KATHMANDU, May 26: Newly elected Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal on Tuesday asked the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) to join the government. [break]
In a televised address to the nation, Prime Minister Nepal sought the cooperation of all political parties because, he said, the peace process that started in 2006 has not yet come to an end.
He asked the Maoists to join the government to take the journey of unity, cooperation and consensus, initiated right from the 12-point understanding, to a logical end. “I ask friends from the Unified CPN (Maoist) not to stay away, but to listen to and understand others by sitting together with them,” he added.
Prime Minister Nepal said the enmity of the past could be changed into friendship by sitting together.
Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal addressing the nation at Singha Durbar National Planning Commission hall on May 26, 2009.
Bhaswor Ojha
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He recalled that his party, Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist), had supported the Maoist-led government despite being cheated during the presidential election. “I therefore urge the UCPN (Maoist) to join the current government and forward the peace process in Nepal,” he further said.
The prime minister said that national consensus is the priority of his government. He asked the various political parties outside the government to rise above past misunderstanding and enmity to forge the basis of national consensus. "The resignation (of Maoist chairman Puspha Kamal Dahal as prime minister) does not mean that they should end consensus and cooperation," he said.
The prime minister said that the formation of the new government was based on civilian supremacy. “This government, formed by the people-elected legislature-parliament, is the symbol of civil supremacy,” he argued.
Referring to the Maoist street protest for civil supremacy, he said that democracy is not a stepping stone for imposing any form of totalitarian rule. “The use of one´s arms against those of another group, counter-violence against violence and any form of totalitarian rule imposed in army uniform or out of uniform cannot be democracy or civilian supremacy,” he said. “Neither can executive arbitrariness be civilian supremacy.”
He said that democracy is a system based on checks and balance and guided by rule of law. “It cannot be interpreted according to one´s convenience,” he said, hinting at the Maoist decision to dismiss army chief Rookmangud Katawal.
In his 20-minute address, Prime Minister Nepal also lauded the role played by President Dr Ram Baran Yadav in safeguarding the constitution and keeping national unity and territorial integrity intact.
He likewise praised the positive role played by the Nepal Army in assimilating democratic change and the republican setup in the country.
The prime minister said his attention is drawn to the growing insecurity, anarchy, impunity and an unchecked market that have added to the woes of ordinary people in the aftermath of the democratic movement of April, 2006. He assured that the government would initiate immediate programs of relief and reform to help people sense change in the country.
The prime minister urged all agitating armed groups to lay down their arms and resolve their demands through dialogue. He gave assurances that the government would also be as flexible as possible to that end. “However, the government would not make any inappropriate compromise when it comes to the question of civilian security,” he further said.
Nepal assured that the new government would, in consultation with the other political parties, fulfill all agreements reached in the past with various agitating groups.
Referring to criticism from various quarters that a person losing the election from two constituencies has been elected the new prime minister of the country, Nepal said he is also an ordinary person who has known both victory and defeat in life. He said that he has been putting in the best of his efforts when the country and its people have felt him necessary.
Nepal also made a reference to Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal´s remark that he [Nepal] has proved to be a poison-tree. “I am not a poison-tree, nor am I a wishing tree [kalpabriksha],” he said. “But I want to be a tree that tries its best to yield the sweetest of fruits to the Nepali people, and not just shade to wayfarers.”
Dahal´s remark came after Nepal decided to stand as a prime ministerial candidate against their suggestion to first oppose the President´s move to reinstate the army chief and garner Maoist support in return. The Maoists, along with other political parties, had nominated Nepal as Chairman of the Constitution Drafting Committee of the Constituent Assembly.
Meanwhile, Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) has termed Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal´s call to join the government a joke.
"It´s merely a joke. There is no question of us joining his (Madhav Kumar Nepal) government," said Maoist Spokesperson Dinanath Sharma.
He said the Maoist party will, never cooperate with the current government until the latter is ready to restore "people´s supremacy".
On the prime minister´s call for consensus, collaboration and unity, Sharma said his party first needs to know about the objective of consensus, collaboration and unity. "We need to know the purpose of the consensus, collaboration and unity. If it is for restoring people´s supremacy and writing a new constitution, we may consider it. Otherwise, we will never support this government," said Sharma.
He charged that the prime minister´s speech was largely a continuation of status quo and regression. "This government is the weakest one and its base is unconstitutional. The prime minister attempted to hide his weaknesses," he said.
