Kathmandu: The Maoists rebels appeared before the Nepali population on March 29 with a big bang presumably to the utter displeasure and discomfiture of the socalled major political parties who feel that they have been denied their due role in the whole affair.
The Maoists appeared in Kathmandu while the King was in India.
The Maoists notably appeared in the capital city when a day or two prior to their emergence here the Indian Ambassador hinted that terrorists once declared not necessarily be taken as terrorists for long. The implied message from the Indian envoy was that the Maoists could now be taken as rebels only. Significant change of attitude indeed. But the meaning lies here.
The King returns on March 30 a day after the Maoists appear here.
Confusion yet persists among the public at large that at whose assurances the Maoists rebels could enter the valley which according to Dr. Babu Ram Bhattarai’s own admission remained under the political jurisdiction of the “old regime”.
Not less puzzling was the manner Dr. Bhattarai entered the Birendra International Convention Center for his first public appearance together with his four colleagues. Eyewitnesses said that Dr. Bhattarai entered the hall as if he were the country’s Prime Minister. And in effect he is apparently holding the same rank in his revolutionary party-the new regime of the Maoists.
Since their emergence in Kathmandu on March 29, the Maoists leaders have been meeting political personalities and the likes in an apparent bid to take them all in confidence and also convince them all to side with their views at the time when they need their support most.
In the process the Maoists are blowing hot and cold.
For example, when Dr. Bhattarai and his colleagues including Ram Bahadur Thapa alias Badal meet politicians they inevitably hint the other camp that the Maoists would lend their support to their just causes.
On the other hand, when personalities like Dr. Bhattarai , Badal or even Matrika Yadav are allowed a separate but bigger public platform they unfailingly criticize the past performances of the socalled major political parties. They even point blank say that the parliamentary parties must take all the blames for the failure of not only the system but in also having made the 1990 constitution totally defunct.
At yet another level, the Maoists appear not being clear in their own perceptions as to what they mean when they say that they wish a “new system” to come into vogue which neither should look alike the erstwhile Panchayat regime nor should be alike the present one.
In effect, what model they have in their mind has yet to be clarified by the Maoists.
Similarly, they appear bit confused about the role of the monarchy as well.
If on the one hand they conclude that at the moment the nation revolved round three forces namely, the monarchists, the Maoists and the parliamentary forces. In saying so they conclude that the Monarchy continued to be a strong force and will perhaps remain so for quite long time to come. On the other they wish to see greater sacrifices from the Nepali monarchy at time of the negotiations or else warn the monarchy that it would be a thing to be left in the pages of history only. At yet another level, they bluntly say that they have come here to conduct negotiations with the old regime that is with the one which enjoys the unconditional support of the army.
“The talks will be held between the two who possess guns”, which implies that their guns will have talks with the guns of the “old regime”. In saying so the Maoists totally ignore the presence of the parliamentary parties at time of the talks for according to them this force did not possess guns.
This means that while the Maoists will center their talks for seeking greater concessions from the old regime because it holds power at the moment but would also seek the support of the now redundant parliamentary parties to ensure legitimacy to the outcome of the talks with the establishment.
In sum: they appear close to the monarchy; they exhibit that their number enemy is the Palace; they wish to dump the political parties in the dustbin; they would wish very much their support should any hitch block the talks that they wish to manage in their favor; they love parliamentary parties; they hate them; the Maoists wish to assure the people and the rest that they mean business this round of talks; they concurrently threaten the establishment that should the talks fail would mean greater devastation and the beginning of a new series of war with the old regime; they exhibit their hatred against India; they concurrently hint that they would wish to forge working relations with the southern neighbor; they criticize the US and the UK but would wish to ventilate their fresh views so that the international community understands them better.
Analysing all these facets, what becomes very urgent for the Maoists to clarify as to how they view the monarchy; what model they have in their mind for the people to function as a system; what provisions they wish to incorporate in the new constitution that ensured greater rights for the various neglected tribes and ethnic communities; how they wish to sort out the issue of their own people’s militia; and more so how they view the presence of the major parliamentary parties.
Be that as it may, the laymen had to bite their nails when they could see smart and healthy looking faces of the Maoists leaders on March 29 at the Convention center. It became very difficult for them all to think for a while that these leaders have come from the Rolpa jungles to negotiate peace with the government. In effect they are already here to restore peace.
Finally, there are reasons to be happy for they have come to settle for the restoration of peace in their own motherland.
Analysts remain assured this time that the impending negotiations would bring back normalcy in the beleagured Kingdom.