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Wednesday, January 10, 2007
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Koirala bends?
Kathmandu : Stage is set for the emergence of an endless new political controversy in the country which would in all its likelihood push the country for yet another chaos and political uncertainty. The freshly prepared interim statute that remains yet in the draft form is to be promulgated on January 15th, if every thing goes smoothly.
The drafters of the interim constitution have finally agreed under the excessive pressures from the Maoists leaders to promulgate the said draft of the statute on January 15. The seven party alliances together with the Maoists Monday afternoon virtually agreed to promulgate the interim statute in its original form without discussing the internal flaws contained therein the constitution.
The said interim constitution, among other things, if promulgated in its original form, say analysts, has the possibility of giving birth to a new dictator thereby pushing the nation to yet another dictatorial rule which, add the analysts, would be much more harsher than what it used to be in the erstwhile regime of the King not so in the distant past.
Analysts remain puzzled over the fact as to why the drafters of the said interim constitution did not consider it appropriate to go in for certain logical and pragmatic amendments which would have minimized or even capped the likelihood for the emergence of a new “democratic” dictator under one pretext or the other. This is baffling.
What is more surprising and mind boggling is that the democratic leaders housed in various democratic paraphernalia too undermined this lurking danger over their own heads which might swallow them all at a go should the political man handling the executive powers of the State so desires.
In effect, the Interim statute has made the country’s prime minister so powerful politically that no force on earth could in no way deter him from doing any thing wrong against the will of the people if he wishes to acts so. What is terrifyingly embarrassing is that in such an eventuality the people or for that matter no state organ can sue the prime minister and make him answerable for whatever wrong he has done while discharging his or her duties as the country’s chief of the executive.
Thus the interim statute has facilitated the grand emergence of a new Nepali dictator much similar to what the Germans have had during the early years of the 1940s. Interestingly, the incumbent Prime Minister, Girija Prasad Koirala, who while in Biratnagar recently had expressed his plausible reservations for such sweeping powers given to the interim Prime Minister by the new statute too could not speak a word while agreeing to the promulgation of the new statute Monday afternoon. Why this change?
Has Koirala changed his minds from his earlier benevolent propositions due to excessive pressures from the Maoists or from other “invisible quarters”?
Well! For the moment let’s presume that the Maoists would want a prime minister with such sweeping powers for they conclude that sooner or later the interim government would be hijacked by them on the strength of the swelling parliamentarians should a broader Left front be constituted in the mean time. This Maoists designs are understandable as predicted last week in these columns that if the REDS wish to go in for a sort of a united Left front they can do so easily as the numerical strength possessed by the entire Left in the parliament would far exceed to those of the liberals. To add insult to injury, the Left front thus formed might also enjoy the strength of the civil society members who virtually were closer to the Maoists as compared to those of the liberals.
But how come Koirala, a die-hard liberal-democrat by heart and soul could Okay the interim draft of the constitution without effecting any minor changes? This is baffling indeed.
However, analysts at this paper point out that Koirala though wanted to become a benevolent democratic prime minister in the interim period- is there is a guarantee that the REDS will allow him to continue in the said post for long if they so desire when they possess more than sufficient strength to nominate from amongst themselves a new prime minister? But Girija could not do so as his hands were tied by some extraneous forces in that regard.
Not surprising then that a Koirala who differed with the provisions drafted in the constitution empowering the prime minister so overwhelmingly had to change his mind because in the mean time Indian Ambassador Shiv Shanker Mukherjee sneaked into his private residence last weekend and apparently told Koirala to go his way.
Poor Koirala had no strength to dismiss the notorious advice offered to him by the Indian envoy.
And now analysts dare to analyze as to why the Indian Ambassador could have dashed to Koirala’s official residence recently. He must have gone to pressurize Koirala hinting him that it was time for the former to repay for all the overt and covert support that India extended to the movement that allowed the SPA-M leaders to bounce back to the power corridors.
