Something is Going to Fall in Nepal

By Umarul Farooque*
 
Nepal is at a crossroads. It's what the Nepali politicians and media call the transition period. But the country has a long way to go. It is not easy for any government to lead a country that was economically shattered and socially divided. Everybody speaks of inclusiveness. The word sounds good, except that nobody seems true to their word.

This mountainous state, sandwiched between the great Himalayas and the Indian plain, is on the brink of political upheavals. The Maoists, the biggest political party in the country, is on the streets once again. The former armed group is determined to go ahead with the agitation to reinstate what they call the civilian supremacy.

The 12th poorest country in Asia is on the brink of a political breakdown. What the country now needs is a stable and powerful government. It should act diligently and sternly to address the challenges faced by the country. Whether it is a political uprising or economic issues, the government should rise to the occasion.

Unfortunately, Nepal lacks a stable administration. It has no guts to face the tough tests posed by its political opponents. Instead, the ruling coalition is after the big neighbours to protect their seats. That is why the opposition group could stall the functioning of the government for the last six months.

Now Nepal is on its way to draft a constitution for the country. It seems to be a dream at least for one year because the disputing political parties are at loggerheads as to the future that they envision for the country. The question is whether the country should be a federal republic or not. The United Communist Party of Nepal (Maoists) is of the opinion that the nation should be divided into several federal ethnic states. But the other parties, like the Nepali congress and the Nepali Communist Party (Maoists Leninists), have expressed their disagreement to the federal system.

There is no doubt that the best option for the ethnically divided Nepal is inclusive democracy. But it needs the consensus of different political parties in the country. They should adhere to a common minimum programme, as India successfully experimented with. It is a good omen that the Maoists have shown the courtesy to allow the parliament to pass the budget. Ending the 10-year long armed struggle and bloodshed, the Maoists have embraced democratic principles. If so, they should show tolerance and generosity to accommodate other political parties. In other words, lead the country in the quest for a united government.

C.P. Gajurel says that his party is for the unity government. He claims that even United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has agreed in principle with their view of the unity government.

Nobody knows where the country goes and when this tension will end. The country had to pay dearly for the 10-year long bloody battle between the royal army and the Maoists. Now the country is heading towards a similar situation. As the great poet W. H Auden forecasts, something is going to fall like in Nepal, but it won’t be flowers.

(*The author is senior sub-editor of Indian daily 'Madhyamam' based in Kerala State and a former fellow of the Radio Netherlands Training Centre Fellowship 2009. This story is part of a series of articles he wrote as a recipient of the Asia Media Forum Journalism Fellowship 2009.)