Unilateral again

Indian officialdom has a tendency to go unilateral on matters that have a direct or indirect bearing on Nepal. This tendency has a longish history. If it is not encroachment of Nepalese territory by an India taking advantage of poor documentation on our side, it is construction of embankments just south of the border that causes flooding up river in Nepal. If it is not suspension of airline flights to Kathmandu it is enforcement of an ID system for Indian tourists coming to our country. The latest twist in this lopsided relationship is a report that the government of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, which borders Nepal, has decided to provide small arms licenses without fees to local residents in village panchayats bordering the Himalayan Kingdom. India has in the past resorted to such measures only in disturbed areas.

Although the report is still sketchy, the arms would supposedly be used for ensuring local security and for controlling cross border crime. The arms are being supplied at half the usual price, although only a few people have so far availed themselves of this facility, for obvious financial reasons. It has also come to light that the decision on the arming of locals was taken almost in parallel with preparations made by India to deploy some seventy thousand personnel from its Secret Service Bureau along the Nepal-India border. These moves came right after the Royal Palace massacre of June l. Although the full implications of the latest development along the border are not clear, this much is certain. If the substantial flow of small arms from the innumerable gun making outfits in Bihar into Nepal has already compounded our law and order problem, any loosening of arms regulations anywhere along the open border is bound to further aggravate the situation, especially when we are facing an armed Maoist rebellion. The possibility of these arms being used in border areas, particularly in southern Nepal, is all too clear. Therefore it is not too early for the government to start seriously studying the Uttar Pradesh government’s decision and its implications for Nepal. Much of the problem we have had with the open border is due, of course, to our own lack of preparedness. We must break out of that syndrome for once.

That all’s not well again along the troublesome border is underscored by yet another recent development. The same Secret Service Bureau whose deployment along the border coincided with the arms related decision of the Uttar Pradesh authorities has been causing further headache for this country. Small market towns like Darchula and Jhulalghat are on the brink of closure as members of the SSB are stopping Indians from bringing back purchases of foreign goods from Nepal. This is an open violation of the Nepal-India trade treaty, according to local business circles, and comes at a time when the Indian side has been benefiting hugely from the Indian goods that Nepalese bring back in their hand baggage every time they step across the border and back. Worse still, the SSB has also closed most border entry points, making life difficult for Nepalese who go to work on the Indian side. This, along with the ban on foreign goods purchase, is a blow to the local economy. All these point to vigilance and suitable reaction from the government before it is too late.

War against terrorism

By Nagendra Chhetri

The USA is shaken, its seemingly fortified national security is dented and its national pride hurt and humiliated at a time when it seemed American mainland security was impregnable and America, the mightiest power, was exercising its unchallenged supremacy in the present global set up. September 11, 2001 is a day which will be remembered as a black day by the world community for the inhuman terrorist attack on the symbols of American economic and military power i.e. the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon. The attack has challenged not only American might causing untold loss of life and property but also the global security systems and the free world community with its ways of life and belief. America has rightly declared total war against such inhuman terrorist acts and called for swift, sweeping and sustained action, whoever they are, wherever they are and whatever they are. The international community who believes in the civilized way of life and freedom, freedom which allows the rule of law to function, freedom to exercise inherent fundamental rights without infringing the rights of others. Nepal which believes in the smooth functioning of rule of law and total exercise of fundamental human rights wants terrorism eradicated from the face of the earth.

Nepal is suffering from insurgency i.e. violent and unlawful activities against an existing system trying to garner support from terrorist organisations from around the globe. It practices coercive techniques to force people to rise against the looting, killing, kidnapping, maiming, terrorizing and torturing are some of its known tactics in support of its cause. This is exactly what the insurgents have been doing in Nepal for the last six years, causing untold damage to public property and misery to the innocent people. This has created extreme law and order problems and has been a dictatorial thorn in the flesh of the liberal democratic set up. There is none in this country who is now not threatened for life and property.

