Shailendra Kumar Upadhyay

In spite of their shortcomings, the parties remain the engines to carry forward the people’s

aspirations.

There is a large segment of people and politicians who want an end to confrontation between the political powers in the country and to see the emergence of a national consensus to end the armed conflict and bring the Maoists into the mainstream. But there has not been a common approach to the problem because all the actors have their own prescriptions and are not ready to talk to each other to benefit by the outlook and experience of others.

To start with, one has to form an opinion regarding the Maoist insurgency. Is the Maoist armed action a totally terrorist activity or a political platform backed by militancy? Myopic non-political and ill-informed people would brand it solely as a terrorist adventure to gain power since the famous Maoist thesis “power comes out of the barrel of the gun” has been their guideline. However, a political person has to consider the dynamics of the popular support they have been receiving tho-ugh it has also been combined with the threat of their arms.

Initially, before taking up guns, the Maoists pledged to transform the Nepali society and politics by empowering the women, emancipating the Dalits and recognising the legitimate aspirations of the ethnic groups in the nation. These issues raised by the Maoists have remained deeply in the minds of the people and have been the source of their popularity. Although these issues had been ignored by the rulers at that time, after the insurgency started and the government realised the need to negotiate with the Maoists, the Deuba government had declared that the government would address all the issues raised by the rebels.

The first attempt to negotiate with the Maoists could not proceed because of the government’s

reluctance to discuss the question of a constituent assembly by ignoring the 1990 Constitution.

During the second attempt the government showed its readiness to discuss the pros and cons of the question of constituent assembly, but meanwhile a development in Ramechhap exhausted the patience of the Maoist negotiators who had for long been raising doubts about the government’s commitment to negotiate in good faith. Lack of confidence building measures was the prime cause of the talk’s failure. While the government was engaged in talking with the Maoists, the political parties, including those represented in the dissolved House of Representatives, were indifferent to the negotiations as they had branded the then government unconstitutional. Those factors combined to create an atmosphere of distrust.

Recently the parties have made a joint declaration to form a common position on the Maoist issue and their readiness to talk to them. This is a welcome development, particularly because

the parties have urged the Maoists to give up the use of force in order to show their seriousness towards a negotiated settlement. The Maoists have to take this offer seriously and create an atmosphere for meaningful negotiation among the political forces and isolate those who advocate escalation of the civil war.

But the parties have not shown any wisdom necessary to bring harmony among the major political forces. They have been demanding the restoration of the dissolved House based upon the theory that the members of the parliament represent the popular will. They must honestly examine this premise. It would be a delusion to say that those who have been out of touch with their constituencies for several years could be considered to represent the people. However, this phenomenon does not reduce the role of the parties. Only non-political self-seekers would deny the role of parties. In spite of their shortcomings they remain the engines to carry forward the people’s aspirations. So, the role of the parties can include the former parliamentarians’ role to the extent ascertained by party leaders. Their role has to be recognised and an earnest effort has to be made to bring harmony among all the political forces.

Only a political conference could be such a forum where all could assemble, including the King’s representatives and the Maoist delegates, to converge on issues to be addressed with a view to laying a solid foundation for all round development of the nation in a peaceful environment. Enough blood has been shed in the name of emancipation and safeguarding life and property of the people, thousands of sound bodies have been disabled, and immense loss of national wealth has crippled the country’s economy. Though all the political forces have realised it, there has been no effort to find a combined solution. Sticking to one’s own agenda is not going to facilitate the process. So let the parties play the role they deserve but let them give up the obstinacy to stick to their own agenda and find a venue to inject confidence into each other. A widely participated political conference can provide us with an opportunity to resolve the causes of the crisis and promote harmony among the political forces.

Upadhyay is a former foreign minister