National 1 (Spotlight Weekly)

Towards Reconciliation

The mellowed down statements and scaled down agitation suggest reconciliation is not far off

By SANJAYA DHAKAL

The political deadlock, which is continuing at the center despite escalating clashes in different parts of the country between the Maoists and the security forces resulting in dozens of deaths, seem to be heading towards a resolution, if the latest indications from the agitating parties are analyzed.

In a fast deteriorating political situation in the country in the aftermath of the unilateral walkout from peace process by the Maoists, the pro-constitutional forces have no way out except to come together.

Fortunately, the statements by leaders of the agitating political parties in the last one week indicate that the reconciliation may be closer than expected.

When Nepali Congress (NC) president and former prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala told a gathering of female cadres of his party last week that he has received ‘positive signals’, the message was warmly received by the political pundits. This was followed by Madhav Kumar Nepal, general secretary of Unified Marxist Leninist (UML), who said that ‘taking a step back was not tantamount to surrendering.’

In the days that followed, the five parties considerably scaled down their agitation, which was earlier dubbed as being ‘decisive and stormy’.

On Monday (September 8), Koirala, addressing Congress members of dissolved parliament, said that he believes a new phase of political reconciliation will emerge after the King returns home on Wednesday (September 10). Indicating a rapidly softening stance towards monarchy, Koirala warned his party colleagues and workers against indiscipline and rash slogans in agitation.

A lot of credit to the latest development also goes to the abrupt end of ceasefire by the Maoists and their targeted attacks against individuals in the Kathmandu city that led the government to announce prohibitory orders.

“Despite the ongoing clashes in different parts of the country and the terrible loss of lives and property, one positive outcome of the breakdown of ceasefire could be that all the constitutional forces would come together and lend strength to this troubled nation,” said a political analyst.

The Maoist stepped up their attacks in the capital when on September 8 they blasted bombs in a series in six different government offices in three cities of the valley killing one schoolboy and injuring a dozen others. Between 9 am to 10:30 am – the rush office hours – the bombs exploded in Department of Transport Management, Ekantakuna, Lalitpur, ward no 4 office of Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC), Baluwatar, Department of Land Survey, Kalanki, Department of Labor and Employment Promotion in New Baneshwore, ward no 15 office of Bhaktapur municipality and ward no 17 office of KMC in Naradevi. A 12-year-old Deepak Gurung succumbed to the injuries he sustained when a bomb planted in the toilet of the building of ward office in Baluwatar went off.

Political analysts and scholars have been calling for swift reconciliation between monarchy and the political parties to give relief to the battered country.

“It is not proper to hold the democracy hostage by showing the situation of insecurity. The peace cannot be restored without bringing the constitution back on track,” said Ram Chandra Poudel, senior leader of the NC.

The developments in the last one year after the October 4 step by the King clearly showed that the country’s problems cannot be solved unless all the constitution-abiding forces join hands and present a unified front against the elements bent on destroying the whole system.

“Without bringing the constitution on track, the problems will remain unsolved. Not only the political parties but eminent constitutionalists and lawyers have said that the October 4 step was unconstitutional and can be rectified by restoring the House of Representatives,” said Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat, another leader of NC.

Analysts believe that if at all, the political parties reconcile with the monarchy and are brought back to power, they will need to exhibit ‘dead seriousness’ to solve the existing problems. “The lackadaisical nature they showed in yester-years must be shed off for good,” said an analyst.