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Maoist Terrorism And Nepal's Elections

By Deep Sanyal

Terrorism has raised its ugly head in the run-up to the municipal elections scheduled for February 8. The Maoist assailants raided the Thankot Police checkpost and the Dadhikot Police Station on January 14 and killed 12 unarmed policemen. It is no surprise that elements bent on perpetuating violence and anarchy in Nepal are active once more as the state is preparing to hold the municipal elections.

The Maoist outfit has been perpetrating violence and using terrorism as its weapon since it began the so-called "people's war" 10 years ago, except for brief periods in between during the cease-fire and the peace talks.

During these cease-fire periods also, the armed Maoist cadres would roam freely in the villages, abduct teachers and students and extort money as a donation from people in the absence of an effective cease-fire monitoring body. It has again intensified its activities after announcing the termination of the unilateral cease-fire that it had declared.

During the latest unilateral cease-fire period also, there were reports of the Maoists killing people, abducting civilians, carrying out extortion and looting. It was also during the unilateral cease-fire declared by the Maoists that the alliance of the seven agitating political parties and the Maoist outfit reached a 12-point understanding in the Indian capital.

The sole purpose of this pact was to further intensify the agitation at a time when the Nepali people are desperately yearning for peace. Although the so-called 12-point understanding was said to be a harbinger of peace, it turned out nothing more than an unholy pact to foment political crisis in the country, patched up at the bidding of some foreign powers bent on bringing about a regime change in Nepal according to their liking.

After the signing of this dubious 12-point deal in Delhi, the grouping of seven political parties and the Maoists, it seems, have tacitly agreed to sabotage the municipal elections at any cost, the former through street agitation and the latter through the use of violence. This is a big rebuke to the Nepali people, as it does not address their earnest desire for peace. Rather it is a sinister development that adds fuel to the fire.

If these two forces that have struck an agreement of convenience between them were at all concerned about the people's desire and national interest, the Maoists would have extended the cease-fire while the latter would have opted for the way of the ballot rather than the way of agitation.

That the so-called big political parties have been resorting to the politics of anarchy and aggression is crystal clear. The leaders of these political parties who have been threatening of unleashing a "tsunami" and political storm in the country with the backing of some crooked foreign mentors should at least learn to be true to their heart and motherland.

It is not tsunami and political storm that the people are yearning for presently. It is durable peace, political stability and development that they are so desperately looking for when the country is passing through an adverse situation. Even though the parties could not quell the Maoist insurgency, which was entirely of their own making, they should act like leaders and show the minimum of political decency during hard times like the present.

His Majesty the King has given them a golden opportunity by way of civic polls and the parliamentary elections next year, for the political parties to go to the people, renew their contact and beseech their support to form the local government and then the national government.

But instead of opting for a democratic way of forming the government, the so-called mainstream political parties are shying away from the ballot box and taking recourse to anarchy and disturbance, so much so that those believing in the power of the ballot are hobnobbing with those whose only belief hitherto has been the power of the bullet. Those believing in democracy and the rule of law should employ democratic and constitutional means, not anarchy and extra-judicial means to bring about a regime change. And that constitutional and universally accepted way to bring a regime change is election.

Political parties that speak of bringing political tsunami in the country and which are bragging of public support by organising massive rallies should learn to trust the people instead of playing second fiddle to their foreign masters. They should dare go to the people, garner the largest number of votes and take the reins of the country. They should at least give the benefit of doubt to His Majesty the King by extending cooperation to the Government and taking part in the elections. They should trust the people, take part in the elections and come out with flying colours in the hustings.

Even if they do not trust the present government and have doubts regarding the elections being free and fair, they should suggest the best options to make the elections free and fair and call in international monitors to ensure the fairness of the polls. The "mainstream" political parties also need to test their mettle to qualify for that title. It does not suit the democratic-minded political parties to take to undemocratic means and talk of sabotaging the elections. This only shows their autocratic tendency. The agitation, which these political parties have launched for the last three or so years, has pathetically failed to garner public support. The political parties should learn from this. They should read between the lines and hear the voice of the silent majority.

This is the time for the entire Constitutional and democratic forces to be united to put up a solid front against terrorism and foreign interference. The events during the last few years show that it is the people and the nation that suffer when constitutional forces are at loggerheads.

The political parties that swear by the present constitution of the land should not become accomplices of the terrorists or the tools for them to perpetrate their evil acts on the Nepali nation.

The government has also asked the political parties for talks. The agitating political parties should take this offer in a positive light and at least start the process of dialogue and greater national conciliation. Always putting up a bellicose stance may not be the solution. It can be a cheap bargaining chip and a means for petty politicking, but not an effective tool for resolving the political crisis.