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VOL. 28, NO. 14, Dec 12, 2008 (Mangsir 27 2065 B.S.) |
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Pain
Of
Disorder
Common people as well as political leaders have endorsed all radical political agenda including declaring Nepal as a federal, democratic republic with a hope that all these would bring a long lasting peace. Even people voted Maoists, who had committed all kinds of atrocities and destroyed public property, hoping that they will give up all
violent activities. However, people found neither peace nor order. Even prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who led the country's most violent struggle, threatens to resign because of his inability to meet the aspiration of people and control the disorder. The extent of disorder is such that highways and roads are constantly under siege by various factions. Fed up with the frequent strikes and deteriorating law and order situation, people are now asking themselves: Has the change brought pain or gain? If prime minister Dahal, who is backed by two third majority of constituent assembly, accepted his failure to deliver goods, what course is left now?
By KESHAB POUDEL, Tikapur Dhangadhi
"Don't you know there is strike in Kailali? The road will not open until and unless the police arrest a culprit involve in the killing of a journalist," said Krishna Singh Thagana, 19-years-old boy with a headscarf at Godavari river in Kailali district to a
passenger who is going to Kanchanpur town ,800 kilometre west of capital.
"We will allow you once the district administration nabs the criminals involved in the case."
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East West Highway in Tikapur: Road under cease |
Mother of three children Mata Devi Okhadi, 30, a resident of Rauteli Bichawa Village Development Committee of Kanchanpur, who came from Doti by bus to go home, silently listened to the diktat by the teenage who was sitting atop a pile of stones placed in the road to block it.
"What do I feed my three children at night and where do I stay?" asked Okhadi. "We voted the Maoist candidate in the last elections who committed us to end the atrocities, violence and road block," said Okhadi with gloomy face.
As soon as the skeleton of journalist, Jagat Joshi, who was disappeared three months ago, was found at nearby jungle, local people formed a struggle committee demanding legal probe of the slain journalist. The first thing the committee did was to stop the vehicle movement in east west highway.
This resulted in stranding of hundred of buses, trucks and passengers like Okhadi. After tedious hours of waiting, the protest committee agreed to allow the transport movement following 12 hours of blockade. However, passengers like Okhadi are uncertain whether their buses will move freely again.
Negotiations Drama
Although the negotiations between the struggle committee and local administration were going on, district Maoist office issued another announcement on November 30 that there will be indefinite strike in Kailali. The Maoist called this strike to counter other parties' efforts to involve them in the incident.
After this announcement, from foreign aid workers to local people who were preparing to travel to hill districts of Mahakali and Seti Zone had restless time. "I have to reach to Dadeldhura tonight to participate in a district level development plan," said a senior official of Ministry of Local Development. "If I will not reach on time, the whole program will suffer."
This kind of tendency is not only in the far western and mid-western region but it has escalated all over Nepal. All the people have learnt that the road block is most effective way to compel the administration to accept their demand.
Strike In East
Similarly, day to day life in Mechi, Kosi, 500 kilometres east of capital came to standstill on December 6, 7 and 8 after Upper Kirant Limbuwan National Forum UKLNF called a general strike. The demand of UKLNF is to release two of its cadre
Narendra Tubahamfe and Santosh Limbu, who were arrested by police on the charge of vandalizing vehicles in Jhapa district.
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Chinese Military Delegation: Security concern |
Maoist affiliated Young Communist League, a semi-militant organization, also called a general strike in Biratnagar on December 7 demanding to release their party workers who were held by police on the charge of illegally felling tree.
Although ruling Maoist party, which encouraged youths for extra judicial and illegal acts, now wants peace and tranquility as it is leading the country, there is no sign of peace and tranquility returning any time soon.
Just a little more than three months in power, CPN-Maoist leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who was hailed as a new visionary leader of twenty first century a year ago in a program organized by Hindustan Times leadership Summit, has also become frustrated. Addressing a public rally in Dhangadhi (December 7) prime minister Dahal, who was given a big garland by common people, revealed that he will resign because of his failure to meet the aspirations of the people.
PM’s Wooory
"I am unable to fulfill the aspirations of people because of non-cooperation of foreign forces and main political parties like Nepali Congress. I will resign in case these forces do not cooperate with me and then I will go to the people," said prime minister Dahal.
Prime minister Dahal is not alone to blame the foreign forces meddling in Nepal's internal affairs. His senior minister and Minister of Law, Justice and Constituent Assembly, too, blamed external forces for creating troubles to Maoist government.
