I n d e p t h    A n a l y s i s
Change round the corner

Kathmandu:- The general assessment of poor performance has hit the government hard. A reluctant bureaucracy hesitant given the government’s limited mandate is likely soon to face government assertion. Given that the bureaucracy was very much part of the delivery system perverted for partisan interests corrections attempted there are likely to provoke more protests and the partisan interests severely undercut in the past months of the Chand government will likely take it up in their supposed cause for democracy.

Indeed, a mild and accommodative Lokendra Bahadur Chand appears to have rebounded on himself and the calls for assertions have become widespread in the search for a meaning to the Royal action three months ago. There is no doubt that vested interests inculcated by party polices have served to sabotage meaningful government action. The bureaucracy among others is protected by severely tampered service rules and regulations behind which much of the perversions take place. The opposition annoyed with recent changes in the police force will now see much in similar changes in the civil service. For this too government assertions is predictable.

Yet another sector thoroughly emasculated by partisan interest is the academic sector of the Tribhuwan University. It is the largest employer out side government and it is due for change as well. Eyes are focussed at the recommendation of the three man committee composed to select a new VC for the Tribhuwan University. This new appointment will serve as a barometer indicating preparations for things to come.

Predictably, university activists are poised for an agitation which is already at a stage where academics have placed demands on government. To boot, student elections approach and the major parties promise that their student organizations will be inducted in the campaign to oppose the Royal move.

At the official level, the surreal calm imposed by the marriage decision suggests that speedy operation is around the corner. The level of anticipation is high.

For the moment however, things remain the same. The UML infighting has taken a new pitch at the public level prior to its Janakpur Convention. Congress reunification talks remain stalled. The RPP Central Committee remains a chimera. The Maoists are up to what they have been. And government is more than willing to speechify at functions. What is being eroded in this process is the public anticipation for visible change.

Koirala determined to confront the monarchy

Kathmandu: That president of the splinter Koirala congress, Girija Prasad Koirala, is the congress party in its all manifestations and forms has come true only Monday evening when the party "overwhelmingly" decided to incorporate the "sensational" and even at times "irrational" utterances of president Koirala made by the latter against the King in the recent months as a sort of "mantra" for the party that is to guide the future course of its actions again aimed at the monarch pressing him to correct his past constitutional errors.

In other words, the Girija congress is Koirala and vice versa. No wonder that Koirala’s men still honor him even if it were in a subdued fashion. But for how long?

The Koirala congress at its Monday central committee meeting has decided to confront the King at any cost. This means that the party led by Koirala is all set to invite all sorts of known and unknown troubles for the lay men as experience shows that as and when any such political calamity occur in the nation, it is not the leaders but the lay men sacrifice their blood and that too in the name of a democracy whose fruits solely gets distributed among the champions of the movement like Koirala and Madhav Nepal and the likes.

Any way, the congress’ decision to meet the King face to face will have its profound impact upon the almost stagnant politics of the country more so after the installation of Chand as the nation’s prime minister.

How Koirala’s declared agitation against the King will be treated by a UML after the convention will much depend on how Madhav Nepal fairs the convention. If Mr. Nepal and his clique gets overshadowed by his arch-rival, K.P.Woli, then presumably the UML after the convention will be a divided force, to put it mildly. Understandably, if Madhav Nepal and his followers dominate the convention results would mean much to a Koirala who has vowed to force the King to yield.

The Koirala congress has made other decisions as well which include among other things, that the movement against the King would be a non-violent one; that the party will proceed ahead with its declaration after consulting the rest of the other democratic and parliamentary forces which will chart the future course of the movement; that the RPP and the NSP would not be included in the group as their opinions regarding the King’s step has not yet been made clear; that since the elections to the legislature has not been conducted within the stipulated time frame offered by the constitution and hence parliament has got to be revived which is what could be the spirit of the SC decision while approving the Deuba decision to dissolve the parliament when he was the prime minister and etc.

Most interesting of it all is that the Koirala congress in no uncertain terms has dubbed the Royal step of October 4 as a "REGRESSIVE ACT".

The party has also maintained that efforts must now be aimed at convincing other forces for the revival of the parliament.

