POLITICS AFTER PEACE ACCORD
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Prolonging Political Instability
Despite signing of peace accord between the Maoists and the seven parties, Nepalis may have to wait for a long time to see peace and stability
By KESHAB POUDEL
Less than twenty four hours after signing the historic accord to bring the peace, a group of politicians and intellectuals burnt the copy of accord saying that it did not address the problems of terai.
Along with other ethnic groups, Jantantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM), a rebel breakaway group which killed RPP leader Krishna Charan Shrestha in September, criticized the treaty for not addressing problems faced by people of terai. Morcha also warned to intensify their violent acts in terai in case ten of its demands are not met.
At a time when political parties and some Nepalese are celebrating in euphoria for peace after signing the mid-night agreement, these reactions show otherwise. The dream of Nepalis to have long lasting peace and stability still seems far away.
“There will be complete peace in Nepal as it addresses all the problems,” said CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal .
Even foreign minister of Nepal ’s southern neighbor, European countries and United States of America welcomed the peace agreement. However, looking at the geo-strategic position and history of Nepal , everybody has to be a skeptic over whether the deal will bring permanent peace and political stability.
Despite his statement that all are victorious, Prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala warned the people against regressive elements. In the same spirit Prachanda was aggressive in his tone while speaking against the same reactionary force. But Prachanda included CPN-UML also as a foe, which he accused of having worked for the preservation of feudal interest in Nepal .
Even among the eight parties there were no love, respect, faith and trust among the negotiating parties. It was reported in press that the UML leader Nepal and Nepali Congress Democratic leader Sher Bahadur Deuba threatened to dissociate from the negotiation but they did not have the guts to do that. In response, prime minister Koirala retorted angrily to them that his party and Maoists would complete the negotiations if others didn’t join.
“Peace will be there but there is no sign of getting stability in any political process in the country. From the moment they signed the document, the distrust and hostilities among themselves are coming to the public through the press. Between Prachanda and UML leader Nepal and Sher Bahadur Deuba against Koirala, there are lingering hostilities,” said a political analyst. “Even a step forward for peace is welcome thing but the way it had been done and the attitudes of persons who were involved in the deal don’t give room for optimism. Let them complete the present course of negotiations.”
The word peace is in everybody’s lip in Nepal . It is the first topic whenever persons meet others. Now what will happen? Will there be peace in the country? They don’t give much importance to the persons, procedures and their deliberations much. Peace is the fist and last concerns of common people in Nepal whether it is the urban elites or persons from remote rural areas.
“The conflict was of unique character in Nepal . It was a controlled and guided conflict. Nowhere in any conflict area, has such a stage-managed violence been seen. The settlement for the peace of last week was also unique in its form. No such drastic and dramatic settlement has been reached anywhere in the world. The way it has been declared neither enthuse any of the participants in the deal nor it has inspired optimism in the masses like all previous dramatic events. This also has been shrouded with mystery,” said the analyst, “One must work for peace and remain optimist. It will be self-defeating attitude if one does not take account for pitfalls and lacunas in the deal. A design of destabilization has continuity since long and it uses different forms of radical leftists against rightists and rightists against leftists.”
The great hero of Maoist revolution reached into the peak of the publicity. Any leftist upsurge has a limit in the historical trend in this country. Now a rightist upsurge is knocking at the door of the seven parties. The JTMM has nothing to do with communist or Maoist ideology. Its mobilization is against the people of terai against the hill.
“It requires an in-depth study to analyze the behavior pattern of Nepalis. Generally, people in Nepal in normal time have tendency to live in a community spirit with adequate tolerance and patience. If that character is allowed to prevail in the politics of the country. This country has an appropriate character of the people to work with multi-party pluralistic democracy despite high percentage of illiteracy. But the innocence and unawareness of the people involved them all the time in extreme radical movements and agitations as an instrument of destabilization - whether it is left or right as long as it motivates the agitators with vigor and energy of adolescents and youth radicalism. There is not a center point for extremists. Even if there is really a centrist looking establishment one can see this trend in Nepal since 1951,” said the analyst.
Looking at Nepal ’s geo-strategic position in the Himalayas , it seems a long way to go before Nepal has a long lasting peace and political stability. Although two forms regionalism from terai and ethnic groups in the hills have appeared as new phenomenon, it is yet to be seen in which form the new process of political destabilization will appear.
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