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VOL. 27, NO. 7, September 28, 2007 (Ashwin 11 2064 B.S.)
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GIRIJA PRASAD KOIRALA
Count Down Begins
Despite sacrificing political ideology and beliefs and distorting B.P. Koirala's national reconciliation policy, countdown for prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala's government begins
By KESHAB POUDEL
"I may not be there as a prime minister as I am 85 years old. I may give up my present responsibility at any time. I am ready to sacrifice everything," said prime minister and Nepali Congress president Girija Prasad Koirala addressing party's Mahasamiti meeting.
Till a year ago, Girija Prasad Koirala was regarded as the supreme leader of not only his party but all the eight agitating parties and there was no alternative to his leadership. Despite doing so many compromises with his own ideological beliefs and faith even to the extent of distorting his own brother B.P. Koirala's
ideology of national reconciliation, octogenarian leader and prime minister Koirala seems to have become a liability now to his backers.
Those statements neither came from his conscience nor were indicative of his sacrifice. Koirala, a politician with long history of having wielded power, might have seen undercurrent moves orchestrated against him by various internal and external political forces. Although Koirala is now the leader of unified Nepali Congress with such strong backing, he actually seems have become weaker.
Maoists, one of the closest allies of Koirala, have already declared that they want a change in the leadership. Even India has categorically said that Koirala will lose his legitimacy in case he fails to hold the elections in November. At a time when Maoists have already announced agitation programs to disrupt the
polls and have said they will summon special session of parliament, Koirala's days in power seem to be numbered.
Maoist leaders have said that the time has come now to oust Koirala as he is no more trustworthy. They have said they will bring no-confidence motion against him. Moist leader Prachanda also said, "We need a new agreement and new leader."
Prime minister Koirala, who has shown enthusiasm publicly in favor of party unity, revealed to some of his colleagues that Sher Bahadur Deuba is going to be the next prime minister.
If Koirala knows about the entire political move, what compelled him to distort the national reconciliation policy propounded by his own brother B.P. Koirala? For more than 30 years, national reconciliation propounded by B.P. Koirala had two vital elements – reconciliation between democratic forces and the King.
"This is a complete perversion of B.P.'s national reconciliation," said Sunil Bhandari, a member of Nepali Congress Central Working Committee. "I never thought that I had to see such a situation in my life," he said.
Whatever his political compulsions, the interpretation given by Girija Prasad Koirala, who has had such a long history of struggle to restore the democratic process and attachment with his brother BP, has ruined his own credibility, prestige and political ideology.
"There was a historical dialogue of B.P. Koirala with King Mahendra before royal take over in 1960 which is still in the general knowledge of people in Nepal . King Mahendra proposed B.P. Koirala that either you rule through the parliamentary mandate and I would go into oblivion or let me rule and you keep yourself aside. In response to that B.P. said neither I alone can manage the situation nor you alone can do it. For the betterment of the county and people, both the forces –the popular institution of parliament as well as traditionally respected institution of monarchy have to work together. B.P. told the King that there could be third way only at the peril of the country and the people. B.P. raised the arms for the restoration of
democracy but never relinquished his faith upon the institution of monarchy," said a political analyst, who was very close with B.P. Koirala.
In the last period of his life, B.P. was more convinced of his adherence to constitutional monarchy. He said during his final days when he was battling cancer, "Monarchy is necessary not only for Nepali Congress but for all who want to protect the country". (See King, Nationalism and Politics page: 158)
There is a very strong view of resentment among the sympathizers of Nepali Congress that Girija Prasad Koirala will be remembered as the betrayer of his brother as well as nation's vital interest.
How paradoxical is the present situation in this part of the world. Nepal where a democratic party with such a long history for its support to monarchy is leading a move to remove monarchy. However, Hun Sen, a communist prime minister of Cambodia realized the necessity of traditional institution of monarchy and pursued the King to resume his traditional status and the King reluctantly agreed to cooperate with the prime minister in the national interest.
Similarly, in Afghanistan, the late King Zahir Shaha was requested to legitimize the democratic regime. He came to Afghanistan despite his age and ill health and the people given him the same respect and regards
like in the past.
