Reviving Parliament: Not An Option

People like Girija Koirala will have you believe all is fine, and once they form a government, they will form a commission to find out if the house is really on fire, and if the crisis is for real. I mean, c'mon.

The country is going through a civil war. It has the worst human rights violations of any country today due to the war. And so the resolve has to be to bring peace at the earliest. And you don't make peace by sticking to your guns. You make peace by surveying the scene, and seeing there are other players also occupying the chessboard. And you think of optimal options for each player. How far are the Monarchists willing to go? How far are the Maoists willing to go? How far are all the various political parties willing to go? How strong are each? Which are the hardliners and moderates in each camp? How do you go ahead such that you do not hurt the moderates and boost the hardliners? Because hardliners tend to be opposed to any and all overtures to camps other than their own. To them peace means tension will subside, and if that happens then their group cohesion will no longer be as strong, and to them that is a no-no, because they feel lost personally if the tension slackens. So peacemakers in each of the three camps have to be the most careful of the hardliners in their own camps, almost more than they might of the moderates in the other camps.

You can't just declare your stand and repeat it ad nauseum and expect everyone else to come around to it. That has not worked. And that will continue not to work. And as long as it does not work, the civil war will continue. So all those who are delaying peace have blood on their hands.

The biggest reason the parliament can not be revived is that when the country did have a parliament, the insurgency did not go away. It grew. 2005 is like 1990. You could not have tinkered with the existing constitution to deal with the 1990 movement. You had to put in place an interim government, and start afresh. That is what needs to be done now.

I can sense there is a feeling among the members of the now dissolved parliament that if the body were to be somehow revived, they could get back their monthly salaries. It is not explicit, but I can feel that. To that I say, the sooner peace comes, the sooner elections are held by the interim government, sooner will they start getting their paychecks again. But sticking to the agenda of reviving the parliament just delays the whole thing, and they end up with nothing but frustration.

Girija's call for a revived parliament has lead the entire flock of democrats into a dead alley. It is time to navigate away from that dead end.

Yesterday Girija and Deuba held "unconditional peace talks" between them and agreed to reunite their two factions. To them a split in the Congress is such a big deal that they are okay holding unconditional peace talks, but they never thought of making a similar offer to the Maoists when they had a chance. Why? Is a civil war in the country a lesser problem than a split in the Congress party?

The parliament can not be revived according to the 1990 constitution. Its term has expired. It can only be revived by some dictator because, technically speaking, a dictator can do anything, rules do not apply. So to call for a revived parliament is to (1) ask the king to become a dictator, and (2) to urge that dictator to voluntarily do something that will displace him from center stage and instead will bring Girija to the political center stage. There are two problems there. One, what kind of a democrat are you if you fantasize the king became dictatorial and, if so, why do you complain when he does/has become dictatorial, although in a whole different way? Two, ever since this king got onto the throne, he has only done things to expand his political base and powers. Why should you assume he, on his own, will now go in the opposite direction?

Instead there has to be relentless dialogue among all political parties to forge a common minimum program. In 1990 that CMP was "multi-party democracy." Today it has to be an all-party government and a constituent assembly. I just do not see any other way forward that will bring peace at the earliest.

