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Alliance between two extremes
Niraj Aryal
As was predicted last week in this column and also very much expected from our political parties as yet no formal team has been formed to talk with the rebels.
In the manner the US ambassador to Nepal Mr. James F. Moriarity analyzed the current situation (talking to Kyodo news agency) in the country, the Maoists are in no position to give up to their demands and surrender to the current government. (Read enbref, US envoy: Nepal is getting to the point where its very existence is at stake)
The stand the political parties are taking at the moment is confusing as they have neither rejected the offer nor can they go for talks straightforward and what is also clear to all is that the rebels are gaining in strength by re-instating Dr. Baburam Bhattarai to his original position. Thus, in all, the political forces are in a dire situation either to join hands with the Maoists or to bow down to the royal government which seems not to be in a position of reconciliation.
Whereas in the Maoists camp in the manner Baburam was ousted from the party top position and the interpretation thereafter suggests his reinstatement now could have been possibly made because of foreign intervention taking into account the long term strategy the party and the country as a whole have to take. This possibly is a forced move that Prachanda had to execute finally that could create an environment to form an alliance with the political parties who are now re-considering their position vis-à-vis the Nepali monarchy.
In the meantime, leaders in both the Congress-Girija/Deuba and even the UML while talking to the media have been busy advocating India an UNSC seat. This is interesting and puzzling indeed.
Taking into account the voices supporting India an UNSC seat and connecting it with Baburam’s reinstatement plus the call for talks among the political parties India’s direct hand in the Nepal situation cannot be ruled out.
The political parties, who have been expressing their disappointment over the HM’s move of adding former panchas in the cabinet who have supposedly an awful political past, seem not to know the fact that this move in the long run could give them ample of opportunity to convince the mass the significance of their failing agitation.
But the current government under direct command of His Majesty the King is failing in all counts as the promises made to the people of curbing corruption and restoring peace back still remains unfulfilled. Thus the situation is interestingly poised for the onlookers as the moves HM still posses under his sleeve are not that much.
What will be the HM’s move in this regard is eagerly awaited. Either a peaceful settlement a la late King Birendra’s way in 1990 or to face a stronger alliance formed between the political parties and the Maoists with foreign backing.
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