Emerging Consensus
With the election for CA less than two weeks away, voters and political parties are narrowing down their differences on the election agenda. The efforts of political parties to turn the present election as the one to write the constitution have failed. Political parties and voters are working hard to have consensus to bring peace, prosperity and development through the CA election. However, other much talked jargons of constitution making is least debated issue in the campaigns
By KESHAB POUDEL
Out of one hundred voters interviewed in the various constituencies in the valley and out of half a dozen of candidates of major political parties, majority of them said that their real concern after the election will be to bring about peace, economic prosperity and development.
All the top leaders of seven party alliance are stressing the need to hold the election for CA to bring peace, prosperity and economic development. Although one of the main aims of the election is for constitution making, the issues raised by voters and political leaders are not just about constitution making.
"After this election, the country will turn a page for peace, prosperity and economic development. Even after election, seven parties need to work together for another one decade to push the country into the path of prosperity," said prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala at his residence on March 21, addressing a group of journalist. "We all have similar agenda, to write a constitution for the betterment of people. I need the help of media."
After traveling to various constituencies of Kathmandu valley and Kavre district and meeting with the voters, this reporter saw different moods. For majority of voters, the CA election meant as a gateway to economic prosperity, peace and development.
"I hope these elections will bring long lasting peace in the country. It will help my sons to get the employment opportunity and quality education," said Jeevan Kharel, 55, a resident of Panchkhal of Kavre district. "My priority is for development not for the forms of constitution."
The public opinion reflects that the real issue is not about constitution making. Forms and contents of constitutions are least debated issue in the election campaigns.
"I have to assure people that my next tenure will be dedicated in bringing peace, development and prosperity to the people. I have to say I will reduce load shedding, supply drinking water, expand roads and improve the quality of health facilities," said Ishwor Pokharel, senior leader of CPN-UML and candidate of CPN-UML for the constituency no 4 of Kathmandu district. "Of course, the election is for writing the constitution, but the local issues are also important."
"First and foremost, people want peace, development and economic prosperity. Only after that other things come into the expectations of the people," said a political analyst.
Surrounded by the world's two fastest growing economies, India and China, Nepal has enough opportunity to tap economic prosperity and high growth in case of peace and stability. However, the country is heading towards unending disputes of constitution making. Despite the common people's wish to see peace and economic prosperity, political and constitutional debates are inevitable to bring more chaos.
"Constitution is of least concern to voters as they have experienced of several elections in the last five decades under six different constitutions," said the analyst.
Politicians who had been engaged in high sounding ideas of making constitution through the involvement of people have kept this issue aside while going in a door to door campaign for soliciting votes from their voters.
"I am not concerned about the forms of constitution. My concern is when will we get enough water to drink? Will they guarantee employment opportunities and quality education?" said Sunil K.C, a resident of Kirtipur constituency no 10 where Maoist leader Prachanda is also contesting from.
"If you vote us, we will bring new Nepal to you where you will get everything," said Prachanda at a public meeting in Kirtipur. "Other parties have already failed to fulfill the demands of people."
Candidates have one point attention to get elected and reap benefits of power. Common people have their own priorities which they want to achieve with the help of anybody who is going to exercise that power.
"Forms of government and the contents of the constitution are not in priority in the debate anywhere. Common people seem to be much wiser in the question of forms and contents of the constitution. They seem to know it better that what is best governed is the best. No candidate and no party are hoping to get the support of the people merely on the theoretical debate of the nature and forms of constitution," said the analyst.
"Looking at the present morale of the people and response of the politicians, one is amazed why so many lives were lost and properties and public utilities destroyed in the past in the name of quest for perfect democracy. But the tragedy with the nation is that the present interim constitution has put the nation at stake by making everything interim and thus unstable," analyst argued.
It is going to be tough for politicians to bring the peace, stability and prosperity as expected by the people.
The recent article written by writer Larry Diamond, co-editor of The Journal of Democracy in Foreign Affairs (March-April 2006) reflects Nepal's situation.
Diamond writes, "elsewhere in the developing and post communist worlds, democracy has been a superficial phenomenon, blighted by multiple forms of bad governance abusive police and security forces, domineering local oligarchies, incompetent and indifferent state bureaucracies, corrupt and inaccessible judiciaries, and venial ruling elites who are contemptuous of the rule of law and accountable to no one but themselves. Many people in these countries – especially the poor- are thus citizens only in name and have few meaningful channels of political participation. There are elections but they are contests between corrupt, clientelistic parties. There are parliaments and local governments, but they don't represent broad constituencies. There are constitutions, but not constitutionalism."
Winners of the elections may have their priority to bring peace and stability in the country so that they would stabilize themselves in power but the rest of the politicians who are out of the power may have different priority as has been the case in the past.
"Even in a less complicated constitution in the past, politicians in the opposition bench had not been tolerant to the majority. Now in the present context all kinds of impractical ideas about the constitution making are there to be taken up. Winners may have their own interests and losers have their own in the priority. People are always aroused by populist slogans to explore possibility of taking up the normal constitutional process," said the analyst.
Before the election and after the election, there may be changed pastures of politicians. When the elections were announced, all the politicians were away from the people at grass roots and addressing the city centered urban elites with high sounding political ideals. Now in the election campaigns, they are facing the people at the grass root and have become wiser to address the needs of the people.
While presenting their political manifestoes for election purpose, they seem to be much closer to basic issues of the country. "Our vision has made the clear cut target for the development for the country. We have clear agenda on economy, land reform and other major fundamentals," said Pokharel.
"Nepali congress is the only party which has clear vision on economy and political structures. People will vote for me looking at our agenda," said Narahari Acharya, candidate of Nepali Congress from Constituency no 4 of Kathmandu.
Although all political parties except Rastriya Prajatantra Party Nepal led by Kamal Thapa, have amended their party constitution to veer towards republic, some have still given room for monarchy. As a highly expected successor to the premiership Sher Bahadur Deuba in his recent interview to Nepal Weekly said the first session not first meeting of CA will decide on monarchy. This statement of former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba carries a lot of meaning.
Other emerging Congress leaders like Sujata Koirala have already made their personal opinion public regarding the institution of monarchy. As an oldest and largest party, there is much possibility that Nepali Congress will emerge in the lead position and a centrist view may come forward while making the constitution and exercising it.
"It may not be too optimistic to hope that sensible and workable constitution may come out which will be in the larger interest of not only the people inside, but to the large context, in the neighborhood," said the analyst.
Even Prachanda said recently that he will accept the verdict of the people. It is real strength of the sovereign people with ballots in their hand that they can make even armed insurgents into participants of a peaceful, democratic, competitor in the election.
"Had the election not been postponed indefinitely in October 2002, perhaps all these vices of Pandora's Box would not have come out despite the role of destabilizing unseen forces. After interaction between people and political leaders, the situation has changed. Till they were running to power centers, they were raising completely irrelevant issues. Now, when they are face to face with people who have ballot in their hands, the same politicians have now come to understand the ground reality and are trying to win over the hearts and minds of the people," said the analyst.