In The News

• Why India holds key to peace in Nepal Rediff, India "My colleagues and I are denied access to the site to investigate. There is no body to look into our recommendations and suggestions. There is complete anarchy." ..... women were detained and raped in military barracks but nobody was bothered..... Here at the United Nations, Nepal has been cornered from all sides. Switzerland, with the support of European Union, is trying to pass a resolution against Nepal under Agenda Item 9 at the United Nations; voting on which will happen in a fortnight.... If a resolution under Agenda Item 9 is passed against Nepal, UN will appoint a Special Rapporteur to the country to investigate human rights violations and suggest measures to be taken by the international community to bring greater accountability...... there are Ukrainian mercenaries piloting helicopters gifted by India in Nepal. There are mercenaries from South Africa's old apartheid regime as advisors in the Royal Nepal Army ..... Delhi's timetable may not be in consonance with fast moving developments in Nepal ..... the Maoists want UN intervention and they are willing to talk .....The king's emissaries have been unsuccessfully countering arguments against the regime...... The state of emergency has been imposed only for three months ..... coordination between Nepal's various politicians would be necessary to pacify the king..... there are some changes expected in Kathmandu. ..... Will the king attempt a new interim government with those he detained earlier?
• Palace puzzle in swipe at ambassador Calcutta Telegraph A former general of the Royal Nepal Army.... has called for the expulsion of the Indian ambassador, prompting Delhi to gauge whether... he was being egged on by someone close to the palace....... The monarch has refused to meet the Indian ambassador despite a request pending for over a month...... The latest sticking point has been Delhi’s refusal to use its influence to water down a possible anti-Nepal resolution at the UN Human Rights Commission that is now in session in Geneva.
• NEPAL: Maoist blockade hits vulnerable rural communities Reuters AlertNet Children are especially threatened as essential medical supplies such as vaccines and vitamins may not reach them in time and schooling is interrupted ...... Nepalgunj .... streets are totally deserted ... shops have been shut down. There is no sign of public transportation, taxis or private vehicles anywhere. A handful of ambulances have been seen on the streets, and then only when they are escorted by army jeeps ..... the first day of the blockade, an ambulance was torched and destroyed at Satari village in Surkhet..... Food security is also poor in Jumla district ..... There are few roads in the region and private airlines that delivered food by air stopped flights on Sunday after rebels warned them not to fly for at least three weeks....... Vulnerable communities are also being affecting in the remote, food-deficient area of Jajarkot..... Even traditional means of transport, like mules and porters, have stopped moving there due to fear of looting by the rebels.......
  
• Maoists want international rights watchdog for Nepal Netindia123.com, India Maoists Tuesday demanded an international monitoring team to probe human rights abuses in the kingdom ....... Former member of parliament and Maoist spokesman Krishna Bahadur Mahara issued a statement, accusing the army of spreading terror countrywide, especially in the southern districts of Kapilavastu, Rupandehi, Nawalparasi and Kailali....... Mahara, who carries a price tag on his head, has accused the Royal Nepalese Army of killings, rape and arson. ...... Mahara says an international rights team should conduct an independent probe into the incidents........ This is the first time the Maoists have made such a demand. They themselves have come under severe fire from rights organisations for abductions, extortion, torture and killings.
  
• Nepal Has No Alternative to Democracy, King Gyanendra Says ``The alternative to democracy is always democracy,''``Terrorism can never be an alternative to it.'' The army is being deployed to curb terrorism in the country by communist rebels and to guarantee the constitution and the rights of the people, the king said. Businesses in cities in Nepal have closed on the third day of an 11-day general strike called by rebels....... The strike interrupted transport in most districts. The capital, Kathmandu, wasn't affected ..... Sher Bahadur Deuba and Girija Prasad Koirala, who have held the post of prime minister in Nepal, met at the weekend in Kathmandu to discuss protesting the state of emergency, according to a report on the government's Web site....... Both leaders have called for the creation of an all-party government......
  
• Nepal politicians trying to restore democracy Efforts by Nepal's ousted politicians to restore democracy will be put to the test from Wednesday when three days of protests are planned against the King ...... Security guards kept Madhav Kumar inside his house and Deuba failed to meet him, but he vowed to pursue his efforts and to consult across the political spectrum..... Police forcefully removed journalists at the scene, tearing up notebooks and erasing video recordings...... "I am going to launch a strong protest against the undemocratic practices and I will consult all the party leaders in this connection," Deuba told reporters...... Koirala, also a former prime minister, and Deuba held talks for the first time since the royal takeover ...... They agreed to set up a joint mechanism to re-unite the two parties .... "The two leaders agreed to unite without any pre-conditions and push forward the democratic movement," the source said. "If they unite, it will be an effective force to resolve the current political crisis in Nepal," ..... Securitymen arrested the vice president of the Nepal Student Union (NSU), Pradip Poudel, and student leader Dharma Khanal when they tried to meet Koirala..... "The parliament must be reinstated by the king which will activate the constitution and, after that, an all-party government can be formed which will tackle the Maoist problem," Koirala said .....
  
