Saturday, September 22, 2007

November 22: Elections Must Happen



The elections can not be postponed one more time. Once was too much.

But the Maoists are right with their key demands. I agree with them wholeheartedly. The country should be declared a republic, and there should be a fully PR election.

How do you reconcile these threads?

Middle Ground: PR Election Now, Republic Later

The Maoists are acting responsible. Their soldiers are in cantonments and will stay there. They continue to be part of the eight party alliance. They have not walked out of the peace process. And their protest programs are all peaceful and legitimate in a democracy.

I think the thing for them to do is to work the parliamentary arithmetic more than they want to work the street protests.

Armed Revolution To Street Agitation To Parliamentary Arithmetic

If they want to do business with the UML, they must publicly apologize to the UML on a few issues. They should publicly say the UML was right and they were wrong when the UML wanted a referendum on the monarchy before going for the elections to a constituent assembly. The UML was also right when it initially argued in favor of a fully PR election.

More important, the Maoist leaders must publicly apologize for some recent incidents where local Maoists beat up some local UML leaders.

And the Maoists should be seen publicly courting Deuba. That guy has almost 50 votes in the interim parliament.

The Maoists may go ahead with their protest programs, but if they don't couple that with public acts of actively trying to work the arithmetic in the interim parliament, they risk acquiring the public image of spoilers.

If the Maoists want to disrupt the November 22 polls, all they have to say and do is declare they are not going to take part. Without them taking part, the November 22 polls will be meaningless.
They have that kind of power. But should they use it? I think not. If they use that option, they are going to suffer from a serious slide in the country. Their base would shrink.

They are right about their two key issues. But they have to remember to act responsibly.

How to act responsibly?

Koirala Has Only 85 Out of 330

You do the very best you can to work the arithmetic in the interim parliament. You also carry out your protest programs. But if you can't work the arithmetic in the interim parliament, you call it quits, and you do go for the polls under the current mixed arrangement.

If elections are not held on November 22, lawlessness in the country will only get worse.

The Animals Of The Kapilvastu Riots

At that point the Maoists' best option will then be to run a vigorous election campaign. They should organize a series of mass meetings across the country. They should take credit for three major things. One, the constituent assembly. Two, republic. Three, federalism. They should tell people how the UML and the Congress came over to the idea of a constituent assembly only because of the Maoists. They should tell people how if it were not for Maoist pressure the Congress would never have opted for a republic, and how even now the Congress party's commitment to a republic is suspect. They might still have a relapse, and that is why the people should vote for the Maoists instead just to make sure we do end up a republic.

On federalism, the Maoists should make fun of the UML and the Congress for not going to the people with at least the outlines of their proposed federalism. This could be their big selling point.

In other words, the Maoists should learn to trust the Nepali people.

And, of course, a huge seller would be their land reform proposal. In a country were most people are poor, land reform should get you a lot of votes.

Time To Hit The Campaign Trail

Don't let the best be the enemy of the good.

Completely Proportional Election: Meeting Point With The Maoists

Do the best you can to get the two goals, but don't work towards the two goals in a way that the country ends up not having elections on November 22. If elections are not held in November, the monarchy will get to live for six months more. That would not be a republican thing to bring about.

Goal: Federal Republic Of State Funded Parties
I Agree With Prachanda On Republic And Proportional Election







In The News

Sitaula faces wrath of Kapilbastu locals; agrees to take action against administrators NepalNews
Deuba for ‘maximum flexibility’ towards Maoist demands there is a real possibility of the peace process breaking down if differences within the eight-party alliance continue to grow, ultimately prompting the Maoists to return to violent movement.
Koirala holds meeting with party leaders
Maoists organise protest rallies
Bandh hits normal life in Terai districts called by the Unified Janatantrik Tarai Mukti Morcha (UJTMM), a breakaway faction of Jaya Krishna Goit-led Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM) ..... Mahottari, Dhanusha, Sarlahi, Siraha, Bara, Rautahat and Saptari districts where transport services remain closed while bazaars in major towns have been shut. Major highways linked to these districts wore a deserted look from early morning ..... The two-day long bandh called to protest the killing of Mohit Khan, the president of Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha, in Kapilvastu six days earlier. .... The UJTMM, which had split a couple of weeks ago, is led by ‘Pawan’ a former central member of JTMM
Private sector worried over Kapilvastu unrest private properties worth over Rs 1 billion have been lost due to the violence. ..... given the political instability, unrest, and fuel shortage, there could be worse days ahead.
Gurung-led NC leaders against commitment proposal for republic

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think the Maoists are not being responsible, but grossly irresponsible by endangering the same election they supposedly fought for a decade without mercy. And the ground for their action is making untimely unilateral demands that goes against the constitution they themselves helped create.

By constantly shifting goalposts and going against the same agreements they signed earlier, how can one reasonably expect them to adhere to future agreements?

Anonymous said...

so a warlord who has no mandate from the people, and who is responsible for the death of thousands of Nepalis decides the fate of the King...

You got bloods on you hands, just like the rest of them homicidal bullish thugs...

you should be ashamed of yourself promoting such biased views just because it suits your own agenda.. shame on you ...