Nepal Army Integration a Paradigm for Peace & Democracy
Prakash Bom
October 19, 2008
When a nation is departing through transitional democratic processes with the grave socio-political and economic crises honestly no party agenda of any political party can play an effective role. It is rather the national consensus becomes indispensably pertinent for laying the foundation of self-sustainable electoral democracy by the people and for the people - meaning people can play a direct role with the greater sense of responsibility in nation building processes at the grass-root levels.
It is because the nation cannot be built by just making a particular political party powerful with its political agenda for boosting up its sentiment or ideology or party-politics. But the sacrifice of such sentiment or ideology and suspension of party-politics rituals can build nation given to the reality of socio-political and economic conditions. The political party and its leaderships that are serious and committed to make political sacrifice for power or sentiment or ideology can lay the foundation for people to build the nation.
For example, the change in Nepal Army´s commitments to nation for safe guarding norms and principle of Democracy is historical and such a fundamental change could not have been possible without the successful people´s movements above all "April Uprising." Therefore, it has become absolutely the ethical responsibility of Nepal Army to maintain such commitments consistently transparent above the doctrines of any political party.
This means if any political party that plays the politics on behalf of Nepal Army will inevitably undermine the independence of Nepal Army, which will be considered an unethical and the irresponsible political behavior. Similarly, if Nepal Army inclines to certain political parties for support it will self-contradict and will eventually undermine its professional independence. By no means, Nepal Army can afford politics of double standard, but if it does it will be unfortunate to the nation.
Nepal Army´s public assertion for army to remain non-political is the most professional role that a military institution can play in democracy. It is the position of such an institution that can defend democracy. However, the political parties - Nepali Congress´s and MPRF´s try to defend Nepal Army´s position is nothing but an attempt to take unnecessary political advantage of the situation without any concern for the national re-conciliation. The most serious consequence of it could be a political drag for Nepal Army if it fails to maintain its non-political professional independence.
Obviously, Nepali Congress´s and MPRF´s opposition to the PLA integration into Nepal Army as outcry is the result of lack of constructive politics for the national re-conciliation. On many occasions, Nepal Army chief General Rookmangud Katawal has mentioned that only those PLA militias who have professional credentials will be integrated into Nepal Army.
There could be no better professional reference than this to render national reconciliation unless NC and MPRF still desire strongly to outcaste PLA as politically indoctrinated militias. However, under the inclusive and equal opportunity mandates of democracy it is the right of the qualified PLA militias to be integrated into Nepal Army. By no means, professional credentials can be the political discrimination. On the contrary, without the PLA integration based on the professional credentials the national reconciliation for peace and democracy can be jeopardized.
National reconciliation cannot be achieved therefore without the political tolerance and sacrifice. For instance, foreign minister Upendra Yadav´s public comment on what the Prime Minister had told to the international leaders at the UN General Assembly about PLA integration into Nepal Army was out of the context and such statement can jeopardize the chance for the national reconciliation.
On the other hand, if the PLA integration into Nepal Army is professionally accomplished it will not only bring peace to a logical conclusion for democracy to flourish but there can come a fundamental transformation in the political behavior and organization of major political parties. It is because in a new Nepal the old fashioned political parties will not succeed with the political structures of the federal democratic republicanism unless they transform themselves in timely fashion. Some of the major political parties have already realized and about to go major transformation.
The lately remarks of the Prime Minister and Maoist chairman, and Finance Minister and Maoist leader Dr. Baburam Bhattarai for changing the name of the "Communist Party of Nepal – Maoist" are the developing instances for change. But such a political transformation depends on the accomplishment of peace and democracy because many of the major political party leaders and cadres are either conditioned with the outdated radical ideology or have socially engineered feudal mindset for democracy.
I would suggest if Maoist communist party is about to change its name it should give the name "People´s Federal Communist Party of Nepal." This name conveys the history of Maoist Revolution of Nepal as unique insurgency for indorsing successfully federalist concept that helped all socio-economically marginalized ethnic, Dalit and endogenous group of people get revolutionized to fight for their political freedom and right.
Also, the further success of Moist party for becoming an influential major political party of Nepal depends on successful implementations of the federal government structure in the grass-root level – establishment of the institutions of the local governments as primarily more important than state formation. Actually, the political strength of any party that is about to rise as a major political party of the nation depends on the number of elected representations in local governments. The greater the number of people elected local representations in the bodies of local governments the stronger will be the political party organization at the base all over the nation.
This is the essence of federal political system and this was how Maoist insurgency had succeeded by holding up the local constituencies under the barrel of gun. Of course, such a forceful rein cannot last for long. Therefore, for Maoists to succeed as a major political party Maoist party leaderships, particularly the hardliners such as Kiran Baidhya, have to understand the factors of Maoist insurgency that have brought them to this political reality.
Unwilling to sacrifice hardliner "Stalinian" ideology, which has been proved fruitless and obsolete, will not only discredit achievements of decade long Maoist insurgency but also will disregard the people´s aspiration for peace and democracy. The consequence is true to other major political parties whose leaders and cadres bear unconsciously the socially engineered feudal mindset for democracy. Their eccentric political remarks undermine the prospect for the national reconciliation that demands political tolerance and sacrifice; commitment and willingness for the inclusiveness that render equal opportunity for all Nepali people, particularly in the grass-root levels of local governance.
