Twelfth Loktantra Diwas

Dream to fulfill

Published On: April 24, 2018 01:57 AM NPT By: Republica  | @RepublicaNepal


As we mark the 12th Loktantra Diwas (Democracy Day) today, it is a time to look back on struggles and achievements of the past and chart course for fulfilling aspirations that this day brought to Nepali people in 2006. Achieving loktantra was no small feat then for Gyanendra Shah, then Nepal’s king, had concentrated all powers in his hands, gagged the free press, put the prominent Nepali leaders under house arrest and banned political activities much like his father had done in 1960.

Political parties bravely brought against this new form of autocracy and along with signing of Comprehensive Peace Agreement between agitating parliamentary parties and then warring Maoists in November, 2006, the pro-democracy movement gained momentum across the country. The struggle they jointly launched became the turning point in not only forcing the monarch to restore the parliament that he had arbitrarily dissolved but also proved to be instrumental in leading the country toward federal democratic republican system of today.Thus Loktantra Diwas marks a new phase in Nepal’s political history.

Eleven years down the line, we have accomplished many of the objectives for which thousands of people made to the streets and a number of others became martyrs. We have the constitution promulgated by sovereign Constituent Assembly. We have accomplished vital tasks of holding three tiers of elections and we have governments at all three levels though we are yet to promulgate necessary laws and build conducive infrastructures to make these governments smoothly function and deliver as per the expectations of people.

Besides, we are yet to resolve issues of transitional justice—one of the vital components of peace process—which remains in limbo despite our accomplishments on other fronts.  For this we need to make our transitional bodies—Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP)—more proactive by amending TRC legislation. 

Delivering on transitional justice and fulfilling people’s aspirations for development and prosperity will remain biggest test for KP Sharma Oli’s government. It is crucial to fulfill these goals at this moment because this is the first elected government under new political dispensation that enjoys more than two-thirds majority supports in the parliament.

Arguably, political parties failed to address development aspirations in the past because our political system remained fragile and unstable for more than ten years. Now we have no such excuse to fall back on. After the end of conflict in 2006, we for the first time have a government on which people have put huge expectations. This expectation should not be allowed to wane.

There have also been some apprehensions that Oli’s government is looking to concentrate all powers under his administration undermining fundamental values of the constitution. The government has to prove through actions that all such apprehensions are baseless.

The true celebration of Loktantra Diwas will be when leadership will be able to address the aspirations of people for peace, rule of law, corruption-free governance, development and prosperity. On that note, we extend our Loktantra Diwas wishes to all.

 


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