Note no. 213	25. 02. 2004
NEPAL: It is time, the political parties unite for the common cause of democracy: Update 41. by Dr. S. Chandrasekharan On 26 Jan 2004, in his first foreign media interview to Time Magazine, King Gyanendra began the interview by saying that the future of Nepal lies in constitutional monarchy and multi party democracy. If that is so, the future of Nepal is in  great peril with both the monarchy and the leaders of political parties undermining each other, by taking rigid positions and refusing to budge! In the same interview the King made the now famous statement that the "days of royalty being seen and not heard are over. We are in the 21st century." If there was any doubt about what he meant, he reiterated his position and went a step further and said on 8 February 2004 at Nepalgunj- "The days of the monarchy being seen but not heard and watching the people’s difficulties but not addressing them and being a silent spectator to their tear strained faces are over." Though he had not spelt out what he would do, what is clear to analysts is that he would not be like his late brother who never interfered openly and allowed the political parties to learn by mistakes. Almost one year before sacking Deuba’s government, King Gyanendra in one of his rare interviews made certain remarks that went unnoticed at that time, but is now clear as to what he intended to do. He said in his interview (Paper 481 of SAAG) " that the people have a pre emptive right to happiness under the system. However the situation is serious, given the public complaints that they are subjected to ridicule and exploitation in the name of democracy. He cannot keep quiet while witnessing such a plight of the country and the people. If one looks at the past, the King did not have a reputation as a great supporter of democratic leaders, democratic parties or democracy. It looks now that even by the end of 2001 he had made up his mind to be an active King and he got an opportunity in October 2002 when Sher Bahadur Deuba of Nepali Congress without consulting his party made the mistake of his life in approaching the King to dissolve the assembly and go for fresh elections. The rest of the developments are history! Political parties are in disarray: The political parties who came to power by different permutations and combinations did not endear themselves to the King or to the public in their governance. In the first election held on the basis of 1990 constitution, the Nepali Congress rode to power with a comfortable majority only to be frittered away soon with senior leaders fighting among themselves like little children. Corruption was rampant and gone were the days when the very same leaders led humble and austere lives. There have been twelve governments in thirteen years- a record of sorts! . In the same paper of 24.06.02 as a forwarding comment we had said- we quote In view of the poor performance of the government after the introduction of multi party system, word is going round that the people of Nepal are fed up with the political leadership and that they long for a return to the Panchayat days and direct governance by the King. These stories are being spread around deliberately by vested interests. What Nepal needs is not less, but more of democracy. But what we notice now is that the so called democratic leaders hardly allow any democracy within their own ranks. Due to ego clashes, inflexible attitudes and hunger for power, most of the parties have either split or on the verge of splitting.. The Nepali Congress has already split with the major faction remaining with Girija Prasad Koirala and the other with more of the younger leaders in the Deuba faction. Girija Prasad’s faction is not a homogenous one either and there are rumblings with the danger of further split in the ranks. There are hardly good second ranking leaders who could inspire the cadres and the masses in both the factions. The UML (United Marxist league), was almost split in the last central committee meeting and an open split was averted when nine of the loyalists of K.P.Oli were nominated to the central committee. There were credible rumours going round Kathmandu that Oli may join the Thapa government then. The RPP of Prime minister Surya Bahadur Thapa is also split though not yet officially with the party chief Pasupathi Shamsher Rana openly demanding the PM’s resignation. The Nepal Sadhbhavana Party is already split with the Mandal and Anandi factions with each one claiming to be the real party. Movement against October 4 recession losing steam? The movement against the "October 4 recession" is chugging along with no visible support of the people. The students have entered the fray with the support of the agitating political parties. It looks that the government is taking the strike of the students seriously and so far have managed to keep the agitating students under control. But any misstep on the part of the security forces could get the law and order situation out of control. It is to the credit of the current Prime minister that he has managed to cool it down With the political parties in disarray, it stands to reason that the King is not likely to come down for any compromise with the political parties. The government appears to be planning to begin the parliamentary elections sometime in November this year and spread over a period of six months. It is their hope that the Law and order situation created by the Maoists could be brought under reasonable control for elections to be held. The government is presuming that the political parties will take part in the elections. This is unlikely unless some demands of the political parties are accepted. The Maoists are unlikely to participate either and in such a situation, elections to the Parliament will have no meaning. The demand for restoration of parliament is no longer valid as the life of the now dissolved parliament will be over in two months. The first act of the parties is to get together and devise a common plan. There are differences. The leaders have not given up their ambitions to head the government once again. The road map of Madhav Nepal announced soon after meeting the Maoist leader in Lucknow has been rejected by the Nepali Congress of Girija Koirala. It is not clear where the 18 point common agenda set by the agitating parties stands now. In the absence of unanimity, the political parties have themselves to blame and no doubt the King would take full advantage of the differences. Maoist Incidents: A list