“The king should not be ousted from the throne in a humiliating manner,”-Prachanda

“The king should not be ousted from the throne in a humiliating manner,”-Prachanda

‘I’m ready to discuss it with him’
By Ghanashyam Ojha
KATHMANDU, April 18 - CPN-Maoist Chairman Prachanda says he is in favor of providing King Gyanendra a ‘graceful exit’ from the throne that the Shah dynasty has occupied for the last 240 years. He told the Post that he has initiated consultations with various diplomatic missions and leaders of other political parties on what such a “graceful exit” might be.
“The king should not be ousted from the throne in a humiliating manner,” he said. He was not sure what that graceful exit could be. But he hinted that there would be
no further action against him if he obeyed the verdict of the people. “Even after he leaves the throne he should be allowed to continue with his business affairs or
other activities, including engagement in politics in future if he so desires.”
He said a forced and humiliating ouster of the king would cause negative vibes at home and abroad.
“We will present yet another surprise to the world by peacefully negotiating the king’s exit from Narayanhiti Royal Palace,” he claimed.
Prachanda said he was ready to meet the king in person to negotiate his exit. “If necessary, I am even ready to meet him,” he said.
He reiterated that the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly will put an end to the monarchy. “There is no alternative to abolishing the monarchy through the first
meeting of the Constituent Assembly and we will do just that,” he said, adding, “If we fail, Nepal will plunge into another crisis.”
With the Maoists becoming the largest political party following the CA poll, Prachanda said he was in favor of cobbling together a coalition government.
“The mandate of the Constituent Assembly election was to draft a new constitution and take the peace process to its conclusion,” he said, adding, “The parties
haven’t yet fulfilled the people’s mandate, so they all should stay on in the ruling coalition to fulfill it.”
He said he has already urged outgoing UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal to reconsider his party’s decision to withdraw from the government. “Since the
Constituent Assembly election was meant for drafting a new constitution, there is no question of winners and losers,” said Prachanda, who won from Kathmandu-10
and Rolpa-2 under the first-past-the-post system. He said political parties should not judge their role on the basis of the number of seats they have won.
About what type the next government will be, Prachanda said the Maoists haven’t yet taken a decision about this. “We are open to discussion and the next
government will be formed through consensus,” he said.
He, however, said parallel power centers should not be created during this transition, as this could complicate the political process. “One person should have control
and command, whether it is the president or prime minister,” he said.
Posted on: 2008-04-18 18:58:41 (Server Time)

Minority report
Nepal is a country of minorities. To put it more aptly, it is a land of diversity. The recent Constituent Assembly (CA) polls have clearly reflected that. Among the CA
representatives elected under the first-past-the-post electoral system, 82 belong to Janajati and indigenous communities. Going by the election results of the 221 seats
declared thus far, they have won 38 percent of the total seats. Half of the representatives elected to the CA from Janajati and indigenous groups are Maoists. The
CPN (Maoist) proudly claims that it represents the diversity of Nepal, though other political parties also fielded candidates from Janajati and indigenous groups in the
CA polls.
A provision in the Interim Constitution states that under the proportional electoral system, 37 percent of the 335 seats in the CA shall go to Janajatis and indigenous
communities. This means that they are going to get more than 200 seats in the assembly. This also means that Janajatis and indigenous parliamentarians will wield
considerable strength in the CA which is going to write the new constitution. Though Janajatis and indigenous groups have been neglected by the state for centuries,
the coming constitution should ensure that every Nepali - irrespective of caste, creed, race, region or religion - enjoys equal rights and respect in society. The
“inclusive” democracy being touted by the Maoists and SPA leaders has to address the concerns of every ethnic group however small it may be. Protection and
recognition of the culture, language, script and indigenous knowledge of every ethnic community is an overriding concern in order to maintain harmony among the
different groups.
The country’s political system has certainly mistreated Janajati and indigenous groups throughout history. Such political exclusion widened social and economic
inequalities and denied them equal rights. According to the experience of other countries, social harmony has often been disturbed when political and emotional issues
of any ethnic group were dealt with. Besides, the politics of divide and rule practiced by political leaders has led to communal violence between ethnic groups.
Therefore, the Maoists cannot only cite the fair representation of Janajatis, indigenous groups and Madhesis in the CA and assert that the constitution to be drafted
will be inclusive. The new constitution must also address issues related to gender and children so that the concerns of every individual are attended to. The Maoists
have given their assurance that they would abide by democratic values and norms; but what they say and what they do often do not match. They must understand that
in a democratic process, there can be no cutting corners. Inclusive democracy provides room for correction, and not for disenchantment.
Posted on: 2008-04-18 19:11:25 (Server Time)