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Kathmandu Monday October 29, 2001 Kartik 13, 2058.
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Subdued Dashain
It was not Dashain as usual in Nepal this year. The
unprecedented Royal Palace tragedy earlier in the year, the terrorist attacks on the USA,
the snail’s pace in the Bhutanese refugee verification process, the take it or leave
it attitude of India on the soon to expire Nepal-India Trade Treaty, the non-start of the
third round of government-Maoist talks, the shortage, whether artificial or real, of
sugar, the US air strikes so near home in Afghanistan, the death of so many of our
countrymen in natural calamities and in accidents, the sorry state of the tourism
industry, and the induction of so many into the Deuba government could not but have a
sobering effect on what otherwise would have been a happy and festive occasion. King
Gyanendra’s message to the nation marking the occasion put things in proper
perspective when he referred to the sad events that occurred in the Royal Palace in June
this year. The palace events also sparked off rumours of imminent political changes,
happily only a false alarm. But such rumours went to show the extent to which the people
perceived the late king to have been committed to a western style multi-party political
system where the people have a say in the way they are governed.
King Gyanendra, in his Dashain message reiterated the
commitment to safeguarding the Constitution which means a multi-party system of democracy.
The message did well to mention national unity at a time when consciously or unconsciously
political parties and others are trying to undermine this basic strength of the Nepalese
people without bothering to consider the long term impact on the nation. The dark clouds
of foreboding in the international arena cannot but have an impact on this nation, and the
political leaders who run the country will be well advised to keep their eyes and ears and
above all their minds open so that this country and its people do not end up having to pay
an unnecessary price for events that are not of their own making. King Gyanendra also
proclaimed his only son, Prince Paras, Crown Prince, and only time will tell if this has
been a wise move.
The Deuba government too began on a promising note,
announcing much needed land reforms and bringing the Maoists to the negotiating table. But
one big disappointment with the government was over its inability to act on the dare
thrown by the ruling party. Ruling party president Girija Prasad Koirala and his
supporters thought it prudent to ask Prime Minister Deuba and his government to conduct
investigations into the amassing of property by all the ministers in the post 1990-period.
That this was no more than a dare was evident, but what surprised many was the inability
of the government to act on party directives. But sooner or later this is bound to take
place. The party had given Deuba the mandate to steal a march over the Maoists, but he
failed to capitalize on this and set the nation on a corruption free course. For these and
other reasons, Dashain this year was more subdued than at other times. But the
post-Dashain period should be a bright one with the promised government-Maoist talks on
the cards. We hope that the government and the Maoists will not fail the nation and the
people this time around.
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