|
Nepal : A welcome change, difficult days ahead |
 |
B.I. Saini
Revival of the Nepal House of Representatives and handing over of executive powers by King Gyanendra to the person nominated as Prime Minister by the Seven Party Alliance (SPA), marks the beginning of the end of the crisis the country has been going through since the monarch imposed direct rule by the Palace. But it is only the start and the country continues to face massive problems which can overwhelm it if there is a lack of political sagacity on the part of the principal players involved in the drama which is now playing out not only in the capital, Kathmandu, but also other including remote areas.
King Gyanendra had imposed his direct rule on the assumption that the country was so backward and the people so much beholden to the monarch that they will buy his story that this was the only way to rescue them from the corruption and misrule of the professional politicians. There is no doubt that the politicians had made a mess of the opportunities they got to govern the country. They were busy feathering their own nests and did not pay attention to building up institutions which could protect the country and its people’s interests. King Gyanendra thought in the circumstances that like his father King Mahendra, he would be able to turn the tide back and rule autocratically with just a semblance of democratic rule.
But he was sadly mistaken as he had not taken into account the unhappiness of the people of Nepal with the type of governance they were getting. Another factor which he did not take into account was the massive inroads made by the Maoists in the country, riding on the wave of disenchantment of the people with the establishment and how it was protecting and nurturing their interests. The Maoists control a major part of the countryside and the writ of the King and the Government, elected or non-elected, no longer runs in these parts. The Maoists were dead opposed to the monarchy, especially after the tragic demise of King Gyanendra’s elder brother King Birendra. They wanted the country to have a constituent assembly and preferably establishment of a democratic republic after that. But they were willing to concede that the constituent assembly, if it so wishes, can provide for a ceremonial monarch.
Luckily King Gyanendra ultimately saw the light of the day when 19 days of massive protests by the SPA brought Kathmandu to a virtual halt. Combined with this was the blockade of the capital city by the Maoist forces. With more than a million people planning to hold a massive demonstration, the situation could have gone out of control of the SPA and others leading the protests and resulted in virtual anarchy and chaos.
India played a discreet but effective role in persuading King Gyanendra to retrace his steps, revive Parliament which he had dissolved earlier, and restore power to the elected representatives of the people. The Nepalese Royal Army also appears to have advised the King that they may not be able to withstand the combined pressure of the SPA demonstrators and the Maoist forces knocking on the doors of Kathmandu. The King saw the writing on the wall and restored parliament and gave up power to the SPA.
The Girija Prasad Koirala government, which has assumed office in Nepal, now has the massive task of restoring law and order and getting the Maoists to disarm so that free and fair elections can be held for a constituent assembly. The Maoist rebels have declared a three-month cease-fire; it is now upto the SPA and the Maoist leadership to ensure that the cease-fire is made permanent. The most crucial issue is disarming of the Maoists without which elections cannot be held.
|
