National 1 (Spotlight Weekly)

Confrontation And Confusion

Despite their repeated calls for reconciliation, the major political forces are speeding on a confrontational course

By KESHAB POUDEL

Nepal has landed in deep trouble whenever politics has veered on a confrontational course. The wider the divisions among internal political forces, the greater the risk of political instability and chaos. However, that lesson from history has been perennially ignored.

Be they ministers of the present government or leaders of political parties, statements, opinions and expectations are full of conflict and confusion. Two days after the Nepali Congress disowned anti-monarchy media reports attributed to party president Girija Prasad Koirala, Home Minister Dharma Bahadur Thapa issued a statement accusing a newspaper of distorting his views on the Maoists.

Koirala (left) and Nepal talking to reporters : Confusion rules

Political leaders and ministers are creating more confusion and chaos in the country. Headlines of newspapers and FM news broadcasts are troubling people already distressed by a rapid succession of conflicts on multiple fronts.

The tone and tenor of statement from political leaders indicate that the coming days are not going to be easy. All forces are trying to lock their horns using derogatory remarks and issuing threats. "There is a limit to patience and tolerance. No single force can bring peace and stability to the country," thundered Congress strongman Koirala addressing a meeting in Birgunj. Then he tried to sound a little harmonious: "We are ready to cooperate with the King to end the political stalemate." If this odd mixture of coercion and conciliation perplexes people, it is not their fault.

Koirala, who often claims to be a victim of a "grand design" (of political instability), is harping the slogan to promote another phase of chaos. CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal is not far behind Koirala in using threatening language to complicate an already adverse situation.

"If the King does not correct his constitutional mistakes, we will create a storm to rock the country," thunder CPN-UML general secretary Nepal, who is making efforts to forge a broader alliance against the present government.

The ministers King Gyanendra appointed under Article 127 of the constitution, too, lack coherence on crucial matters of state. The monarch, for his part, has taken a reconciliatory approach by granting audiences to some of the political leaders who have been criticizing him. The king met former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba days after dismissing him for being "inefficient".

Koirala's and Nepal's statements mirror the widening of differences between political parties and the palace. "It is unfortunate to see political powers divided in such a way. All of them are suspicious of the motives of each other. Only the joint efforts of the political forces can avert the present political and economic crises," says a political analyst.

Political forces have failed to understand the real strengths and weaknesses of the internal power equations. Democracy needs political patronage of the monarchy, which has a long history and tradition deeply rooted in the people. Democracy, on the other hand, cannot be strengthened by ignoring the role of political parties.

"The monarchy, which is the foundation of national unity, is deeply rooted in the minds of the Nepalese people. It is our duty to strengthen this sacred institution," said Minister of Information and Communication and General Administration Ramesh Nath Pandey.

As soon as differences among political forces appear, the country tends to witness more cases of violence and disturbances. After the imposition of the state of emergency last year, more than 4,000 people have been killed and infrastructure worth billions of rupees, including power houses, telephone and airport towers and government offices, have been destroyed.

Although Nepal has faced numerous insurgencies in its five-decade history of modernization, the ongoing Maoist insurgency is the most lethal in terms of death and destruction. Divisions among political forces would only fuel the violence and deepen political instability.