Aditya Man Shrestha, in “Madhesi Uprising” (THT 1/2/2007), has referred to his article in THT about 28 months back predicting the possibility of “an uprising of the Madhesis” which has now become a reality. He says, “the Madhesi movement is the beginning of the end of Nepal. It is not because the Madhesis want to break the country into pieces but mainly because our leadership is too insensitive and incapable of keeping diverse people united.”

I’m sure all Nepalis who do not want to wear a party hat and are witnessing the violence agree with his views on “sensitivity” and “capability” of our leadership. Our leaders have never shown patience to listen to a dissenting voice nor have they any respect for a considered view or comments from an independent Nepali. Shrestha is right to say that instead of responding to the Madhesis’ legitimate aspirations, our leaders are trying to cover up their incapacity. He is also right to point out that PM Koirala has to be blamed first for the uprising. The Interim Constitution has made the PM’s position most powerful. He has all the powers of Shree 3 of a PM of the Rana time and, with suspended monarchy, also the authority of Shree 5. The present PM is all powerful Shree 8. He is under no restrictions to do good for the country. Unfortunately, his January 31 address was disappointing. It did not respond to the uprising’s core issue but added to confusion and created misunderstanding within eight parties. This shows that he was not well advised. From statements of some leaders of the eight parties, including the Maoists and the CPN-UML, it is evident that they were not consulted. Even those parties outside the coalition, which are represented in Interim Parliament, should have been consulted. It is incomprehensible what or who is stopping the PM from consulting experts.

The Maoists should share the blame. They firstly raised issues of federal structure and ethnic and regional autonomy with right to self-determination. These concepts should be immediately and clearly explained in terms of operationalisation and their implications with regard to inter-ethnic or inter-regional relationships in a federal state. Even if pro-palace, Hindu fundamentalists and reactionary/criminal elements have infiltrated, the need is to isolate them and immediately respond to Madhesis’ legitimate demands. The uprising seems to have mass support and it may not be wise for the Maoists to try to play it down. The Maoists must address it politically and a solution acceptable to the people of Madhesh and other parts of the country has to be found.

As Shrestha says, the Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Anandi Devi) leaders share the blame too as the party was in the Cabinet. Our leaders must learn to quit the government if they want to oppose it. Although a SPA (A) minister has resigned and the party is threatening to leave the SPA, these steps have come too late. Shrestha has warned that the ineptitude and ‘wrong doings’ of parties and leaders would lead to disintegration and loss of Nepal’s identity as a sovereign country. This is a strong warning. Should we continue to give a free hand to our leaders to act as they like and watch our nation disintegrate? The answer is, No.

How can we prevent our leaders from repeating their mistakes and make them more accountable and rise to the occasion to safeguard Nepal’s sovereignty? These questions need to be discussed widely. But, the civil society’s constant vigilance on the performance of the government and the parties and timely warnings to both to work together to respond to the legitimate demands and aspirations of all sections, particularly women, Madhesis, Dalits, Janajatis, minorities, and all the oppressed, in the spirit of Jana Andolan II would be necessary to keep the government and the parties on the right track.

The Madhesi uprising has shown that people are now aware of their rights and are ahead of the parties or their leaders to press for their demands. Most important on the country’s agenda is Constituent Assembly (CA) elections this June. But people’s patience is running out as seen in the Madhesi uprising. It is a warning to all the parties and leaders that unless they heed the people’s voices they will be rendered irrelevant. They must deliver now. They must convince the masses that their legitimate rights and demands will be fulfilled through the CA polls and the framing of a new constitution, the first constitution to be made by the representatives of sovereign Nepalis.

Our leaders must stop further loss of life and ensure that rights and Nepal’s sovereignty are not compromised. Only when they rise above party lines and unite in the nation’s best interest, can the reactionary forces be vanquished and peace prevail. Peace is a prerequisite for free and fair CA polls which, hopefully, will transform Nepal into a truly modern, democratic state committed to end discrimination and establish equitable development of all people from Madhesh, Pahad and Himal.

Dr. Chalise is PM’s foreign affairs adviser