I n d e p t h    A n a l y s i s
Parties source of political mess

Kathmandu: A state of confusion permeates Nepali society on the stage of the constitution and whether politics will be allowed to remain within the constitution. Partisan interests now conclude that the constitution is not functioning and that politics must now concentrate on constitutional change.

What or who is to bring about this change constitutionally adds to the confusion. The current constitution talks of change only through parliament. The parliament has been dissolved and must be reconstituted through elections.

The government promises elections and as Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa stresses in his  public speeches, is already in the process of preparing for elections. The political parties who remain the prime actors and competitors in the elections consider the government unconstitutional. This again adds to the confusion.

Political sense can’t but conclude that these prime actors will ignore the elections. In a manner the parties’ have already begun preparing for elections if their public pronouncements have meaning.

In this sense the unity efforts rejuvenated in the congress and the RPP and the internal jostling witnessed at the leadership levels carry meaning.

Even the UML can’t remain away from this trend and Madhav Nepal’s roadmap becomes an agenda on its own.

What adds to the confusion is that their public postures is one ridiculing the possibility of the elections, castigating government on its constitutionality and diverting the public attention from the elections to the issue of the current constitution.

The King who remains the prime target in this constitutional issue confusingly becomes the only bastion of the current constitution unless the political parties stipulate this constitutional reality publicly. Unfortunately, the parties have backed themselves into a corner that must concede defeat if they do so. Here, again, lies the confusion.

Asia-Pacific evaluation report on MDG: Nepal’s dismal performance

Kathmandu: Recalling to the UN secretary General Kofi Annan’s remarks on the issue of achieving Millenium Development Goals by 2015, what is required is an urgent need for every member states to act fast and be really determined to proceed on achieving the agenda set by the MDG.

It would be worth recalling that various heads of the states and governments of 189 nations had signed the famous United Nations Millenium Declaration in New York on September 2000, which, among other things, outlined peace, security and development concerns, including areas of environment, human rights and governance.

But studies conducted recently by the National Planning Commission, NPC, and UNDP/Nepal, for attaining four targets related to education, health and drinking water shows the need to mobilize additional resources, especially from foreign assistance otherwise the targets set by the MDGs by 2015 would be an utopia. This clearly shows the lack of commitment made by the Nepalese concerned officials in this pertinent issue.

The recently released World Bank’s report, on the poverty issue between hills and mountains of Nepal says there is a wide variation in the poverty incidence. This, says the WB report, ranges from 41 percent in the hills and 56 percent in the mountains and overall 44 percent in rural and 23 percent in the urban areas. Due to the lack of consistent poverty trend data, it is difficult to infer the change in poverty incidence, but there is some sort of consensus that the absolute number of poor has increased in Nepal, adds the WB report.

The report on MDG: Nepal  says in the field of education and health noticeable progress has been made during the 1990s, as NER (Net Enrollment Ratio) has increased slightly, but ensuring girls and boys every where be able to complete primary education by 2015 is highly unlikely.

Though reducing the under-five mortality by two-third by 2015 will be “potentially” acheived but reducing the maternal mortality ratio by three-quarters is “unlikely”.

The Asia-Pacific evaluation report on Promoting the Millenium Development Goals emphasizes that our immediate neighbors, China (has reached target) and India (close to target) shows good performance for the proportion of population below $1 per day to attain the goal (half the proportion of people) set for 2015. But Nepal on the other hand does not know where it will be by then; speculations are it is highly unlikely. Thanks to Nepali politics!

On the occasion of launching the report “Asia-Pacific evaluation on Promoting the Millenium Development Goals”, on 28th February 2004, SAARC secretary general Q.A.M.A. Rahim said “ The most important MDG is halving the poverty by 2015”, and declared that “the poverty alleviation would be the overarching goal of all the SAARC activities”.

Dr Hafiz Pasha, UN Assistant Secretary General and Regional Director for Asia-Pacific bureau of the UNDP pointed that South Asia needs to perform in reducing human poverty, increasing enrolment in primary education, reduction of infant and maternal mortality, containment of HIV/AIDS. In the future the need for global partnership in these issues will be of greater importance, if we are to achieve the target within the allocated timeframe, Pasha added.

The absence of Minster Kamal Thapa as the chief guest at the function was felt very seriously by the attending participants and it became a matter of “whisper” when Kim Hak-Su, the UN under Secretary general and the Executive Secretary UNESCAP unknowingly thanked him for the minister’s “august presence”.

Nepal’s commitments to the development issues were apparently made clear by Minister Thapa’s unexplained absence.

Nepal’s Ambassador at large, Dr. Bekh Bahadur Thapa, questioned as to why he had been invited and provided answers himself saying that it could have been the recognition of his wide and vast knowledge over decades and decades.

Unwarranted as it was, Dr. Thapa, used the platform to justify His Majesty’s recently concluded visit to the far-western region of Nepal.

