National 1 (Spotlight Weekly)

Rocky Coalition

In the absence of experience and knowledge of coalition culture, different coalition partners and speaking in different tones further complicating the peace process

By SANJAYA DHAKAL

Although the Sher Bahadur Deuba government was formed on the plank of pursuing peace process and was participated by major political parties for the same purpose, two months down the line, the government is yet to come out with its clear agenda.

Nepal : Warning shots

The Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal has threatened to walk out of the coalition government if the pace of peace process is not sped up. “We would like to see a lot more speed in pursuing the peace process. We are not saying that the government has not moved at all in this direction. But its speed is just not enough,” said Nepal, whose party had joined the present Sher Bahadur Deuba-led government with pledge to restore peace in the country.

“Our party wants to move in lightening speed, while others in the government seem content to move in snail’s pace,” charged Nepal hinting that continuation of this attitude could compel the UML to reconsider its decision to continue in the government.

Nepal’s statement has made the future of Deuba government uncertain. Being the largest coalition partner, UML’s presence in the government is of utmost significance to Deuba.

When the parties in coalition agreed for the Common Minimum Program (CMP) many presumed that would somehow keep the coalition partners together by helping them to achieve ‘unity of purpose’.

However, ministers of different political shade are talking in different tones. While the ministers belonging to the UML hint that the term ‘maximum flexibility’ in the CMP means that the government could go up to the constituent assembly – the major Maoist demand; the Prime Minister has clearly stated that he is not in a position to stray beyond the current constitution.

And the so-called independent representative in the cabinet Dr. Mohamad Mohsin, Information and Communication Minister as well as government spokesperson, stirred the hornet’s nest by ruling out any compromises with the Maoists.

Likewise, while UML clearly believes that the government needs to announce unilateral ceasefire, if needed, to invite the Maoists to the negotiating table; other parties have rejected it outright. “There is no question of unilateral ceasefire. We must first be convinced of their good intentions. If they take one step towards peace, the government is prepared to take two,” Deep Kumar Upadhyaya, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation and a senior leader of Nepali Congress – Democratic (NC-D) said.

PM Deuba : Uneasy situation

Already the top leaders of the parties belonging to the ruling coalition have urged the Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba to take special initiative for peace talks. The UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal and the president of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Pashupati SJB Rana have said the PM needs to take the initiative with maximum flexibility.

“Unless the Prime Minister is willing, we could not reach to any negotiated settlement. I want to draw his attention to pursue the peace talks by giving it the topmost priority,” said Nepal.

As such, the Deuba government is in a race against time. Amid the cacophony of demands to initiate the peace talks with the Maoists, the government needs to engage in a serious homework to prepare strategies to bring them to the mainstream.

At a time when the government needed to present a strongly united front against the Maoists, the conflicting statements by the responsible ministers will not help the cause in any manner. Rather, it would give the Maoists more chances to fish in the troubled waters.