In depth Analysis

Whither way out of impasse?

Kathmandu: Former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s contact office outside the NC premises is now operational. Former Prime Minister K.P. Bhattarai together with Deuba now attend parallel Congress functions that tend to undercut Prime Minister Girija’s official Congress function. This activity, however, makes sure to emphasize that there is no split in the Nepali Congress. The two congress streams, however, lack a meeting point. Whether this contradiction will remain by time the budget session is over is perhaps what holds the key to future Nepali politics regardless of whether or not the congress splits formally. It is now widely thought that Girija babu will not have the strength for his whips to function in parliament to discipline the congress votes when it comes to a crunch.

The UML on the other hand now says that its movement against the government is on. Serious rethinking on the state of affairs in the system in UML top ranks is definitely on. Articles in the media and speeches on part of UML leaders refer to the growing disenchantment among the public and Pradip Nepal, the more voracious of UML writers now acknowledges that systematic differences between partlyless and party systems become inconsequential when the problems of Nepali reality are cultural and value based. Significantly, this strikes no debate in UML intellectual circles reflecting a high degree of concurrence.

This is regardless of Finance Minister Mahesh Acharya’s budgetary overtures that allow UML parliamentary members the additional advantage of a hundred percent increase in their discretionary funds. Each of the 69 UML parliamentarians will now receive a million rupees each which would mean that the UML could now add 69 million rupees to its party coffers to be spent at discretion in constituencies. The UML has plenty to thank Girija babu thus.

It is not for nothing that the criticisms that comes form the opposition bench on a budget that admittedly is based on fraudulent statistics is mild at best. No members of Parliament can afford to oppose the stiff rise in pay packets for fear of losing the bureaucracy and even the UML is mum on the bulk to the police service now.

Girija babu is clearly poised to assume for himself a constituency in the civil and the armed ranks and his opposition within the party and outside can either remain mum or devise a program outside parliament and inside to oppose it outright. Clearly, the lull at this moment can be indicative of both. Either Girija babu has won hands-down and the opposition is seeking a way out or the opposition is poised to pounce at Girija and the situation is being created for the purpose.

As of last week, more than the budget, the opposition appears to center around the appointment of a former CJ in the much publicized Human Rights Commission who, later contradiction not withstanding is surely not a congress or communist favorite. Adding fuel to the fire amidst the controversy is non other than the former CJ and Constitutional Commission Chairman whose stake for that position appears to have been ignored by the mainstream political parties that had so benefited from his clear anti-monarchial stands in the days immediately following the movement for restoration of multi-party democracy.

Amidst these glaring contradictions, one more development of significance is the announcement that the King is to take a trip abroad for medical consultations. With even mainstrean parties involved in the search for a way out of the impasse and the public disenchantment at the current scheme of things now gradually surfacing at the mass level, His Majesty King Birendra’s absence, albeit for medical reasons, will be of import.

Declaration by the presidency on behalf of the European Union on Human Rights in Nepal

The European Union welcomes the decision by the Prime Minister Koirala’s government in Nepal to extend the mandate of the Deuba Commission, which has been set up to create a cross-party consensus among the country’s democratic groups and pave the way for negotiations with the Maoist insurgents. In the European Union’s view a negotiating process offers the best chance of resolving Nepal’s problems for the longer term.

The European Union has observed with growing concern the escalation of the internal conflict following the declaration of the People’s war more than four years ago. Maoist attacks against representatives of the democratic state and civilians are always inacceptable and, frequently, barbarian. The avowed aim of the insurgents is to overturn the democratic order.

The European Union upholds the Government of Nepal’s right to defend the country’s newly established democracy in countering the terrorist insurgency. The European Union notes that the democratic state has the sole right to use legitimate force to preserve the rights and security of its citizens. The European Union believes that the authorities in Nepal must seek to establish basic security and an environment in which developmental efforts to overcome poverty can be pursued, and that the insurgency hinders the development process.

The Union notes that a number if international authorities including the UN Special Rapporteur on extra-judicial killings, Amnesty International and the US State Department have reported on extensive Human Rights abuse by both the insurgents and the Nepal police following the Maoist’ declaration of the people’s war.