Erna Witoelar, UN special ambassador for MDGs in Asia and Pacific said  “the leaders of the Asia and Pacific need to be more proactive for developing partnership within the region”. She said “Not enough has been done to achieve the Goal 8 (Global Partnership for Development), which is the real cause of underdevelopment”

Political parties: damper between State and People: F.M Lohani

Kathmandu: “After the restoration of multiparty system in Nepal in 1990, people’s hope to see a new kind of relation between the center and the remote areas failed due basically to the malfunctioning of the political parties”, said Finance Minster Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani.

He was speaking on the occasion of the SAARC-UNDP High Level Forum on Poverty Alleviation, a two day meet jointly sponsored by the SAARC-UNDP.  The politics became just as an extension of business, it became as a tool to make money, said Lohani.

Thus it acted as a damper between the state and the people, Dr. Lohani lamented.

Mr. QAMA Rahim, the  SAARC Secretary-General said “the recently concluded 12th SAARC Summit at Islamabad made various achievements and said the summit was a historic one in its entire history of inception of about 18 years”. He lauded the adoption of SAFTA and the SAARC-social charter which according to Ambassador Rahim were some of the tangible achievements made during the summit.

These  were the initial steps made forward for achieving the targets set for poverty reduction, concluded Ambassador Rahim.

Dr Hafiz Pasha,the visiting UN Assistant Secretary General and Regional Director for Asia-Pacific bureau of the UNDP confidently hoped that  “ SA could achieve the goals faster, by 2010, instead by 2015”.

Commenting further, Pasha, a Pakistani national, said the huge natural and human resources in SA if exploited properly by all member states working in tandem could achieve the goals together.  

Foreign Secretary Mr. Madhu Raman Acharya speaking on the occasion said “ Landlocked Countries like Nepal should be given more emphasis by the global community in her fight against poverty”.

Factors behind Koirala’s unification appeal

Kathmandu: The Nepali Congress President, Girija Prasad Koirala, has become flexible enough to even invite his declared detractor, Sher Bahadur Deuba, to join the mainstream Congress.

In effect, Koirala through a statement made the other day has appealed all those congressmen who have housed themselves in the Congress-D to come back and join his hands in his ongoing fight against regression.

The gist is that a frustrated but yet energetic Koirala prefers to fight the movement against regression with full force.

It is an altogether a different matter on how the rank and file of the Congress-D will take Koirala’s fervent appeal for unification.

Koirala’s equally competent counterpart in the congress-D, Sher Bahadur Deuba, has point blank said that he would not heed to Koirala’s appeal on the formers’ terms and conditions.

Deuba’s contention has been that his party will not act in haste simply because Koirala has made the appeal. His high placed members in the central committee opine that the idea of unification is not that bad, but then yet one has to see several aspects prior to jumping to any hurried conclusion. In saying so, Deuba’s men wish to send signals to Koirala that they will not act as per the whims of Koirala.

Koirala’s clarion call for a sort of reunification bid has even surprised personalities like Sushil Koirala, Govinda Raj Joshi and many others who are considered to be the members of Koirala’s kitchen. They are taken aback and had not expected that their president would push his idea on unification.

Sushil and Mr. Joshi have reasons to be afraid of this Koirala decision which would have, in their own calculation, immense effect on their “growing image” in the congress hierarchy. Naturally, if the unification call takes a formal shape would mean cutting down the size of Sushil and Mr. Joshi and others in the party who have been enjoying high-profile image in the party.

Thus it becomes natural for those in the Koirala congress to oppose the very idea of unification as demanded by Koirala. The fact is that Sushil Koirala has become nervous to the extent that he preferred not to speak a word on his half-brother’s fresh decision. Mr. Joshi and his like minded colleagues are trembling with fear as to what would happen to their status if the unification takes a shape, sooner or later.

Nevertheless, Koirala has pushed his ideas and the other camp is currently analysing the pros and cons of an unification.

However, analysts wish to interpret Koirala’s call for unification differently.

According to analysts, firstly, Koirala made the appeal for the unification, as it was his political compulsion now. Secondly, Koirala apparently felt that if Deuba were left in the cold for long might strengthen the hands of Madhav Nepal and his party which if took shape might damage the prospects of the NC in the existing Nepali politics and at the elections, if at all it were conducted. Koirala in effect appears to have made this decision to keep the UML, a strong and united party of the communists compared to his own, at bay which will distance Deuba from the UML. To recall, Madhav Nepal and Deuba are on record to have hinted that any one among the two if nominated for the post of the prime minister would be a welcome stance for each other. This meant that Mr. Nepal would not even mind if the monarch invited Deuba for the executive post and vice versa. This possibility is sufficient for Koirala to suspect the very credentials of both Deuba and Mr. Nepal.

Thirdly, Koirala more or less concluded that the monarch and his prime minister will not settle for less that holding the elections by the end of this year come what may. This meant that if not united prior to going to the polls migh prove disaster to his party. This also meant to allow the UML to go in for a sweeping victory at the polls.