Insurgency and terrorism are interrelated and one thrives on the success of other. Both terrorism and insurgency are multi-dimensional phenomenon. Complete study of these phenomenon will span several disciplines. There are social, political, economic, cultural and ethnic aspects. Therefore even experts cannot evolve any one standard format for its solutions. It will have different impact, different dimensions, different conditions and different situations demanding different methods of solutions in different geographical areas of the globe. What is plain and clear is both are interdependent, interlocked and the politico-military leadership should have a fair understanding of the intricate nature of the problem. In Nepal, instead of the government’s liberal democratic offering of talks and dialogue to bring the insurgents into the national democratic mainstream, terrorism has continued to occur with nagging persistence, both in frequency and in duration. More recently, the insurgency inside Nepal and sub-national terrorism beyond national boundaries have gained momentum culminating in the attack on the World Trade Centre and the Pentagon with devastating effect, inviting not only US wrath and hatred but also international condemnation and reprisals. In the process of reprisals and punitive action against those who perpetrate, harbour and conduct insurgency/terrorism the involvement of the military is, therefore, inherent and inevitable.

In Nepal the credible and effective military might is still in a wait and see mood. All the governments that have taken state responsibility within the last six years have been indecisive and there is no national consensus as to what exactly is this problem. No government has ever declared whether the insurgency is a terrorist, political, social, economic or simply law and order problem. The insurgents on the other hand have taken advantage of the government’s indecisiveness, geographical remoteness, general ignorance and poverty of the local people and the ineptitude of the political leadership. They have exploited all this to advance and strengthen their cause to the extent of demanding the abolition of the only cohesive national institution of the revered monarchy.

Of late the so called Maoist have finally accepted the government’s offer of a dialogue to find a compromise solution particularly after the swift and surprise military mobilization in operation Holeri. The government’s offer to discuss any matter except constitutional monarchy and the multiparty democratic politically system has sustained two meetings of the negotiations but without any substantial results. Instead it has hardened the insurgents demands for total constitutional dissolution and abolishing of the democratic set up in favour of internationally rejected communist dictatorship. Although the dialogue will continue, but will it bear any fruit? This is the most serious question anybody is asking in Nepal today. When one studies the history of insurgency and counter insurgency one finds that there has never been a compromise, negotiated solutions. Either the insurgency has been completely defeated, destroyed and eradicated or the existing system has collapsed and given way to the new ideology to try and take the route, however harsh and violent it may be. If ever a quick compromise solution is found, which is what every right minded nationalist Nepalese desires, the history of insurgency and counter insurgency will have to be rewritten.

Since the insurgents are conducting multi-prong attacks on constitutional institutions and an internationally accepted and popularly respected pluralist political system and are trying to break up the age-old Nepalese social and cultural set up, the Nepalese people have crossed the humanly possible limits of tolerance. They have now started forming citizens groups and opposing the violent pressures on their peaceful lives by retaliating in different part of the country. The democratic forces and the government must understand the known tricks and tactics of the insurgent communists to keep on engaging their foes in a dialogue to prove to the people that they are sincere but preparing, planning, organising, training and collecting funds and weapons for the final showdown. It is just a ruse to gain time and consolidate gains and avoid the harsh and hostile monsoon. Violent battles, dialogue and again violent battles are the phases of insurgent strategy to usurp political power through the gun.