Koirala is supposed to have been told by Ambassador Mukherjee that India believed in no free lunch and hence India wanted the installation of such a powerful Prime Minister who can offer India all that she wanted and that too free and without any side criticisms. This perhaps explains as to why India had reportedly posted some three resource personnel at time of the finalization of the draft statute on December 16, 2005 .
Here lay the Indian designs.
All put together, India is getting the “things” which the royal regime denied her. No wonder then the Nepali leaders have kept a stoic silence over the continued land encroachment of their own territories.
“You elevate my ranks to power, we will provide you our lands, water and the likes of your wishes and that too in a silver plate”, is what seems underneath being at work.
Take it for granted, add analysts, this trick applies to the Maoists if perchance they happen to “replace” Koirala. In that eventuality they will have to comply with the Indian demands that have yet to come to the open. In case, if unfortunately, the Maoists become sentimental and exhibit their nationalistic credentials and ignore the Indian propositions then it is the King again who will be reinstated. In that eventuality again, the King will have to yield to the Indian dictates.
Summing up, in every instances Nepal and her leaders will fail which meant that the Indian design will prevail. Rest for the intellectuals’ for debate and discussion.
Maoists in power sure to outdo SPA leaders
Kathmandu: It is getting more and more difficult to understand as to whether the Maoists have been bringing the SPA leaders to their mainstream RED politics or vice versa?
Clearly, the Maoists have come out with flying colors much ahead of the CA poll results.
What is also more than visible is that whatever and whenever the Maoists have wished for some tangible political concessions for their party, the SPA leaders have hurriedly satisfied their demands.
The slow but the steady manner the Maoists have been influencing the country’s politics prior to coming to power, it appears that the Maoists upon assuming power will outdo the SPA conglomerate in announcing much more Herculean declarations that would have a profound impact upon the entire body-politic of the nation.
In a way their would be declarations albeit political ones would definitely be catchy-slogans that would thrill the entire population which might push the SPA conglomerate to the wall and the latter would not be in a position to check the Maoists deep penetration in the governance of the nation any more.
Analysts do not hesitate in admitting the fact that Maoists once in power will be a heavy weight for the SPA leaders. IN effect, the population which has seen and negatively braved the mal-governance of the leaders of the past now made new will have reasons to get delighted because for them the new entrants in the country’s politics would mean some thing entirely different than the old corrupts.
In a way, the people will for some time watch the performances of the rebels turned politicians. If the catchy slogans of the rebels prove to be useful and beneficial for the so far neglected and oppressed classes , the Maoists are sure to win their hearts which would finally mean that the rebels will have more sympathizers among the voting population at time of the CA polls.
This would further mean that the congress, the UML and the RPP party will have to feel the brunt.
It is this glamour of being in power to effect certain epochal political changes that has made the Maoists so restive at the moment which is visible to all and sundry.
It is perhaps this hidden agenda of the Maoists that they have been pressurizing the government to promulgate the interim constitution soon so that they could enter into the power corridors and bring into effect tantalizing declarations in order to win the hearts of the lay men.
How the leaders housed in the SPA camp will check the Maoists possible high handedness while being in the government yet to be formed will have to be watched.
Clearly, the Maoists will outdo the SPA leaders be it in the making of fiery speeches or effecting revolutionary changes.
Analysts recall that what the Maoists are today, the UML was yesterday. What the UML is today, the Maoists will be the same tomorrow.
Should this mean that making eloquent and heart winning lectures and handling the affairs of the state were two entirely different things.
Let’s wait for some more days to watch the activities of the energetic rebels- the naughty but well disciplined revolutionary boys.
Unite or face extinction!
Kathmandu : Politics is said to chart its own course of action.
Political actors when pushed to the wall themselves find a way out on how to face the challenges posed to them and their parties by the other rather some what antagonistic camp by devising new schemes and measures.
This they do for sake of their own existence in the country’s politics or else there lay the possibility of their extinction.
And this is what exactly the political leaders who have been sidelined after the last year’s April change that came with a big-bang been doing in order to exhibit their presence in the country’s political scene and also with a desire to bring together the like minded political personalities under single umbrella and face the formidable challenges posed to them by the other hostile camp.
