Awareness campaign on constituent assembly [ 2007-4-16 ]
By A Staff Reporter
http://www.gorkhapatra.org.np/content.php?nid=16726
SYANGJA, April 15: With the aim of spreading awareness about the Constitution Assembly and the new constitution to be formed, and peace and goodwill the National Forum for Advocacy, Nepal (NFAN) has started its campaign from Galyang of Syangja district on Thursday.
The organisers said awareness about the constituent assembly is needed more in the villages than in the cities. They said that they would be organising similar programmes in other programmes. During the programme, the organisers furnished answers to the queries of the local people about what constituent assembly means and what it does.
There were about 15 speakers all of whom emphasised that the constituent assembly elections must be for national integrity and independence. They underscored that people's power through peaceful participation in politics and weapons and conflict would solve the problem of a country.
Among the speakers, Prof. Dr. Shanta Thapaliya, president of NFAN, said people still did not have a clear concept about constituent assembly and the interaction programme would help them to understand and participate in the elections with that understanding.
She said a new constitution was needed for the country to include representatives of all castes, women, ethnic community, disabled and all people in the society. She said the previous constitutions had failed because they did not have representations of all sections of the society.
Central member of CPN-UML and chairman of Pairabi Manch, Keshav Badal the constitution should made for the rights of the people and for the protection of the rights of the people on the natural resources. "Development is not possible if people are devoid of their rights," he said.
He said that there should be equitable and rightful participation of people in every sector and for that people should be made aware about their rights.
The programme was organised by NFAN with the support of Butwal Power Company, Andhi Khola Water Users' Association (AKWUA) and Galyang Business Management Committee.
Friday, April 13, 2007
NGO team finds high level of fear, violence in Nepal
Published: Wednesday, 18 April, 2007, 08:32 AM Doha Time
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=144256&version=1&template_id=44&parent_id=24
KATHMANDU: Almost a year after Nepal’s Maoists signed a peace pact with the government signifying a formal end to a decade of violence, an NGO founded by former US president Jimmy Carter has reported “unacceptable levels of continued fear, intimidation and physical violence” in the Himalayan nation.
Carter Center, started by Carter and his wife Rosalynn 25 years ago, had been formally invited by the government of Nepal to observe the historic constituent assembly election scheduled to be held on June 20, before Nepal’s election commission ruled it out as impossible.
After visiting 50 of Nepal’s 75 districts, the Carter Center’s team reported “unacceptable levels of continued fear, intimidation and physical violence” and “disruptive activities” in the Terai plains in the south that were likely to prevent a credible election.
The mission said election officials were locking themselves in their offices out of fear.
It also said there was widespread concern in the villages that local Maoist guerrillas were continuing abductions, illegal detention, extortion and threats to resume arms.
According to the report, people believed that the Maoists still retained arms in spite of signing an arms accord with the UN and the seven-party alliance to lock up weapons.
“Despite agreements at the central level by all parties to ensure that intimidation, extortion, and harassment cease, and that all seized properties are returned, these commitments are yet to be fully implemented and violations are not consistently condemned and redressed when they occur,” the mission report said.
Besides asking the new eight-party government of Nepal, that also includes the Maoist guerrillas, to improve the “poor” law and order situation, the Center said all political parties, regardless of their ideology, should be allowed to move and campaign freely in Nepal.
This is a tacit reference to the Maoists preventing royalist parties from campaigning in favour of monarchy as well as clashes in the Terai plains between the rebels and ethnic groups.
It is also asking Nepal to speed up formulating the laws essential for holding the election, to take extra care to include previously underrepresented groups and to ensure a credible voter register.
Though Nepal’s tough chief election commissioner Bhojraj Pokhrel came in for sharp criticism from the Maoists last week for saying it would be impossible to hold the election on June 20, the US organisation said the delay would generate uncertainty but “a flawed electoral process could also undermine the peace process”.
Despite the end of the Maoist insurgency and overthrow of king’s 15-month regime, Nepal is yet to see lasting peace.
Threats by the rebels to start a new revolt, coupled with fresh protests in the southern plains by armed groups, have cast a cloud on the peace process.
A make or break development is expected this week after the eight-party government reaches a decision on the deferred election.
The Maoists say they are ready to defer the election provided Nepal is declared a republic through a parliamentary proclamation. The other option they are willing to consider is holding a referendum that would be easier and faster than the constituent assembly election.
