The interim madness
Media Communications Center
March 08, 2007
BY BHUWAN SHARMA
It seems that the anarchical state of Nepal sees no resolve in sight. If we thought that it could not get any worse than this, we are in for a bigger surprise. The lawlessness of the state in combination with discriminatory attitude of the government towards the non-SPAM will surely invite chaos of massive proportions in the coming days. Furthermore, timely conduction of the CA elections seem less likely than ever and its postponement will surely push this fragile nation deeper into the state of coma that she is already in.
The first indication of our downward spiral is the fact that there is no scarcity of leaders taking moral responsibilities for various incidents. Whether it be the Maoists taking moral responsibility for the Lahan mishap or the home minister for the entire Terai unrest, it seems the leaders have learnt a new trick. What is moral responsibility anyway? Does it mean that you are responsible but just not punishable?
The attitude of blaming the interim state of the nation and the regressive forces for all that goes wrong is really hurting this government now. The government has, over nine months, proven itself to be untrustworthy, incompetent and irresponsible even on issues that directly affect the general public they claim to represent. The failure of home ministry to provide security to the general public has exposed the ministry of completely losing its handle on issues of internal security. The home minister’s claim that it is normal for any country to experience such dire anarchy during an interim period seems nothing more than an attempt for escaping responsibilities. The eight parties have increased the number of MPs from 205 to 305 to secure their personal interest but they do not think that the general people deserve security in this interim period. They do not compromise on anything they get out of this nation but only on things that needs them to be responsible or in other words, “Don’t ask what you can do for your country, ask what your country can do for you.”
The state of lawlessness has directly been encouraged by the incompetence (at best) or the ill intentions (at worst) of the home minister. The habit of crying foul every time someone expresses an opposing view (to that of SPAM) and condoning the atrocities of the Maoists with silence has not only threatened our way of life but also weakened the government against the Maoists who are on the verge of joining the interim cabinet. The revelation of Maoists carrying weapons into the parliament last week broke all the limits of parliamentary democracy set by the Nepali people in 1990. Even astonishing was the light hearted attitude shown by the home ministry towards this incident as if national security was something we as Nepalis should not be bothered with. The home minister’s (and the entire government) silence on Maoists atrocities is a blatant insult to all the Nepali people who have expressed their commitment to multiparty democracy in Nepal.
It seems the international community has started showing more concern over the excesses of the Maoists than our present government which claims to represent us. With the exception of the incompetent and inefficient UN, rest of the world, it seems, is beginning to question the real motive of the Maoists, who continue breaching the peace agreement signed with the government regardless of countless appeals from all sides (except from the Nepali home minister) not to do so. C. P. Gajurel’s admissions in India regarding the political strategies of the Maoists, their strength and their relationship with other communist revolutionary forces of the world, it seems, have woken our southern neighbor from a long and lazy slumber. How effective can India or the US be in averting the Maoist takeover of Nepal as a state, is a different matter altogether.
With the final report being submitted by Ian Martin to the government and the Maoists, declaration of the interim cabinet seem to be drawing closer. The interim cabinet will then
take the responsibility of holding the CA elections free, fair and on time.
However, before we even get to the elections the question we need to ask ourselves is, “Do we really feel safe now?” With the news of Maoists being caught with illegal guns entering the parliament, do we really believe that the elections can be at all free and fair? Who is keeping the account of unauthorized and illegal weapons that are in Maoist’s possession now? Can we solely rely on the assurances of our present home minister that the Maoists have best intentions at heart? Can we really trust a home minister who thinks that our democracy is threatened more by a few statements from army generals and the king than the unabated spree of murders, abductions and extortions by the Maoists? Yes, a lot of Maoist weapons have been put in cantonments but how do we really know that the Maoists have not hidden better weapons somewhere, as claimed by the US ambassador? I guess, the gamble is on and Nepali lives are just too insignificant to even give a second thought to the promises made by ex-terrorists who have amply proven themselves untrustworthy.
