What obligations have we got in order to establish institutions of inclusive democracy in Nepal after the 2nd amendment of the Interim Constitution?   Are we committed fully to comply with its mandates to create a new democratic Nepal that can be represented by the people and for the people from grass-root level to the nation's Parliament?   If we are that serious, why should then the interim head of the state and the Prime Minister of Nepal GP Koirala make the "minor king" proposal just after 2nd amendment?   It is understood that the sovereign people of Nepal can only decide the fate of the monarchy either by the Parliamentary declaration or by the first assembly of CA electoral. This has been not only the political consensus of the nation but also of international community and diplomatic dignitaries.     

What happens to the thinking of NC President GP Koirala has become extremely self-contradictory if not paradoxical. It seems he is having tremendous perhaps unnecessary self-pressure regarding the institution of the monarchy as if the legend of Mahabharata Bhismapitamaha trying to pay royalty (dept) to Duryodhana! If not why should not he have self-integrity with the universal consensus of the rights of sovereign people of Nepal to decide the fate of the institution of the monarchy – before or after the CA elections. However, if we dare to question his intentions in attempt to save the institution of monarchy by hook and crook then we can assume that he and NC must have been purchased by the royal palace.

Given two hundred fifty years history of the institution of the monarchy under any form of its presence the institutions of the inclusive democracy cannot b established. In other words, the monarchy must be dissolved in order for Nepal to establish institutions of inclusive democracy.

If not it can resemble Mahatma Gandhi's anxiety over shifting the power of India from British rule to the feudal elites of India.   In reality democracy in India is still less available among rural populations. Rules of feudal traditions still dominate the rural and marginalized population of India. In practice the democracy in India is far less inclusive. Therefore, our political objectives are clear that the dissolutions of entire feudal oligarchic establishments are mandatory for the republic setup with the restructuring the nation through federal governance system. We cannot create a new democratic Nepal that is inclusive without these two fundamental political changes.

We must confess our own self-knowledge living in one of the poorest country of the world that this is just not a political rhetoric but a grave fact if we are serious to come out of it. The international donors have faced this vacuum for long time and have made mandatory for people participations in the development process. What have prevented people participations in nation building process by now it must be clear to rest of us if not to GP Koirala and his NC – "the establishment of the feudal oligarchic elites." That is why the sovereign people of Nepal are trying to dissolve it entirely so that we can establish the institutions of the inclusive democracy.

Unfortunately, there are many political stakeholders on the horizon apparently foe to each other. Their agenda might publicly be stated clear but their drives are violent and brutal.   However, the question for these rival political stakeholders we have is that what really are their undercurrent drives. People wonder whether they have any vision for the nation to have common agreements with all of us or they really just want to get into each other's nerve to achieve their own political agenda.  

The political stakeholders who are breaching the law and order are mainly 'Madhesi-Rights-Movement' organizations both breakaway Maoist sister organizations and Madhesi People's Rights Forum, and the outbreak of Maoist affiliated YCL.   However, as long as the current law and order conditions in the nation are not improved as pinpointed by the diplomats and the international community the CA elections may not be viable for the free and fair elections. The nation has to be clear about these rival stakeholders' vested interest in the politics of violence.    

People are generally afraid of the Maoists doubting them that they might have double standard in their politics despite their open commitments to inclusive democracy. Majority of feudal elites in the government, business and industries think that the Maoists in principle may not comply with their legacy of corruption in society as their way of earning livelihood. They may introduce measures of proletariat rectitude. That is why people are experiencing the outbreak of YCL. How much obligations YCL has toward inclusive democracy yet to be witnessed. But taking law and order in their hands with no coordination of government's law enforcement authorities is unconstitutional and undemocratic. Since the Maoist party is part of the Interim government all the Maoists affiliated organizations must coordinate with the authorities of the government.        

There are people who doubt MPRF movements too. Rumors have spread in people among Maoist sympathetic that MPRF is palace paid organization. Apparently, MPRF is fighting for the autonomous federal republic Terai state but their core motive is to disturb the CA elections from being held. However, the Interim constitution has adopted the federal government structure for CA electoral to finalize. Recently, interim legislature approved the "Constituent Assembly Members Election Bill" that allocates 240 seats for the proportional based representations for women, Dalit, Madhesis, Janajatis and people of the marginalized regions.

Legislatively, the democracy has gained the momentums for the 2nd amendment of the interim constitution and for the approval of the electoral bill that establishes proportional representations for the marginalized people in CA election. These are the mandatory steps toward the establishment of inclusive democracy.   However, the Prime Minister's focus seems to be detracted away with the monarchy. The nation needs serious attention to the law and order that can only be managed with proper and organized law enforcement maneuvers. Such law and order might need interim regulations that must be brought into motion in the Parliament.

How long it will take for NC president GP Koirala to realize political and economic conditions of our nation that need governance mechanisms for people participations in the nation building process. In order to have such governance structures the inclusive political system is mandatory. Since two hundred fifty years history of the institution of the monarchy has systematically excluded the people participations the republic setup is must. As the interim head of the state and the Prime Minister of the nation he must take this responsibility.    
 
Prakash Bom
Astoria, New York
June 17, 2007
Profile: http://www.zoominfo.com/Search/PersonDetail.aspx?PersonID=-275678 

 (Note from the Nepal Horizons Editorial Team: The views and opinion expressed in this article are that of the author and not of NHC. We request individuals with interest in Nepal to submit their views on contemporary Nepalese issues to the following e-mail address: editor@nepalhorizons.com.  Pictures of contributors or images that relate to submissions are welcome)