The European Union calls on the Maoist insurgents to call an immediate halt to their violence and on the Nepalese government to ensure that its representatives act uniquely within the bounds of the law.

The European Union also recalls that it is the responsibility of the government in Kathmandu, through effective leadership and proper governance, to investigate allegations of extremely serious Human Rights abuses by the Nepalese police, including extra-judicial killings, texture and disappearances, and systematically to prosecute those responsible.

The government must in the view of the European Union, issue strong and clear guidelines to the Nepal police to avoid the recurrence of such abuses in the future. The culture of impunity must be ended.

The European Union therefore strongly urges both parties to redouble their efforts to create the necessary conditions to enter into early and serious negotiations leading to a full and permanent peace.

The Central and Eastern European countries associated with the European Union, the associated countries, Cyprus, Malta, and Turkey, and the EFTA countries members of the European Economic area, align themselves with this declaration.

POLSAN award to Bhattarai; leaders lament dismal performance

Kathmandu: Not the intellectuals this time rather the nation's answerable leaders manning the system have expressed their disapprobation over the functioning of the successive governments formed well after the advent the new order.

The leaders thus have come to a grim judgement that if the system were to continue for long as cherished by those who sacrificed their lives during the last popular movement, a sort of rethinking has got to be made by the leaders at the earliest regarding why the people of the nation within a short span of ten years or so have been expressing their utter grouchiness towards the leaders and the system as well.

Some powerful leaders also opine that it is the leaders themselves who have given a bad name to the system through their corrupt practices.

The politicians also forthrightly maintain that the new order unfortunately could not give solace to the vast majority of the poor in the remote areas that also contributed their alienation from the system.

(To recall, even the sitting Prime minister had told this scribe at a talk program organised by the Editors' Society, Nepal, last month that 'a dangerous situation prevailed in the nation' ).

Such a grim picture of the nation was painted this Sunday at a Political Science Association award ceremony where in accredited politicians like K.P.Bhattarai, Taranath Rana Bhat , Madhav Kumar Nepal and Dr. Prakash Lohani stunned the audience through their speeches that was full of pessimism.

The occasion was POLSAN 1999 award ceremony, which was conferred upon former Prime minister K.P.Bhattarai. Bhattarai , the recipient of the POLSAN award, however appeared in the venue some two hours late.

Dr. Lohani in his speech said that elections in Nepal had not only been expensive but also manipulative and that some sort of elective despotism at times of the elections have institutionalized elective anarchy which was very bad for the consolidation of the system now in place.

"Where have we failed" asked Dr. Lohani while maintaining that the past ten years of this order could not deliver goods to the people and suggested the powers that be to search the reasons that caused nonsuccess of the new experiment.

Later Madhav Kumar Nepal also stunned the audience when he too opined that it had been very easy to 'destruct' the old system but very difficult to 'construct' the new system. Nepal maintained that the national population were neither supportive of the leaders nor were happy with the system and the total disenchantment that have gripped the population were the cumulative effects of the nonperformance of the governments, foul plays of the leaders and their corrupt practices.

"A sort of self faultfinding must be made by the leaders", suggested Madhav Nepal.

He however forwarded his party's all out support in regaining the lost credibility of the system if the government and other political forces embarked on that line.

Speaker Taranath Bhat who conferred the POLSAN award on Bhattarai expressed his surprise over his party's and its leaders' differing views regarding the status of the Maoists' insurgency. He, however, first time described the Maoists insurgency as a "force" to be reckoned with.

Speaker Bhat questioned why the common people were being neglected in their own system?

K.P.Bhattarai, the recipient of the award expressed his satisfaction over the prize bestowed on him. "'Better late than never, justice is in God's house", said a beaming Bhattarai. He suggested the POLSAN to go ahead with such programs that recognises the efforts of those who contribute for the society and the nation.

Prem Sharma, Dr, Gopal Pokhrel and Prof Ganga Thapa of the POLSAN lauded the efforts of Bhattarai in the democratic movement of Nepal.

Speed up implementation of reforms

Kathmandu: The visiting Danish dignitary Mr. Lars Faaborg-Anderson, Deputy head of Asia department at the Danish Foreign ministry, forthrightly told the Nepalese government to 'reconsider' the harsh actions initiated in the recent days against the SAFA three wheelers operated through the batteries or else the 300 million rupees which Denmark is supposed to dinate the government here would be summarily scrapped.