Now what should the government do? Everybody hopes for a peaceful solution to the problem. None wants civil war in this country. One Nepalese killing another is barbaric, heinous and inhuman. The existing constitution has given every Nepalese equal right to reach the top most executive post. From there all political parties can rule and implement their manifestos keeping in mind the larger interest of Nepal and the general welfare of all Nepalese. But in exercising one’s right he or she cannot infringe the rights of others. No one in the larger and greater democracies like the USA, Britain, France or even India and Japan is asking for total disbandment of the constitution disregarding the sovereign interest of the nation. Anyone who violates this norm is dealt with severely. In the last six years the government has shown enough patience and a liberal attitude. Now the government must think of alternatives and prepare contingencies to take up the challenges. A state cannot be created within a sate. How long can citizens be sandwiched between the elected and lawful machinery of the state and those unlawful miscreants coercing, torturing and killing and kidnapping innocent children, women and men from all walks of life, perpetuating a reign of terror. Government should ask even neighbours and the international community to help restrict their movements and any kind of support and sympathy and establish some semblance of its authority even in remote areas. It may have to use (not hesitate to use) its instrument of force. Enough is enough. When the situation is favourable hit the terrorists and hit them hard.

America and the free world have declared war against terrorism. The present situation demands a stronger democratic alliance amongst nations to combat terrorism. Why not Nepal seize this opportunity in the larger interest of its people.

Attending bonus classes

By Pragya Karki

The three things most difficult are - to keep a secret, to forget an injury and to make the good use of leisure. For me the last one turned out to be the most difficult amongst the three.

I had a full three-day-holiday granted to us by the revolutionary students. At first it was full five-day-holiday but they called off in the middle. Interestingly, they can close down and open the educational institutions at any time, in their own whims and fancies.

In those three days I never relied on my alarm clock. I used to get up late in the morning when the sun healed in its intensity. Otherwise, my alarm clock would shout ominously and then I would wake up, get ready within half an hour or so, snatch my bag and rush to my college. But in those three days I breached my daily routine.

Day 1 – I had nothing in particular to do. I gazed and gazed at the one-eyed monster and fell in love with it. Apart from that, I hooked myself in the Graham Bell’s invention. I buzzed my friends telephone set and they in return mine. Later in the bed I imagined my dad’s state when he would receive the phone bill.

Day 2 – I had a reunion with my friend who is a teacher by profession she was my best pal when we were doing our 10+2, but we went to different institutions after completing our higher secondary level. It was really nice to meet each other after such a long span of time. Her school was closed down out of fear and so was my college. The whole day we chatted and cherished the time spent together.

Day 3 – The first thing I did was looked at the horoscope column in the newspaper. "Sagittarius-expense" was the two words that I read. Only in the evening I came to know how true it was. That day I freaked around with those friends with whom I grew up and spent the longest time together, my school buddies. That single day’s outlay was equal to my fortnight’s expenses. As a result, at night I annoyed my father (the natural bank provided by God) by asking him for extra allowances.

Well, I don’t know about others as of how they spent their holidays provided by the students. Ironically, they call themselves students but do not give second thoughts to close down educational institutions, manhandle school authorities, and destroy properties. How generous of them to give holidays as and when they feel like giving! The school students enjoyed it without turning the pages of their books and copies . The college students (my type) spent it sitting idle, freaking around, in fact not doing anything constructive. Above all, if tomorrow our course does not complete in time, we will get golden opportunity to declare ourselves as the busiest person around banging the doors of different tuition institutions and attending bonus classes.

Role of opposition in democracy

By Purushotam Marattha

An assembly is the wisest men in great council. Democracy without parties cannot run smoothly. In a parliament democracy the political parties have to play an important role. Party members are the mediators between the people and the government. Actually, political parties should be defined as associations of citizens which take part in forming the political will of the people. Sometimes they rule as the government, forming the political will of the people and sometimes they sit in the opposition. A true opposition party always tries to attract the attention of the government towards its mistakes and remains responsible towards its duty of raising the voice of public at the place concerned.

In the present political scenario, Nepalese democracy has been sailing through troubled waters since the last decade. The multiparty democratic movement of 1990 was fought largely for the constitutional provision that guarantees protection for political parties. In Nepal, political parties are protected under the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal-1990. The performance of political parties in Parliament is effective but their role in public is not clear. After the advent of democracy, no law has been enacted to set out the modalities for the democratic functioning of political parties. Sometimes their role becomes sectarian, parochial, religious, ethnic and closeness to the centres of power.

