Missing The Ride To Multiparty Democracy
Missing The Ride To Multiparty Democracy
By Bhuwan Sharma
Our King has, until now, shown extreme patience with the international community, India and all the political parties involved in the agitation against the existence of Nepal. However, all of them seem to have underestimated our present King. Our King's representation to the SAARC summit itself seemed to have changed the sphere of political influence in this region forever. Hence, the hasty agreement between the agitators and the terrorists supported of course, by India. India had expected an overwhelming support by the Nepali people and the all the political leaders for the 12-point pact between the agitators and the terrorists but has been disappointed so far. Let alone the people, serious disagreement among the politicians themselves is emerging in regards to various clauses in the agreement. The leaders may have been stupid enough to sign an agreement with a terrorist organization under the guidance of India but the general public in Nepal is highly educated in terms of politics. The skepticism is further strengthened by the fact that, Madhab Kumar (' India' according to Peoples Review) and Koirala themselves have chosen to be extremely evasive about the whole deal. Maybe Shyam Sharan will be carrying a message from the terrorist organization to their newly found friend, the seven agitating alliance. Shyam Sharan's visit to Nepal may not bear in fruits in regards to the double standard applied by India on terrorism but it is nice to read about an Indian official coming to Nepal on a political cause when our leaders' frequent flight to New Delhi has already started embarrassing the general public of Nepal.
Nepal , according to THT (11 Dec 05), has said, "Even we are not very clear on what monitoring exactly implies". Madhab, who recently seemed to have been the leader in representing the seven party alliance of agitators while negotiating the 12 point pact with the terrorists is not clear on what monitoring exactly implies? He signs agreements without understanding it first? These are the idiots that the international community wants to represent our country? Tomorrow they will claim that, they were not aware that monitoring meant Indian intervention.
The other thing the agitating parties need to take into consideration is the fact that, the Maoists themselves have not been as negative about the upcoming elections as them. What would the situation of the seven parties be, if the Maoists themselves participated in the elections in the last minute? Who would oppose the election and what integrity would the parties have left? I personally do not think this is impossible at all. As a matter of fact, this could be the best option for them as this would guarantee both, their existence and a fair chance of governing the country. Their chances of winning an election would be even greater if the agitators decide to boycott the upcoming elections. The international community will not be able to object to this scenario, as they have already demonstrated their willingness to accept the Maoists as a political force if and when they renounce violence and surrender their arms.
So if the agitating parties are not careful, it could be them who would miss the train to multiparty democracy. The first thing they need to do is think and then think with their own heads. They have been working under someone else's direction for too long and this time it may have been the Maoists who have taken this bunch for a ride.
The agitators need to realize that democracy was never their personal property and once they realize this fact they will start thinking in the interest of the nation and the democratic system. No one is above the system but we are all fulfilling our duties so that this system could work effectively. We can make this system work effectively or destroy it but never own it.
As far as the UN and the international community are concerned, we should understand their interest in the politics of Nepal but we never hesitate to doubt their sincerity. Rice has recently expressed concerns over continuing human rights abuses and lack of democracy in Nepal. However, it should also be noted that she has also threatened the rest of the world not to be concerned with the abuses committed by her own country. This in regards to the allegations of secret US prisons around the world where suspects are tortured and held against the international law, of course. Anan is yet to express his own concerns regarding this issue and honestly, I do not expect UN or any western countries to come in the way of the almighty US. Adding India to the UN Security Council would have been just perfect. US tortures and disappears people with utter disregard for non-Christian's human rights, EU countries only speak when it serves their national or regional interest and India sponsors terrorism that affects her immediate neighbors like, Nepal, Sri-Lanka or Bangladesh. The UN is losing its integrity as in present days it seems to be working as a puppet organization in the interest of the western world. No wonder Anan was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize. We now have to realize that the western world has lost their moral superiority to us. Just because a western organization clears our leaders of any corruption, it should not become the final verdict.
ENDS