Nepali Times
Headline
Reflecting on our past


BIKRAM RAI
FAST TRACK: Women bathe on the Bagmati at Pashupati on Tuesday at the beginning of the month-long Swasthani fast.

The peace and constitution process has ground to a halt, mainly because of a disputed provision in the new constitution about whether or not Nepal should have a presidential or parliamentary system of government. Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has not tried to hide the fact that he seeks to become the executive president. When the NC and UML objected, Dahal did not just stall negotiations, he went back on previous commitments agreed to in the sub-committee he himself heads.

The political parties all share the blame for obstructing progress, but by far the greatest responsibility for the current deadlock goes to the Maoist party, and particularly its chairman. The internal rift within the party has been a useful bargaining tool for Dahal in negotiations with the opposition, but he has now played this card once too often.

Neither the NC or UML should have any problems with a presidential system, there are plenty of examples where it has worked. There are also places where it has been a disaster. The real issue is that the executive should be accountable, should have renounced violence and proven a commitment to democratic politics. The others are reluctant to trust a party that has often shifted the goal posts, keeps threatening violent state capture, or plunders the state coffers. Chairman Dahal is both the problem and the solution to this stalemate.

Read also:
One step forward, two steps back
Pushpa Kamal Dahal is both the problem and the solution to the deadlocked peace and constitution process

Street drama, ANURAG ACHARYA
Youth groups shut down the country to protest a fuel price rise announced by their parent parties in government

Who says Nepal is divided?, VIJAY LAMA
The Tamang new year celebration on Tuesday proved Nepalis are more united than ever



1. SPP

I was horrified to see this latest (#589) edition of Nepali Times. It reeked of sheer laziness. No hard-work, no expert analysis and opinions that Nepali Times says are the qualities that make it distinct from other newspapers. Guess what? There was just a boring, shallow, uncreative coverage of news and ads that any newspaper can do. What N. Times' readers expect is a deep, provocative analysis and opinion that is hard to find in other newspapers. (Except for the editorial, no other article fits that description.) I cannot also believe that there were nine continuous pages of Life Times, replete with just ads! Where is Rubeena Mahato? Rabi Thapa and his amusing updates of the Jaipur Literature Festival? This edition couldn't have been more disappointing. You can see for yourself where you went wrong. It's obvious. (Kunda Dixit can write other articles, besides his editorial, to make the paper more interesting. His wake-up articles and travelogues are always both entertaining and impressive. I think Nepali Times is short of good writers. Bring back CK Lal if you have to)



LATEST ISSUE
638
(11 JAN 2013 - 17 JAN 2013)


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