After The Peace DealFocus On CA Polls
Yuba Nath Lamsal
AFTER the historic peace deal reached between the seven party alliance and the Maoists, the road for lasting peace has been cleared, which has been dubbed as a victory of the people. The people are in a jubilant mood and are celebrating the November 8 historic peace accord.New ChapterWith the historic peace accord, a new chapter has been added to our political history. The political actors, arch foes until a few months ago, have ended their mutual hostility and animosity and joined hands to institutionalize democracy, protect people's rights, and rebuild the nation. It is, indeed, victory of the people as it has set in motion the long-desired peace, stability and democracy. Setting aside the partisan interests and bitter bickering for power and credit, our politicians, coming to this point of history, have demonstrated a prudent political culture for the cause of nation for which they, definitely, deserve applaud and commendation. They have agreed to leave the contentious issues to the constituent assembly, the elections of which are to be held by June next year. More than that the octogenarian Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, despite his age and fragile health, continued to inspire the people to keep the flame of democratic movement alive that brought about democratic change in the country. Koirala demonstrated the ability of a seasoned politician and great leader to bring together all political forces of different ideologies into the democratic agenda. As a result, Koirala has emerged as a towering and successful political personality in the modern political history of Nepal. In practical politics, he has left far behind even his own brother and political mentor BP Koirala, let alone Ganesh Man Singh and Krishna Prasad Bhattarai. Now, Koirala is the hope for all political forces. The Monarchists are pinning their hope on Koirala, as he has spoken of providing space for the king. The Maoists also want his leadership under which they can transform from guerrilla fighters into political actors. As they are yet to be recognized and accepted by the international community for their role over the last one decade, they seek legitimacy and political recognition with support from Koirala, who commands wide support and respect from the international community and others. Similarly, the CPN-UML, despite its moderate policies and participation in the multi-party democracy for the past 15 years, is still not confident on its own strength and wants Koirala's leadership in the government until the election to the constituent assembly is held and peace is institutionalised. Koirala has, thus, been a unifying force in the country in the present political context. But Koirala's faces even greater and more formidable challenges ahead as he has the responsibility of keeping his promises and meeting the aspirations of the people and political forces. The Maoists, who had been waging an armed insurgency, have finally come to realize that they are not going to win the battle through violence. In the present era of democracy, human rights and open society, peaceful and competitive politics based on the pluralist system is the only alternative. More importantly, the Maoists have agreed to join the democratic mainstream, which is yet another achievement for the nation in general, and democratic forces in particular. The Maoists have realized what the CPN-UML did 15 years ago. The CPN-UML also raised arms in the name of 'Jhapa Movement' in which some people were brutally killed in the name of 'annihilation of feudal landlords and class enemies'. This strategy failed to work and CPN-UML had to join the peaceful and competitive politics in the name of 'People's Multi-party Party Democracy"propounded by late leader Madan Bhandari. Now the Maoists have leapt forward from the 'Prachanda Path to the democracy of 21st century', which, in a sense, is not different from the Westminster type of parliamentary system. Right from the beginning, different communist parties were born, reorganized, restructured, split and merged. History is witness that a communist party begins with the radical slogans and radical programmes like the ones of CPN-UML in the name of 'Jhapa Movement' and the armed insurgency of the Maoists. In course of time, these parties have changed their political programmes and adopted the multi-party parliamentary system. This is the history of Nepal's communist movement and the Maoists are the latest example. The peace agreement in which the Maoists have agreed to lay down arms and join the peaceful politics is good for the nation. In the present international situation, armed revolution and establishment of the 'dictatorship of the proletariats' is not possible. The multi-party democracy with periodic elections is the best option, which the Maoists seem to have realized.
AFTER the historic peace deal reached between the seven party alliance and the Maoists, the road for lasting peace has been cleared, which has been dubbed as a victory of the people. The people are in a jubilant mood and are celebrating the November 8 historic peace accord.New ChapterWith the historic peace accord, a new chapter has been added to our political history. The political actors, arch foes until a few months ago, have ended their mutual hostility and animosity and joined hands to institutionalize democracy, protect people's rights, and rebuild the nation. It is, indeed, victory of the people as it has set in motion the long-desired peace, stability and democracy. Setting aside the partisan interests and bitter bickering for power and credit, our politicians, coming to this point of history, have demonstrated a prudent political culture for the cause of nation for which they, definitely, deserve applaud and commendation. They have agreed to leave the contentious issues to the constituent assembly, the elections of which are to be held by June next year. More than that the octogenarian Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, despite his age and fragile health, continued to inspire the people to keep the flame of democratic movement alive that brought about democratic change in the country. Koirala demonstrated the ability of a seasoned politician and great leader to bring together all political forces of different ideologies into the democratic agenda. As a result, Koirala has emerged as a towering and successful political personality in the modern political history of Nepal. In practical politics, he has left far behind even his own brother and political mentor BP Koirala, let alone Ganesh Man Singh and Krishna Prasad Bhattarai. Now, Koirala is the hope for all political forces. The Monarchists are pinning their hope on Koirala, as he has spoken of providing space for the king. The Maoists also want his leadership under which they can transform from guerrilla fighters into political actors. As they are yet to be recognized and accepted by the international community for their role over the last one decade, they seek legitimacy and political recognition with support from Koirala, who commands wide support and respect from the international community and others. Similarly, the CPN-UML, despite its moderate policies and participation in the multi-party democracy for the past 15 years, is still not confident on its own strength and wants Koirala's leadership in the government until the election to the constituent assembly is held and peace is institutionalised. Koirala has, thus, been a unifying force in the country in the present political context. But Koirala's faces even greater and more formidable challenges ahead as he has the responsibility of keeping his promises and meeting the aspirations of the people and political forces. The Maoists, who had been waging an armed insurgency, have finally come to realize that they are not going to win the battle through violence. In the present era of democracy, human rights and open society, peaceful and competitive politics based on the pluralist system is the only alternative. More importantly, the Maoists have agreed to join the democratic mainstream, which is yet another achievement for the nation in general, and democratic forces in particular. The Maoists have realized what the CPN-UML did 15 years ago. The CPN-UML also raised arms in the name of 'Jhapa Movement' in which some people were brutally killed in the name of 'annihilation of feudal landlords and class enemies'. This strategy failed to work and CPN-UML had to join the peaceful and competitive politics in the name of 'People's Multi-party Party Democracy"propounded by late leader Madan Bhandari. Now the Maoists have leapt forward from the 'Prachanda Path to the democracy of 21st century', which, in a sense, is not different from the Westminster type of parliamentary system. Right from the beginning, different communist parties were born, reorganized, restructured, split and merged. History is witness that a communist party begins with the radical slogans and radical programmes like the ones of CPN-UML in the name of 'Jhapa Movement' and the armed insurgency of the Maoists. In course of time, these parties have changed their political programmes and adopted the multi-party parliamentary system. This is the history of Nepal's communist movement and the Maoists are the latest example. The peace agreement in which the Maoists have agreed to lay down arms and join the peaceful politics is good for the nation. In the present international situation, armed revolution and establishment of the 'dictatorship of the proletariats' is not possible. The multi-party democracy with periodic elections is the best option, which the Maoists seem to have realized.
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