"The government is just in the signboard only and powerless. We are not in a position to take any decision. Because of foreign imperialist forces, this government is powerless. This government is dancing to the tune of external forces. From making constitution to drafting law and signing agreements, nothing can happen without signal from foreign forces," said Gurung addressing District Convention of Tamu National Liberation Front. (See Kantipur 5 December)
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Market in far west: No vehicle please |
Prime minister Dahal and his senior minister Gurung admitted publicly that they are unable to fulfill the wishes of common people because of unseen powerful external force. As the general strike and road disruption is way of life despite holding the elections of CA and forming the government with two third majorities, people's elected representatives have failed to bring change.
From voting them to power to welcoming with all warmth, common people have given everything to prime minister Dahal. Although people are still suffering from atrocities and difficulties at the hands of his cadres of semi-military organization Young Communist League, they don't mind to support prime minister Dahal, under whose leadership Nepal has faced all kinds of devastations.
"The agony Prachanda expressed as a prime minister is not new for Nepal. Since the revolution of 1951, none of the prime minister was comfortable with power and none of them were able to complete tenure of their office. Previously, king was blamed for those kinds of unstable position of prime minister. Now, Prachanda, second prime
minister after the removal of monarchy, is too talking about unsafe position in power like his predecessor Girija Prasad Koirala," said a political analyst. "Prime minister Prachanda appears to be outspoken to point out external forces mainly for his crisis. The lesson of Nepalese peculiar politics has spared neither the king in power nor
the government without king."
Geo Politics
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Indian Extern Affairs Minister Mukherjee (left) and Nepali FM Upendra Yadav: Visit with purpose |
Nepal's geo-political situation is such that its own internal players and other western forces are not decisive in Nepal's internal politics. "As Nepal is closer to soft belly of security of both the neighbours that is cause of its political instability as well as its
guarantor for survival as a free nation. Nepal's neighbours India and China cannot afford to stay away from this critical political development in Nepal."
“Its location in the geopolitical underbelly of China’s Tibet and India’s hinterland states Utter Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal constitutes its strategic geography vital to their security, stability, progress and peace. An increasingly open and democratic Nepal in the future is more likely to be swayed by the ongoing geo-strategic competition between then and the great powers for their influence,” writes Dev Raj Dahal, in his article National Security.
People voted them to power hoping that Maoists will bring peace and order containing the disorder championed by them. However, prime minister Prachanda tried to escape from responsibility declaring that he will resign.
Even Girija Prasad Koirala, who promised the people that he would bring absolute
peace and democracy in the country if they sided with him to remove the monarchy and bring Maoists in the main stream, has made a U-turn now and is gunning for Maoist policies. Common people have failed to understand this U-Turn of former prime minister Koiral, who is now lying in the hospital bed. Koirala declared four months ago from the Constituent Assembly that period of instability was over. Even his party colleagues are amazed by his tirade against Maoist leadership.
Although there is change of stands between the leaders of political parties, what people have not found is peace and tranquility to move. "I will assure you that I will bring out an economic package and peace package to bring peace and prosperity in the door steps," said prime minister Dahal inaugurating Far Western Festival in Dhangadhi.
As the number of younger population continues to increase and there is lack of employment opportunities, the local youths find easy to join the political violence. With the support from political parties, they run their own affairs in the district and villages.
General strike and road blockade is almost normal phenomenon in East-west high way and all other roads. According to Traffic Police at Atariya, more than 15 local level and central level strike halted the road in November. According to police, the local level dispute ends with negotiations at local level but indefinite strike by political parties last for longer period of time.
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Demostration at streeet: Violence rules |
Maoist party and its affiliated organizations were responsible for more than eighty percent of general strike and road blockade in the far western region. Despite the calling from district level leaders to end this culture, local level Maoist leaders undermine it.
Looking at Nepal's geo political situation and increasing tendencies of violent culture among young people, peace and tranquility seems to be difficult to achieve. Whatever political system and political parties rule the country, the fate of country will remain same.
Although people sacrificed everything to bring peace but the change ended with painful results. This is what is exactly happening to the rural folks of Nepal living in the far western region of Nepal. One can see the disorder and anarchy in the highways. At a time when political leaders in Nepal have been talking about the need to achieve high economic growth to make Nepal prosperous, nobody seems aware how Nepal's east west high way which is the artery of nation's economy is under siege