It is no wonder then the so far marginalized nationalist-liberals under the present adverse environment who advocate the continuation of the monarchical institution in the country for a variety of political reasons should unanimously decide the merger of their parties into a single one in order to exhibit their clout in the society.
The fact is that RPP-Nepal; the RPP-Nationalist; and Nepal Intellectual Council has decided their merger.
Understandably, the RPP-Nepal led by Rabindra Nath Sharma has taken the lead in this regard and the others have followed the RPP’s path.
Certainly, this unification has come at a time when the seven party alliances and the Maoists have not only ignored the presence of the nationalist forces that perchance champions the case for the monarchy in the country but also have in the mean time humiliated them citing various plausible and even illogical reasons.
Analysts say that such merger in and among the nationalist-liberal forces will continue for some time to come which eventually would be a formidable challenge to those who have been neglecting their role in the country’s politics.
Interestingly, the speed of such unification in between the marginalized liberals with nationalistic credential has increased in the recent days after Prime Minister Koirala made a clarion call at his home town Biratnagar that time had come for the nationalist forces to come closer to the democratic forces.
Koirala’s sermon made in Biratnagar is loaded with meaning in the sense that he appears to have concluded that unless the liberals and the nationalist forces united it would be hard to over power the ever increasing strength of the REDS in the country and hence the need of such a merger or for that matter the unification.
To recall, the RJP led by none less than Surya Bahadur Thapa has already assimilated in its fold the party led by Mr. Keshar Bahadur Bista only recently.
The speed with which the liberals having a bent for the institution of the monarchy have been uniting or merging with each other must be a case in point to be deeply pondered over by the opposite camp who prefer the extinction of the former.
In effect, some of the SPA constituents including the Maoists consider the marginalized liberals advocating some space for the monarchy as a stumbling block to attainment of their final goals and objectives and that being the institutionalization of a republican order in the country for all time to come.
The manner the moderate liberals championing the case of the monarchical institution are being violently attacked as and when they wish to speak to the public as regards their political views and perception is at best encouraging the former to further solidify their merger or say unification with other like minded political parties and leaders.
If the violent attacks on the summarily ignored political parties’ continue for some more time to come then it would be no wonder if the bigger parties with democratic bend go in for a final merger with the like minded smaller parties thus swelling the strength which would be in a position to match the other rival camp.
Reports say that RPP led by Pasupati Rana too is thinking on how to exist as a political party under the changed context which have not only ignored his party but have also not taken into account of its clout that it has in the country’s political scene.
All in all, if the marginalized liberals with a bent in favor of the monarchy wish to accept the challenges posed to them by the other aggressive camp then they are left with only one option: Unite for existence.
Failing to do so will bring them closer to extinction. This is for sure, analysts conclude.
Nepal be made a debt free country -Khetan
Kathmandu : Nepal ’s noted industrialist, Mohan Gopal Khetan, has said that it would be a wise decision on the part of the international community to declare Nepal as a Zone of Peace and a debt free country simultaneously.
As regards the declaration of Nepal being declared as a ZOP, Khetan said that India now should have no objection to that proposal as the political context has changed and that India now enjoys best of her relations with her one time adversary-China.
“The Maoists must come to power”, Khetan opines. In saying so, Khetan implies that if the Maoists come to power in that case many of the present vexing problems being confronted by the country can be sorted out easily.
He asserts that if Prachanda comes to power, he would definitely strengthen the hands of Girija Prasad Koirala in fixing the country’s multi-dimensional issues plaguing the nation at the moment.
In the course of talks with this paper last weekend, Khetan urged all the political parties not to squabble over trivial issues but instead work for the betterment of the nation in a collective manner.
In the same vein, Khetan urged the Indian establishment to come to the rescue of the ailing Nepal Oil Corporation.
“ India as a good friend could and should waive the pending dues of the NOC out rightly, said Khetan adding that the Indian side has taken 40% profit out of the total deal with the NOC.
He beamingly said that whatever he had predicted in the year 2006, all have come to true.
He urged the donor community to relieve Nepal from all the past debts so that this country could enter into a new economic era.
