22-pt demand helps timely election: Prachanda

Maoist chairman Prachanda has claimed the 22-point demand floated by his party will help create practical ground for timely election to constituent assembly. Talking to state-owned Radio Nepal Tuesday, Prachanda said, “The 22 demands were put forward in order to create ground for timely and meaningful election, and to make sure that the election does not end up being a drama.” Speaking further, Maoist strongman blamed the Nepali Congress, the leader of the coalition government, for sheer lack of election preparation.

“We think there is no preparation for the election, and the leading party in the government is not clear in its political vision,” he said, “This amplifies our suspicion that attempts are being made to prevent the CA election from taking place on time.” Prachanda also reiterated that the media misreported his remarks on the election and claimed that he never suggested postponement of the November 22 election. His remarks expressed during an interaction with representatives of the civil society and the academia last week had drawn sharp reaction from different quarters. “My views were simply meant to stress on timely election,” the Maoist strongman added.

On 20 August, the Maoist party had came up with 22 demands which include announcement of republic before the polls, formation of an inquiry commission on involuntary disappearances, roundtable conference of all sections of the society including Janajatis and Madhesis, release of political detainees, start of the process for integrating the People's Liberation Army within the Nepali Army by forming a special cabinet committee, withdrawal of army from the royal palace, nationalisation of the properties of King Gyanandra. With these demands, the Maoists have announced a series of protest programmes over the next couple of months.

Source: Nepalnews.com, August 28, 2007

NC Unification

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and NC(D)leader Sher Bahadur Deuba held the latest round of parley to finalize and seal the process of NC unification .At a time when the country is at the political cross roads the party should not be allow itself to be divided. Nepali Congress, if one takes cues from history of democratic struggle and innovation, has been the premier political organisation which is credited to have fought for democracy and political modernization. Moreover, the party has been consistent to its commitment to democracy, pluralist values and welfare state, and it has never flinched from its well cherished goals and values despite the situation of political topsy turvy in the country. When democracy was jeopardized on the eve of the sixties , Nepali Congress, under the leadership of late B.P.Koirala, held high the banner of struggle against authoritarianism imposed in the country.

The struggle against the partyless undemocratic polity lasted for thirty years before it collapsed under the weight of popular revolt in 1990. It was NC leader late Ganesh Man Singh who converged all the left and democratic forces against the authoritarian polity and fought to restore multiparty democracy lost out to the autocratic King in 1960. Again in April 2006 the seven party alliance led by Nepali Congress fought against the despotic monarchy and demolished its apparatus. Going by its history and contribution to the political modernization and development, Nepali Congress has always been a champion of unity and solidarity. But it is a matter of paradox that the party itself is riddled by factionalism and split. At a time when the country is going for polls to the constituent assembly and the role of political parties is very crucial to spearhead the process of democracy building, it is necessary that the Nepali congress stay united and consolidated to offset the challenges faced by the nation. Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has already recognized the need for unity of the party and given full backing to further the process for unification of NC and NC(D) . Former prime minister and NC(D) president Sher Bhadur Deuba is all committed to NC unification for consolidating it to take on the challenges of the time. It is high time the unification process was furthered and completed and a strong NC was made to secure an enlarged political space in the country.

Source: The Rising Nepal, August 29, 2007

Unresolved issues: Political conference necessary for CA

Shailendra Kumar Upadhyay

Last week witnessed certain developments on the political front that have increased uncertainties surrounding CA polls scheduled for November 22 although the Election Commission has published a detailed poll schedule. The ongoing agitation of Tarain groups and Janajatis, political party’s lethargy in educating the masses on the importance of a constituent assembly, the indifference and opposition of the Madhesis and Janajatis and the new political position taken by the CPN-Maoist are factors which need serious attention.

On August 22, the Tamang National Liberation Front declared a successful bandh against the indifference of the coalition government to Janajatis’ demands. On August 23, the MJF declared that unless their demands were fulfilled within a week it would declare a movement for the ‘liberation’ of the people. The same day a statement by the UNMIN head Ian Martin urged the political parties to go to villages to motivate the people with regard to CA election. He made it clear that most of the reports he had received concerned inactivity of political parties.

One of the gravest developments was the Maoist demand for postponement of CA election till April-May 2008 and declaration of a republic in order to curtail conspiracies against the election. The formation of the coalition government and the interim parliament had acknowledged the Maoists as one of the three major political parties. On the basis of such an acknowledgement, the Maoist stand has to be taken up seriously.

There are 84 days to go for the scheduled election. But how can any credible election be held in an atmosphere of uncertainty and violence? In order to create an atmosphere conducive to free and fair election, dissenting voices have to be listened to and talks have to be conducted with a view to arriving at consensus. However, the government team that is conducting negotiations is lethargic and biased. Even before the talks are conducted a member or two of the team makes his ideas public and spoils the atmosphere for the talks.

Dialogues with different dissenting parties should have the single objective of arriving at consensus among negotiating parties. Such consensus cannot be achieved by listening to the grievances of a particular party only, as issues involved have wide dimensions and affect multiple parties, communities and groups. So a new mechanism has to be created to promote interaction among all dissenting groups and eight party alliance.

How serious are the political parties about holding the election on time? Till date, only the CPN-UML seems serious about the need for timely election. Smaller parties like Jana Morcha and NWPP are also seen active in election campaigning. And yet other major political parties have not made any initiative to go to the people. The question of maintaining the eight party alliance is also crucial to achieving the mandate of Jana Andolan II. However, one can easily discern that the partners in the alliance are drifting apart.The question of proportional representation has been raised by a big segment of population. The MJF as well as Dalits and Janajatis have been demanding adoption of a single system of proportional representation. CPN-UML is the only political party which took this stand from the very beginning. Now the Maoists have thrown their weight behind proportional representation. To ridicule the Maoists for shifting their position from their stand during the signing of draft interim constitution is insensitive in a democratic society. The Maoists have fathomed the popular will in favour of proportional representational system and have followed the people’s will by displaying their democratic credentials. In a democracy, it is only right that any individual, group or party change its position in honour of public opinion. It is hypocritical to assert that one has to stick with a pre-conceived opinion come what may.

The issue of proportional representation was not received well by others in the beginning because this was thought of as a CPN-UML agenda. Today the question of convening a political conference is not being considered as this is branded as CPN-Maoist agenda. Such an attitude is not good for maintaining the alliance or honouring popular will. In order to solve the numerous issues of grave importance, convening of a widely participated political conference has become inevitable. Only such a forum could address the issues before the nation and provide a sound guideline for the CA which is to be the baseline of a new Nepal.The political conference should include all those who are willing to negotiate and even those unwilling to negotiate and create law and order problems. Thus, they can be isolated, divided and punished. Because of the constraint of time a political conference must be convened, which could, in turn, also tackle the issue of whether a new Nepal would be a federal republic.

Source: The Himalayan Times, August 29, 2007