Leaders look back at their lapses and think aheadKathmandu, Apr. 7:Nepal’s experience of the first decade of parliamentary democracy has been mixed —  pleasant in some ways, but less than satisfactory in others.

The first 10 years have been fruitful in terms of parliamentary exercises, while the delivery of goods was short of popular expectation or aspirations, said the Nepalese leaders who spearheaded the Popular Movement of 1990 that culminated in the restoration of multiparty system in Nepal.

An honest and result oriented attempt was required to fulfil the expectations of the people, they told an interaction coinciding with the 10th anniversary of the democratic struggle that intended to review the progresses made and the road ahead.

The leaders termed the lack of political culture and morality and the erosion of firm will power as some of the shortcomings that had surfaced in the past and said that the practice now onwards of value-based politics would help consolidate democracy by setting the nation on the path envisaged by the Constitution.

“The popular aspirations remained unmet due largely to the visionlessness of the political parties which were instrumental in the restoration of democracy in 1990,” said Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala. “The political parties knew democracy was their single-point agenda, but did not know what next or after that.”

Political players focussed their attention on strengthening their organisational base in the days after the advent of democracy, neglecting the popular aspiration which in fact had trebled, he said.

However, there have been significant achievements in the fields of education, health, roads and infrastructure. “Not that there was no development at all, it’s only that the pace was rather slow,” He said. “Unless we expedite the pace of development, we can not fulfill the popular expectations.”

“Proportionate development of the country is possible only through decentralisation,” Koirala said. “We need separate strategies for separate geographical locations such as the hills, the mountains and the lower plains.”

Koirala reiterated maintaining law and order, curbing corruption and good governance with adminsitrative reforms were at the top of the government’s agenda. “The Maoist problem is related with the issue of law and order and we need to intervene in the affected areas with development and income generating activities.”

Both bigger and smaller political organisations play equally important role in a democracy, he said. “The government is serious about issues like Maoist problems and the Kalapani issue which affect nationalism.”

“All national problems should be solved through consensus and the government is determined to forge broader understanding, if need be,” he said.

Speaker Taranath Ranabhat said the Monarchy and the people had played a continuous role along the path as envisaged in the Constitution, but the political parties had failed to play an honest role in that direction. “The political parties should take poverty seriously,” he said. “More seriousness is required on part of the Nepali Congress by virtue of it being in the power.”

With the victory over the Panchayat System, the political parties have won the battle of principles, he said. “Now they should direct their attempts against the practical difficulties to provide the people with the supplies they need.”

Some of the democratic exercises of the past are positive, he said adding the increase in the number of the Prime Minister and the ministers was not a good gesture.

Leader of the main opposition party in the House of Representatives Madhav Kumar Nepal said effective steps and strategies were needed in the days ahead to rectify the weaknesses seen in the past.

“Corruption has increased and the ruling party has taken absolute control of the government while broader welfare of the people in general remained neglected,” he said. “Since the Nepali Congress has been in power most of the time since the restoration of democracy, that party should shoulder the bigger part of responsibility for it all.”

The fruits of democracy should be directed to the people, in the absence of which the radical activities that have increased in the past may pose serious threats to the decade old system, he said.

“There is no alternative to multiparty democracy,” he said. “The so-called desire of the Maoists to establish one party system can not be an alternative to the multiparty politics.”

Former prime minister and the President of Rastriya Prajatantra Party Surya Bahadur Thapa said that the Popular Movement of 1990 invested sovereignty in the people and that the constitutional and democratic exercises were achievements in themselves adding that some problems gathered complications during this period. Citing the government’s failure to fulfil peoples aspirations, deteriorating peace and security situation and increasing corruption, Thapa said that these problems could not be solved by any one political party.

Thapa called for a total restructuring in governance and said that a consensus was necessary to solve the problems facing the nation.

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist-Leninist) Bamdev Gautam said the political change of 1990 has failed to bring about corresponding changes in social and economic fronts. “Becoming an MP or a minister is not an achievement in itself,” he said. “We have to look for how these changes have affected the people on the whole.”

Gautam said the reactionary forces which tried to keep the leftist forces off the power had failed to carry out works in favour of the people and the country on the whole. “There have been treaties that are against the national interest.”

Various intellectuals have expressed different views on the achievements and negative aspect of 10 years of  restoration of democracy in the country.

They were of the view that the country noticed many positive changes and few anomalies and aberrations in the past 10 years. All political parties should now make a self assessment and maintain a national consensus in the future to find solutions to the problems being faced by the country, they added.

Speaking at a talk programme on “10 years of restoration of democracy in the country: shortcomings, achievements and destination” organised by the Reporters’ Club Nepal here today, the speakers also stressed the need for everyone to unite in order to institutionalise democratic norms and values, and bring radical changes in the socio-economic and political sectors of the country.

Expressing his view at the programme, Nepali Congress spokesman Narahari Acharya said during the past 10 years the parliament has not been able to reach the depth of resolving national problems, the tendency of criticizing one another and going to the judiciary over public issues has been on the rise, the relations and talks between political parties has increased and civic society has been more conscious than the political parties.

He pointed out the need to enhance the reliability of elections and supremacy of the parliament, formulate laws relating to constitutional council, improve the style of working and emphasize regional structures for overall development of the country.

CPN-UML standing committee member Jhalanath Khanal said the achievement made after the popular movement is the biggest achievement made by Nepal in the 20th century. Though some progress was made during this period, the country has not seen much progress due to lack of development programmes in pursuance of a new approach, he added.

In absence of a balanced foreign policy the country could not receive much cooperation from neighbouring countries, Mr Khanal said, adding that all political parties should assess themselves and follow the constitutional path towards wiping out anomalies and aberrations existing in the country.

Vice-president of rpp Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani said as the people are the constitutional source of governance, the political parties should not use them as a commodity during elections only.

Pointing out the need for a provision which to fulfill shortcomings in democratic principles and practices, and discourage misuse of power, Dr. Lohani expressed the view that appointment of constitutional council should be transparent, the local bodies should be provided powers and the government and opposition should work together to solve problems of the nation.

Cpn-ml leader Devi Prasad Ojha said political leaders lack honesty, the law and order situation is deteriorating in the country, corruption has reached the villages and foreign intervention is on the rise.

Rpp spokesman Kamal Thapa suggested that the problems of the socio-economic and political sectors should be solved collectively, transparency and good governance should be maintained, election procedures should be reformed and social politicization put to an end.

Prof. Lokraj Baral said even if the system is good it cannot improve the living standard of the people unless it is run properly, the political parties lack able leadership and the country has not made much progress in the past 10 years.

From the chair, senior advocate Biswakant Mainali also shed light on the positive and negative aspects of the 10 years of restoration of democracy in the country.