There must political give and take to form the next government, this is why Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, tendered his resignation a few days back hoping that the new government would be formed soon!
However, there is a total lack of political confidence from any party wanting to head the next simple majority government. On the other hand, Nepal does need a functional government to keep the economy and foreign migrant remittances moving, sustain the tourism growth rate, and keep alive the dialogue open between the Maoists and the Nepal Army on the integration of the two arms and armies. So far NC´s leadership has been largely respected, despite inner party flaws. For instance. UNMIN´s term has been renewed by another six months, while the peace process still needs to be concluded. Yet, by virtue of democratic transition, it is the Maoists who should have the right to form the next government since they won the majority of votes. These are the issues that need serious brainstorming in the days ahead. The truth is the Maoists alone cannot form a government of their true lacking.
The Nepali people though patient, do need a definite answer from the 25 political parties on what inhibits theme from forming a new democratic government. Media views in Kathmandu favor leaving the past political differences aside, and keeping intra-party ideological differences in the private, thus ushering in a new Nepali order aligned with the country´s anticipated economic growth rate. It is important at this juncture to sustain the three year interim development plan formulated by the National Planning Commission before the CA Polls took place , though the Maoist vision of having a long term development plan is equally welcome as long as it has a workable poverty reduction strategy, The UN, the various donors, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, our traditional friends such as the US, UK, India, China, the EU, Japan have shown their willingness to help Nepal on development, but the inner will to develop Nepal must come from within. It must be a national aspiration, not donor motivated, which is something the donors themselves have repeatedly expressed. Similarly, the humanitarian angle of rehabilitation, reconstruction and focusing on the post-conflict employment scenario of many young Nepalis displaced by the conflict needs serious attention. The UN is most qualified to help Nepal in this effort, as much as other international humanitarian agencies in Nepal which already have been providing the required technical, material, logistical and human resources support and expertise.
To many in the Nepali media, it appears the earlier nine point proposal mooted by the Maoists, namely, that Nepali Congress President and Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala head a high-level mechanism which will operate both the government and parliament, is for the moment, the best democratic path for Nepal, that is until there is a definite political agreement between the three larger parties. Koirala can become the next ceremonial president, if Prachanda does not want the post. But rightfully, the Maoists should have the right to head the new government and run it with the participation of others, including the Terai parties.
It is also the public view of many senior media voices in Kathmandu, that ex-King Gyanendra after owing up to the Feb 2005 royal takeover, believed that democracy was the best way forward for Nepal, and has whole heartedly been supporting the cause ever since, including his recent shift from Narayanhiti to Nagarjuna to complete the Nepali political and democratic transformation based on the people´s aspirations. Thus, whoever becomes the next Prime Minister, one simple fact in our modern history cannot be rejected: Nepal has transformed itself completely from an isolated medieval kingdom to constitutional monarchy to now a Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal. While progress is significantly evident in some areas, Nepal still needs to work on more sensitive issues including providing wider literacy, food security and sustaining equitable regional growth by defeating poverty. It is stated that Nepali foreign migrant workers remittance helped decrease poverty by 11 percent in the past decade. However, the Nepali political cycle cannot be completed without a new focus on regionally balanced economic growth and a common vision of sustained development action to back up the current democratic quest. This, in essence, is where Nepali politicians need to be together, sailing in one boat, if the Nepali people are to enjoy long term peace, prosperity democratic growth and happiness.