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Mao-less day: A rarity in Nepal

Bhuwan Thapaliya - 3/30/2008

In Nepal they say it is impossible to have a “Mao-less day”, a day without Maoists intimidation. News headlines in Nepal seldom stray far from Maoists atrocities, verbal abuses, intimidation and their violent physical attacks against the leaders of other parties. And unfortunately for Nepal , Maoist’s intimidation scramble in most places of Nepal is alarming other political parties before the most coveted Constituent Assembly election scheduled for April 10th where the Maoists too are taking part.

Can things only get worse for the Nepalese? The real question, though, is what difference it would actually make to the Maoists.

They are still as reckless as they were then. And despite the omnipotent growl from over the border, mainly India , U.S.A, European Union and the U.N, the Maoists seem set to save their falling grace by snatching in their favor a respectable election results at any cost via the tactic of their people’s war- through intimidation.

At first sight, Maoists transformation looks credible, at least compared with years and years of its war against the state, which crammed enormous resources of Nepal and encoded a permanent recipe of fear in the Nepalese psyche. But if you take a second look, then the picture becomes fuzzier still. Judging by the Maoists recent acts it is going to be fuzzier in the future too.

This time, it is hard to see how Maoists will behave if people throw their weight against them. But the ideas that Maoists will accept the election result in an illusion. Most voters believe that another Maoists revolt is around the corner, perhaps after the election.

And if the inevitable happens, the next few years for Nepal will not be easy – it would be complete catastrophic.

But anything in possible in a democratic election, if it is held free and fair. Who knows, Maoists might win major seats to write the new constitution of Nepal . But for this to happen, the Maoists must thrive in their new environment and accept that election is an opportunity which will change the character and direction of the Nation, and will generate real benefits for the people and the community as a whole.

Meanwhile, recent Maoists moves show that there is not an iota of possibility of the former rebels accepting the election result if it goes against their favor. Cynics sneer that sensing a mammoth loss in the CA election, Maoists have taken up intimidation yet again as a crude attempt to revive their fading legacy.

Outside world too is speculate of the Maoists act and they sense that the Maoists would not accept the verdict of the election if it goes against their favor because according to them, no matter how many times Nepalese try to revise history, the fact remains that the Maoists, the biggest abuser of the human rights in Nepal, accomplished their objective through utmost human rights violence especially in Rural Nepal.

“There are strong chances of them using the same tactics yet again if they fail to come neck to neck with other political parties in the election,” most analysts are saying.

One thing, however, is true. Maoists have embarked on a major transformation and if they play the election card according to the democratic rules, even the public will appreciate their role though they lose, but if they somehow distract the election, then they would lose even the support they are enjoying now.

If they shed their guns and play to their grass root level strengths, they may secure their positions as a leading people based political party, if not today, but certainly in the future.

But you have to feel sorry for the Maoists because they have not yet emerged from their bullet psyche while the ballot boxes are being airlifted to every nook and corner of Nepal for the Constituent Assembly Election.

At the moment, however, Maoists are battling hard to save their grace and the sight of Maoist’s support slipping so badly even in the rural areas has brought new strength to the democratic forces in Nepal . Warning bells are ringing for the Maoists because it now appears that the people, even in rural Nepal are ready to believe that no longer the politics of threat but democracy may be the best guarantor of stability in Nepal .

Yes, says Shanta Ram Magar, a political science student from Rukum: “It doesn’t matter to us who wins; at the end democracy must win.”

Hence, it is in the hands of the Maoists, whether to let the people decide their fate or let their guns decide the fate of the people. If they chose the latter, then they shall be doomed because people would revolt against them too as revolution never stops.

Nonetheless, the future of Nepal will now depend on how its political parties, mainly the Maoists, rise to the challenge to adjust and reform after the Constituent Assembly election.

What is now at question is not the Maoists view of Nepal or their judgment of what best suits the Maoists Party, but their commitment to the nation’s interest. What will happen if Nepal ’s political uncertainties turn out to be a bottomless pit? Then Nepal ’s sovergenity will also be at stake.

Has Mr. Prachanda the courage and, most important, the ability to force his own hardliners to accept defeat, if that’s what the voter’s say? The answer to that question, more than any other answer, if the Maoists lose the election, will decide the future of peace in Nepal .

Let this be understood by the Maoists.