Both the referendum and election will put Nepal’s 238-year monarchy to vote.
The Maoists, who began an armed war in 1996 to overthrow monarchy hold the royal family, especially the current King Gyanendra, responsible for the plight of the country, and attribute the new unrest in the plains to monarchists, accusing them of trying to sabotage the election. – IANS
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=144256&version=1&template_id=44&parent_id=24
KATHMANDU: Almost a year after Nepal’s Maoists signed a peace pact with the government signifying a formal end to a decade of violence, an NGO founded by former US president Jimmy Carter has reported “unacceptable levels of continued fear, intimidation and physical violence” in the Himalayan nation.
Carter Center, started by Carter and his wife Rosalynn 25 years ago, had been formally invited by the government of Nepal to observe the historic constituent assembly election scheduled to be held on June 20, before Nepal’s election commission ruled it out as impossible.
After visiting 50 of Nepal’s 75 districts, the Carter Center’s team reported “unacceptable levels of continued fear, intimidation and physical violence” and “disruptive activities” in the Terai plains in the south that were likely to prevent a credible election.
The mission said election officials were locking themselves in their offices out of fear.
It also said there was widespread concern in the villages that local Maoist guerrillas were continuing abductions, illegal detention, extortion and threats to resume arms.
According to the report, people believed that the Maoists still retained arms in spite of signing an arms accord with the UN and the seven-party alliance to lock up weapons.
“Despite agreements at the central level by all parties to ensure that intimidation, extortion, and harassment cease, and that all seized properties are returned, these commitments are yet to be fully implemented and violations are not consistently condemned and redressed when they occur,” the mission report said.
Besides asking the new eight-party government of Nepal, that also includes the Maoist guerrillas, to improve the “poor” law and order situation, the Center said all political parties, regardless of their ideology, should be allowed to move and campaign freely in Nepal.
This is a tacit reference to the Maoists preventing royalist parties from campaigning in favour of monarchy as well as clashes in the Terai plains between the rebels and ethnic groups.
It is also asking Nepal to speed up formulating the laws essential for holding the election, to take extra care to include previously underrepresented groups and to ensure a credible voter register.
Though Nepal’s tough chief election commissioner Bhojraj Pokhrel came in for sharp criticism from the Maoists last week for saying it would be impossible to hold the election on June 20, the US organisation said the delay would generate uncertainty but “a flawed electoral process could also undermine the peace process”.
Despite the end of the Maoist insurgency and overthrow of king’s 15-month regime, Nepal is yet to see lasting peace.
Threats by the rebels to start a new revolt, coupled with fresh protests in the southern plains by armed groups, have cast a cloud on the peace process.
A make or break development is expected this week after the eight-party government reaches a decision on the deferred election.
The Maoists say they are ready to defer the election provided Nepal is declared a republic through a parliamentary proclamation. The other option they are willing to consider is holding a referendum that would be easier and faster than the constituent assembly election.
Both the referendum and election will put Nepal’s 238-year monarchy to vote.
The Maoists, who began an armed war in 1996 to overthrow monarchy hold the royal family, especially the current King Gyanendra, responsible for the plight of the country, and attribute the new unrest in the plains to monarchists, accusing them of trying to sabotage the election. – IANS
SOUTH ASIA: PAKISTAN EYES LARGER SHARE OF TRADE
http://www.adnki.com/index_2Level_English.php?cat=Politics&loid=8.0.404480844&par=0
Islamabad, 13 April (AKI) - (Syed Saleem Shahzad) - Pakistan is making an active bid to carve out a greater share of regional trade and prevent its arch-rival India from competing with it in southwest and central Asian markets. A delay in completing the Indian built Zaranj-Delaram highway in Afghanistan has boosted Pakistan's chances of success, by giving it crucial extra time to build up its infrastructure and penetrate the region's markets, well before India connects to central Asia via Iran. Afghanistan, is a key trade conduit and a new member of the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
Had the Zaranj-Delaram highway linking northern Afghanistan to Iran's ports been completed on schedule in 2006, India would have gained easy and direct access to Afghanistan and the whole of central Asia, dealing a severe blow to Pakistan’s trade strategy. This revolves around its 300 million dollar Gwadar deep sea water port, inaugurated last month and envisaged by Pakistan as the regional hub for trade and commerce in southwest and central Asia.
