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Wednesday, January 17, 2007
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INDEPTH ANALYSIS:
1990 constitution dies an unnatural death
Kathmandu : The country has taken a great leap forward.
This is a fact that the entire nation witnessed Monday late evening the hilarious proceedings of the old House turning into a new interim one.
The fact is also that most of the faces capturing the parliamentary seats in the interim one were the ones who had their effective contributions in pushing the rebels to the jungles as back as in 1996 February.
Nevertheless, there were sizeable chunk of the Maoists insurgents now turned parliamentarians who appeared more than happy but then apparently gave the impression that they had come to the parliament in order to provide a new meaning to their avowed goals.
All put together, the scene of the parliamentary proceedings and the beaming utterances of some leaders from both the camps gave the impression that a new Nepal was round the corner.
Analysts nevertheless remain puzzled to ascertain whether the parliamentary parties seduced the rebels to come to their camps or the Maoists brought the other camp to their revolutionary paraphernalia?
The fact is that the parliamentary parties appear to have concluded that they have won over the Maoists ideologies and hence their grand presence in the parliament albeit an interim one.
What the Maoists consider of their entrance into the new arrangement and what were their inner yet undisclosed goals and objectives have not become clear so far.
If one were to go by what Krishna Bahadur Mahara said to one reporter then what could be said of the Maoists is that this grouping would exploit each and every seconds of theirs being in the parliament to push their dogmatic ideas with an aim to turn this country into a republican one which is what they want and perhaps have entered into the new scheme of things.
However, the other camps led by the parliamentarians who believe in a democratic set-up consider that it were the Maoists who have changed their clothes and not the otherwise.
Be that as it may, who has been brought closer to whom will have to be watched. Inkling to that effect would be visible when the Maoists parliamentarians would begin their lectures inside the parliament. In effect, how they project their entrance; how they would like the country’s politics to be geared in the days ahead and how they take up the matters of political interests; and finally how they put up their schemes in the floor will determine which course they wish to carry the nation’s politics.
As usual, the democratic forces will go by their standard stale lines which are sure to be out maneuvered by the fresh, energetic and the well indoctrinated compatriots belonging to the other camp. If this is so then what is for sure is that for some time to come the Maoists will thrill the population through their calculated, measured and hard hitting dogmatic sermons.
How the other camp comprising of the liberals will counter the Maoists ear-pleasing addresses will have to be watched.
In a nut shell, the 1990 constitution that gave birth to the “old parliament” has died a premature and unnatural death, to say the least. The constitution that was dubbed one of the best constitutions in the world by friends within and without including the drafters of the same constitution as back as in 1990 has ceased to exist.
However, those who nauseatingly had criticized the 1990 constitution are all set to draft yet another constitution. If the tradition is followed then what could be safely said that the new constitution that is yet to be framed by the constituent assembly elections will meet the same fate.
History more often than not repeats itself. If that does happen fortunately or even unfortunately, how the Maoists would react to those comments will have to be watched.
No wonder, the Monday declared interim constitution, to begin with, have not been taken in good taste by a section of the now agitating Terai population. May be time permitting others will join and the size will definitely swell.
Making the impossible the possible
Kathmandu : Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has made a place for himself in the annals of Nepal ’s chequered history. Koirala’s adventure mixed up with his political acumen apparently made possible the impossible.
By any political standard, he has achieved what many in the past tried but miserably failed.
Equally true is the fact that how the otherwise indomitable revolutionary whose nick name is itself “ferocious”-Prachanda-yielded to Koirala’s dictates whether it be forcing him to sign the much publicized November 22, 2005 New Delhi agreement and since then many understandings that led the ferocious revolutionary to come to terms with the die hard politician who is by heat and soul a democrat?
Many would believe that it was Koirala alone who brought the ferocious (in effect he is a thorough gentleman as a person) Prachanda to come to his terms. This could sound like a fairy tale for the personalities who have yet to understand the nitty-gritty’s of politics.
But then it was Girija Prasad Koirala alone who could convince the Maoists then residing in New Delhi under the protection of the South Block -better say under the affectionate love and honor granted to them by the then Indian FS, Syam Saran as the rumors had it then- that it was time that they united to crumble the institution of the monarchy in Nepal.
The fact is also that both Koirala and the Maoists concluded then it was the King who should be dealt first prior to waging a sort of revolution back in the country in the name of the people.
It was exactly at this point that the New Delhi establishment entered into the scene which had many political issues to be sorted out with King Gyanendra which the latter had denied when in power.
Let’s admit that New Delhi added fuel to the fire and thus the April revolution was a resounding success which threw the King into the oblivion.
Having said this, let us also not demean the political courage and the adventure that Koirala exhibited during the April revolution and handled the state affairs since then till Monday late evening.
If it were not Koirala then the unfolding events even after the tumultuous change of April last year would have either gone to the dogs or at best created political havoc in the country.
The easy manner Koirala managed the smooth transition of the country snatching the power from the monarch and delivering to the lay men was not only dramatic but also a charismatic one.