Nepal is going through an experiment in which Koirala a person who took the oath of allegiance from the King, has undone that and is trying to destroy the age-old traditional institution of monarchy.
YOGA
Ramdev In Town
Thousands of people including politicians of every shade took part in the week-long camp conducted by Indian Yoga Guru Swami Ramdev
By A CORRESPONDENT
For a person who had advocated Marxism, Leninism and Maoism for their whole life, it was strange to see Janardan Sharma aka Prabhakar, a deputy commander of Maoists’ People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and their whip in the parliament, at the Yoga session conducted by Swami Ramdev.
Sharma said that he has been practicing Yoga for a long time and said it promotes healthy lifestyle.
Earlier, when the news of sudden suspension of first session of the camp on the first day (September 22) came out, a section of Indian media had reported that the suspension was due to Maoist threat.
In an uncharacteristic speed, the Maoists refuted the news report and spokesperson Krishna Bahadur Mahara issued a statement showing support to Yoga. In the same evening Mahara attended the joint press meet by Ramdev to dispel all rumors. He also attended Sunday’s inaugural session in Tundikhel.
The Maoist leaders joined thousands of people who turned up in the mornings in make-shift camps erected in Tundikhel for yoga session from Sunday till Thursday.
Ramdev has a huge following across the world. In Nepal, too, tens of thousands of people have been following his Yoga techniques through cable television shows.
“ Nepal has seen many political movements. Now it needs a health movement,” said Ramdev - the television’s new age Guru.
Swami Ramdev has been teaching different techniques of Yoga, which he says are a guide to healthy living style.
He says that he promotes healthy living style of tens of millions of people coming even from middle and lower class who otherwise will need to spend huge amount of money on health treatments.
Those who follow Ramdev’s yoga techniques claim to have been cured of many diseases. “I used to suffer muscular pains before. But yoga has helped me a lot,” said Rohini Sharma, a housewife from Kumaripati who follows the yoga from television.
Likewise, many people have said their diabetes, blood pressure and hypertension have been brought to control by regular Yoga work-outs.
In eastern philosophy, Yoga has a high significance. In the past, learned saints, sadhus and yogis used to follow different techniques of Yoga. The significance of Swami Ramdev is that he has delivered Yoga to the common people.
In the present day world of consumerism and globalization, people can develop healthy lifestyle and positive thinking by properly following such techniques.
TRUCK TORCHED; WFP WARNS TO SUSPEND AID
A truck containing about 12 metric tons of World Food Program (WFP) food aid was attacked and torched by a mob on the East-West Highway in Dang district on September 19 destroying all of the food assistance completely. The driver of the truck , however, escaped unhurt.
The truck was carrying a month's worth of fortified food rations for more than 1,700 undernourished women and their young children living in Dadeldhura who were targeted to receive food assistance under WFP's maternal child health care program, according to a press release issued by WFP Friday (September 21).
"This is the first time since the signing of the peace accord that such an incident has occurred and it represents an escalation in insecurity that will severely impact WFP's ability to continue to provide humanitarian food aid to needy populations in Nepal," WFP stated in the release.
WFP also said that its efforts to provide humanitarian food assistance to flood-affected population in the Terai continue to face significant challenges and delays because of ongoing violence and strikes in the Terai. "The destruction of the truck carrying WFP food aid is likely to further impede our ability to maintain the delivery of food aid across all of our programs – threatening the lifeline for over 2.5 million needy people in Nepal," WFP said in the statement.
WFP has urged all parties and individuals to provide unhindered and safe passage to its staff, implementing partners, food suppliers and transport partners carrying WFP food aid if it is to continue its humanitarian food relief operations in Nepal.
"Further attacks against transporters carrying WFP food aid, staff or implementing Partners may force us to suspend humanitarian food assistance in Nepal until the safe passage of WFP cargo and WFP staff is assured," WFP warned.
WFP has been providing food aid to the needy people of remote corners of the country. It has also been providing food aid to Bhutanese refugees languishing in camps.
WFP is the world's largest humanitarian agency. Each year, it provides food to an average of 90 million poor people to meet their nutritional needs, including 56 million hungry children, in at least 80 of the world's poorest countries.
