The ugly turn of events in Kailali Monday that led to the deaths of at least a dozen police personnel, including a Senior Superintendent of Police, and left many pro-Tharuhat protestors critically injured, has left the country stunned. The Nepal Army has now being deployed in Kailali, as well as Sarlahi and Rautahat, the other conflict areas where police clashed with protestors the same day. A curfew has been imposed in Gaur, district headquarters of Rautahat. All these are indications that developments in the Tarai are starting to go out of the government's control. Before things get any worse, the leaders of political parties in the Constituent Assembly must come together and urge their cadres and supporters to desist from the use of violence to press their demands. But that alone is not enough. They must also make a clear commitment to address the genuine grievances of the protestors. Perhaps the task of constitution-writing can be put on hold for the time being in order to facilitate dialogue. The opposition parties will need to see something substantive on the table to abandon their protests. Local civil society actors must also do their bit to calm things down and maintain communal harmony.The targeted killing of police officials gives us grounds to suspect the infiltration of the protests by extremists. If that is the case, it is the responsibility of the political parties calling for the protests to remain vigilant against such infiltration. There can be no justification for burning people alive, as at least some police personnel were. We are also disappointed with Prime Minister Sushil Koirala's address to parliament Monday evening. He offered nothing substantive to douse the flames in the Terai belt. Yes, federalism is proving to be devilishly difficult to implement, but it's not impossible if there is political will to address the genuine grievances at the grassroots. But there was no hint of such political will in the prime minister's speech. Political leaders cannot take decisions behind closed doors and expect the country to accept them unquestioningly.
The Madhesi parties had announced that the families of all those killed during protests in the Tarai would be given Rs 5 million each by a future provincial government. That was an irresponsible utterance. Violence perpetrated on their behalf, they seemed to be implying, would be well rewarded. They should at once take back this provocative measure. They must also do more to ensure that those protesting on their behalf employ only peaceful means. The ruling parties, for their part, must create an environment whereby meaningful talks on federating the country can resume with the opposition parties. Violence only breeds more violence. Even the Maoists had to surrender their arms to meet their political goals. Meaningful solutions will emerge only from the dialogue table. The country is at a tipping point. But this is also a great opportunity for our top leaders to show statesmanship. If they fail at this critical juncture, nothing less than the sovereign status of Nepal might be at stake.
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