|
Nepal : Referendum to decide on monarchy |
 |
The Interim Constitution Drafting Committee of Nepal on August 25 submitted the draft of a statute to the Government and Maoist negotiations teams. The Interim statute has proposed a referendum during elections to a Constituent Assembly to decide the fate of the monarchy. It wanted the bicameral system of Parliament scrapped for an interim period and said there should only be a single House. Similarly, it wanted the posts of Speaker and Deputy Speaker replaced with a Chairman and Vice-Chairman. It suggested expansion of the fundamental rights of the people. Merger of the two armies (State Army and the Maoists army) after Constituent Assembly elections was also proposed. Committee Chairman Laxman Prasad Aryal handed over the draft to Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula and Maoist chief negotiator Krishna Bahadur Mahara.
Sitaula said: “We will soon convene summit talks between the top leaders and give final shape to the statute.” Mahara said the differences would be sorted out. Since the Seven-Party Alliance (SPA) and the Maoists could not agree on key issues to be included in the draft statute, the committee has given various options for contentious issues. Differences remain on four key issues : What should be the status of the monarchy in the interim period? What should be the process and modality of the Constituent Assembly? What will function as the interim legislative body? Who will promulgate the interim statute?
While Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has been advocating keeping the King as a ceremonial monarch without any actual power, Maoist chief Prachanda has been opposing it with all his might. “There is no consensus on political issues, including on monarchy between the parties and Maoists,” panel chairman Laxman Prasad Aryal said. “They should form a consensus on these subjects and include them in the draft.”
The Maoists and the Seven-Party Alliance (SPA) have entered into a number of understandings and agreements. But two issues have stalled movement towards transitional rule – arms management and the monarchy. Unlike the Maoists, the SPA is ideologically divided and on many counts has been yielding to them. Prime Minister Koirala is firm that Maoists have to give up arms before being accepted as a political party. Everyone is divided on arms management.
Prachanda for the first time has declared the strength of the Maoist Army (MA) as 36,000 but curiously admitted he cannot put a figure on arms. The MA has seven divisions of 5,000 soldiers each and 1,000 staff. They are to be barracked in seven locations to be mutually decided with the Government. Nepali Generals say that Maoists have inflated the numbers to accommodate their wounded whose figures have never been disclosed.
It is true that no one has the precise details of arms and the men. Separating the Maoists from their arms, and finally putting arms beyond use is to be harmonized with the implementation of the political roadmap, leading to elections. The Government’s bottomline is that Maoists, who now crave for political power can join an interim Parliament and government only after giving up their arms and ideally, their armed campaign. A top UN official who has interacted with the Maoists says they are willing to give up their weapons after an interim government is formed. He says once there is agreement on the interim structures and the process is irreversible they claim they will be confident enough for separation of their army from arms. Turning the temporary ceasefire into a permanent ceasefire agreement will hasten acceptance of the Maoists as a political entity.
King Gyanendra, most people in Kathmandu agree, is lying low in the hope he can salvage a modicum of monarchy. He has been stripped of all his powers, constitutional and otherwise. G.P. Koirala is a traditionalist and like his brother, the late Prime Minister B.P. Koirala has historically sought reconciliation with the King. As the supreme leader of the Nepali Congress and against the grain of popular opinion, he has dared to advocate “some space” for all forces including the monarchy. The Maoists, who have rejected the inclusion of the King in the interim constitution, have agreed to accept the verdict of the Constituent Assembly while others have suggested holding a referendum on the monarchy concurrent with elections.
A new military Act has been approved by Parliament which, when implemented, will ensure unqualified civilian control over the Army. Following the excesses committed by the police and the armed police during the Royal regime, their heads were summarily dismissed. The Army Chief, Gen. Pyar Jung Thapa, was spared though public opinion is still demanding his removal.
|
