An Amicable Settlement

WITH the registration of the no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, the country’s politics seems to be headed for yet another uncertainty. On Thursday when aggressive mobs were pouring a blaze of anger over vehicles and window panes of the private buildings, some ruling party lawmakers were marching towards Singha Durbar with a no confidence motion in their pocket instead of assisting the government in freeing the capital from violence. Unfortunately, the rebels wanted to turn the situation to their favour. The motion in such an inappropriate time did setback the government’s attempts to maintain the troubled law and order situation. Constitutionally, the Members of Parliament have every right to register a no-confidence motion any time of the year. However, these rights should be exercised at the right time. The dissidents seem to have failed to realise this. Moreover, there are reports that the signs of some of the MPs had been misused in the course. Six signatories have reportedly withdrawn their signatures, saying the current move would only weaken the country. The bid to unseat the Prime Minister has not only created confusion but also shown the tendency that Nepal is heading back to the politically unstable era between 1995 and 1999, when the Parliament was busy changing governments. As a result, the country suffered. The political instability also provided a favourable breeding ground for the Maoist insurgents, which must never be forgotten. Individuals may benefit from instability but history has proved that the country becomes its victim. The Prime Minister took the office barely 10 months back pledging to maintain law and order, to give good governance and to curb corruption. He has been working in that direction since taking over. No one should expect an overnight improvement, particularly in a country like ours. But now there is the no-confidence motion and a safe outlet is inevitable. As such it is expected that the ruling party will find an amicable settlement to the confusion. The Prime Minister’s pronouncement to end the crisis at the earliest should be taken positively.

Bandhs One Too Many

Barely three days after a Valley bandh was organised to protest the deaths of people in police clashes during two days of violence over unconfirmed remarks by an Indian cine-actor about Nepal, the country is gearing up for another Nepal Bandh that threatens to bring the country to a grinding halt once again. According to news reports, a grouping of nine left political parties are spearheading the bandh on Monday and Tuesday with different demands, including resignation of ministers over the handling of the violent incidents in Kathmandu last week that saw at least five deaths and scores injured. The protests are planned for not one day but two days on New Year and January 2. While bandhs have become a part of life since the reinstatement of democracy in 1990, the frequency with which they are occurring in recent times is beginning to irritate the common people who have little to benefit from the games that political parties play. Practically all political parties have organised a bandh at one time or another to prove their ability to close down the country, and while doing so, the only sufferer has been the man in the street and the country at large.

While these strikes affect industries, educational institutions and work in the offices, they particularly affect the tourism industry, Nepal’s principal source of foreign exchange. The year 2000 has been a particularly bad one for the tourism industry that began with cancellation of flights by Indian Airlines for about five months following the hijacking of its plane after taking off from Kathmandu last year. The decision to close down hotels in the wake of the strike by hotel employees in early December dealt yet another blow to the industry. And the violence last week over an unconfirmed report that has apparently proved to be a false alarm has been a near disaster to the industry. Many Indians wanting to visit Nepal for the New Year have reportedly been stranded at the border, not knowing what to do. The two-day bandh on Monday and Tuesday could be further damaging to the industry that is struggling to survive despite all these adverse conditions.

It is high time the political parties thought of something constructive while resorting to their protest programmes. The growing frustration among the industrialists, students and the common man over irresponsible behaviour of political parties does not auger well for the parties. There is still time for cooler heads to prevail and not allow protests that are damaging for the nation to gain ground. It can be hoped the opposition parties will realise there are other means of protests, other than bandhs to make their voices heard by the government.