Time for Change

(Courtesy: Siddhartha Thapa)

Rarely does a moment come in history when the political leadership is provided with an unchallenged authority to govern in the name of its people. Similarly GP Koirala and the seven parties had been vested with gargantuan responsibilities to steer the country towards stability and peace. However, GP and the seven parties have failed to seize this golden opportunity. It is comical to observe the lackluster performance of this coalition government even when it had such enormous powers, no opposition to fear and lastly an unchallengeable international mandate to steer the country out of the quagmire.

Today, yet again our leaders have unfortunately succumbed to the murky politics that has plagued the progression of Nepali politics for the last five decades. Therefore, it would be accurate to conclude that it is only through our active participation in the political concourse can Nepal progress towards stability and peace. Hence, it would prove detrimental if we Nepalis are to sit quietly and allow our leaders to steer our country towards further disintegration by falsely interpreting our concerns and voices.

Without any further delay, we Nepalis should ask ourselves some fundamental questions regarding the future of our country. What has been most hurtful is the fact that our government sat silently when the statue of Prithivi Narayan Shah was mutated by the Maoists. All across the globe, in all countries the founders regardless of their background are held in high esteem. We might loathe at King Gyanendra, but we cannot escape from the reality that without Prithivi Narayan Shah there would be no Nepal – this is a fact and our history.

It has become equally important for all of us Nepalis to ponder over the founding principles of our nation. This is important because without identifying the principles that founded Nepal, we cannot defend the principles that founded Nepal. A country like Nepal that is so diverse had functioned harmoniously despite some deficiencies. Unfortunately, we are at the brink of disintegration and chaos. Therefore, it is important for us to understand the logic behind Prithvi Narayan Shah's call for social harmony and unity. It is social harmony, unity, moderation and toleration that are the founding principles of our nation. And the diversity component has only added to the uniqueness of the nation.

But for Nepali politics to evolve progressively it is important that the younger generation now takes over the mantle. Consequently, a political consensus must be developed and a home grown solution must be founded where the people are invited to take ownership of the constitutional process through elections.

The present leaders are responsible for the present state of affairs and they are incompetent. It is wishful thinking for us to expect them to deliver when they have failed repeatedly. Nepal is on the brink of disintegration and even when a forceful radical communist party like the Maoists has posed challenges to the existence of democracy and in tandem disrupted social harmony in the country; even then our leaders remain divided.

There will be no democratic alliance, there never has been one and there will never be one as long as the leaders of the older generation remain in politics. It is only when youthful leaders belonging to the democratic parties and ethnic groups prevail will there be an alliance. I say this because; we non political Nepalis have a common enemy: Maoists and radical ethnic groups.

Politics in Nepal is a catalyst through which politicians and their beneficiaries have consumed enormous amount of wealth. No matter who becomes prime minister, the situation will remain just as grim since the players who aide the prime ministers are the same people who have failed again and again. And deep down the Maoists know for a fact that these leaders can be bought, so, until and unless, there is no change in the leadership, the Maoists will continue to throw generous baits at our leaders and prepare for an eventual takeover.

Our leaders fail to comprehend that foreign brokered alliance will never yield positive dividends. Examples are plentiful - Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Israel-Palestine to name a few. Therefore, a solution must be indigenous and an alliance must formalise after parties agree on a common threat based on the ground reality. For that matter, the 12 point agreement is anti-national and hence, it now makes sense as to why the peace process and the prospects of holding elections have failed so miserably. We know for a fact that our leaders will never rise to the occasion to save our country from further disintegration. They are too consumed with wheeling and dealing.

An alternative can be found when the younger generation of politicians, businessmen, entrepreneurs, journos, civil servants, the youth, and younger army officers unite identifying a common threat. It is only then will Nepal move towards permanent peace, stability and economic prosperity.

Related Posts:

The King, the Populists, the Herders and the Sheep
http://nepaliperspectives.blogspot.com/2007/02/king-populists-herders-and-sheep.html

Hedging Against Nepal's Leadership Crisis
http://nepaliperspectives.blogspot.com/2006/09/hedging-against-nepals-leadership.html