The Zaranj-Delaram highway project is now likely to be completed by December 2008, giving Pakistan crucial additional time to set up a transit trade mechanism with neighbouring countries especially China, Afghanistan and Central Asian states that would make Gwadar port an attractive proposition for regional markets.
To increase the freight facilities in the country, the prime minister Shaukat Aziz has initiated the National Trade Corridor Improvement Programme (NTCIP). This includes the introduction of freight trains and new trucks in the private sector and reconstruction of highways.
Aziz has also ordered an overhaul of the entire structure of the trucking system and a policy paper on country's road freight industry. He has signalled the country needs to transport more goods by rail.
Vast potential for increasing the volume of trade between the Central Asian States, Afghanistan and Pakistan exists in many sectors. And once Gawadar port is fully operational, experts predict it will open a major new trading window with China. The distance from the commercial centre of Kashgar in northwestern China to Chinese east coast ports is 3,500 km, whereas the distance from Kashgar to Gawadar is only 1,500 km.
Gawadar offers cost benefits to western China's imports and exports - also being eyed by Pakistan's growing freight industry. Poor roads and vehicles and a lack of rail cargo capacity are however the main obstacles to the smooth operation of the transit trade.
To replace the ageing trucks on Pakistan's roads, the government has also decided to allow the import of used articulated vehicles that are no more than five years old.
The government has also initiated a progamme to improve road facilities and has allocated 5.8 million dollars for the modernisation, repair and construction of Pakistan's ports, rail and roads sectors. It has also moved to build new warehousing facilities and overhaul existing customs, insurance and banking systems.
(Aki/Syed Saleem Shahzad
Islamabad, 13 April (AKI) - (Syed Saleem Shahzad) - Pakistan is making an active bid to carve out a greater share of regional trade and prevent its arch-rival India from competing with it in southwest and central Asian markets. A delay in completing the Indian built Zaranj-Delaram highway in Afghanistan has boosted Pakistan's chances of success, by giving it crucial extra time to build up its infrastructure and penetrate the region's markets, well before India connects to central Asia via Iran. Afghanistan, is a key trade conduit and a new member of the South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
Had the Zaranj-Delaram highway linking northern Afghanistan to Iran's ports been completed on schedule in 2006, India would have gained easy and direct access to Afghanistan and the whole of central Asia, dealing a severe blow to Pakistan’s trade strategy. This revolves around its 300 million dollar Gwadar deep sea water port, inaugurated last month and envisaged by Pakistan as the regional hub for trade and commerce in southwest and central Asia.
The Zaranj-Delaram highway project is now likely to be completed by December 2008, giving Pakistan crucial additional time to set up a transit trade mechanism with neighbouring countries especially China, Afghanistan and Central Asian states that would make Gwadar port an attractive proposition for regional markets.
To increase the freight facilities in the country, the prime minister Shaukat Aziz has initiated the National Trade Corridor Improvement Programme (NTCIP). This includes the introduction of freight trains and new trucks in the private sector and reconstruction of highways.
Aziz has also ordered an overhaul of the entire structure of the trucking system and a policy paper on country's road freight industry. He has signalled the country needs to transport more goods by rail.
Vast potential for increasing the volume of trade between the Central Asian States, Afghanistan and Pakistan exists in many sectors. And once Gawadar port is fully operational, experts predict it will open a major new trading window with China. The distance from the commercial centre of Kashgar in northwestern China to Chinese east coast ports is 3,500 km, whereas the distance from Kashgar to Gawadar is only 1,500 km.
Gawadar offers cost benefits to western China's imports and exports - also being eyed by Pakistan's growing freight industry. Poor roads and vehicles and a lack of rail cargo capacity are however the main obstacles to the smooth operation of the transit trade.
To replace the ageing trucks on Pakistan's roads, the government has also decided to allow the import of used articulated vehicles that are no more than five years old.
The government has also initiated a progamme to improve road facilities and has allocated 5.8 million dollars for the modernisation, repair and construction of Pakistan's ports, rail and roads sectors. It has also moved to build new warehousing facilities and overhaul existing customs, insurance and banking systems.
(Aki/Syed Saleem Shahzad
CA date debacle fallout: Deuba welcomes; UML blames govt; Maoists want republic
http://www.nepalnews.com.np/archive/2007/apr/apr14/news07.php
The letter bomb by the Election Commission (EC) stating its inability to hold the Constituent Assembly (CA) elections within mid-June is continuing to rock the eight party establishment.
