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Nepal: South Asia's Worst Managed Country

Bhuwan Thapaliya - 10/15/2005

Nepal is probably the worst managed country in the whole of South Asia in terms of having to deal with the ever-changing political environment. It’s very much a politics-driven nation. But when you have a social disturbance of the magnitude that has occurred in Nepal, it is virtually impossible to maintain sound political beliefs. That’s because the political players of Nepal are not focused on the main agenda. They say a little bit of everything and end up doing the things they don’t know anything about.

For months now, political life in Nepal has been ruled, and distorted, by two major issues: first issue is the accusation against the King Gyanendra’s Feb 1st royal move by the political parties and the second issue is the accusation against the Political Parties imbecility to establish law and order and hyper corruption prior the Feb 1st by the Royalists camp.

This had made Nepal a political laboratory. And in the midst of this all we are compelled to ask-Will the air that the Nepalese breathe ever improve? The pessimism is because the whole world knows, what the real problem in Nepal is. There is a certain political problem between the king, maoists and the political parties, wich have resulted in the present impasse. Yet despise knowing the problem, no force has been able to find the solution.

The monarchy controls, crucially the security forces, but due to its undemocratic moves, it has estranged democratic forces and prompted republicanism. Popular support for the monarchy is declining. Political activists have already been joined on the streets by other protestors, and the mainstream political parties concurrence will certainly grow.

On the other hand, The Maoists control much of the countryside but have failed to win popular support. The shocking brutality of the Maoist campaign has brought both the national and international condemnation upon the Maoist rebels. Nevertheless, after the latest ceasefire, the Maoists are distancing themselves from the extreme violence of the past years, but terror remains central to the rebel movement’s Maoist ideology.

Meanwhile on the flip side, mainstream parties have lost their legitimacy and are rebuilding their consensus with the people and in the meantime are treading a careful line between two armed forces hostile to democracy. The mainstream parties will have to struggle to regain mass support in the streets but they are gaining momentum, slowly but steadily.

And to make the matter worse, the three forces of Nepal, continues to talk in different voices and keep on talking endlessly. Now, in the midst of this , most of the common Nepalis are wondering, when will they stop elaborating the problem and create a congenial climate for the reconcillation.

The strains have been showing for sometime now, but suddenly they seem too obvious to ignore. Nepal is entrapped in a terrible chaos and the whole world is raising the question on the monarchy.

Nevertheless, the King has made clear his desire to take Nepal back to the absolute monarchy of the Panchayat era, and there is no prospect of a stable balance of power between the king and the parties while the maoists insist on moving straight to a constitutional revision process.

On the other hand, King Gyanendra’s post Feb 1st authoritarian moves has failed. The royalists have had diminishing returns in their campaign, with their plans unable to penetrate the political parties, or hold strategic outposts against growing pressure from the Maoists cease-fire.

The shocking coldness of the royal regime to the Maoists ceasefire has brought international condemnation upon the royal regime, and increased support for the Nepalese mainstream political parties, particularly in the form of direct vocal condemnation of the royal coup.

Nevertheless, The royal troubles are of their own making. For months now, they have been driven by national and international wrangling. The eight months since the royal coup have seen security degenerate under a royal government with no plans for peace and democracy.

Now, there is a royal regime in Nepal. But, when king is running the government, how much of foreign investment did they get in, how much of corruption they brought down, how much of job oppurtunites they created, how much of political stability they cemented? What is the result. It’s true that at a criticial time they were able to find out a temporary solution. But if you look at the broader picture now, where are the promises of the royal regime?

Considering all these facts, one important questions will no doubt be asked - Will King Gyanendra step down? That is the question on everyone’s lips. The answer: chances are he won’t. But that has not stopped the speculation that the King will step down before its too late, to avoid an embarassing defeat. However, most seasoned observers rightly scoff at this scenario citing the royal coup as the national compulsion.

Many critics, however, have credited King Gyanendra for forcing the pace of political deployments, while endangering the future of the monarchy. The royal coup has acted as a catalyst for Maoist-parties dialogue. However, the king's actions since February 2005 have produced a political diversity, with political parties moving toward a more republican stance and the Maoists urging them to negotiate, after their latest truce.

Unfortunately, King Gyanendra's diplomatic refusal to go back on any of his contentious steps, amidst an innumerable diplomatic exit routes he is offered, and the legitimate parties suspicion of the king's dubious intentions and their willingness to abandon the monarchy make the situation in nepal more complex than it seems on the paper.

As terrible as the Nepal’s problem already is, it seems certain to get worse still. Social realities, however, cannot be ignored. Direct royal rule is not going to improve our standard in the 21st century. Had it been 18th or 19th centruy, then the story would have been different. Now, we need full fledged democracy and to demand it, is our right.

Now the great question arises. How will we get the full fledged democarcy? Considering King’s proven capacity for causing strife amongst the political parties and the maoists uncertainty.

Let us not forget that every political parties have some areas of differcences. But the relationship within the political leaders should not be based on individual equation of the leaders. It should be a political relationship. It should be a democratic relationship.It would be wonderful if our political parties consider this legitimate fact and move forward together and continue on the path to democracy.

Now at this hour of the crisis, What the nation needs is a consensus amongst the three forces of Nepal. Everyone talks about the peace. But who is actually doing something about it- neither the king nor the political parties. They are busy attacking each other and in the mean time - peace is drifting further and further away from our grasp. They see problems only and not the solutions. The latest political extravaganza teaches us to be violent. It doesn’t teach us to appreciate peace.

Last but not the least; let us keep in mind that Nepal is greater than its king, its political parities and the maoists. For all these reasons, it is time for King Gyanendra, political parties and the Maoists to join hands and move closer towards the reconciliation and stop Nepal from becoming a political laboratory.