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Nepal Baffled by Maoist Leader Eying Presidency

30 Jun 2007

Any reasonable person might have thought, especially in these troubled times, that running a country as proverbially ungovernable as Nepal would have been quite enough for one person after King Gyanendra's earlier fiasco. Not so thought comrade Prachanda.

The Maoist chairman in his interview with the New Delhi based CNN- NIB news channel told that he hoped to become the president of "Republic Nepal" in two years time with full executive powers( only for one five year term). But given the powers, already wielded and having seen the demise of King Gyanendra, it is hard to see that he feels the need for more. But his desire to become the first president of Nepal knows no bounds.

Nonetheless, desires are one thing, reality quite another. Prachandra’s interview has begun to give way to more serous business. After months of almost catonic silence, Seven Political Parties, especially Congress leaders have risen from their deck-chairs and started to argue in earnest.

Senior minister and Nepali Congress general secretary Ram Chandra Poudel mocked at the Maoist chairman’s "presidential dream." Speaking at a programme in Pokhara, Poudel said Prachanda "does not deserve" to become the president of Nepal.

The Peace and Reconstruction minister, Poudel, said constituent assembly election would not be possible on Nov. 22 if the Maoists didn’t stop violent activities and create a condition suitable for the displaced people to return to the villages.

Meanwhile, in the run up to the Constituent Assembly polls, there have been accusations. Nepali Congress (Democratic) president Sher Bahadur Deuba said Prachanda’s statement that he would become Nepal's president in the next two years was a mere fantasy. Analysts say this is Deuba’s answer to Prachanda, who in his interview with the New Delhi-based CNN-NIB news channel, had claimed that Deuba was against the constituent assembly election.

Just another bit of political wrangling, then? Not quite. As Nepal's present political situation is in a very crucial phase upon the announcement of elections date for Constituent Assembly. Meanwhile, critics say, lacking a clear strategy, Maoists success in the election and Prachanda’s chances of being the first president of Nepal looks slim. There are two reasons, other than political logic, why the West and India is hesitating over accepting the Maoists transformation.

Even the Maoists now realize that Nepalese people don’t have decisive power. "I have to admit honestly and frankly that Nepali people no more have the decisive power. The decisive power is in New Delhi and Washington," said CPN-Maoist leader Krishna Bahadur Mahara was quoted as saying by the leading National daily Kantipur on its May 13 issue.

There are two reasons. One is that authorities in America will probably not accept the Maoists political ascend in Nepal, until and unless they stop their Young Communist League (YCL) atrocities to begin with. For instance, American Ambassador to Nepal James F. Moriarty earlier alleged the Maoists of failing to adopt a multiparty democracy political approach.

"Over the past year, we had all hoped that Maoist behavior would improve in line with their various commitments. That has not happened," the U.S. envoy was quoted as saying by the media.

The other is India. India won’t be comfortable with Maoists in Nepal and it has already showed its frustration by telling the two major parties of Nepal to unite. Week’s earlier Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh reportedly advised the visiting delegation of Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) to forge stronger cooperation with Nepali Congress (NC).

Coming back to the presidential point now. It is still not clear what the Maoist Chairman hoped to achieve by stating his desire in the Indian TV channel. But if it was to demoralize the American administration and force their government to shy away from further verbal action in Nepal, it has not worked. That is the clear conclusion. The evidence can be found in almost daily condemnation of Maoists acts from the Washington and its representatives stationed in Nepal.

Moreover, analyst say, American administration is waiting with bated breathe. After the result of the constituent assembly election it will reveal its road map for Nepal. Till then American has taken wait and see policy. America is waiting for the Maoist to change.

"Pushpa Dahal and the rest of the Maoist leadership have an historic opportunity before the Constituent Assembly election to prove to the Nepali people and the world that their party really is committed to democracy and peace... If the Maoists want the people’s trust and support, they must win it through democratic competition and free elections -- and not through violence," Moriarty was quoted as saying by the media.

Meanwhile, America is also finding itself in dilemma. It really knows not what to really do with the Maoists. If mending fences with the Maoists is one challenge for America, deciding what to do next is another. America’s dilemma is acute. If it bows to Maoists demand and tags off its terrorist label, it risks a confrontation with the democratic or anti- Maoist atrocities faction in Nepal and abroad, a fight that could bring the collapse of its own authority in Nepal.

But if it does not do so, and let the Maoists tag as it is, it risks further confrontation with the Maoists, who are already a part of the government in Nepal. And if the Maoists party wins the constituent assembly elections, America can expect little cooperation from the Maoists in future because American administration is plainly fed up with Maoists, who promises much but delivers little.

The only hope for America, say some experts, is to recognize that Mr. Prachanda, in the political zenith now, can broker a deal with America on the basis of progress towards peace and immediate relief for the Nepalese. This could still call for the required 100 percent effort.

America must not forget that Maoists is already part of the Nepalese mainstream. Six months from now onwards it might be the mainstream. Considering this, America in one way or other must hold a direct talk with the Maoists. Maoists are not weak as they think, and Maoists should also realize that one day or other they have to shake hand with America.

In fact Prachanda has already given the green signal to America. Talking to reporters after meeting with the former U.S. president Jimmy Carter, Prachanda stated that the Maoists want to build good relations with the United States. Maoist chairman Prachanda said he requested Carter to take initiative to withdraw US terrorist tag on his party. Carter has said that he will urge the US government to have some sort of communication with the Maoists, according to the reports.

The question, however, is whether the argument will convince the American bosses who are horrified of the Maoist atrocities. After all their fears are justifiable. They cannot go and shake hands with those who are yet washing their hands in public with the innocents' blood.

Meanwhile, questions can be asked on the American intension in Nepal too. Whom America really wants to rule Nepal and whose alliance it is really seeking? Will America look Nepal from India’s eye only? Will America accept the New Democratic Republic of Nepal, if it were to be so after the Constituent Assembly election? Will America support Maoist Supremo Prachanda as the first President of Nepal? The answers to these curiosities are muddled up. Faced with this prospect, some people round Washington would like to see the consistent American policy toward Nepal, and not a lenient one.

Furthermore, it is true that there is some iota of inconsistency, even hypocrisy, in the West’s attempt to foster the cause of democracy and human rights in Nepal. So what? That is an inevitable consequence of the fact that human rights and democracy are only one of the many foreign policy concerns. Keeping the peace and narrowing the ideological gaps between the internal political forces are also important goals.

The point is that democracies should both accept and proclaim that promoting fearless society is an important aspect of foreign policy. Is America listening? Of course, it is. But along with America are the Maoists too willing to make Nepalese society a fearless society? Their action is dubious.

Having said so, Maoists must understand that the world is speculative of their objective. Hence, if Prachanda yearns to become the first president of Nepal, he and his party must respect human rights and come in line with the boundaries of the freedom and democracy.

The idea of democracy, and indeed the practice, albeit often in a flawed manner, is spreading as never before in Nepal even in the midst of YCL atrocities. But all of a sudden, Prachanda has shown his interest in ruling the nation. The biggest question, however, is, “In reality is Nepal ready for this transformation.” Let this be understood and debated by all the Nepalese. Nepal cannot afford to be baffled by Prachanda’s whiff of presidential dreams. Nepal is a thinking nation. Let her decide what she wants.

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Nepal Baffled by Maoist Leader Eying Presidency

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