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Heading Towards Confrontation?
When international pressure is growing for reconciliation between the King and the parties, the demand put forth by seven political parties could invite confrontation
By KESHAB POUDEL
As country needs moderation, accommodation and co-existence to thrash out present political crisis, the leaders of seven political parties- who sat together and signed a common document for the first time in the last three years - agreed upon a political agenda – which is definite to invite confrontation as it challenges the existence of other forces.
Signed by seven leaders including Nepali Congress (NC) president and former prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala, who has had a long political career as a good negotiator, follower of liberalism and as well as national reconciliation propounded by his brother late B.P. Koirala, the written joint declaration demanded the restoration of the dissolved House of Representatives as a first step to reach the political solution.
The statement says the revived dissolved House of Representatives will curtail the power of the King as well as bring the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) under the command of elected prime minister. For the solution of the Maoist problem, seven parties have also opened the way for the elections of constituent assembly.
They signed an agreement a day before the arrival of US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs Christina Rocca - who has been stressing reconciliation between the King and the leaders of political parties.
With the signing of consensus document, the leaders of seven parties including Congress leader Koirala, who used to be under fire from opposition leaders and media whenever he took reconciliatory approach - have lost their flexible stand in the negotiations averting the possibility of any breakthrough.
“The common statement signed by seven political parties shattered the hope of reconciliation between the monarchy and the political parties. By signing the document, political leaders have sacrificed their flexibility in political negotiations,” said an analyst. “Party leaders have failed to identify what their real problems are?
Who displaced their party workers from villages? Are the King and Royal Nepal Army responsible to postpone the elections? Who is threatening to continue the democratic process? Despite the commitment of RNA to provide security, seven parties had requested the King to postpone the elections in October 2002 triggering a series of political events culminating in February 1 royal steps.
When political leaders are not allowed by the Maoists to organize their activities in the villages, the King and the Army are allowing them to perform all kinds of demonstrations in the urban areas including in capital Kathmandu.
Then why, the question of power of the monarchy and the control of army surfaced in their common program. “This is going to be the last struggle for democracy. We will curtail the power of the King through the amendment of the Constitution of Kingdom of Nepal 1990,” said Koirala.
Congress leader Koirala – whose commitment to liberal democracy and liberty is unchallenged – seems to be under a compulsion of his surrounding including his nephew Dr. Shekhar Koirala and daughter Sujata Koirala who are living in India harping confrontational course.
One of the ironies in the political life of Koirala is that he did not find any support and backing from media and his opponents when he tried to make constructive moves but he is championed as a supreme leader and applauded as a crusader of democracy whenever he played destructive and destabilizing role.
Whatever nature of political crisis may be, the leaders of seven political parties, knowingly or unknowingly, agreed that the first act of the revived House of Representatives will be to form all party government representing in the parliament on the basis of their strength.
“Spirit of unity among the political parties is good but the strategy and objectives appear to be confrontational,” said Dr. Surya Dhungel, constitutional expert. “They must encourage the process of accommodation.”
Signatures include those from leaders of four communist parties United People’s Front, Nepal Peasant and Workers Party, Nepal Communist Party-Unified Marxist and Leninist and United Leftist Front. Other signatories include NC and NC (Democrat) - two liberal democratic parties - and Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Anandadevi) - a regional party.
Despite their presence in the dissolved House of Representatives, Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), the newly formed Rastriya Janashakti Party led by former prime minister Surya Bahadur Thapa did not ink the 'common agenda'.
At a time when the country has been facing Maoist insurgency - which is the main reason behind the present political crisis - nobody knows what prompted the political leaders to raise the sensitive issue like the control of the army.
Although the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal 1990 has clearly given prime minister right to mobilize the army, nobody understands the rationale behind their demands. It is surprising to know Congress leader Koirala - who held the prime minister position for more than seven years in the last 13 years - is also making such demands. Past experiences have shown that reconciliation and harmonized relations between the country’s major political forces is in the interest of Nepal. The confrontation is not in the interest of anybody in Nepal.
These demands will close the possibility of any kind of reconciliation between the monarchy and the political parties. Only the course of moderation will strengthen political forces.
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