Confidence booster The Maoists have allowed the House to resume business for three days so that the fiscal budget could be passed. They have been obstructing the proceedings of the House for the most part of six months demanding that they be allowed to discuss the President’s “unconstitutional” move to reinstate the then Army Chief. However, this gives some amount of breathing space for at one time it was even feared that the government would be unable to pay even the salaries of the government employees or fund the various development projects, some in urgent need of financing. Ironically, had the Maoists not let the budget to be passed then their own ex-combatants in the various cantonments would not have been able to get their stipend from the government. By allowing the parliament to function for three days, the budget imbroglio has been averted. Meanwhile, how can the Maoists justify the continued obstruction of the House when the stipulated time for making the new constitution of the country is only six months away? The Maoists as the single largest party should act more responsibly by permitting the House to function to conduct its normal business. Another matter of concern is that despite marathon sessions of negotiations the leaders of particularly the major three parties have failed to reach an agreement on implementing the commitments made in the Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA). The numerous rounds of inconclusive talks have fed the rumours that there would be a change of guards in the government. Thus, there was speculation rife that something was in the offing when the Maoist chairman Prachanda made a hasty trip to Singapore to meet the ailing Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala. Apparently, there was no discussion on this matter and the talks between the two leaders were confined to let the parliament pass the budget and make efforts to set up a high-level political mechanism so that the impending political problems could be resolved by doing away with the impasse that is taking the country into a quagmire from which it would be difficult to extricate itself. Now with the return of Koirala from Singapore, all attention is riveted on him, and the other top leaders of the parties to see if they will be able to reach a consensus without which it would be impossible to achieve the goals of the peace process. This is the time for the leaders to rise above partisan interests. So that the imbroglio can be resolved, the proposed high-level political mechanism could prove useful for the decisions would be made at the highest level such as on what type of “middle-path” would be adopted to make the future political passage smooth. The adoption of the “middle-path” could see an outlet since this would mean the forsaking of the unreasonable demands such as the much touted “civilian supremacy” that has for long been the refrain of the Maoist party. In conclusion, let better sense prevail for the political parties to adhere to the CPA line that lays emphasis on the consensus mode which has in recent times been relegated to the back benches.

Monkeys do well The simians, our supposedly distant cousins, always tend to be in the news. As the monkeys reflect the environmental health in some ways, they are looked upon with reverence as well as concern. To learn that the number of the primates is on a steady climb comes as relief to those working for their protection. They may not be endangered as some other wild animals like tigers and rhinos are, but they have a crucial relation with the ecology. That their numbers have increased, according to studies conducted over the years, ought to be welcomed. Of course, the primates had been in the headlines earlier all because they had been exported for medical research. That episode seems to have come to an end, thankfully. Disturb the ecology and we have a heady mixture of disaster as is being seen in recent years. However, it has been ancient wisdom that has made simians the favourites in the various temples of the country including that of Pashupatinath and Swoyambhu in the Kathmandu Valley. It also goes to show how the wild animals and the humans can co-exist. But, the crucial task is the conservation of the habitats of the flora and fauna that speak of the pristine glory of Nepal.