Lethal seduction

The one week’s deadline given by the home ministry for all individuals, groups or parties in illegal possession of arms and explosives to surrender them lapsed about three weeks ago. But hardly anybody volunteered to turn in the lethal contraband. At that time, the general public, fed up with the government’s helplessness in dealing firmly with violence, had thought that at last the government sounded serious. Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, too, had said shortly earlier in Biratnagar that the interim government, soon after its formation, would first set a deadline for the surrender of illegal arms and then move to crack down on the defaulters. In declaring the CA polls impossible by June, the question of security was also cited, along with the time constraint. Of particular concern is the resort to arms by several armed groups in the Tarai in pushing their agendas. Through two prime ministerial addresses to the nation, the government had addressed the principal demands raised during the Madhesi agitation, besides making an appeal to them to sit for talks to resolve other grievances peacefully.

But the talks are yet to take place, mainly because of the pre-conditions set by the Madhesi groups and partly because of the government’s apparent indifference. There are also certain agitating Janajati organisations, and currently a new organisation of the Chure-Bhavar Pradesh are enforcing a bandh in the Tarai. The Chure-Bhavar Region Unity Society says it has awakened to the need to protect the existence of the people of hill origin victimised by the agitating Madhesi groups. It is reported to insist that the government should, first of all, fulfil some of its dozen demands as a confidence-building measure for talks. In a democracy, all individuals and groups have the right to make their voice heard through peaceful protests. The government should respect this right. But when protest degenerates into violence, abductions, intimidation, arson, or soured communal relations, the government needs to get serious and respond effectively to protect the rights of the ordinary citizens and the interests of the nation as a whole.

It is here that the government has been particularly weak and unclear. The issue of which of the demands can be fulfilled immediately, which require more time, which can be decided only by the constituent assembly, and which are simply out of the question has to be dealt with. Jana Andolan II entrusted the CA to provide answers to all major disputes; nonetheless, it is imperative that the government decides what falls within the CA jurisdiction and what it can itself immediately do. But it seems to be a prisoner of indecision. Therefore, neither a peaceful settlement is visible, nor the government has mustered the courage to deal firmly with gun-toting militant groups in the Tarai. So, chaos, uncertainty and fear continue to reign supreme in that part of the country, besides affecting life elsewhere in various ways, such as the disrupted supply of essential commodities. The longer the inaction, the worse likely are the problems to become.

Source: The Himalayan Times, April 26, 2007