Credit must go to the revolutionary leader Prachanda as well for he not only cooperated with Koirala in the transitional process but also hinted that he would not mind to go the way as Koirala charted for their smooth entrance into the scheme of governance of the nation.
Undeniably, New Delhi acted like a catalyst in the entire process that resulted Monday evening into the formation of an interim legislature but also glued the two diametrically opposing leaders as and when certain crises cropped up.
It is not for nothing that a non-entity politically speaking was made to sneak into the Prime Minister’s official residence last December by New Delhi ’s local establishment here when the Nepali leaders were finalizing the Interim constitution.
News papers have stated that the same non-political personality who is basically a doctoral candidate at some university across the border have been elevated to the ranks of a congress parliamentarian. However, who is that New Delhi man is yet to be ascertained. Insiders at the Premier’s official residence say that this gentleman even sidelined the potential candidate Dr. Shekhar Koirala. This gives meaning to the rumor that some invisible forces are at constant work in order to capture the entire Nepali politics. Achtung! Poor Shekhar!
All putting together what comes to the fore is that Koirala ventured, Prachanda cooperated and New Delhi glued Koirala and Prachanda into one single unbreakable bond.
Time will only tell how long this unnatural glue will have its working effect. It is said that any adhesive or for that matter the glue as such gets detached if the climatic conditions are adverse.
What price Koirala and Prachanda have already paid while buying this adhesive will have to be watched. And in what form they will pay the cost too will be interesting if not an amusing affair.
It will also be entertaining to learn as to which camp first begins detaching from the other. No less importance would be to vigilantly watch when the supplier of the said glue or say the adhesive will begin seeking the price for gluing the two camps together.
What if the glued camps wish to dishonor the ones who glued them not so in the distant past? In such an eventuality will the master gluer will find some other suitable alternative?
Who is this man hitting media headlines?
Kathmandu : Politics is the art of the possible.
In politics no one is a permanent friend or an enemy.
One such hair-raising instance has come to our notice through the kind courtesy of SANGHU weekly dated January 15 which forces one to conclude that in politics every thing is possible even the ones that are in normal conditions and circumstances are supposed to be impossible.
If one were to believe what the said weekly has said in its last issue then one comes to know that one retired colonel of the Nepal Army who used to be the unconditional loyal “yes-man” of the former Chief of the Army Staff, Mr. Sachhit S. Rana, has been elevated to the ranks of a parliamentarian by none less than the Maoists.
Unbelievable though it may appear but this is the hard fact which one has to gulp even if it were a bitter revelation.
Kumar Phudung, the retire colonel, says the weekly, continued to remain a trusted and tested man of the Palace while he was in the army. The weekly further reveals that this man was very close to Mr. Rishi Kumar Pandey who served the Palace as Military secretary of the King.
Now the question arises as how come a single personality and that too very much close to the Palace quarters for long upon retirement could well become a honored member of the Maoists in the parliament?
Analysts see two answers to this mind boggling question that in effect it is.
Firstly, it provides a clue that the Maoists while in the jungles have had enough penetration not only in the military paraphernalia of the nation-state but have had comfortable infiltration into the military wing of the Royal Palace itself.
Secondly, the converse of which also makes it abundant clear that the Palace too have had “required and adequate” linkages with the Maoists through men like Kumar Phudung.
To ascertain which one of the two mentioned above possibilities were correct will perhaps take some time. It would be interesting to note how Mr. Phudung explains his nomination to the parliament by the Maoists.
Talking to BBB news service Mr. Phudung is supposed to have told that the Maoists could have been highly impressed by his recent articles wherein he is supposed to have written about the causes for the emergence of the Maoists issue in the country.
Brilliant analysts see third possibility as well.
It could be that Phudung was a contact point in between the two: the palace and the Maoists. But why?
This gives birth to fourth presumption and that being the two forces apparently cooperated with each other to destabilize the incumbent democratic governments.
A remote possibility indeed but can in no way be ruled out rightly.
If this were so then how come the Palace serving military man suddenly upon retirement could become a chum of the Maoists rebellion?
This is some what mind boggling.
Mr. Phudung, writes Sanghu weekly, is considered to be the one who while in power exploited his compatriots. The weekly alleges that Mr. Phudung amassed wealth during the construction of the Trishuli-Somdang road.
All said and done, the mysterious elevation of Mr. Phudung to the ranks of a revolutionary parliamentarian is not only a thrilling story but is also filled with suspicion as well.
Does this mean that Mr. Phudung still continues to serve both the places concurrently?
If this were so then the filming of this event would be a box office hit.
Perhaps this explains that politics never takes a straight course. It charts its own course of action and counter action.
Be that as it may, Mr. Phudung is hitting the media head lines for a variety of political reasons.
Constitution favors dictatorial Prime Minister
Kathmandu : Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala is a changed political personality now. He is above the laws of the land as per the newly enacted interim constitution. Koirala can convert himself a dictator any time if he so desires.
No laws prevail at the moment to check the Prime Minister from doing any thing wrong. In a way, analysts say, the interim constitution could encourage the prime minister to become an authoritarian ruler.
It is altogether a different matter that Prime Minister Koirala will not act against the will of the people and what is expected of him more is that Koirala as a die hard democrat will never cross his limits stipulated in the interim continuation.
