The Year 2010

We have entered a new year-- actually a new decade-- with a lot of hope and expectations but it´s certainly not without accompanying apprehensions about the future. The last decade was perhaps the most tumultuous one in the modern history of Nepal: The first half of the decade was ravaged by war, and then came the royal coup and then the glorious Janaadolan-II that eventually ended the 240-year-old monarchy and ushered in a republican era. Janaandolan-II also brought the Maoists, who fought a 10-year bloody war, into peaceful, plural politics. The euphoria that this sweeping change brought has largely evaporated now, giving way to frustration, even disappointments. But that´s what often happens after historical movements or revolutions as expectations are typically high and the nation´s collective capacity to respond are low.



The year 2010 will be a make or break year. Just have a look at our political calendar: By May-end we will have to complete our constitution-drafting process. And to write the constitution within the given deadline we will have to first agree on a model for integration/rehabilitation of PLA combatants and for a federal Nepal. If we fail to work out a model for integration/rehabilitation of the PLA, it will end our hopes for peaceful transformation of Nepali society, for violence will continue to dominate the political discourse. Failure to reach a compromise on the federal model will have even worse consequences-- society could descend into bitter strife along ethnic and caste lines.



But 2010 has begun on a good note. The three major parties -- UCPN (Maoist), NC and UML-- have resumed the stalled tripartite talks to end the political deadlock. The Maoists seem more sincere about sending home disqualified PLA combatants and Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal has even claimed that UCPN-M Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said the PLA issue would be settled in the course of the next four months. The parties must understand that there is no alternative to consensus and charting out a joint course until the constitution is written and the next election is held.



The ruling coalition must realize that they may have the necessary numbers in parliament to run the government but they don´t have the numbers in the constituent assembly to write a constitution so long as they keep the Maoists out of the loop.



Likewise, the Maoists can threaten, blackmail or even announce an indefinite general strike, but they cannot bring down this government, let alone write the constitution. Taking the peace process to a logical end and writing the constitution is the prime duty of the parties and also the mandate the public gave them. We hope they will come together, write the constitution in time and make the year 2010 a turning point in Nepal´s checkered history.

Related story

10 moments that defined Nepali cricket in the last decade