Kamala Sarup: No Confrontation Please

Will or won't the political parties agree to the rebels' demands? Have the Nepalese politicians realized they are taking the wrong path? Are corrupt elected politicians doing anything to serve the people at large? Will Nepal be able to face another Maoist confrontation if talks fail?

We Nepalese people do not want war and do not want another Maoists confrontation. Recently, there was hope that Nepal's

10 year war was moving toward peace but such hopes are slowly fading. The Maoists have continued their intimidation and extortion. The villages are still under the control of Maoists. The Maoist groups, pretending to be fighting for the people's social and economic claims, have initiated an ominous wave against the country's infrastructure, and have created a climate of violence.

Nepal requires a political reform modifying the exercise of power. The current economic model has increased existing inequity. Now it's really a challenge on Nepal's democracy to change this trend.

Today, Nepal's political situation remains unstable and chaotic. The citizens of Nepal are confronting a painful past. The Nepalese people know the problem is not constitutional. Every one knows the reason behind the political crisis but nobody wants to reveal it. Nepalese leaders are creating more trouble in internal politics. The overall political objectives need to be clear. Nepalese political leaders are choosing a confrontational course, inviting a more chaotic situation and paving the crisis in Nepalese politics.

Nepalese leaders should stand for unity and should promote unity of the different parties. They should know peace is required for a faster economic growth because most of the poor live in rural areas. They should stand for political, economic, and social institutional solidarity, promote equity, maximize participation, and encourage full democracy. Also, we should hold general elections and local elections soon.

It is important that a process be set up quickly to resolve the present political problems. We should not forget reconciliation does provide structures and mechanisms that can eliminate the basis for war. However, the present crisis cannot be managed just by an agreement between the Maoist and the government without showing genuine political honesty.

The Maoists too must bear some share of the cumulative blame. They too have resorted to inhumane killing of their rivals. They have been responsible for the exodus of many ordinary people, including some schoolteachers working in remote areas. In the past, they restricted the movement of young people from the area of their control to other parts of the country.

All the Social organizations, Human Rights organizations, political parties and Government must play a stronger role in maintaining peace by addressing issues left over the years. They should know conflict usually results from multiple causal factors, that include economic, political, religious, and sociological factors, among others. Nepalese people can not forget how Kathmandu is becoming a refugee camp and how constant political infighting has led to 13 governments in just 12 years.

(Kamala Sarup is editor of http://peacejournalism.com/)

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