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VOL. 27, NO. 44, July18 , 2008 (Shrawan 03 2065 B.S.)
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LEADERS
Power Without Accountability
If the recent actions of political leaders are judged, one can raise question regarding their accountability of power
By KESHAB POUDEL
After they disturbed the proceedings of Constituent Assembly for ten consecutive days, members of Madhesi parties paved the way to pass the fifth amendments in interim constitution taking a surprising decision to boycott it at the last minute.
Nobody knows for what motive they disturbed the CA, which is regarded as a highest elected body, meeting for ten consecutive days and why they let the resolution pass subsequently?
After Madhesis’ decision to boycott the meetings, the last two meeting of CA endorsed some important resolutions. It passed the resolution for Fifth Amendment of Interim Constitution on 13 July and passed the finance bill on 14 July. The July 15th meeting even accepted the date for the election of president and vice president, speaker and deputy speaker on July 19. But, writing this story till Wednesday evening, it is yet to finalize the name of president. Despite their choice of CPN-UML candidate other than Madhav Kumar Nepal, prime minister G.P. Koirala is still forefront candidate. No body knows who will be the next president?
The fifth amendments paved the way for making and breaking of the government, elections of president and vice president, speaker and deputy speaker on the basis of simple majority.
Why it took such a long time to decide on such important issue. Why did the political parties not include the articles of making and breaking the government, which they were discussing for quite a long time, in the fourth amendment? Although both the resolutions were drafted in Baluwatar meeting, no body takes responsibility why do they ignore them.
“If the government and the ruling alliance parties could perform such a serious task so quickly why they have yet failed to replace that institution by a republican president? The only probable answer is that the same unseen force was not prepared to bring communists in both the capacity as president and prime minister. But as long as this elected body is there, there is no other way except to accept that reality,” said the political analyst.
To understand it, one has to judge them by their actions. Soon after the election of CA, the first thing they did was declare Nepal as a republic. The parties tabled the amendment bill on May 28 but no discussions were permitted and none of the members were allowed to speak their mind against or in favour of the bill.
“They had some unseen compulsions to do and they did it instantly soon after the resolution was tabled by Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula - who had lost the election and had no legitimate right to participate in the proceedings. There was no voice of resentment about the process except tiny minority group of four of RPP-Nepal members,” said the political analyst.
Hardly can one find such a case elsewhere where fundamental law of the country was amended six times in just over a year and no one were allowed to discuss on such a vital issue of abolishing the monarchy.
“I am confused when I was on the way to CA,” said prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala when he came to attend the second meeting of CA on June 27.
“If prime minister, who has absolute power to continue as long as he can, confused and misinformed about such serious problem like that of Madhesis, no one can guess in what position he has been dealing with country’s other problems,” said the analyst. “Whether it is because of his advanced age or because of some machinations, he has been useful as a prestigious face than as a real chief executive.” “That reflects not only the unstable mind of the ruling leadership but also shows utter lack of farsightedness.”
At a time when even CA has been already made as a rubber stamp confining the CA just to endorse the resolution agreed by leaders of three parties, where are these politicians accountable to? At least, they are not accountable to CA or the people.
“Although they still claim that CA is the supreme body to decide the fate of the country, even after the election of the CA, the body is taken for as granted as all major decisions are taken outside its building while it is only served stamp the resolution,” said the political analyst.
Even in political party’s policy making body, central committee members are not allowed to speak or to discuss. Personalised leadership is ruling the party and committees and all other institutions are taken for granted. Even if whole party stands against Prime Minister Koirala or CPN-Maoist leader Prachanda, their opinion prevail. As both the leaders, though look powerful, are unable to stop Madhesi members from disturbing the proceedings.
These events show that political leaders are exercising the power without any accountability to the people or the CA.
Who has the power now?
In all the political events, overwhelming leaders are helpless including the elected members of CA. As CPN-Maoist leader Prachanda recently said, “The foreign forces are dividing the parties into different factions. On the face of it, some leaders come across as leaders of certain parties but they actually represent Indian, American, European and Chinese.” (July 10, Kantipur).
“He made it clear that they are not at least accountable to the people. It does not mean that they have no accountability anywhere. They are accountable to unseen centers not to the people,” said a political analyst. “Outwardly, the CA represents the people of Nepal but its internal intricacies have turned it into a mere rubber stamp as was seen in its deliberations where members were given instructions not to speak out but raise their hands in favour of the resolution.”
“ India with the population of over 1 billion has 539 members in the house whereas Nepal having a population of 26 million has this big jamboree of 601 members. It appears that it was sheer foolishness to have such a huge number of members but keeping in view of the grand design against Nepal this was a cool headed and calculated move,” said the political analyst.
Even the partners in power have gone on record saying that major decision of the government are guided and influenced by foreign forces particularly the closest neighbour India. From CPN-ML leader C.P. Mainali to Nepal Workers and Peasant Party leader Narayan Man Bijukcchhe to Lila Mani Pokharel, all in record blaming India influencing Nepal’s power politics. As Prachanda’s colleague Mohan Baidya Kiran, who claims that he was 10 years on hiding in various India cities, bluntly said: “ India is blocking us from going to power?”
These events show that political leaders are exercising the power without any accountability to the people. Leaders who are exercising the power of the house are in fact neither guided by its opinion nor controlled by their capacity. As the leaders are ruling the country without any accountability, in this prolong stalemate anything can be apprehended in days to come.
