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Out of the wreckage of Nepal’s uncertainty emerges a changed Maoist Party

Bhuwan Thapaliya - 4/12/2008

In my 4th April 2008, Global Politician Article, “Democratic premium in Nepal is getting bigger and wider,” (see http://www.globalpolitician.com/24440-nepal), I had argued that the democratic premium in Nepal is getting wider but to my utmost dismay, many readers accused me of being Pro- Maoist and a defector of democracy without analyzing my article in detail and without reviewing my previous political articles.

One way or another, they countered my article by saying that the CA election in Nepal would never take place due to the Maoists atrocities. But contrary to their belief, it did and the historic election to constituent assembly in Nepal turned out to be a grand success with over 60% turnouts in CA polls.

And immediately after the voting for the historic Constituent Assembly election ended, world bodies, including India , USA , European Union , Britain , Japan , Korea , China , etc, all hailed it as a historic step towards realizing the aspirations of the people of Nepal for a democratic future.

In that very article, I had stated that, “In the past Maoists were using bullets, but now they are pelting stones and it is not too long before they shall be pelting flowers. That’s the only option left before them if they are to come as a major political force in Nepal . Nepal is lucky that the Maoists are transforming, though the process is slow. But the very fact that they are transforming is a step in the right direction for Nepal .”

They lambasted me after reading the above paragraph by saying that the Maoists would use force and intimidations to get the election results in their favor and would never transform from bullet to the ballots. They said, the Maoists would not let the election to happen because according to them if it happens, then the Maoists would face a landslide loss.

All in all, I think, its fair for me to say now that the fact is open before the world now. Maoists took part in the election. The election was held in free and fair environment and there was not a trace of Maoists intimidation in most of the election booths, barring few. And most importantly, the election results are sprouting in the Maoists favor.

Thus, this can be said of the Maoists: Out of the wreckage of Nepal ’s uncertainty, in the mainstream, emerges a changed Maoists Party.

Former US President Jimmy Carter, The co-founder of the Carter Center, who is in Kathmandu on an election observation mission leading a 60-member team of international election observers, said that the elections were largely "peaceful, orderly" and he was "very satisfied" with it, according to the media reports.
So what are we to make of this? Maoists are surely transforming and they are reaping the benefit of the transformation because they are leading in most of the C.A. election race in Nepal as of now.

Hence, by undermining the popularity of their vicious past, the ballot results are presenting the Maoists with an opportunity which they can use to an extraordinary transformation.

Now, there is every chance of the Maoists party diluting the power of its guns forever. This is a good sign for Nepal .

Meanwhile, the successful completion of the Constituent Assembly in Nepal has offered a real chance for peace in Nepal . Slowly and sullenly, amid a flood of complaint and confusion, Nepal is moving towards a durable political settlement.

For all the acrimony, its offers a fine chance of a lasting peace and a lasting settlement. It is a chance that the Nepalese should seize.

If they wish, all sides can view the glass proffered in the election as half full, representing the best deal available after decades of violence and division. Pessimists, of course, will view it as half empty, or worse.

But judging from the immediate reaction of Nepalese people, the optimists have clearly outnumbered the pessimists.