National 5 (Spotlight Weekly)

Peace In Peril

Major political parties boycott the all-party meeting called to discuss the modalities for the negotiations with the Maoists

By KESHAB POUDEL

In an atmosphere where political parties are mired in deep differences, political consensus becomes little more than rhetoric. Nevertheless, Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand convened an all-party meeting to develop a common modality before starting negotiations with the Maoists, and made little headway.

The seven political parties represented in the last parliament are divided into three groups. The first group includes Nepali Congress (Koirala), CPN-UML, Nepal Peasant and Workers Party and United People's Front. The CPN-UML shares a front with Nepali Congress (Democratic), Rastriya Prajatantra Party and Nepal Sadbhavana Party. There is a third front of nine smaller communist outfits, which includes some parties represented in parliament. Outside parliament, there is a front of rightists and centrists' front led by Rastriya Prajatantra Party (Nationalist) leader Rajeswor Devkota.

PM Chand (from left) along with DPM Mandal and Minister Pandey : Waiting for invitees

Although the UML is trying to bring all seven parties together, differences between former prime ministers Girija Prasad Koirala and Sher Bahadur Deuba run too deep. Despite their differences, almost all leaders of seven big parties agreed on one point last week: to boycott the all-party meeting convened by Prime Minister Chand.

"We will not take part in the so-called all-party meeting organized by a politically illegitimate government formed under the leadership of Prime Minister Chand," said Bimalendra Nidhi, central leader of Nepali Congress (Democratic). "We are in favor of peace talks and lasting peace in the country, but we don't agree with the process initiated by the Chand government."

Even leaders of Chand's own Rastriya Prajatantra Party failed to openly support the meeting. "We believe that the government must consult all big parties before initiating any dialogue with the Maoists. Our party will support the government's move to achieve lasting peace through negotiations," said RPP leader Jog Mehar Shrestha. Other RPP leaders were more direct in announcing they had boycotted the meeting in solidarity with the other parties.

Nepali Congress, UML and two left parties represented in the dissolved House of Representatives have called for the creation of a politically legitimate government to summon an all-party meeting to discuss the peace process.

"We welcome all kinds of moves to restore lasting peace in the country. Our party has already welcomed the cease-fire. But it does not necessarily mean that we will participate in the all-party meet," said former deputy prime minister and leader of the Nepali Congress Ram Chandra Poudel. "We will not participate in the all-party meet summoned by the Prime Minister Chand, since our clear demand is the reinstatement of the House of Representatives. That would pave the way for a legitimate government capable of convening a legitimate meeting."

The backing of the smaller parties gave a sigh of relief to Chand. "Our party will participate in the all-party meeting. Our view is that the government should be flexible in achieving lasting peace in the country," said Rajeswor Devkota, president of the RPP (Nationalist).

The country needs the support of political forces to achieve lasting peace. Divisions rooted in personal and petty interests would only help to continue the cycle of political instability, taking a heavier toll on the economy.