By Bhagirath Yogi
Their Majesties King Gyanendra and Queen Komal returned home after completing their three-week-long tour of some Asian and African countries through New Baneshwore, Friday, Dec 02 2005. nepalnews.com/ks
As all eyes are fixed on the next move of the Nepalese monarch, His Majesty King Gyanendra has indicated that he would pursue his own ‘roadmap’ irrespective of recent political developments including the 12-point understanding reached between the major political parties and the Maoists.
In a message to the nation upon his return to Kathmandu after three-week-long tour of some Asian and African countries on Friday, King Gyanendra said restoration of sustainable peace and meaningful exercise of the multi-party democracy was the necessity of Nepal and also the desire of the Nepalis. In this respect, there has been improvement in the state of law and order and the country was heading towards elections for municipalities and the parliament, His Majesty said.
The opposition parties, however, say the situation of law and order in the country has deteriorated after the King took direct control of the government in February this year. They have already announced that they will boycott polls announced by what they call the ‘unconstitutional government.’
In his message, His Majesty didn’t refer to the recent understanding reached between the seven-party opposition alliance and the Maoists directly, but said, “Efforts that contribute towards restoring sustainable peace and democratic exercise, whoever may be undertaking that, are commendable if they strengthen such a pleasant situation for all the democrats whereby a representative system of governance of popularly elected representatives could be commenced.”
King Gyanendra, however, insisted on pursuing his `roadmap’ of holding elections as scheduled. The government has already announced that municipal level elections would be held in February next year and elections to the House of Representatives will be conducted by mid-April 2007.
His Majesty King Gyanendra being received by Kathmandu-based foreign diplomats upon Their Majesties? return to the capital from a three-week long tour to some Asian and Afriacan countries, Friday, Dec 02 05.
His Majesty King Gyanendra being received by Kathmandu-based foreign diplomats…
In his message, referring to the Maoists without naming them, His Majesty said, “In this context, if those who have been wandering around stop their violence and terror and initiate efforts towards winning the hearts of the people, it will help in fulfilling the national resolve to conduct a free, fair and impartial elections, which gives life to democracy.”
The royal message further said, “It is but obvious that national consensus could be reached by focusing on patriotism as a meeting point and in conformity with the ideology of Nepalis who have always remained independent in their history.”
The message, however, did not say in clear words whether His Majesty would invite the major opposition parties for dialogue or if the government would reciprocate to the extension of unilateral ceasefire by the Maoists for the next one month.
Analysts say, next few weeks would be crucial for the Nepali politics as the royal government would try to adjust to the new situation where two of the forces in the nine-year-old triangular conflict—the mainstream parties and the Maoists—have joined hands against what they call ‘autocratic monarchy.’ They, however, say King still has options up his sleeve if he wants to negotiate with the parties in good faith and provide an outlet for the rebels to join the political mainstream.
If the King refuses to relent and insists on pursuing his own `roadmap’ by trying to take the country closer to China-Pakistan-Russia axis at the international level and by trying to suppress the peaceful, popular movement in the domestic front, renewed violence and conflict would be imminent.
Alternatively, the King could invite the opposition leaders for dialogue, agree to listen to their demands ranging from reinstatement of the dissolved parliament and holding elections to the constituent assembly and try to evolve a consensus that will be broadly acceptable to all major forces in the country.
But, analysts say looking at the hardliners that the Nepalese monarch has surrounded himself, the palace is likely to try to engineer a split in the seven-party alliance and discredit the Maoists. In a masterstroke, King Gyanendra re-appointed Sher Bahadur Deuba as prime minister last year and asked him to form a coalition government that would conduct polls for the new parliament. Seven months later, King Gyanendra dismissed him again and took over direct control of the government. (Deuba is currently in custody after being convicted of corruption by the controversial ‘Royal Commission on Corruption Control.)
Analysts, however, warn that such tactics would not only be shortsighted they could even turn fatal. Economically or strategically, Nepal can no longer remain in isolation. Moreover, to quote journalist Kishore Nepal—who has traveled to 70 out of 75 districts in the country over the last couple of years— the awareness level of people has skyrocketed over the last 14 years and the process of power shift has already begun. “The palace and parties failed to understand it while the Maoists capitalized on it,” says Nepal. “Now, no one can prevent this transfer of power.”
Forces that try to prevent transfer of power are sidelined by history.