Nepal: PM Election. Fifth Round Also Fails. Time to Stop this Farce. Update No 231

NEPAL: PM Election: Fifth Round Fails. Time to Stop this Farce: Update No. 231

By Dr. S. Chandrasekharan

Election to the post of the Prime Minister held on 23^rd August failed again with no candidate getting the required majority for the post. The UCPN (M) candidate Dahal obtained 246 votes with 111 against and 206 remaining neutral The Nepali Congress candidate Paudel obtained 124 votes with 243 against and 200 remaining neutral.

This election was initially slated to be held on the 18^th but postponed to 23^rd in the hope that the political parties would come to an understanding by that time. In the end both the Maoists and the Nepali Congress remained firm in contesting the elections.

In one of the earlier updates, I had said that the current election to the post of Prime Minister can be likened to that of a wrestling match with many rounds and the spectators would certainly be looking for more entertainment when promised of more "rounds." But it is time to stop this farce as the political parties are making a mockery of the parliamentary system of democracy.

It is no surprise that Prachanda ( Dahal) mentioned on the eve of the election that the stale mate in the election to the Prime minister is caused due to the faulty parliamentary system rather than due to any person or political party. This is going to be a major issue when the new constitution is to be drafted with both the Maoists and perhaps a section of the Madhesi groups opting for a presidential system while others like Nepali Congress and perhaps the UML would opt for the Westminister system.

The Maoists are blaming India for the failure though it is the Madhesi combine and the UML who have continued to remain neutral without voting for either of the candidates in the election.

Maoist leader Janardhan Sharma who is close to Prachanda, accused the Indian envoys of making visits one after the other to ensure that the Maoist party does not secure the post of the prime minister and form a government under its leadership.

C.P. Gajurel another senior leader has accused India of tying the hands of the UML and the four Madhesi parties from declaring their support in the prime ministerial election. He warned of an anti India protest movement if the present situation continued.

One Chief reporter of Kantipur Daily went to the extent of calling India’s stand as "Saran’s doctrine" that consists of two parts and the objective is that the Prime minister of Nepal should be loyal to India and protect India’s strategic and security interests.

The first part of the doctrine is that Nepal’s polity should be divided into a broad democratic alliance consisting of the Nepali Congress, UML, the Madhesi Morcha, the RPP and RJP and the other a leftist alliance led by the Maoists.

The second part is that the Madhesi parties should be cobbled together for a working alliance to serve India’s larger interests.

Mr. Shyam Saran’s visit has created an avoidable controversy and was made worse when followed by the visit of another former ambassador Mr. K.V.Rajan. The latter it appears, met the former King Gyanendra and this created unnecessary suspicion in the minds of the Maoists that India was to up to something.

While Shyam Saran’s visit was official, it is likely that Mr. Rajan visited Nepal in connection with some ongoing two track diplomatic circuits that abound in India where former ambassadors find lucrative opportunities to make foreign visits.

It is said that a "special envoy" should rarely be sent as it undermines the position of the serving ambassador in the country and in Nepal we do have a very active and hardworking ambassador.

The visit of Shyam Saran is also likely to intensify the debate within the Maoist party as it still is in the process of identifying its internal contradictions and the principal enemy. Identifying India as the principal enemy is not going to help the party and the hardliners in the party are more likely to ruin the party’s interests in the long run.

Anticipating the failure of the fifth round of elections, the Speaker of the assembly called for a meeting of the top leaders of the party on 23^rd in the morning itself to chart out a future course of action. It was decided to give sufficient time for the parties to discuss and come to an understanding and the next round of election will be held in the first week of September.

Some flexibility is now being shown by the contending parties. The Maoists are willing to withdraw their candidate if the Nepali Congress also withdraws its candidate. Arjun Narsingh KC is now talking of a package deal. The UML has also promised to review its position on the election.

The UML circulated a paper on 21^st suggesting a course of action to overcome the present impasse. The steps suggested are

1. UCPN (M) - the Maoists to disband the para military structure of the YCL and return the seized properties within one month.

2. The Maoist combatants to be brought under the Special committee for integration/rehabilitation etc. and all the 28 PLA camps to be closed.

3. The PLA combatants to be given a choice either to choose rehabilitation or for joining the security agencies.

4. End the double security arrangements now being allowed for the Maoists leaders.

5. Form three commissions immediately as per the Comprehensive Peace Agreement- one for truth and reconciliation, one for disappearances and one for scientific land reforms.　

First and foremost and this has been suggested many times. The Maoist combatants should be brought under the special committee immediately before any integration/ rehabilitation programme is thought of. The Maoists are seen to be reluctant to let go the combatants. It is said that they are not willing even to let anyone individually and independently ascertain the wishes of the combatants.

Arjun Narsingh KC, the General Secretary of the Nepali Congress had made a suggestion earlier- first sort out the most contentious issues now before going for an understanding on the election of the Prime minister.

Another controversy is soon coming up and this is on the question of the extension of the UN mission (UNMIN) whose term expires on15th September.

The Nepalese Army has formally approached the government that the term of UNMIN need not be extended. According to them the "concept of two sides" ( army and the PLA) mentioned in Clause 10.5 of CPA does not exist once an interim parliament has been formed in January 2007. The responsibility of UNMIN should therefore be transferred to the Special Committee for the supervision and rehabilitation of the Maoist combatants.

This argument does not sound reasonable. There are two sides even now. The Nepalese Army and the PLA are in different camps and the deposited arms are under the control of the respective sides under UN monitoring.

The first step therefore should be to bring the PLA camps under the Special Committee under UN supervision when UNMIN is still present and not later.

The move to close down UNMIN will have other unintended consequences and the enthusiasm now shown to send the UN team packing should be first shown in going ahead with integration and rehabilitation.

It is time the political parties think of the people (not themselves) and come to an understanding before the next election in the first week of September.