India to review 1950 treaty?
Kathmandu : The Indian establishment of late appears to have been disturbed by the growing repugnance being exhibited by Nepal ’s majority of the population as regards the controversial 1950 Treaty of Peace and Friendship with India .
Indian authorities seated at the South Block premises have begun considering the possibility of effecting certain “changes” in the said treaty so that the Nepali sentiments could well be tamed for some time to come.
The change in the South Block attitude stems from the fact that since Nepal was moving towards a democratic order and hence certain changes could well be brought in order to heal the Nepali wounds caused by the said treaty.
News leaking from New Delhi power corridor suggests that India has been considering a sort of review of the 1950 treaty as Nepal was moving steadily towards democracy and thus changes have to be brought in the treaty keeping in view of the new Constitutional structures that is soon to take place in Nepal .
However, it may be recalled that one of key demands of the Maoists has been the abrogation of the 1950 treaty. How India takes the Maoists into confidence will have to be watched.
“While this is unlikely to happen, India will have to consider changes to the treaty so that it is less offensive to Nepal ”, say Indian media reports.
All said and done, the fact is that the said treaty has no provision stipulated for a sort of review.
The treaty at best can be annulled/abrogated by the contracting parties providing one year advance notice to the other.
Under such catch-22 situation, how the Indian and Nepali authorities will review the treaty in question will have to be carefully watched.
Enbref
Marwaris have key role to play in economic development: Chaudhary
Kathmandu : Nepal 's Marwari community has freshly warned the new Nepal government of new sectarian flare-up if it does not act soon. Addressing the annual conference of Marwaris organized in Katmandu Banwari Lal Mittal, owner of Shree Airlines, said, "When a member from the hill community is kidnapped, Nepal 's media raises a cry but when a Marwari is kidnapped, no one takes up his case."
He added, in the last 30 days, at least six Marwari families had a member kidnapped and had to pay various amounts of ransom, yet no one raised a cry. Similarly, Atmaram Murarka, acting chairman of the Nepal Rastriya Marwari Parishad, said Kathmandu once being the safest city in Nepal , has now virtually become its crime capital.
Speaking on the occasion, Binod Chaudhary, the president of CNI and the former chief of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry said that the marwaris are identified as the people originating from the plains in the south thus they are targeted as well during sectarian violence such as that of the Nepalgunj incident, where hundreds of shops belonging to the marwaris were destroyed. He added, "economic development is an important aspect of progress and we have a key role to play in that."
Trade deficit widened to 41.25 billion rupees
Kathmandu : The Nepal Rastra Bank referring to the higher growth in imports declared that from July to November last year, trade deficit in Nepal grew to 41.25 billion rupees. The bank also declared exports slowed during the same period mainly because of fewer goods going to India after it imposed higher duties on a number of Nepalese products.
In the first four months of the fiscal year, which began July 16, imports rose 9.9 per cent from the same period a year earlier to 62.09 billion rupees while exports fell 0.1 per cent to 20.84 billion rupees.
Nepal 's exports to India , its leading trade partner, fell 1.1 per cent as its imports from India have also slowed down, the bank said. Nepal 's exports to other countries, however, increased by 1.9 per cent.
Power sharing infrastructure to be constructed: Nepal-India
Kathmandu : The Managing Director Arjun Karki of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Indian Infrastructures Development and Financial Service Director DK Mittal to construct power-sharing infrastructure between Nepal and India .
The transmission lines will enable Nepal to sell electricity to India during rainy season and bring in electricity from India during winter. The construction of the project would be completed in two years.
Nepal will make an investment of 130 million dollars for the project.
Nepal-Maoists ask Indian counterparts to stop anti-government activities
Katmandu : A senior Nepali Maoist leader Chandra Prakash Gajurel, who was recently released from an Indian jail said that his party would talk to its Indian counterparts asking them to abstain from an anti-Government revolution. Gajurel added “we will convince them (Indian Maoists) through our behavior" that they will never support the revolution that aims to topple the government, media reports claim.
He said India should not suspect Maoists' intentions although it has close relations with Maoist parties in India
