In 1982, C P Mainali was unceremoniously kicked out as the general secretary of the Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist-Leninist), which later on became the CPN-UML following mergers with fringe left parties. This is not to suggest that Khanal is the most treacherous detractor of democracy or that he didn’t deserve to win the election. This historical reference only suggests how far the CPN-UML has come in its democratic transformation.
Post-Butwal, the UML has become the most democratic party in the country: it has its chairman, all its office bearers and the central committee members elected through the general convention. The UML men and women deserve congratulations for this democratic triumph. Now that the election is over we can forgive them for their efforts to avoid the election; we can even forgive some of them for their ridiculous argument that election weakens the party.
The UML general convention will have ramifications on other parties.
The NC, which claims to be the torchbearer of democracy in the country, only elects its party president and half of its central committee members through general convention. As the NC calls its general convention, hopefully next August, the party will be hard-pressed to widen its boundaries for intra-party democracy. There is already a pending demand at the central committee to elect all the office bearers and at least 80 percent of the central committee members through the general convention. Hello, the “torchbearers” of democracy, remember that the goal that you are aiming for will still be short of the UML’s achievement!
The Maoists, who are also expected to hold the general convention around July-August, will also feel the heat. As internal democracy becomes the yardstick to measure a party’s commitment to democracy, the parties will face more pressure for democratization. The rapid transformation of the UML also shows systematic failure of the communist party’s attempt to centralize power at the hands of its central leadership. If the last Kharipati meet of the Maoists is any indication, Prachanda will have to loosen his grip on the party after the next general convention.
We may have our own grievances and cynicisms against our political parties but from a historical stand point they are gradually transforming themselves. Agreed that the parties have a long way to go, but we need to acknowledge these changes and encourage them for more.
The parties next need a big push for more transparency in financial issues; more inclusiveness in decision making; and more accountability in what they say and promise. Unless parties drastically improve in these three key areas, the common citizenry will remain profoundly cut off from the parties, despite showing up for elections in huge numbers and chanting slogans during mass rallies. Parties should aim for people’s trust not just their physical participation.
Fine, all these don’t happen overnight. But the parties can—and should— take a step forward now. Nepalis deserve to know how much money flows through UML’s kitty every year; how much money does Girija Prasad Koirala have at his disposal to spend on party’s behalf; and how much money did the Maoists extort and burn to finance a bogus and bloody war (Clarification: I consider any war or revolution involving bloodshed as bogus); and how does the party manage to feed thousands of its full time party cadres.
I went to the NC office a few years ago to collect information regarding the party’s finances. All I got was a hand-written piece of paper that said the party’s total expenditure for that year was five million rupees. There was no further breakdown of the expenses or the details of the income. Prodded for more information on where the money came from, the office secretary said the party president provided it. Everyone knows Koirala is no banker; does not have his own business or any income source, but still he provided the money without elaborating to his party the source of it.
In the Maoist party, I bet anyone except Puspa Kamal Dahal knows how deep the party’s pocket is. The party even does not have an official treasurer. All these only encourage corruption, and feed resentment and frustration in the party rank and file.
The UML, unfortunately, did not go as far as it should have on the financial transparency issue. The reason is simple: it serves the interest of the party leadership. But what the parties fail to understand is that a genuine financial transparency will restore credibility of the party and its leadership.
People are smart enough to figure out whether you are just meeting its formalities or committed to financial transparency. Why can’t the parties publish their accounts every three months and invite a public auditor to examine the facts? There are some bold proposals on the NC table on financial transparency. Will the next NC general convention adapt them? Will the NC go one step ahead in deepening internal democracy and turn the tables on the UML or will it lose the democratization race with its ‘communist’ rival?
ameetdhakal@gmail.com
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