Political parties have not been able to show stability in the country during the last 12 years. Some immaturity is reflected in the business of Parliament. The bills are passed hurriedly without being properly discussed. Till now Parliamentarian practices have not developed to aggregate the voice of the people. Sometimes, the ruling party passed bills without seeking the view points of opposition parties. Thus, the widening gap between ruling and opposition parties has increased day to day in recent years. On the other hand the parallel government of the Maoists is also a set back to Nepalese democracy. The leading Nepalese political parties are a total failure in tackling problems. Recently, the Communist Party - Maoists- has been waging an armed insurgency. This is against the spirit of the Jana Aandolan 1990. The ruling government of the Nepali Congress is not able to meet the rising expectations of the people. Thus, frustrated groups entered into the Maoist camp.

The underground Maoist party is also keen to build their own proletariate empire. In the communist movement there are more than ten communist parties with various names. Similarly, people are divided into various ideologies. A party split is more common in the communist movement. Any party which is rooted in its past cultural heritage can do well. But unfortunately those parties which have no idea about the heritage the country remain backward. The gun-toting culture is the great threat to Nepal.

Party politics has lost the sight of issue based politics in Parliamentary culture. Earlier, different political parties uttered revolutionary slogans for land reform but they never turned it into reality. The ruling NC government has taken a historic decision but the NSP and RPP are protesting against this progressive land reform. Thus the small parties like NSP and RPP are protesting against this progressive land reform. Hardline opposition left-wing political party leaders are trying to develop opposition to show their extreme nationalism. It is true that being the single largest party in the opposition, CPN-UML, also became unable to show any radical activity in the House. Because of their non-responsible policies in foreign affairs, when they were in power they became pro-Indian and when they fell from power they at once became anti-Indian. It seems that they have no maturity. In the communist movement of Nepal every radical communist party turned into revisionism. The Maoist underground party has launched a violent movement for the betterment of the Nepalese, but many Nepalese including the Maoists have also lost their lives in the last six years. In these circumstances the Maoists are interested to join the democratic process of dialogue to end the six year long war. If all the political parties of Nepal support government initiatives, the Maoists may have turned into peace groups. But the ruling and opposition parties are not able to check the political instability in the country. Political instability and violence will help neither Nepal nor its neighbours. Cat-dog type of relations between the ruling and opposition is the result of the underground Maoist party. The opposition political parties of Nepal have never inspired the ruling party to announce a package of reforms. Frustrated people are going to support the underground party like the Maoists.

Since the advent of democracy in 1990, a failure to meet the basic needs of the Nepalese people is a shame. During the last 12 years ruling and opposition parties have never showed concerned for people’s need. Their main aim was to hold and retain power at any cost. They are hostile to each other. Recently, the ruling NC party brought out a plan of drastic change and reform in the socio-economic field. But the main opposition the CPN-UML has already opposed the bill. Thus the role of the opposition parties towards parliamentary democracy has become opposition for opposition’s sake. The widening gap between ruling and opposition parties has increased tremendously.

In order to solve the political instability in the country, an all-party meet should endorse the dialogue for peace and rebuild a peaceful atmosphere in Nepal. The problem before us is that whether the role of the ruling and opponent parties is favourable for the institutional development of parliamentary practices.

After the advent of democracy all together 100 political parties were registered at the Election Commission. Among them 40 political parties were contested in the last general election. The proliferation of these parties in Nepal did not solve the Maoist, secular, ethnic issues, Terai regionalism, etc. The Maoists are trying to establish a Republic whereas, the ruling party of last 12 years has been giving bad governance. During these periods people are divided into two hostile camps, right and left. Since the last 12 years these committed voters never became free voters. All parties are interested to rule over the people but they are not able to build an atmosphere of trust and belief. In order to solve the political instability of the country, the ruling and opposition parties have equally role in solving the burning issues of the country.