Rebuilding The State

The Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction has unveiled projects to accelerate the process of rebuilding infrastructure and assets destroyed during the conflict. The post-conflict reconstruction projects to be executed in three years include a larger gamut of schemes aimed at enhancing peace and reconciliation, institutional strengthening for democracy and promoting self-help enterprises to generate jobs for those affected by the conflict. The ministry has rightly come up with a package of schemes and programmes that are directed at reconstructing the Nepali state which was severely hit by the conflict during the past 10 years. The impact of the conflict was acute and multidimensional. In the decade-long conflict, physical infrastructure worth billions of rupees, including telecommunication towers, bridges, office buildings and historic monuments, was destroyed. More consequential and far-reaching damage was done to the state institutions at different levels. The elections to the national parliament and local bodies were halted because of the conflict. The national bureaucracy was hit and its capacity to function and deliver services was severely weakened and retarded. The destruction of the local government institutions, including village development committees, municipalities and district development committees, was severe, and this impeded the process for providing services to the people. The damage done to national institutions does have a long-term impact than the destruction caused to the physical assets and infrastructure. The post-conflict reconstruction design, presented on behalf of the government, has its focus on different areas, including rebuilding the hardware and software of the Nepali state. This should be appreciated. The government should accelerate the process of reconstruction and rehabilitation by mobilising both national and international resources. Since the international community is all willing to extend support in rebuilding the Nepali state, the political parties are under an obligation to create an environment so that resources can be mobilised to repair and rehabilitate infrastructure damaged and destroyed during the conflict. The priority should, therefore, go to maintaining and strengthening political stability by providing momentum to peace building and the democratisation process in the country. It is in this respect that the political stakeholders should demonstrate their commitment and fulfil the aspirations of the people with regard to peace and democracy.

Source: The Rising Nepal, November 27, 2007