Fourthly, only recently his political Guru from India, Chandra Shekhar “instructed” Koirala to patch up his differences with Deuba and fight the battle unitedly. Koirala apparently got the point and appears to have abided by the “foreign” advice and hence the statement for unification efforts.

Fifthly, as a democrat Koirala could go against holding of the elections surfacially but can’t afford to reject the challenge of the polls.

All these factors put together appear to have guided Koirala to push the unification card. However, how his own partymen take the unification bid and how his rivals in the other camp receive Koirala appeal will have to be watched.

Be that as it may, the UML appears to have taken Koirala’s bid for unification in suspect. The UML has reasons to be unhappy with this new political overture for it was Koirala until recently who rejected Deuba’s party’s inclusion in the five party coalitions against regression. How come so suddenly Koirala developed a sort of love for Deuba is a matter that demands serious attention, say insiders of the UML.

UML suspects Koirala’s fresh political stance

Kathmandu: UML strongman, Madhav Kumar Nepal, apparently is busy in convincing his host foreign friends in Nordic nations that his party’s Roadmap was the panacea for all of the Nepal’s existing problems inclusing those of the Maoist insurgency.

How his Nordic friends have taken his self-styled formulae is yet to emerge. However, what is for sure is that he appears to have been able to convince his hosts that his party, the UML, is not that dangerous as were the case with the radical Maoists.

Predictably, the Nordic nations have reasons to believe in the words of Mr. Nepal as their own diplomatic representations in Kathmandu must have had told their respective governments that the party, read the UML, could be bent to any extent provided the party be allowed to rule or offered an opportunity to rule.

The fact is that the UML is a namesake communist outfit only which has lost all of its sharpness what she used to possess in its primary days in the early 1990s. However, this should not in any way mean that this party ever remained a party having blunt-edge. It is not that. The party has a track record of having chopped several innocent heads whom they considered their class-enemy.

Nevertheless, gone are the days that the party continued to be the messiah of the proletariats. The fact is that the radical members of the recent past now possess posh bungalow and several own vehicles and pieces of lands in prime locations in the country.

Ask the industrial wizard, Mohan Gopal Khetan, as to which communist leader of the present day UML was what in the beginning and he would open the register of the particular communist, if he so desires. There are a number of businessmen who complain that the communists have now become the exploiters.

Be that as it may, Madhav Nepal by this time must have heard of Koirala’s appeal for reunification which in all likelihood will have jolted from within.

The UML politics will definitely take a new turn upon the return of Mr. Nepal. The UML as a party commanding respect and honor among its millions and millions of voters will in all probability chalk out plans to counter Koirala’s initiatives should the country go in for the polls.

Be that as it may, the UML is surprised with Koirala’s appeal for unification wherein she smacks foul designs.

However, as Koirala’s appeal were exclusively an affair of the Koirala congress, however, the UML in an indirect manner been telling all and sundry that Koirala made this appeal purely on his own without consulting even some of the top-hats of his own party.

“That Koirala is a dictatorial sort of person gets reflected in the manner he appealed Deuba for unification even by not providing an inkling into what he had in his mind prior to the declaration to his party members”, is what the UML leader K.P.Woli said.

Similarly, one prominent political scientist having congress affiliation, Prof. Krishna Khanal,  too has hinted that in doping so, Koirala has made it amply clear that Koirala is the Congress and vice versa. In his opinion, prior to making such declarations, Koirala ought to have managed sanctions from the party’s central committee which he did not.

This means that scholars of the types of Prof. Khanal will have opposed or will oppose Koirala’s self-styled declaration which in turns means that the academicians close to congress and by extension to Koirala will prefer now to distant themselves from Koirala’s whims.

Add to this, Bimalendra Nidhi, a close aide of Deuba belonging to Congress-D has said that Girija’s appeal is bereft of real intentions for a unification.

Despite such varied comments against Koirala coming as it does from various quarters, what is clear is that the so-called congress personalities acquiring a sort of self-proclaimed “middle-line” have become pretty active and appear to go in favor of Koirala’s appeal for unification.

The fact is that these so-called middle-men belonged to congress-G after the congress split.

How the UML as a party, rival to the congress by all angles, reacts to Koirala’s overtures will determine the future course of country’s politics.

RPP top-hats avert split

Kathmandu: Prime Minister Thapa and RPP chairman, Pashupati S. Rana appear to have sorted out their “political differences” amicably.

The party is now a united force, say insiders of the party.

Political observers maintain that Mr. Rana apparently got convinced when he was told by Prime Minister Thapa that he was not supposed to resign until the elections and that it had been the wish of the monarch as well. Thapa also apparently told Mr. Rana that when the elections were knocking at the doors, a divided or a party split into two halves would only benefit the RPP rivals in other political parties.

Chairman Rana presumably could have concluded that since the monarch will not settle for less than holding of the elections which meant that the incumbent prime minister will continue in the post as prime minister until the elections.

Reports have it that the two RPP stalwarts have decided to convince other parties to get inducted in the present government and provide it a shape of an all party government.

However, how the agitating parties will take the sudden RPP move aimed at unity will have to be watched. 

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