To recall, this splinter congress believes that the current ailments could only be done away if the monarch gave a new lease of life to the parliament. Others disagree more so Deuba claims that his reinstatement as the nation’s prime minister will have a charismatic effect on the ailments now plaguing the entire country.

The Koirala party has also mentioned that it was time to face the challenges posed both by the forces which advocate active monarchy and republicanism.

What is of special note is that Koirala has managed his party’s approval in bringing the entire military force under the parliament hinting that Koirala is yet to forget the HOLERI incident wherein the military had rejected his order to get itself mobilised to contain the threat of the Maoists in that area.

What also becomes clear is that Koirala wishes to limit the expansion of the activities of the Nepali royalty. The party has adopted a decision that says that only the King, the Queen and the Crown prince should be allowed this Royal title.

All in all, what the congress party decided Monday evening appears more or less Koirala’s own personal feelings against the monarch and the Royal Nepal army.

Now what is left for us all to watch is how the monarchy and the Royal Nepal army reacts to Koirala’s personal feelings shielded by party’s cover.

However, what is for sure is that Koirala’s party decision will create new ripples in copuntry’s politics.

By and by, it would also be interesting to note as to which force on earth is backing Koirala?

40 years of the Elysée Treaty; Chirac and Schroder to address joint session
Epic of French-German Friendship

Kathmandu: Today, exactly "40 years ago, on January 22, 1963, President Charles de Gaulle and Chancellor Konrad Adenauer signed a treaty of friendship which set the seal on post-war reconciliation between French and Germans, bringing to an end many decades of enmity between them. This treaty, named the Elysée Treaty for short after the place in which it was signed, has not only had considerable effects on the political future of both countries, but has also been the driving force behind the remarkable development towards greater European integration throughout those 40 years. Since then, it can be said that there has been a very special relationship between Germany and France, states a rare press release issued by the French and the German side jointly on a common event that shaped the then Europe and has yet been a source of friendship in between the two powerful nations of Europe.

It was this will to forge closer ties between France and Germany which gave rise to the European Economic Community, starting with the Schuman-Adenauer Declaration of May 9, 1950, followed by the ECSC, European Coal and Steel Community, and the creation of the Common Market in 1957.

The press release fuerther adds: "In order to emphasize the importance of the anniversary, the elected representatives of both countries in a uniquely symbolic act will gather for a joint plenary meeting of the Bundestag and the Assemblée Nationale in Versailles. This and other joint events manifest the friendly and creative partnership which will be in future like in the past the right framework for a dialogue and fruitful exchange of ideas to formulate European answers and to further promote European unity", the press release concludes.

Telegraph adds: The celebration of the Elysee treaty’s 40th anniversary coincides with the 80th Franco-German consultations, at the end of which the anniversary joint declaration will be adopted. Numerous events have been planned by both Germany and France in Paris and in Berlin for 22 and 23 January, as well as throughout the year.

According to reports, Franco-German day in Paris will be celebrated on January 22 and the same event will be held in Berlin on January 23. Tomorrow.

Among other events that will mark the occasion, a joint session of the National Assembly and the Bundestag will be held at Versailles, to be graciously addressed by President Chirac and Chancellor Schroder.

UML leaders! Handle the convention with care or else…

Kathmandu: The ongoing "Big-Fight" in the UML’s political paraphernalia has taken yet another frightening dimension with UML affiliated newspapers taking sides of their respective "fund raisers" and "political mentors".

A close and careful look at some very powerful UML mouthpieces would reveal the intensity and the gravity of the said Big-Fight in between Madhav Nepal and his nearest and dearest rival, Khadga Prasad Sharma Woli.

To recall, the fight that is on since Madhav Nepal indirectly hinted in his political paper submitted at the party conference last month that Woli had not only direct links with various power centers, within and without, and that the accused never felt it appropriate to submit verbatim the outcome of his talks with such power centers.

Woli, as is understandable, refuted Mr. Nepal’s what he prefers to call "wild allegations" with equal force. This in essence became the source of a sort of permanent rift in between the two UML big-shots which proliferated down to the grass-root levels like a fire in the jungle to the extent that the UML common cadres apparently now feel very uncomfortable to shake hands with each other thinking that the other one advocated the other’s ideas.

