Editorial (Spotlight Weekly)

The country is passing through the worst crisis in its recent history. And the last twelve years would go down as the blackest period. The leaders of the Nepali Congress who have been in charge for most of the time looting the poor country have set a record in turning the tide of popularity and expectations into that of hatred and disillusionments so much so that the deprived peoples have been forced to take arms against the state. Indeed, the Nepalese terrorists have been used unabashedly by those who have always fished in the troubled waters of Nepal to destabilise politics, in order to further their own selfish designs. But the determined campaign by the world powers to eradicate terrorism from the face of the world has come to the rescue of Nepal and with a dedicated leadership Nepal will surely crush the insurgency and put the country back to the rails of peace and development. By the devastating civil war that has been plaguing the country intermittently for the last six years but has assumed catastrophic proportions for sometime past, the country has been pushed back more than twenty years. At such a critical time when Nepalese politicians should have faced the challenges posed by the threat to the nation unitedly, the self-oriented politicians of the ruling party are taking the entire nation to greater uncertainty by the squabbles for power and pelf. With a government full of stinking politicians and no credibility whatsoever, either at home or abroad and the economy almost at the verge of bankruptcy the Prime Minister has dissolved the House and called for the general elections when the situation is most inopportune. While the verdict of the court is still awaited whether the House would be restored and the time for general elections steadily crawling nearer, no politician of any political party seems very sure that the government will be successful in holding the elections. Even though the Maoists seem to have gone in the defensive and have even expressed some kind of eagerness for dialogue, the tough stance adopted by the hardliners in the ruling party does not look very encouraging for talks. Sources close to both the factions of the Nepali Congress have confided to this scribe that neither faction is sincerely desirous of holding dialogues with the maoists as both fear that they might be prevented from being part of the caretaker or interim government that would ensue if the talks succeed. Since the Nepali Congress party, whether it be Deuba faction or Koirala, has been totally exposed for its rampant corruption, bad governance and piggy back foreign policy except a handful of its cronies and henchmen, the overwhelming majority of the people are not only disillusioned with it, but are deadly tired of its politics of money and muscle and would like to see it go into oblivion. The country badly needs peace and stability for the economy to rebound and unless the Maoists are brought to the mainstream of politics or completely annihilated it may not be possible at all. At the moment the country badly needs politicians with clean image, integrity and national pride to lead the country to deliver it from the ruin and destruction it is facing. Those very unscrupulous politicians who are shouting at the top of their voice that democracy is in peril are themselves striking death blows to the new found democracy. At this juncture it has become most imperative for all the good friends of Nepal not to support the corrupt politicians if they are really concerned to safeguard democracy in Nepal. In this regard, our closest neighbor and friend, India, can play a very important role. They must stop destabilising politics in Nepal and earnestly discourage the anti-Nepal terrorist activities of the Nepalese Maoists who are using India as their safe haven. The poor people of Nepal are fed up with vacant rhetorics. They are expecting India to sincerely behave like a true friend they profess to be. They want to see concrete actions with visible achievements so that the down ward trends in the bilateral relations can be arrested and brought back to track. Still the key role in this whole affair belongs to King Gyanendra. May be he too, like us, is waiting for the Supreme Court’s verdict on the House dissolution case. Only then, we on our part will come out with our humble suggestions about the steps the country has to take precipitously to save it from imminent disaster.

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Three visits in one year by the Secretary of State of the greatest power is evident enough of the highest priority the United States has assigned to help restore normalcy in South Asia. Since peace in South Asia directly affects Nepal and other smaller nations in the region the endeavors of the United States are being followed and closely watched by all with great expectations. But the solution of the crux of the problem -- Kashmir -- seems always elusive. Since, it is not the elections in Kashmir that will solve the issue for all time, the remarks of the secretary to permit international monitors during elections seemed quite redundant. And it also looked ridiculous when the Indians lost their temper at the Secretary’s remarks. Since the issue in question is the right of plebiscite for the people of Kashmir, the elections there cannot guarantee legitimacy to its annexation by India. No body should take away the right of self-determination of any people. More so, when it is enshrined in the resolutions of the United Nations. As such, in stead of getting embroiled in senseless bickering, all the concerned must work for safeguarding the birth right of the Kashmiri people. Once the Kashmiris are able to decide themselves about their destiny and the region becomes peaceful, South Asia can aspire to play the distinctive role in the international arena it is fated to play.