• Can The Nepali Media Bring Peace? The media's pervasive and positive persuasive influence can be put to strengthen peace building processes..... A key function of the media is to give the public the information necessary to make good decisions. The media can create pressure to address the conflict. The media may also help maintain a balance of power between the political parties in Nepal..... much of Asia's media (In Nepal too) is either partisan or outright controlled by, for example, the government, political party or leaders ..... One kind of media may emphasise individualism and independence while another values collectivism and interdependence...... Several communist utopian communities were attempted in the 19th century in the U.S. and in Europe, and every one failed and was abandoned. On a national scale, the Soviet communist state left the country underdeveloped and had to be completely abandoned and made into a capitalist economy....... In Soviet Union, the theory of a communist "classless society" never occurred. Instead, they became class societies where the rulers enjoyed freedom and wealth while the people were oppressed and poor. ..... closing the door on dialogue with the Maoists is not politically acceptable ..... Nepali Media had still not played effective roles in minimizing Maoists conflict..... Under the 1949 Geneva Conventions, journalists must be treated humanely. Maoists should remember that media can be an instrument of conflict resolution.
• The Royal Move, Decisive Response To Crisis Nepal, which had been at the forefront in promoting peace and goodwill under the UN auspices, had itself been bleeding painfully under the dual impact of bad governance and a terrorist onslaught at the same time. Political parties were unable to govern effectively as their leaders were mainly focused on fulfilling their own selfish and myopic interests..... the Maoist terrorist onslaught can be halted by security forces only with the King at the helm. The decade long Maoist insurrection is the result of bad governance on the part of the leaders of political parties who had been democratically elected .... Failure of democracy in Nepal, as in other developing countries, poses a challenge for which political science as an academic discipline does not offer any easy solution...... Rousseau, the celebrated political scientist, that representatives ceased to represent the interests of the people no sooner than they were elected ..... problem worsens in the absence of internal democracy and discipline in the operation of political parties .... The very institution of political parties created the need for funding them. Money was required to organize and operate political parties. Naturally enough, only those who could garner the money would manage to acquire leadership positions. And since only those who were in leadership positions could amass money, there was a never-ending battle for leadership, occasionally leading to formal splits...... People appear to have overwhelmingly supported the Royal move. Public display of joy and jubilation has taken place throughout the nation. Rallies and processions have been held to mark the occasion..... Concern for democracy was natural but a specific call for mandatory participation of political parties, which stand discredited and isolated, may not be the best course at this difficult juncture..... As an immediate neighbor providing military assistance of a lethal kind to the Royal Nepal Army, it is after all India which stands to gain most from a halt to the Maoist insurrection.... King Gyanendra, who has repeatedly reaffirmed his commitment to restore democracy at the earliest possible date, and has staked his all by volunteering to assume direct control of the government above and beyond the call of duty as a constitutional monarch. He has assumed for himself the political responsibility not envisaged in the constitution which had been drafted with an alien theme of a negative kind as its raison d’etre: ‘The king can do no wrong’. But by acting as he has, he has proved himself faithful to the oath he was required to take when the crown was placed on his head, in accordance with the age-old Vedic rituals, to undertake whatever was necessary to uphold the dharma of maintaining law and order for the welfare of his beloved subjects, come what may.
• Female Soldiers And Feminism The historic decision by RNA, to induct women in the armed, non-technical positions including the military police, is a major victory for Nepalese women. In the 1960s, women were recruited in the health services of the Nepali military. Later in 1999, the legal service was opened to women. At present, the RNA's legal section has just four women officers...... The new regulations shows women are no longer viewed as primarily "nurturing" or "emotional" creatures, but are judged on their individual qualities..... The hundreds of women queuing at the army headquarters to apply for different vacancies shows the decision will smash the traditional thinking that women are fit only for household chores...... Female soldiers have existed in most parts of the world and at most times.... Even women's sexuality is treated as dangerous and threatening..... The most immediately involved, they pay the price of war and the absence of peace..... Nepalese feminist should determine that the ultimate goal of the peace is a final status agreement and an end to the Maoists conflict...... Women and their dependent children are approximately 75% of those displaced and have suffered severe consequences to their health, nutrition, education and well-being.....
  
