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Opinion
Nepal: Raising Hopes of
Normalcy
by Col.
Rahul K. Bhonsle
The events in
Nepal in the past few months have been truly transforming. This
Himalayan nation has within the span of a few weeks transformed from the
world's only Hindu monarchy to a people’s republic and from insurgency
to democracy. This shift has been truly dramatic particularly when we
recount that in May the Maoists were being strafed by (Royal) Nepal
Army’s helicopters and today are sitting across the table with the
political hoi polloi in Katmandu.
Nepal’s problems lay in the neglect of the masses by the royalty
ensconced in palace intrigues in the capital. Thus no development worth
the name took place in the distant hills and valleys of the poor and
under developed region with a harsh climate in most parts of the
country. The glasnost in other parts of the World reached the country
rather late in the early 1990’s but it spread like wild fire till by
2000 Nepal was in the grip of the Maoists, deadly home grown guerrillas
who had virtually forced the army and the police behind the safety of
barricades in their garrisons.
King Gyanendra who had assumed the throne against the backdrop of the
fratricidal killings in the family lacked the sagacity of a modern ruler
who could read the writings on the wall and devolve power to the people.
He dissolved the Parliament and imposed his draconian rule further
alienating the people. His Eastern neighbor Jigme Singe Wangchuk of
Bhutan on the other hand laid out a well charted path for progressive
reduction of the role of monarchy in the affairs of the state.
The Monarch thus lost all sympathy not only of his people but also his
more sympathetic neighbor India, which veered from its policy of
supporting him against a violent movement to creating atmosphere for
transfer of power to the people. Thus the traditional Indian
establishment which is wary of an active role in regional polity backed
an agreement between the political parties in Nepal and the Maoists in
December, despite the likelihood of an adverse fall out at home, where
large swathes of the country were in the grips of a communist rebellion.
India’s stand was backed by the United States and Britain providing it
much needed multi national support. Thus the King should have seen the
writing on the wall but appeared unmoved and gesticulated towards China
in the North.
India’s support however was the opening which the political parties, the
Maoists and the people in Nepal were looking for. The result was
outpourings on the streets of Katmandu for days disrupting normal life
in the capital as well as many other parts of the country. The anger of
rampaging mobs outside the Palace and lack of support from abroad
finally drove home the point to the King and he abdicated power in June
this year.
The troubles in Nepal are however far from over, for to restore
democracy in a system which had been abused by authoritarian rule and
bringing gun toting rebels into the political mainstream are huge
challenges. A series of meetings, discussions and confabulations between
the political parties led by the patriarchal Prime Minister, Mr. G P
Koirala and the much subdued Maoists leaders Prachanda and Baburam
Bhattarai has evolved a Common – which provides the frame work for
reestablishing governance in the country including disarming of the
Maoists under the aegis of the United Nations.
Undoubtedly there are many obstacles to surmount before peace and order
is restored in Nepal. There are already rumblings within the political
system with the Royalist parties wanting a constitutional role for the
King. The people also seem to be against total alienation of the
royalty. This is however anathema to the Maoists. There are also many
break away groups within the communist ranks and the ability of the
central leadership to control them is largely unknown. Some fringe
elements are continuing with their campaign of extortion and crime which
does not bode well for the future.
However with all major internal and external forces moving in tandem to
restore democratic order in Nepal there is new hope for the people of
the mountain republic who have seen a rather smooth transition from
insurgency to democracy with limited bloodshed as compared to many other
South Asian states as Sri Lanka and Afghanistan. The primary lesson is
that the change has to largely come from within the people of the
country with tacit support from external powers rather than being
initiated by outside forces. Hopefully the neo cons in Washington have
taken a cue from Nepal.
December 3,
2006
Image under license with
Gettyimages.com
Top
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Opinion
The Week of December 3, 2006
India's Security Environment: Turbulent and
Uncertain by Dr. Subhash Kapila
Sensible Security Strategies by Gaurang Bhatt, MD
Nepal: Raising Hopes of Normalcy by Col. Rahul
K. Bhonsle
Lawless and Vibrant: Criminal Union Cabinet
Ministers by V. Sundram
It is Not Women Who Declare War by Mehru Jaffer
Living Among Enemies by J. Ajithkumar
The Fate of Mankind: Is the World Heading
Towards War or Peace? by TA Ramesh
Impact of Globalization on Indian Culture
by V. Sundaram
A Rebel of Innocence by Ashwini Ahuja
Trip to Heaven by Arya Bhushan
When the Sun Sets by Dr. Manasi Dutt
Meenaxi by Dibyendu Ghosal
Rinanubandh by Julia Dutta
A Country Deluged by VK Joshi
Food for Thought by Attreyee Roy Chowdhury
Skiing in Dubai by Rajesh Talwar
That Thing Called Love by Tuhin Sinha
The Witty Side by Melvin Durai
Mothers Feeling Blue by Rasana Atreya
'Silence is Complicity' by Elayne Clift
Dissent through Dance and Drama by
Deepti Priya Mehrotra
Concrete Threat to Goa's Beaches by Lionel
Messias
Imprisoned by Daylight by Swapna Majumdar
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