Sher Bahadur Deuba, president of Nepali Congress (Democratic), has welcomed the postponement of the polls. He has said that the fearless atmosphere was yet to be created to ensure free and fair elections. He said it would not matter if the election is rescheduled to appropriate time.
The Standing Committee meeting of the Unified Marxist Leninist (UML), however, has concluded that the inefficiency of the government, particularly the Prime Minister as the chief executive, is to blame for the delay in the polls. The UML has also said that other political parties, including the UML, should also share blame for the situation. It has concluded that more analysis needs to be done to reach to new decision now.
The Central Committee meeting of the Maoists is still continuing. On Saturday, the committee met since morning and is expected to resume in the afternoon after short recess at its central secretariat office premises in Buddhanagar. Reports say majority of Maoist leaders have advised that the parliament should now declare republic if there is no possibility of holding the CA polls on time. The party leaders have also said that they smell conspiracy in the delaying of the polls.
The political parties are engaged in internal consultations on Saturday ahead of crucial meeting of eight party leaders scheduled for Sunday, which is expected to make a decision about the EC's call for announcement of appropriate date for elections. nepalnews.com sd Apr 14 07
The letter bomb by the Election Commission (EC) stating its inability to hold the Constituent Assembly (CA) elections within mid-June is continuing to rock the eight party establishment.
Sher Bahadur Deuba, president of Nepali Congress (Democratic), has welcomed the postponement of the polls. He has said that the fearless atmosphere was yet to be created to ensure free and fair elections. He said it would not matter if the election is rescheduled to appropriate time.
The Standing Committee meeting of the Unified Marxist Leninist (UML), however, has concluded that the inefficiency of the government, particularly the Prime Minister as the chief executive, is to blame for the delay in the polls. The UML has also said that other political parties, including the UML, should also share blame for the situation. It has concluded that more analysis needs to be done to reach to new decision now.
The Central Committee meeting of the Maoists is still continuing. On Saturday, the committee met since morning and is expected to resume in the afternoon after short recess at its central secretariat office premises in Buddhanagar. Reports say majority of Maoist leaders have advised that the parliament should now declare republic if there is no possibility of holding the CA polls on time. The party leaders have also said that they smell conspiracy in the delaying of the polls.
The political parties are engaged in internal consultations on Saturday ahead of crucial meeting of eight party leaders scheduled for Sunday, which is expected to make a decision about the EC's call for announcement of appropriate date for elections. nepalnews.com sd Apr 14 07
Farcical Constitutional Assembly Eelections
Gorkhali Nepal
April 12, 2007
BY SHASHI MALLA
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=24160
The attempt to hold elections to the ‘Constituent Assembly’ (CA) on June 20 of this year is taking on ridiculous and senseless forms. And even the discussion on the pros and cons of the CA at this point in time remain largely restricted to the leaders of the political parties and their supporting media persons. No person in his right mind can support the elections with the country’s disjointed political state in the present situation.
First, the time frame is too ambitious. The Election Commission (EC) is in no position to guarantee a proper functioning of the election process. Preparations have started too late. Voters’ lists have not been completed
An early onset of the monsoons would cause havoc with the modalities of the elections. The Chief Election Commissioner, Bhoj Raj Pokharel has already claimed that by announcing the date for elections in a hurry, Nepal has already lost its credibility in the international arena.
Second, it is most doubtful whether the elections can be ‘free and fair’. The Maoists have joined the government, but it seems that they have taken this as a right to continue doing what they have been doing all these years, namely extortion and intimidation. Their latest ‘democratic’ action has been to capture the office of the Kavre village development committee, bordering just west of the Kathmandu Valley.
Even their partners in the government have roundly condemned them for their recent atrocities in Kalikot district in West Nepal. Since the Maoist minister for Information and Communications, Krishna Bahadur Mahara has been appointed the government spokesman, we can expect a Himalayan-level of ‘doubles-speak’ in the future. The Maoist supreme Prachanda has already made the delphic statement that they will continue the ‘People’s War strategy’ via "other means".