By Monday and at time of penning this write-up, what is being given to understand to us by both the almost "warring rival lobbies" led respectively by Madhav and Woli is that the "elections" to the convention membership have gone in their favor whole and sole. The other contending party naturally would reject the other camp’s claim.

"Who will have a majority at time of the convention in Janakpur only time will tell. Nurturing illusions and claiming that the majority was in their favor will be shattered all at a go at the time of the convention", said a beaming Ishwar Pokhrel, a UML stalwart who is clearly close to Madhav Nepal, the supposed establishment panel which wishes to recapture the incumbent set up only to continue for yet another term.

Pokhrel continues to add that "the UML workers have rejected the issue raised by a grroup which actually is aspiring for some position but has given it a political color by claiming to democratise the party".

To recall, Madhav Nepal and his blind supporters wish to continue the party’s functioning in a dogmatic manner as is usual with the communist parties all over the world. This means that the present establishment prefers to continue its rule and run the party at its whim which is being forcefully challenged by those who wish a replacement of the present party set up with a new one preferably by a set who now oppose Madhav Nepal. This means that Woli and his faction would very much wish to summarily replace Nepal with Woli.

"When the entire nation is already in the process of more democratization, why not the UML adopt the same line"? questions Woli. In his bid to oust Madhav Nepal , Woli is being backed to the hilt by yet another firebrand Bamdev Gautam who only recently returned to the mainstream UML but is apparently yet to heal the wounds which he received from Madhav Nepal at time of the first split some four years ago.

Undenyingly, Bamdev Gautam is yet another candidate for the post of the UML General Secretary currently being enjoyed by Mr. Nepal for years and years.

The convention which is scheduled to be held from February 1 till the 5th will predictably bring both Madhav and Woli face to face with hopefully surfacing up of allegations being hurled against each other.

By and large, the convention and its proceedings if not handled with care, might catapult in a dangerous rift in between the two factions with chances of yet another split.

UML leaders! Handle with care. Brittle materials inside.

Chand’s days are numbered

Kathmandu: The non-performing prime minister, Lokendra Chand, finally had to admit that he had miserably failed in bringing the political parties differing with the manner in which his own government was constituted by the monarch October last year.

Add to this, secondly, that he has not been able to declare the elections of both, the local level bodies and that of the legislature. For his personal failure, he wishes to dump the allegations onto the heads of the political parties.

Thirdly, he has not been able to improve the law and order situation in the country to what his predecessor had left. Neither he has been able to bring the Maoists insurgents to the talks of which his own errant and whimsical cabinet colleagues have been talking differently at different occasions.

Fourthly, Prime Minister Chand has not been even able to tame bring down the rising consumer goods prices which is apparently an all time high.

A population that expected charismatic changes after Chand assumed premiership were taken aback when they saw their captain moving with unprecedented lethargic speed which time permitting might add up to the strength of the proposed agitation of the congress led by Koirala with fair chances of it being supported by the UML and other meager political parties.

The people need a change and the change could move in any direction which perhaps Prime Minister Chand knows better simply because it was he who had to yield at time of th last popular movement of the 1990s.

The climax of it all is that Chand’s assumption of the nation’s premiership has hit hard the very democratic credentials of his own party the RPP which at the moment is apparently at a comfortable distance with other mainstream democratic parties, for example, the congress and the UML.

In effect, the RPP with its new captain in place, the party is under constant pressure from other political parties to spell out its clear stand on King’s step of October 4 last year.

By implication, the congress at its Monday meeting in Kathmandu has tentatively termed the RPP as to have deflected from its democratic credentials.

It is indeed a tough time for the RPP and prime minister Chand to bring the party out from the allegations now being labeled by their own former colleagues.

In another front, though the government claims that it is having secret parleys with the insurgents but yet it has failed to furnish any clear proof worth mentioning that it is having the same with the rebellions.

All put together, Chand’s days are numbered. Analysts predict that after the Royal marriage ceremony comes to an end, Chand will be replaced by a new face which could be from the RPP or from the congress-K.

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