of Maoists incidents since the previous update is given in the appendix. The Royal Nepal Army has officially announced the casualties since the cessation of cease fire. 118 security personnel have lost their lives as against 1270 Maoists killed. The latter figures for the Maoists are high. Kathmandu security has also been brought under the unified command. Impartial observers notice that the writ of the government runs only in the headquarters of the districts and in the two valleys Kathmandu and Pokhra. It was a bold decision of the King to visit the Maoists strongholds- Rolpa, Piyuthan, Salyan and Dang districts on February as part of his tour of western regions. The Maoists in the meantime are setting about autonomous regions where possible. They have one in the Bheri-Karnali region, one in Gandak as Tamang region, in Kaski and another in Madhesia region. Matrika Yadav who was in charge of the Madhesia division has since been arrested by Delhi and handed over to the Nepalese authorities. All one could say is that the situation in the country side is not as rosy as the security forces would like us to believe. Meantime Prachanda, the Maoists leader took everyone by surprise by offering to accept UN mediation "towards making the environment for a peaceful process to get people’s mandate." He also added that his party has never gone against a negotiated settlement. Another surprise was that the reaction to Prachanda’s offer came swiftly from the Royal Nepal Army representative, rejecting the offer and not by the government! Strange things are happening indeed! Appendix: Incidents January 2004 26            Maoists abducted at least 150 students from a village in Achham to involve them in the rebels' mass meeting.  Maoists bombed the Dabur Nepal and Surya Nepal premises at Rampur Tokani and Simara in Bara district respectively, causing minor damage. 29                Maoists abducted 153 students and 5 teachers from schools (Bannatoli VDC,) in Achham to involve them in the so called peoples’ war. 30            Explosives  thrown by suspected Maoists have severely injured a child in Gothadi, Palpa. 31            Two students from Janata Secondary School at Hangdeva VDC, Taplejung were injured when the bomb planted by Maoists went off while they were playing in the school ground.  February 2004 1              Maoists abducted 65 students from different places in Achham. 4               Bombs Planted by Maoists in Manma area of Kalikot and Lalpur area of Sunsari district were diffused by the security forces during the search operations. 5              Thirty four armed police were injured when their truck met with an accident while avoiding an attempted Maoist ambush at Baliya, Kailali.  In the security operation in Bhamidi, Handikhola VDC-4, two civilians-Chukmaya Bal (80) and son in law of Lok Bahadur Bal, were killed in the cross fire between the Maoists and the security forces.  6              Normal life was affected  in some districts of the mid-western region following strikes (closure) announced by the Maoists. Four powerful bombs went off in the busy places of the Nepalgunj. 9              Suspected Maoists exploded bombs at Teku ward office, Kathmandu, causing  damage to the office building. Maoists had ambushed a policeman to death in Gotikhel VDC of Lalitpur.                 Suspected Maoists exploded bombs at Bishalbazaar complex in New Road, Kathmandu. The explosion had partially damaged the statue of late King Mahendra erected at the complex. The blast also broke some windowpanes. In Hardiapatuwa VDC of Rauthat district the ultras detonated explosives near the Area Police Office at Sukadev Chowk. In Birjung the suspected Maoists detonated powerful bombs at the Krishi Samagri Company (KSC deals in agricultural tools) and the Office of Domestic and Small Industries in Birjung this morning. Explosions caused partial damage to the buildings. An 8-year-old boy was killed in Khaling VDC-5 Palpa as a bomb left by suspected Maoists went off. A group of armed Maoist rebels abducted 4 girls from Kailali village of Dhangadhi Municipality. 12            Six civilians were killed and 13, including four army soldiers injured in Kavre as a bomb planted by suspected Maoists went off. Maoist rebels had abducted 700 people to forcibly make them participate in their anniversary celebrations from the Bhaiswale region of Achham district.  Maoist rebels also abducted 160, 90 and 40 people from Kalikasthan, Kuika and Vinayak VDCs respectively. Similarly, rebels had abducted people from Puletola, Toli, Barala, Bayala, Kaledanda, Yalsa, Dhakari, Raniban and Topi VDCs, Kantipur dainik                     A one-day strike called by the Maoists in Bagmati and Narayani zones had led to the closure of vehicular movement, educational institutions and business activities in the regions. In Dhankuta, the Maoists bombed the regional office of the Public Service Commission, causing minor damages to the building. 13            Two separate explosions killed a student in Gulmi and a local resident in Damak. 14            Maoists abducted former minister Tej Bikram Shah from Salyan district for being "active" in King Gyanendra's recent felicitation in Nepalgunj. Suspected Maoists gunned down president of Nepal Maoist Victims’ Association Ganesh Chilwal at 5.20pm at Bagbazaar. The victim died on the spot after sustaining three bullets. Maoists opened fire on a passenger bus in Thapa chowk of Jhapa district killing two people. 16            Maoist rebels abducted at least 300 students from Jungar Higher Secondary School of Rolpa district. 17            Suspected Maoists shot and killed Khem Narayan Foujdar, former member of the National Assembly and chairman of the district committee of the Nepali Congress (Democratic), Nawalparasi.                 Three children of a family were killed in Achham’s Bayala VDC-9 when a bomb left by the Maoists went off.  A lieutenant was killed and half a dozen soldiers were injured in the exchange of fire between the Maoist and the army in Kalikot. 20            Maoists abducted hundreds of students and half a dozen teachers of Saiwang Secondary School at Holeree, Rolpa, Nepal Samacharpatra.  Three security personnel were killed and 18 injured in a clash with Maoists in Khotang district. 23            Maoist rebels abducted 44 teachers from Triveni Secondary School, Sugarkhal of Kailali district. 24            Security forces shot and killed two Maoists in Sarlahi district.
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