Kanak Mani Dixit's article ('Enter the politician', #246) serves as a perfect example to show how the media and especially our iniquitous political parties have failed to understand the sentiments of the public. Unsurprisingly, these very same actors who love to brand themselves as true representatives of the people, are now facing the daunting task of winning the hearts of the masses. It is unlikely that the public is going to break its silence soon, as they seem content with the current status quo and are indifferent to the calls made by political parties. This should not merely be dismissed as a lack of political awareness in the country because the answer to this lies in the public's silence itself. February First swept away our basic fundamental rights but at the same time, it honoured our right to live in a conducive environment of peace, which is needless to say, the foremost priority of the Nepali people. Critics of February First say that by removing the political parties as a buffer, it has lead to an increasingly bipolar society where people have to choose between monarchy and Maoism. In this process they have overlooked the fact that the royal proclamation essentially gave the people a choice between peace and terrorism and works ultimately to restore a transparent and vibrant democratic mechanism in the country. Champions of democracy will only continue to be appalled by the popularity of February First among ordinary Nepalis (also observed by many foreign diplomats) because development towards peace can certainly happen in the 'absence of democracy'. Consequently, political pluralism clearly has to take a backseat to satisfy the principal agenda of peace. While Dixit's frustration is understandable, it is disheartening to see a prominent journalist of his stature instigating false feelings of nationalism by misleading the people under the pretext of promoting democracy.
Sanchit Shrestha,
email
. Kanak Mani Dixit's 'Enter the politician' is a slap in the face of the common people of Nepal. We the 'chaff' don't want the fake democracy we have been subjected to for the past 15 or so years. We want a system where corrupt politicians go to jail and are banned from public posts. Where the journalists and self-styled human rights activists who lie have their professional abilities questioned by self-disciplinary bodies, lose their jobs and can be taken to court. A system where students who vandalise public and private property are punished by law and made to pay for damages, a system where a citizen enters politics to serve the interests of the people not their own. A true democracy based on the rule of law, not a sham democracy where some elites and groups are above the law. How can Dixit really believe that the political parties represent these aspirations? Is his memory so short? He says that now they are 'hopefully chastened'. We the 'chaff' need certainties now, we are tired of waiting for change that never comes. In any other country, if faced with such a lack of trust from the part of the public, any political party would have cleaned itself up, getting rid of its failed leadership and corrupt party members. But this is Nepal so the hypocrites, the liars and the corrupt will lead the rallies for 'democracy' with the blessings of Keith Bloomfield, Nicholas Howen and other newly found friends, the same they once had labeled 'interfering foreigners'. The parties might be united now with their trite and uninspired agenda, purposefully silent about corruption, but once they get rid of the RCCC and manage to render ineffectual the CIAA, they will be at each other throats as usual, fighting over a share of the cake. If Dixit is the 'wheat' he should know better.
SK Aryal,
email
. All that has unfolded in Nepal these past few weeks has put it in a make or break situation. Nepal has become a company filing for bankruptcy and in this case, the king is the presiding judge. I know he has the final say but I have some comments:
1 The commission formed to investigate corruption should give the accused a chance to voluntarily return the wealth amassed or face prison sentences. The commission should act swiftly and not prolong court battles which could tarnish its own credibility.
2 The new government should represent all regions of the country so they, too, have a say in the policies.
3 The most important measure to be taken is banning people who were elected officials for the last 20 years from running for office again. People should realise that we are where are because of them. They had their chance and they blew it big time.
N Lane,
Maryland, USA
. Knowing your limits I am softening my language here but want to send a strong message to let royalists know the cumulative impact of their actions since February First. King Gyanendra defied both national and international concerns to suspend fundamental rights. No one, except the Maoists, have gained from the move. The monarchy has played its traditional role of undermining democracy to its own detriment. This move was supposed to focus the fight against the Maoists, but even in a situation of information blackout the people outside Kathmandu know things haven't got better. After February First, the Maoists have been emboldened, garnering unprecedented international exposure and legitimacy. At the same time, the monarchy had its international image tarnished. The royalists simply missed the point that had the king not curbed civil liberties and press freedom and the army done more to address rights violations, the UN's monitoring mission would not have been needed. The world knows about Maoist brutality, now there will also be questions about the 1,400 people whom the security forces have disappeared. This crisis of confidence among the king, the international community and the political parties is the best thing that ever happened to the Maoists. Even though the hexa- and octogenarian leaders of major political parties still like to see the king as a constitutional monarch, republican feelings are running high among the young turks. That also helps the Maoists. As Kunda Dixit notes in 'One on one' (#245) the king bargained for guns with India in exchange for easing the emergency. But there can be no peace or democracy at gunpoint. The international damage to Nepal's reputation and its geopolitical capitulation could have been avoided by sticking to constitutional norms. As King Gyanendra's ancestor, Prithbi Narayan Shah once said: "The monarchy is only as strong as the people."
Surendra R Devkota,
USA
. I was not surprised to read 'Vigilante justice' translated from Himal Khabarpartrika (#246). It was an anticipated consequence as security personnel were foolishly distributing weapons to these so-called vigilantes without considering the future outcome. Now the vigilantes have started to speak like the Maoists, justifying extortion. Did our security personnel in the higher hierarchy think about this? Or are they just suffering from hubris? It is always fatal when an untrained individual owns any kind of weapon that the law and society does not allow. There is still plenty of time to have the weapons returned to the state before bandits or another extremist faction get hold of them. We don't have to suffer again. Find another alternative to pacify, not this one. Violence only breeds violence.
Milan Gurung
