After 150 days of unrest in the plains, four months of border blockade, and 25 rounds of failed talks, a deal between the Big Three parties and the Madhesi Front finally appears within reach.
A meeting of the top three leaders on Thursday resolved to ink a deal with the Front next week, providing a face-saver for India to fully lift a blockade it never officially admitted to imposing. The Front has already backed down from its stance to withdraw protests only when federal boundaries are readjusted, apparently after New Delhi leaned on it. It is willing to agree to an all-party mechanism to redraw boundaries within a certain timeframe.
But there is still disagreement over the legitimacy, jurisdiction and scope of the proposed all-party mechanism. The Front is now seeking a written commitment from the three parties that the mechanism will be mandated to readjust provincial boundaries.
Rajendra Shrestha, a Federal Socialist Forum Nepal (FSPN) leader who represents the agitating side in the joint task-force formed to prepare the framework of a deal, told Nepali Times on Thursday: “A deal is possible as and when the ruling parties assure us that the mechanism will create two identity-based provinces in the Tarai without breaking ethnic clusters.”
The ruling UML-UCPN coalition and the main opposition NC are afraid that Madhesi leaders will gain the upper hand in future negotiations if they now promise to create two provinces encompassing the whole Tarai. They are ready to give legitimacy to the mechanism by getting it passed by Parliament or adding a clause about it in the constitution, but they rule out any commitment on the number of provinces in the plains or their boundaries.
NC negotiator Mahesh Acharya proposed to “reopen and revisit” all issues after a joint taskforce meeting this week, while Deputy Prime Minister Bijaya Gachhadar, the only Madhesi leader in the UML-led government, rejected the demand for two Tarai provinces, arguing for a third for his Tharu community.
UML whip Gokul Prasad Gharti said the Madhesi parties were under pressure to show flexibility as India had agreed to begin customs clearance for Nepal-bound goods from Raxaul once a deal is reached. He told us: “The Indian Prime Minister promised our Prime Minister during their telephone conversation that the blockade will be lifted when parliament passes the amendment.”
The three parties and the Madhesi Front are due to reach an agreement by Monday and Parliament is expected to convene on Tuesday, 19 January. Already there are signs of the blockade easing, as all Indian border checkpoints barring Birganj are now fully open. Even fuel tankers stranded in Raxaul are being rerouted through other checkpoints.
Om Astha Rai