Mr. Faaborg made this disclosure last week at a press conference arranged by Danish embassy at its premises.

Dwelling on various aspects of Danish cooperation, the Danish diplomat confirmed that his country was willing to contribute 795 million Danish kroner for the next five years in the priority areas such as basic and primary education; energy, natural resources management and finally environment. He however, made it clear that his country adheres to the program approach while funding developing countries.

Mr. Faaborg revealed that the donors' at the Paris meet had not only suggested for major effecting reforms in the civil service but had also impressed upon the government to speed up the implementation part of the reforms.

The Danish dignitary was here for annual consultations on bilateral development cooperation which took place on June 1,2000.

In accordance with the agreed strategy for Danish-Nepalese Development cooperation, support to good governance and decentralization is also a major theme in the bilateral cooperation program, says the press release issued by the embassy.

Nepal is one of the 20 priority countries for Danish assistance.

To a query of this scribe, Mr. Faaborg frankly admitted that the root cause of the ever growing Maoists insurgency were social discrimination, deprivation and frustration that were prevalent in the people living in those areas.

"The solution to this problem should be based first on the elimination of the deprivation and the frustration through appropriate measures and secondly initiating negotiation", opined the Danish diplomat.

He however, also hinted that Danish donations would automatically stop if their men involved in Danish aided projects were misbehaved or manhandled by the miscreants.

The Danish diplomat told that the Nepali police must refrain from acts those violate Human Rights of the civilians. He also offered his country's consent over the fresh press release issued by the EU Presidency regarding the state of HR in this country.

Lars Hormann, the Charge de' affaires at the Danish embassy assisted Mr. Faaborg during the conference.

China's all-round support appreciated

Kathmandu: The China Study Center threw a reception Sunday in honor of the visiting Chinese delegation members from the China Association for International Friendly Contact or otherwise the CAIFC.

CAIFC Vice President Mr. Li Ning leads the delegation.

In his welcome address the Chairman of the China Study Center, Mr. Madan Regmi said that Nepal-China bilateral ties are marked by mutual trust, goodwill and understanding. "We are not only linked by rivers and mountains but also by common socio-cultural and religious bonds since ancient times", added Regmi.

Appreciating China's open hearted support to Nepal in her developmental efforts made available in the past, Regmi expressed the hope that this bond of friendship between the government and the people of Nepal and China will continue to be more and more strengthened for our mutual benefits in the days ahead.

The Chinese delegation had arrived Sunday from New Delhi where the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation chaired by Mrs. Sonia Gandhi had invited them.

Dr. Keshar Jung Rayamajhi, President of the Royal Standing Committee, on the occasion recalled his various trips to China made in the past and shared his personal impressions with the attending participants regarding the Chinese leaders' sentimental attachment towards Nepal.

Mr. Ning, the leader of the delegation dwelt at length about the CAIFC, which according to him, enjoyed guidance from Chinese foreign ministry. He also divulged that the CAIFC in close cooperation with the China Study Center would organize seminars in the near future.

The reception was well attended by recognized members of civil society, academicians, journalists, diplomats, ministers and Chinese diplomats.

Chinese Ambassador to Nepal and former foreign minister of Nepal, Dr. R.S.Mahat also graced the reception that was followed by dinner.

Nepal's security concept to be discussed

Kathmandu : The Political Science Studies Association, POLSSAN, is organizing a lecture program next Sunday.

The topic of the discussion is ' Nepal's Security Concept and Democracy'.

The keynote speaker is the former Prime minister, Sher Bahadur Deuba, it is learnt from the POLSSAN sources.

The venue of the lecture program is the hall of Chambers of Commerce, located in Jamal, Kathmandu.

Intellectuals give significance to the topic selected by POLSSAN as this country has all along been caring only for the preservation of neighboring country's security concerns caring little about her own concerns in this regard. Despite this, both of the immediate neighbors, China and India, express their continued anxiety mixed with suspicions over Nepal's bonafide intentions.

To recall, in the recent weeks, Nepalese academia too have become vocal in hinting the establishment that it was time that Nepal should tell her immediate neighbors to remain attentive towards Nepal's genuine security concerns.

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