Negotiation After Cease-fire
Crucial Phase In Peace Process

By Dr Bishnu Raj Upreti

THE hope to attain peace in Nepal is arising after the declaration of cease-fire last month by the Maoists. This cease-fire is only the beginning and very fragile stage of peace process. It may break without any further progress or can turn into lasting peace, but that depends upon the genuine commitment of the Maoists, the government and other main political parties.

Stages

The next stage after cease-fire is the negotiation. Negotiation is a process of reaching a conclusion acceptable to all involved parties to restore lasting peace in Nepal. Negotiation has to pass through different stages to reach the final agreement.

Preparation is the first stage. This is a continuous process of searching, gathering information, agreeing general objectives and formulating overall framework of strategy. The informal discussion between the government side and the Maoist leaders, and meetings and discussions with leaders of main political parties and civil society leaders are part of the preparation stage.

The second stage is exploring. Based on the outcome of the preparation, the Maoists and the government's negotiation team exchange their views, understand each other's views, they bunch or breakdown issues as appropriate. This stage will concentrate to further discuss the three main conditions (i.e., golmech sammelan, interim government and election for constituent assembly) as proposed by the Maoists and counter proposals (if any from the government or political parties). Constructive attitude and behaviour from both parties is extremely essential in this stage to move further.

Signalling is the third stage. In this stage the representatives of both the government and the Maoists explain their positions and indicate their willingness to make compromise and concessions. For example, if one party says 'we wouldn't agree to this', this means 'we could make an exception this time'. In this stage both parties have to be alert on use of confusing words and sentences carrying dual meanings. Parties sitting in the negotiation table should watch non-verbal communication (facial expression, signals, postures and gestures) to understand other party's signal of compromise.
The fourth stage is proposing. This is an important step in negotiation where both parties bring their concerns more vividly and concretely. This is the crucial stage of advancing negotiation. At this stage the parties in negotiation concentrate more on general principles and show flexibility on specific details. The negotiation could break in this stage if one party is too rigid.

The next is packaging. This is a very crucial stage where both parties want to convincingly influence each other to get more from the deal. The main questions in this stage are who gets how much of what and when. They need to know concessions, bring as many options as possible and try to bridge the gaps and differences. The positive pressure from civil society, political parties and international community is extremely essential.

The sixth stage is bargaining. Everything up to this stage is conditional. Either party could say 'if you were ready to …(that and that) then we would be prepared to …(this and this). This is again extremely fragile stage where negotiation could break when parties in negotiation are not ready for some compromises and concessions.

Closing is the seventh step. This is relatively easy and less risky stage of negotiation. In this stage negotiation reaches its end, outlining last concessions, summary of position, potential threats and risks, agreeing options and adjournment.

Agreeing and signing stage is the final stage of negotiation where written agreement containing all conditions is made and signed by both parties. This stage also identifies if some sort of ratification is needed.

Lasting Peace

As we see in negotiation process in Sri Lanka, Palestine and other many conflicts around the world, negotiation is not a straightforward process. In any stage one or both parties want to maintain their strong position, show resistance, exert pressure (internal/external), which could lead to postponement, temporary suspension or break of negotiation. Success of negotiation depends upon the preparation, bargaining power, bargaining range (the difference between the maximum and the minimum settlement points on either or both sides), tactics (step by step method used to implement the strategy) and balancing transparency and confidentiality. We Nepalese people wish that the eight years of bloody conflict will end and turn to lasting peace from this negotiation.

Sustaining Development

By Laxmi Bahadur Vaidya

SUSTAINABLE development is a process of change in which the exploitation of resources, the direction of investments, the orientation of technology development and institutional change are made consistent with future as well as present needs. For development to be sustainable, it must take account of social and ecological factors as well as economic ones. It also must consider the living and non-living resource base and of the long term as well as the short-term advantages and disadvantages of alternative actions.

Progress

Over the past two centuries, ever since the industrial revolution, the world has made great progress in science and technology and generated remarkable advances in living standards that people had never seen or even imagined before.

This dramatic economic growth posed enormous hazards to the natural environment and these hazards are greatest in the developing world. The model of development that has prevailed for so long has remarkable gains only for the few rich nations but failed for majority of developing countries. As a result, many present development trends leave increasing number of people poor and vulnerable causing serious environmental degradation. Such a pattern of production and consumption that destroys the environment will prove short-lived. It cannot bring peace and prosperity in the world. Therefore, a new development pattern is required, one that sustains human progress not just in a few places for a few years but for the whole world into the distant future.

Today, our fragile planet is shared by six billion people with uneven distribution of its natural and financial resources. Already 1.3 billion people live on fragile such as arid zone, wetlands and forests that cannot support them. These people live in a abject poverty and 1.2 billion of these people hardly survive on less than one dollar per day. These people suffer from the highest burden of disease and live in the most unhealthy environments. In contrary to this, a small proportion of the global six billion population, that is, one fifth of humanity particularly in developed countries, are using energy and other natural resources at unprecedented rates. The atmosphere is filled with emissions that now is causing havoc in our life in the form of global climate change. As consumption and production continued at fever- pitch in the rich countries, the majority of people in the developing world have been left behind in poverty, squalor and despair. Current trends in production and consumption, social and environmental strains have threatened to derail development efforts and erode living standards.

Environmental degradation took place in far too many parts of the Third World. Economic circumstances which force the poor and particularly the rural poor to damage and destroy the soils, forests, rives, and coastals waters upon which they ultimately depend for food, fuel and shelter. Hence, the causes of environmental degradation are mis-development such as over-cultivation, over-grazing, soil erosion, deforestation and poor agricultural policies which have severely damaged the environment and reduced its capability to grow food. In many countries, natural resources are being rapidly depleted due to increasing population pressure mostly in South Asia region. Environmental crisis has become a source of political unrest and international tension between and within countries.