Fine. If he is benevolent then this much is evident that Koirala at the fag end of his political career will not do any harm to the system now in place.
But what if he is pressed hard by his fellow colleagues residing in different belligerent opposite camps? What if he is pushed to the wall by the Maoists at a later stage demanding extra political gains which as per the laws of the land and by extension, the constitution itself Koirala can’t honor the sky-rocketing expectations of the Maoists?
And what if the Maoists and the rest of the reds form a coalition and demand Koirala’s resignation forwarding their combined numerical strength in the ongoing parliament?
In such an eventuality, Koirala may assume the posture of a dictator in order to save the country from going to the brink. If he decides to become a dictator in that eventuality, no force on earth can remove him as the constitution now in force possess no mechanism to remove or replace the incumbent prime minister.
By default, Koirala though a determined democrat would have no option left other than to declare himself as an authoritarian ruler. The REDS will have to bear the brunt of this eventuality.
Nevertheless, the REDS in that eventuality might block the proceedings of the house for days and months seeking Koirala’s resignation.
In that case also, the constitution abundantly empowers the incumbent prime minister to go in for the promulgation of a state of emergency.
Fortunately or unfortunately, in that possible occurrence, not only the REDS will be the victim of the state of emergency but the lay men will also have to feel the heat as the interim constitution does not guarantee their inviolable rights as regards Human Rights.
To add insult to injury, since the judiciary has been tamed by the executive by the new constitution, a demoralized judiciary in that occurrence will have to go the way the executive desired.
Having said this, there lay one possibility for the removal of the prime minister. And that possibility is available to the REDS if they become violent inside the parliament thus forcing the prime minister to relinquish the post unwillingly.
In that eventuality, chances are brighter that Prachanda or his men in the parliament could usurp power thus forcing the liberals to act as per the instructions and orders of the REDS.
All in all, the constitution is a defective one that allows the incumbent prime minister to go berserk.
Mukherjee sneaks into Koirala’s residence
Kathmandu: The outgoing Indian Ambassador to Nepal Mr. Shiv Shankar Mukherjee met Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala in Baluwatar early this week.
What transpired in between the two is yet unknown, however, sources close to Baluatar claim that Mukherjee expressed his dissent over the ongoing feud in between the management of the Casino Royal in Kathmandu that is being termed as a war between an American individual versus the Indian business interests in Nepal by the Indian media. An Indian national, Rakesh Wadhva, holds a twenty percent share in the Casino, reports claim. Sources in the Prime Minister’s residence also reveal that the Indian envoy while meeting the PM asked Koirala to protect Indian business ventures in Nepal or else face consequences.
Mr. Mukherjee is also learnt to have advised Koirala for the party’s nomination in the Interim Parliament for a candidate who had no links in the past with the Nepali Congress. According to some media reports the person who was later nominated by the NC, was also present during the photo-session that was organized after finalizing the Interim Constitution in the prime minister’s residence last December. This news however remains yet to be substantiated.
Enbref
NT set to link to BSNL network: Fiber Optic Gateways
Kathmandu: The Nepal Telecom is set to link its Telcom infrastructure through optical fibre gateways with that of the BSNL, India. According to sources, NT is also set to finalize a similar deal with India’s largest private operator, Bharti Airtel, for an additional 34 Mbps of bandwidth and for using its fibre network to connect to other countries. Experts declare this move would result in over 75% drop in current bandwidth rates.
BJP worried over Maoist excesses
Kathmandu: A delegation of the Bharatiya Janata Party led by Surendra K. Arora, after meeting Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala expressed concern over the continued "Maoist excesses" that is detrimental not only to Nepal but also to India.
Mr Arora who is also the party foreign affairs cell convener said "The BJP has no policy to support a Hindu monarch of Nepal. India has always supported the process of democratization in Nepal, and the BJP being a political party has no religious agenda to support a pro-Hindu movement in this country".
The delegation met several leaders during their trip to Nepal.
Belgian Minister taxed by Maoists
Kathmandu: Mr. Vincent Quikenborne, Belgium's general administration minister was taxed by the Maoists while on visit to Nepal. News reports claim that he had to pay an unspecified amount as "tourist tax" while he was on a trip to western Nepal recently in Myagdi district.
Local media reports claim a German trekker, D Bradler paid NRS 800 for an eight-day trip and a group of five Koreans paid NRS 45,000.
Matrika advocates non-violence
Kathmandu: A Terai leader of the CPN-Maoist- the party that waged a bloody war for more than a decade which took a toll of more than fourteen thousand precious lives, after joining the main stream politics has urged the Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM), to choose non-violence approach for finding solutions to their problems.
Mr. Matrika Yadav, a Maoist central committee member said that "It has been proved in the past that the power of the gun is not a solution for all problems therefore I urge them to come for talks with their agenda whatever it is”, news reports claim.
NT lunch news sms service
Kathmandu: The Nepal Telecom has introduced a new system wherein a mobile user can get current news updates instantly. A user can type NEWS in the message section and send it to the number 2323 to get the updates.