Third, the EC and the government have yet to invite a fair number of international observers to monitor the CA-elections. There have to be enough observers to be spread around the whole country. A few well-meaning observers from the Carter Centre in America won’t do. There must be monitors from the United Nations, the European Community, neighbouring countries and the major stake-holders.Fourth, there is a big question mark regarding the security situation in various parts of the country. The law and order situation has not improved and remains tense as it was before the formation of the ‘interim government’. Depending only on the police will be disastrous. Employing the Maoist militias would be outright catastrophic and an internal deployment of the Nepalese Army seems impractical — it seems unlikely that the Maoists would allow the Army to deploy into areas they consider ‘liberated’.Fifth, the CA-elections must be held simultaneously in all parts of the country and not in a staggered manner to avoid distortion of the results. At the present juncture, it is not even sure that these can be held in the southern parts of the country. Sixth, and this is the most telling argument against holding CA-elections, the rationale for holding these now is seriously questionable. Most importantly, the overwhelming majority of the Nepalese people, including our political leaders, are totally unaware of the significance of the CA! This is a momentous point in our nation’s history, but we are oblivious of the decision-making process and the issues involved. The very peoples’ tribunes who are clamouring for the CA-elections on June 20 –lead by Girija Prasad Koirala of the Nepali Congress (NC), Pushpa Kamal Dahal, aka ‘Prachanda’ of the Maoists and Madhav Kumar Nepal of the United Marxists-Leninists (UML)—are keeping the people in the dark on all aspects of the elections. It is not even clear what mandate the constituent assembly to be elected will have.
If—as seems to be the case -- the political leaders and parties in power want to perpetuate their hold on power, then they will not be interested in a constituent assembly which is empowered to overturn the status quo. Even before the outcome of the CA-elections, they have been attempting to preempt the structure of the future state.The political establishment speaks with various tongues. Whereas, PM Koirala insists that the CA-elections can be held on time if the parties work unitedly, his own daughter, chief adviser and political strategist, Sujata Koirala has gone on record to state that because of the myriad problems, it would not “be wise” to hold elections “amid confusion and dissatisfaction”. However, the sooner the elections are held, the more likely the re-election of the current government.
It seems, therefore, that the government is caught between securing its re-election and the impracticability to complete the vote preparation in the remaining time window. If Koirala is going to be candidate, from which constituency will he hold forth? It will be difficult for any Parbate to stand in the Terai and above all to win. UML-boss, M.K. Nepal has poured oil on troubled waters by accusing Koirala and the NC of hatching conspiracies in conjunction with Royalists and domestic and international regressive forces to derail the election process with the aim is to prevent the Leftists (UML and Maoists?) from achieving a majority in the CA.What should have been crystal clear considering the antics of the present government, has now been –belatedly —recognized by the UN and a section of the international community.
The UN-Secretary General’s personal representative, Ian Martin has now informed Koirala through his foreign affairs advisor, as well as Maoist Chairman Prachanda and UML-general secretary Nepal directly, that the CA-polls were not “technically and politically feasible” at the present juncture. Martin is supposed to have raised the issues of the Terai and other ethnic groups. What he left unsaid was the fact that the management of Maoist arms, as well as, the so-called verification process of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and militias are total farce. What can the common man do to foil the selfish personal and party interests of the current government leaders? In a colossal joke, Koirala announced last Sunday that ministers indulging in “financial irregularities or corruption” would be sacked. In this atmosphere of great confusion and decadence, voices of reason are few and far between. No leader of stature has emerged to defend the nation’s vital interests.
However, as the Romans said, ‘everyman is the architect of his own destiny’. Passive resistance is the answer, not armed force. With proper planning and recruitment, the current care-taker government can be brought to its knees by judicious tactics and strategy of civil disobedience with the objective to install a government of national unity and reconciliation which will prepare CA-election in a realistic time-frame.
(Source:People's news)
April 12, 2007
BY SHASHI MALLA
http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/viewArticle.asp?articleID=24160
The attempt to hold elections to the ‘Constituent Assembly’ (CA) on June 20 of this year is taking on ridiculous and senseless forms. And even the discussion on the pros and cons of the CA at this point in time remain largely restricted to the leaders of the political parties and their supporting media persons. No person in his right mind can support the elections with the country’s disjointed political state in the present situation.
First, the time frame is too ambitious. The Election Commission (EC) is in no position to guarantee a proper functioning of the election process. Preparations have started too late. Voters’ lists have not been completed
An early onset of the monsoons would cause havoc with the modalities of the elections. The Chief Election Commissioner, Bhoj Raj Pokharel has already claimed that by announcing the date for elections in a hurry, Nepal has already lost its credibility in the international arena.
Second, it is most doubtful whether the elections can be ‘free and fair’. The Maoists have joined the government, but it seems that they have taken this as a right to continue doing what they have been doing all these years, namely extortion and intimidation. Their latest ‘democratic’ action has been to capture the office of the Kavre village development committee, bordering just west of the Kathmandu Valley.