PLA militias should be honored as sovereign Nepali of the sovereign nation but not as the hostile Maoist party militias that had once fought with the old feudal regime and its security establishments. Similarly, for the goodness and dignity of all – nation, people and the international community the major political parties, particularly Nepal Communist Party – Maoist better transform itself with its socio-political and economic vision for people and nation as "People´s Federal Communist Party of Nepal" to attain a permanent peace and democracy.
It is because the nation cannot be built by just making a particular political party powerful with its political agenda for boosting up its sentiment or ideology or party-politics. But the sacrifice of such sentiment or ideology and suspension of party-politics rituals can build nation given to the reality of socio-political and economic conditions. The political party and its leaderships that are serious and committed to make political sacrifice for power or sentiment or ideology can lay the foundation for people to build the nation.
For example, the change in Nepal Army´s commitments to nation for safe guarding norms and principle of Democracy is historical and such a fundamental change could not have been possible without the successful people´s movements above all "April Uprising." Therefore, it has become absolutely the ethical responsibility of Nepal Army to maintain such commitments consistently transparent above the doctrines of any political party.
This means if any political party that plays the politics on behalf of Nepal Army will inevitably undermine the independence of Nepal Army, which will be considered an unethical and the irresponsible political behavior. Similarly, if Nepal Army inclines to certain political parties for support it will self-contradict and will eventually undermine its professional independence. By no means, Nepal Army can afford politics of double standard, but if it does it will be unfortunate to the nation.
Nepal Army´s public assertion for army to remain non-political is the most professional role that a military institution can play in democracy. It is the position of such an institution that can defend democracy. However, the political parties - Nepali Congress´s and MPRF´s try to defend Nepal Army´s position is nothing but an attempt to take unnecessary political advantage of the situation without any concern for the national re-conciliation. The most serious consequence of it could be a political drag for Nepal Army if it fails to maintain its non-political professional independence.
Obviously, Nepali Congress´s and MPRF´s opposition to the PLA integration into Nepal Army as outcry is the result of lack of constructive politics for the national re-conciliation. On many occasions, Nepal Army chief General Rookmangud Katawal has mentioned that only those PLA militias who have professional credentials will be integrated into Nepal Army.
There could be no better professional reference than this to render national reconciliation unless NC and MPRF still desire strongly to outcaste PLA as politically indoctrinated militias. However, under the inclusive and equal opportunity mandates of democracy it is the right of the qualified PLA militias to be integrated into Nepal Army. By no means, professional credentials can be the political discrimination. On the contrary, without the PLA integration based on the professional credentials the national reconciliation for peace and democracy can be jeopardized.
National reconciliation cannot be achieved therefore without the political tolerance and sacrifice. For instance, foreign minister Upendra Yadav´s public comment on what the Prime Minister had told to the international leaders at the UN General Assembly about PLA integration into Nepal Army was out of the context and such statement can jeopardize the chance for the national reconciliation.
On the other hand, if the PLA integration into Nepal Army is professionally accomplished it will not only bring peace to a logical conclusion for democracy to flourish but there can come a fundamental transformation in the political behavior and organization of major political parties. It is because in a new Nepal the old fashioned political parties will not succeed with the political structures of the federal democratic republicanism unless they transform themselves in timely fashion. Some of the major political parties have already realized and about to go major transformation.
The lately remarks of the Prime Minister and Maoist chairman, and Finance Minister and Maoist leader Dr. Baburam Bhattarai for changing the name of the "Communist Party of Nepal – Maoist" are the developing instances for change. But such a political transformation depends on the accomplishment of peace and democracy because many of the major political party leaders and cadres are either conditioned with the outdated radical ideology or have socially engineered feudal mindset for democracy.
I would suggest if Maoist communist party is about to change its name it should give the name "People´s Federal Communist Party of Nepal." This name conveys the history of Maoist Revolution of Nepal as unique insurgency for indorsing successfully federalist concept that helped all socio-economically marginalized ethnic, Dalit and endogenous group of people get revolutionized to fight for their political freedom and right.
Also, the further success of Moist party for becoming an influential major political party of Nepal depends on successful implementations of the federal government structure in the grass-root level – establishment of the institutions of the local governments as primarily more important than state formation. Actually, the political strength of any party that is about to rise as a major political party of the nation depends on the number of elected representations in local governments. The greater the number of people elected local representations in the bodies of local governments the stronger will be the political party organization at the base all over the nation.
This is the essence of federal political system and this was how Maoist insurgency had succeeded by holding up the local constituencies under the barrel of gun. Of course, such a forceful rein cannot last for long. Therefore, for Maoists to succeed as a major political party Maoist party leaderships, particularly the hardliners such as Kiran Baidhya, have to understand the factors of Maoist insurgency that have brought them to this political reality.
Unwilling to sacrifice hardliner "Stalinian" ideology, which has been proved fruitless and obsolete, will not only discredit achievements of decade long Maoist insurgency but also will disregard the people´s aspiration for peace and democracy. The consequence is true to other major political parties whose leaders and cadres bear unconsciously the socially engineered feudal mindset for democracy. Their eccentric political remarks undermine the prospect for the national reconciliation that demands political tolerance and sacrifice; commitment and willingness for the inclusiveness that render equal opportunity for all Nepali people, particularly in the grass-root levels of local governance.
PLA militias should be honored as sovereign Nepali of the sovereign nation but not as the hostile Maoist party militias that had once fought with the old feudal regime and its security establishments. Similarly, for the goodness and dignity of all – nation, people and the international community the major political parties, particularly Nepal Communist Party – Maoist better transform itself with its socio-political and economic vision for people and nation as "People´s Federal Communist Party of Nepal" to attain a permanent peace and democracy.
Print
Email