It seems that the anarchical state of Nepal sees no resolve in sight. If we thought that it could not get any worse than this, we are in for a bigger surprise. The lawlessness of the state in combination with discriminatory attitude of the government towards the non-SPAM will surely invite chaos of massive proportions in the coming days. Furthermore, timely conduction of the CA elections seem less likely than ever and its postponement will surely push this fragile nation deeper into the state of coma that she is already in.
The first indication of our downward spiral is the fact that there is no scarcity of leaders taking moral responsibilities for various incidents. Whether it be the Maoists taking moral responsibility for the Lahan mishap or the home minister for the entire Terai unrest, it seems the leaders have learnt a new trick. What is moral responsibility anyway? Does it mean that you are responsible but just not punishable?
The attitude of blaming the interim state of the nation and the regressive forces for all that goes wrong is really hurting this government now. The government has, over nine months, proven itself to be untrustworthy, incompetent and irresponsible even on issues that directly affect the general public they claim to represent. The failure of home ministry to provide security to the general public has exposed the ministry of completely losing its handle on issues of internal security. The home minister’s claim that it is normal for any country to experience such dire anarchy during an interim period seems nothing more than an attempt for escaping responsibilities. The eight parties have increased the number of MPs from 205 to 305 to secure their personal interest but they do not think that the general people deserve security in this interim period. They do not compromise on anything they get out of this nation but only on things that needs them to be responsible or in other words, “Don’t ask what you can do for your country, ask what your country can do for you.”
The state of lawlessness has directly been encouraged by the incompetence (at best) or the ill intentions (at worst) of the home minister. The habit of crying foul every time someone expresses an opposing view (to that of SPAM) and condoning the atrocities of the Maoists with silence has not only threatened our way of life but also weakened the government against the Maoists who are on the verge of joining the interim cabinet. The revelation of Maoists carrying weapons into the parliament last week broke all the limits of parliamentary democracy set by the Nepali people in 1990. Even astonishing was the light hearted attitude shown by the home ministry towards this incident as if national security was something we as Nepalis should not be bothered with. The home minister’s (and the entire government) silence on Maoists atrocities is a blatant insult to all the Nepali people who have expressed their commitment to multiparty democracy in Nepal.
It seems the international community has started showing more concern over the excesses of the Maoists than our present government which claims to represent us. With the exception of the incompetent and inefficient UN, rest of the world, it seems, is beginning to question the real motive of the Maoists, who continue breaching the peace agreement signed with the government regardless of countless appeals from all sides (except from the Nepali home minister) not to do so. C. P. Gajurel’s admissions in India regarding the political strategies of the Maoists, their strength and their relationship with other communist revolutionary forces of the world, it seems, have woken our southern neighbor from a long and lazy slumber. How effective can India or the US be in averting the Maoist takeover of Nepal as a state, is a different matter altogether.
With the final report being submitted by Ian Martin to the government and the Maoists, declaration of the interim cabinet seem to be drawing closer. The interim cabinet will then
take the responsibility of holding the CA elections free, fair and on time.
However, before we even get to the elections the question we need to ask ourselves is, “Do we really feel safe now?” With the news of Maoists being caught with illegal guns entering the parliament, do we really believe that the elections can be at all free and fair? Who is keeping the account of unauthorized and illegal weapons that are in Maoist’s possession now? Can we solely rely on the assurances of our present home minister that the Maoists have best intentions at heart? Can we really trust a home minister who thinks that our democracy is threatened more by a few statements from army generals and the king than the unabated spree of murders, abductions and extortions by the Maoists? Yes, a lot of Maoist weapons have been put in cantonments but how do we really know that the Maoists have not hidden better weapons somewhere, as claimed by the US ambassador? I guess, the gamble is on and Nepali lives are just too insignificant to even give a second thought to the promises made by ex-terrorists who have amply proven themselves untrustworthy.
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