• US quietly put off military training in Nepal The US quietly put off a military training session for Nepal's army that was originally scheduled to take place last month..... following a tacit understanding with Britain and India that none of the trio would aid the RNA till King Gyanendra rolled back his royal coup..... training involves intelligence, psychological operations and special operations to help the RNA combat Maoist insurgents..... the communist insurgency, which the US considers a greater peril... freeing all detainees, lifting emergency, restoring civil liberties and allowing the media full freedom, and initiating dialogue with political parties.....
  
• Nepal King's aide slams Indian Ambassador, seeks his ouster Accusing Indian Ambassador to Nepal Shiv Shankar Mukherjee of "instigating politicians" against the monarchy, an aide of King Gyanendra has demanded his expulsion from the kingdom...... Bharat Keshar Singh, Honorary aide-de-camp to the King, in an interview to a vernacular weekly 'Janadharana' charged Mukherjee with trying to rally politicians against Gyanendra .... The Indian Ambassador "has no right to gather political leaders," Singh, who is also the President of the World Hindu Federation, said accusing the diplomat of trying to create disaffection towards the King...... Singh said there are media reports that Mukherjee hosted a dinner party for various political leaders and allegedly offered his help to fight against the King..... If the reports are true then he should be expelled from the country
• Expel Indian envoy, says Nepal King's aide Times of India, India
  
• China brings Nepal friendship, not arms Asia Times Online, Hong Kong Already the rebels have burnt seven trucks on a key highway, disrupting traffic ..... an RNA officer said security contingents had escorted 800 vehicles to and from Kathmandu ..... a 11-day blockade. According to analysts, any longer strike would have seen the hard pressed RNA struggling to control the highways because of low ammunition stocks..... the military has only enough bullets and other ordinance to last for about four months. That probably is just enough to foil the blockade, but clearly inadequate to hold the Maoists down for long..... the Chinese foreign minister left on April 1 without any promises of weapons assistance. In fact, the issue did not even figure in bilateral talks..... despite the diplomatic niceties surrounding the visit, the Chinese appear to have dashed the hopes of Nepal's royal regime...... the royal regime had hyped up media speculation that China would be providing military assistance ..... The US, which has supplied 20,000 M-16 rifles to the RNA, also refrained from providing fresh assistance..... Just before the Chinese visit, former RNA chief of staff General Satchit Shumsher Rana said, "We should seek and accept military assistance from the Chinese." And RNA generals leaked a report to a local newspaper saying that China had agreed to provide assistance to set up an ammunitions factory to manufacture bullets for the Indian and US-made rifles ...... "The regime seems to be caught in its own hype. Zhaoxing's refusal to talk about military assistance indicates that China will not risk its international standing by militarily supporting a regime that many other powerful countries have shooed off" ..... "Providing military assistance at this time would have indicated that China will have its own policy in South Asia, and that could have antagonized India to a great extent. China does not want any new antagonism. It wants peace on its borders so it can pursue economic progress." ..... If the RNA can't get new weapons, it will either make it easier for the Maoists to win or turn the RNA inwards, resulting in more brutality and human rights abuses.
• Call Issued to Defy Rebel-Led Strike Scotsman the Department of Transport Management in a statement ordered all public bus and truck drivers to return to the roads, saying it would revoke their road permits and driving licenses if they failed to comply. .... many businesses in Kathmandu and other major towns remained closed because of the strike. Food prices have skyrocketed because the strike has strangled the flow of supplies of fruits and vegetables......
  
• Nepal wooing expectant mothers to hospitals:- Webindia123, India 4,500 women die each year in the Himalayan kingdom due to pregnancy-related complications .... Women will be given $7, $14 and $21 respectively in the terai, hilly and Himalayan regions of the country to encourage them to go to the health centres or hospitals for childbirth..... 90 percent Nepali women give birth at home
• Six Israelis rescued from Maoists controlled area in Nepal Hindustan Times, India Six deaf-mute Israelis were rescued by a helicopter from a Maoist rebels controlled area in Nepal ..... Israeli insurance company, Clal, sponsored the helicopter at the request of Israeli Counsel in Nepal...... "Nothing happened to the tourists, but they were in a very unpleasant situation.