Conspirators on both sides!

Though the vertical split in the Nepali Congress was a foregone conclusion but yet it would be in the fitness of the things to discuss the conspiracy behind the split and the split's impact on the national politics of the country.

In effect the day Koirala and his associates expelled Prime Minister Deuba from the party for three years could be considered to be the beginning of the conspiracy against Deuba. The party by expelling their own party prime minister from the party wished to signal the Palace that the latter's prompt approval of the Prime Minsier's recommendation for the dissolution of the parliament was a tacit arrangement between the former and the latter to undermine the Nepali democracy. By implication the party also wished to propagate that the Palace had designs against the democratic system and that the congress would defend the system come what may. By inference what could also be summed up is that the congress under Girija Prasad Koirala or for that matter the Koirala's have ever suspected the credentials of the Nepali monarchs in the past which apparently continues till todate. Whether the Palace wishes to play one faction of the congress against the other and in the process weaken the democratic system is a matter that should better be discussed by nation's intellectuals. However, the fact is that the King has approved the recommendations of a prime minister in majority in the parliament. The fact is also that had the King not accepted the plea for dissolution of the parliament yet another theory would have surfaced against the constitutional monarch maintaining that the monarch was bound to act as per the advice of the ruling prime minister(s). To put it more straight, had Koirala been the prime minister and had he made such similar requests to the monarch and had the monarch pushed the matter to the Court, a sort of havoc would have been created in the country with the use of all the bad words for the monarch.

The monarch did what he had to do. The monarch yet again exhibited his commitments towards the parliamentary democracy and his role as a constitutional monarchy. Thus, seen in this light what could be fairly said that the Koirala camp has lost its temper and talking absurd. In effect the present tussle in the congress and the vertical split thereafter is causing irreparable damage to the system. In effect the personality clash in between Koirala and his one time protégé Deuba is weakening the system but not otherwise. Going bit more further, Koirala's off-the-cuff derogatory remarks being made against the monarch and the nation's military force could time permitting invite the wrath from those two powerful institutions and hence it is advisable to Koirala and his men in his camp not to challenge the limits of the two powerful institutions. The fact is that the congress is badly divided and the people down at the grassroots level too have taken the congress split in a very normal manner. There is no special love and respect left for the congress among the masses. The congress is merely a party that has already lost its formidable strength and is at the moment a divided lot whose next step is presumably is not even known to its own leaders.

By the same token, the Deuba camp had already thought of conspiracy against the Koirala camp the day Deuba was expelled from the party. Deuba's conspiratorial associates did push Deuba to proceed ahead with the congress party without Koirala. In the process, poor Deuba could do little to save the party from being split. Later he himself appears to have engineered conspiracy against his own party mentor and finally he did take his revenge by splitting the party for good. Thus the party that had a very high shock absorbing capacity at times of crises finally split which undeniably has weakened the system a bit indeed.

Now what has got to be seen is that how long the Koirala congress can bear up with the Koirala-cracy in the Koirala congress? Utterances from this camp itself have come up suggesting Koirala to step down from the presidency and that the leadership be handed over to young leaders. But Koirala wishes to rule and he will rule come what may. In the process his present day followers too would take Koirala's continuation as president in a bad taste. Indeed this will take time. By the same token it has got to be watched as to how long the noted conspirators in the Deuba camp allow its new president to function. A time will soon come when Deuba will be tired of their-the conspirators- excesses and high demands.

Finally, what we see in both the factions of the congress that a good number of scorpions, snakes and frogs seated together for achieving a "purpose" which is definitely a negative one. How long this intimacy continues in either camp of the dangerous creatures is every body's interest.

In sum, the vertical split in the congress will further weaken the party from within. We wish that both the camps came to terms with each other in the larger interest of the nation and that too at the earliest.

Kathmandu-Colombo ties

Nepal and Sri Lanka have reasons to rejoice over the state of their bilateral relations, which have ever remained most friendly since the very establishment of the diplomatic relations. It is not only the prevalence of Buddhism as a religion in the Island nation that binds us together but also so many things that are common in our two countries have contributed to enhance our bilateral ties at various levels. However, not so much have been done from either sides to give the bilateral ties a real boost so that the people of either countries could interact with each other and contribute to the existing relations.

However, a good news is in the offing which suggests that the two SAARC Capitals, Kathmandu and Colombo would soon be connected through airlinks. This is indeed a very encouraging news in the sense that the said link would not only bring us all closer but would also enhance trade, tourist activities in both of the countries. The hard effort done in this regard by the outgoing Sri Lankan Ambassador, Pamela J. Deen, deserves our deep appreciation. In fact Ambassador Pamela not only remained instrumental in having her country's presence felt in this Himalayan Kingdom but concurrently worked for the enhancement of our relations at all possible levels. The desired successes she might not have bagged in her efforts but yet what could be safely said is that her initiatives will time permitting bear fruits.

The Nepal-SAARC Journalists' Forum will ever remain indebted to Ambassador Pamela for her extra effort in securing a few training scholarships for Nepali media men for this year. In doing so Ambassador Pamela not only hinted that she wished the Nepali journalism to grow and become competent enough to meet the present day challenges but also amply hinted that should the other side seek support in certain crucial sectors her government might take up the matter seriously. On behalf of the NSJF, we wish a very bright future for Ambassador Pamela and assure her that the kind of relations the Forum had with her Mission in Kathmandu since day one of the opening up of the same will continue in the future and that too unconditionally.

All the best to you Ambassador!

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