by Niraj Aryal, Kathmandu On Royal visit

Kathmandu: The Royal visit to the far-western region has concluded.

Reactions of the political parties as speculated is negative. The people’s hope to see the political parties and the King coming together to solve the ongoing crisis seems even more distanced.

What for the Royal visit to the poverty stricken region is becoming even more confusing? Some people infer Girija’s provoking gestures against the king might have triggered the visit. But the role of the king seemingly as an active monarch in the 21st century has become the subject for heated discussion among the intellectuals.

Girija Prasad Koirala who is as usual at the centre of the Nepali politics sees it as a conspiratorial move. But on the other hand, Madhav Kumar Nepal, the General Secretary of the CPN-UML is still blowing cold in the issue. Mr. Nepal might still be expecting for his appointment as the Prime Minister of the nation. Will his appointment as the Prime Minister will be the solution to the problems is left among the intellectuals to discuss?

Coming back again to the King’s visit, what made this move a subject for vigorous discussion is a tricky one. Political parties now have become more restive as they fear of loosing their followers even in the remote villages.

The allegation that the King moved to the Maoists affected region well protected by scores of RNA men does not hold water as the political parties could also ask for the same treatment from the army and could visit those areas on their own. However, the fact is that the leaders of the political parties prefer to be in Kathmandu for fear of risking their precious lives.

They will not like to visit the districts and villages for their own explicit reasons. They would not digest the King’s trip to those areas for fear of losing their grips over their own voters.

What all these mean? Will the Maoists issue come to a solution if both the political forces confront in a manner that they have been doing now?

Narayan Singh Pun

Fortunately enough, former minister Narayan Singh Pun, who brokered the previous peace talks, is again ready to move forward if given an authority to do so. What is stopping him to do it again? Is it the government or the king who has to act at this moment fast? Otherwise, we might miss one more opportunity for peace-talks, if Mr. Pun were to be believed.

Whether the King’s visit was a success or a failure? Interpretations could differ. However, the fact is that peace is what stands high on agenda in the minds of the people in the Western region and elsewhere as well and hence peace-process must start whether by soliciting the good offices of Narayan Singh Pun or the monarch himself takes the needed initiatives.