Even their partners in the government have roundly condemned them for their recent atrocities in Kalikot district in West Nepal. Since the Maoist minister for Information and Communications, Krishna Bahadur Mahara has been appointed the government spokesman, we can expect a Himalayan-level of ‘doubles-speak’ in the future. The Maoist supreme Prachanda has already made the delphic statement that they will continue the ‘People’s War strategy’ via "other means".
Third, the EC and the government have yet to invite a fair number of international observers to monitor the CA-elections. There have to be enough observers to be spread around the whole country. A few well-meaning observers from the Carter Centre in America won’t do. There must be monitors from the United Nations, the European Community, neighbouring countries and the major stake-holders.Fourth, there is a big question mark regarding the security situation in various parts of the country. The law and order situation has not improved and remains tense as it was before the formation of the ‘interim government’. Depending only on the police will be disastrous. Employing the Maoist militias would be outright catastrophic and an internal deployment of the Nepalese Army seems impractical — it seems unlikely that the Maoists would allow the Army to deploy into areas they consider ‘liberated’.Fifth, the CA-elections must be held simultaneously in all parts of the country and not in a staggered manner to avoid distortion of the results. At the present juncture, it is not even sure that these can be held in the southern parts of the country. Sixth, and this is the most telling argument against holding CA-elections, the rationale for holding these now is seriously questionable. Most importantly, the overwhelming majority of the Nepalese people, including our political leaders, are totally unaware of the significance of the CA! This is a momentous point in our nation’s history, but we are oblivious of the decision-making process and the issues involved. The very peoples’ tribunes who are clamouring for the CA-elections on June 20 –lead by Girija Prasad Koirala of the Nepali Congress (NC), Pushpa Kamal Dahal, aka ‘Prachanda’ of the Maoists and Madhav Kumar Nepal of the United Marxists-Leninists (UML)—are keeping the people in the dark on all aspects of the elections. It is not even clear what mandate the constituent assembly to be elected will have.
If—as seems to be the case -- the political leaders and parties in power want to perpetuate their hold on power, then they will not be interested in a constituent assembly which is empowered to overturn the status quo. Even before the outcome of the CA-elections, they have been attempting to preempt the structure of the future state.The political establishment speaks with various tongues. Whereas, PM Koirala insists that the CA-elections can be held on time if the parties work unitedly, his own daughter, chief adviser and political strategist, Sujata Koirala has gone on record to state that because of the myriad problems, it would not “be wise” to hold elections “amid confusion and dissatisfaction”. However, the sooner the elections are held, the more likely the re-election of the current government.
It seems, therefore, that the government is caught between securing its re-election and the impracticability to complete the vote preparation in the remaining time window. If Koirala is going to be candidate, from which constituency will he hold forth? It will be difficult for any Parbate to stand in the Terai and above all to win. UML-boss, M.K. Nepal has poured oil on troubled waters by accusing Koirala and the NC of hatching conspiracies in conjunction with Royalists and domestic and international regressive forces to derail the election process with the aim is to prevent the Leftists (UML and Maoists?) from achieving a majority in the CA.What should have been crystal clear considering the antics of the present government, has now been –belatedly —recognized by the UN and a section of the international community.
The UN-Secretary General’s personal representative, Ian Martin has now informed Koirala through his foreign affairs advisor, as well as Maoist Chairman Prachanda and UML-general secretary Nepal directly, that the CA-polls were not “technically and politically feasible” at the present juncture. Martin is supposed to have raised the issues of the Terai and other ethnic groups. What he left unsaid was the fact that the management of Maoist arms, as well as, the so-called verification process of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and militias are total farce. What can the common man do to foil the selfish personal and party interests of the current government leaders? In a colossal joke, Koirala announced last Sunday that ministers indulging in “financial irregularities or corruption” would be sacked. In this atmosphere of great confusion and decadence, voices of reason are few and far between. No leader of stature has emerged to defend the nation’s vital interests.
However, as the Romans said, ‘everyman is the architect of his own destiny’. Passive resistance is the answer, not armed force. With proper planning and recruitment, the current care-taker government can be brought to its knees by judicious tactics and strategy of civil disobedience with the objective to install a government of national unity and reconciliation which will prepare CA-election in a realistic time-frame.
(Source:People's news)
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