Opinion Writer’s block

Dethroned King Gyanendra received a rousing welcome when he paid a visit to two shrines last fortnight. Those who had swarmed the street in April 2006 against his takeover were at the forefront to receive him in the shrine. “Come back king,and save the country,” they yelled. Close on the heels of that,the Rashtriya Prajatantra Party-Nepal (RPP-N),the only party in the constituent assembly that has demanded a referendum on the issue of monarchy vs republicanism,unitary vs federalism and Hindu Nepal vs secularism ,organised a successful Nepal bandh to press these demands. RPP-N Chief Kamal Thapa,some one who was treated like a political pariah by the major political parties,quoted Gyanendra as saying “I had quit quietly to avoid violence and in the hope that political parties will act responsibly”. The message is loaded.

Moreover,the big three are undecided on the modality of federalism and governance that a future Nepal will adopt. The Maoists are rigidly averse to the concept of an independent judiciary and prefer a legislature that the judiciary would be answerable to. That means even an agreement on a basic framework of the constitution is a distant possibility.

So how does Nepal cope with this situation,and how will the international community treat the world’s newest republic? India told President Rambaran Yadav during his recent visit to Delhi that he,as head of the state,would have a significant role in enforcing the constitution which it (India) hoped would be delivered on time. But the role and power of the president still remains an issue of debate in Nepal,and Maoists have already said they would not accept a king in the form of a president.

The only way to ensure that the Maoists don’t abandon the peace process is a strict warning from the international community,India included,that they won’t be treated like a democratic force if they don’t behave like one. Continued extortion by the Maoists,Prachanda’s recent call to his cadres to be prepared to raise arms for a decisive people’s war,and their stopping work on the 350 kilometre upper Karnali Hydro-project (in which GMR,an Indian company,was almost close to finishing the project work) are being cited as evidence of their anti-peace and anti-democratic face.

Maoists have reasons not to fear,though. The government is redundant,if the prevailing sense of insecurity is a parameter. At least 27 businessmen,including two media owners,have been killed and 68 abducted for ransom,apart from rising instances of child abductions and killings in the past one year. The country suffers from a 12-hour power cut daily,and industries are hampered by Maoist trade union demands to double employee salary. The government has failed to negotiate effectively. The chamber of commerce has warned the government that it would shut down if the law and order situation did not improve in a month. Even if the major parties wake up,writing a constitution may prove to be a mere formality,if there is no visible will to enforce it on the part of the major political parties.

yubharaj.ghimire@expressindia.com