The planet is passing through a period of dramatic growth and fundamental change. Within the next 50 years, the world population is likely to swell by 50 per cent to nine billion people. At that time there will be three billion more people than we have today and they will be living mostly in developing countries. By 2050, for the first time in history more population will be residing in cities than in rural areas. Thus the world of the 21st century will be a largely urban world. At the same time people will be using earth's diminishing water supply, adding more pressure to this nature's gift. And food needs will be more than twice and world's annual output of carbon dioxide will be more than tripled giving rise to excessive global warming causing more greenhouse effect.

If the poverty and inequality gap that has emerged in the past 50 years is to narrow, our forests, fisheries and aquifers must be protected from over-exploitation. To ensure greater food production to keep pace with the growing numbers of population, soil degradation must halt in agricultural land to reverse the sharp decline in productivity, especially in the developing world. Our water supplies must be used effectively to reduce leakage and wastage. To save two thirds of the global population from facing serious water shortage in the coming years, management of watersheds is the urgent need. Our biological diverse eco-systems must be protected as they support the flow of goods and services essential to societies and economics. The challenge of delivering sustainable development must be met locally, nationally, regionally and globally.

Ill-health causes poverty. Good health is a powerful tool for poverty reduction and economic development. As an effective poverty reduction strategy, investment in human health is a prerequisite of sustainable development.

Rich nations are the greatest consumers of our common resources. They should increase assistance, support debt reduction, open their markets to developing country exporters and help transfer technologies needed to prevent diseases and support to boost agricultural productivity. They have the wealth and technology as well. That is why they have a special responsibility to help the developing world address these problems. But developed countries have not lived up to the promises they made in protecting the environment and assisting the developing nations.

It is possible to change the way we live. Developing countries need to enhance democracy, inclusiveness and transparency to build the institutions for the management of resources. If we make the right investment in research and development in an adequate scale, science and technology will bring many more solutions in all areas. Knowledge has always been the key to human development. It will also be the key to sustainability.

The Johannesburg agenda incorporates several pressing issues of our times such as reducing disparities between rich and poor, tackling climate change, rising sea-levels and desertification, maintaining biodiversity, and equitably managing fresh water supplies. Such as a complex agenda requires an aggregated approach to inter-related problems.

Role

Governments alone cannot perform the jobs. However, civil societies with commercial enterprises have a critical role to play as partners, advocates and watchdogs. The international community must work together on key global issue such as climate change. With concerted action, if we wisely safeguard our vital natural resources such as water, energy, health, agriculture and biodiversity including social stability, then we will be able to achieve the growth rates essential to reducing poverty for the prolonged future.

One Evening In Dovan

By Krishna Sharma

THEY were long separated. The man had to join the Singapore Police before he could tie the nuptial knots with his beloved. After almost four years, they met coincidentally at 'Dovan'. But this was not a confluence, as Dovan means in Nepali. It is a nightclub in Thamel, downtown Kathmandu. The place is famous among its visitors as "Dohari Palace" where one can relish the evening by listening to or singing and dancing to the tune of traditional Nepali folk music and songs and at the same time devouring typical but tasty Nepalese food.

That was the first visit of yours truly at Dovan which is but 'very famous among Gurungs, Magars and other indigenous castes in the mid-hills of Nepal'. Dohari is an exemplary singing style, which the people of that region perform in group. One typicality of such songs is that they are composed instantly during the course of singing.

As the just arrived Nepali-born Singaporean cop was very much attached to the traditional cultural performance which he had missed for four long years, it was not difficult for him to locate the place.
It is a matter of happiness that Hindi and oscillating English music and songs which had stolen the show of the nineties, have now been replaced by Nepalese folk songs and music. Despite the fact that western hams and northern noodles are still pilfering the taste of emerging urbanites, typical Nepalese menu is now on high demand. Those who had been accustomed to the lifestyle of the nineties must not have imagined that there would be cultural revival in the first decade of the new millennium in this 'copy friendly Nepalese society'.

Nepalese folk and modern songs are now listened with great efficacy instead of the old and new Hindi and English music and songs. Gone are the days when you had to lazily listen to listless Hindi love songs while you travelled by bus or any other vehicular means. It is not only in the buses or any transportation means but almost everywhere that one now can listen to Nepali songs and music. Those urban youths who disliked folk songs and its singers are now their greatest fans. So is the case with restaurants and their menu when it comes to Nepalese eatery.

Once regarded as an item of the 'poor folks', dhindo, millet porridge, has now become the latest craze for the elite Valley people. "Would you take me to dhindo tonight?" would be what one would say to his/her friend if one wishes for having dinner or supper. Kalo dal and Sinki ko achar are equally popular cuisine for those wanting to devour the hunger in modern Nepali restaurants or hotels.It would here be noteworthy if I quote an English friend about his readings of Nepali music and songs. "I can't exactly understand the meanings of words in Nepali songs. But their music is very rich. They are original unlike those of the Hindi songs which are copied from English."

Back to Dovan. The boy had barged in there that evening and was relishing all that typical Nepalese in foods and songs. His beloved appeared. During all those years, his most adorable lass had turned out to be a folk singer and had signed a contract at the restaurant for two years.

While it was dohari time, the young cop from the middle of the great hall with microphone at his hand started asking and answering her beloved who was on the stage with his sweet and sonorous tone.
They expressed their hearts in dohari songs but the lass was unknown about him. After the end of dohari when the boy appeared on the scene she was dumbfounded for a moment. Her love rolled down in emotion from her lost eyes and thus they were reunited 'for ever'.