KATHMANDU, Dec 30: Former US President and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Jimmy Carter passed away at his home in Plains, Georgia, on Sunday (local time) at the age of 100. A towering figure dedicated to the cause of peace, democracy and human rights around the world, the 39th US President leaves behind a profound and enduring legacy in Nepal.
President Carter’s connection to Nepal has left unfading legacy in the country's journey from conflict to peace, particularly through his role in facilitating the end of the decade-long armed conflict and helping the integration of Maoist rebels into mainstream politics. The Carter Centre, which he co-founded with his wife Rosalynn in 1982, played an important role in Nepal’s precarious peace process during its most turbulent times. The Centre facilitated dialogue and monitored Nepal’s transition from monarchy to federal democratic governance, with President Carter personally involved in these efforts.
Despite his frail health, President Carter visited Nepal three times after the peace process began in Nepal following the government and then Maoists rebel signing a Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA). He first visited Nepal after his defeat in the presidential re-election bid in 1985, during which he traveled up to Kalapatthar in the Everest region. President Carter described the visit as extremely memorable.
A peace advocate who successfully mediated the Egypt-Israel conflict in 1979, it was natural for President Carter to take an interest in ending the violent conflict Nepal faced since 1996. During his three visits to Nepal after the CPA was signed, President Carter repeatedly used his influence to persuade the Maoists to stay committed to the peace process while urging the Seven Party Alliance (SPA) to accommodate the Maoists’ demands to ensure they did not feel cornered or threatened.
“Nepal’s peace process would not have progressed as it did without Carter’s personal involvement in mediating between the two warring sides to find mutually acceptable solutions on numerous occasions,” argues Political Analyst Dr. Ghanashyam Ojha, who previously worked with the Carter Centre in Nepal.
President Carter’s visits to Nepal always included his passion...
While President Carter began engaging with the underground Maoist rebels in 2004, the US government had designated the Maoists as a terrorist organization. Then US Ambassador to Nepal James F. Moriarty (2004-2007) showed no sign of softening the US government’s stance towards the Maoists in his public speeches.
President Carter’s efforts to personally engage the Maoists not only gave them the confidence to join the peace process but also encouraged other international actors to support such efforts. Until President Carter met with Maoist leaders during his second trip to Nepal in 2007, no international leader of his stature had done so, said Dr. Ojha, who obtained a PhD in Conflict Transformation through Constituent Assembly Elections in Nepal.
These overtures aligned with the goals of the SPA, which was rallying to reinstate the parliament dissolved by King Gyanendra, who had usurped all executive powers on February 1, 2005. The SPA—comprising major political parties banned after King Gyanendra’s takeover — was convinced there was no military solution to the Maoist conflict, contrary to the King’s belief.
President Carter visited Nepal in 2007, 2008, and 2013 to observe the Constituent Assembly elections. While the election originally scheduled for November 2007 was postponed at the last moment after the Maoists abruptly quit the interim government, the election was eventually held in April 2008. President Carter returned to Nepal to lead an 80-member delegation of international observers for the election.
Former Chief Election Commissioner Bhoj Raj Pokharel recalled President Carter’s remarks after the election observation that described the polls as largely free, fair, and peaceful. While his remarks were initially welcomed, criticisms emerged from a section of Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN-UML leaders as results showed a strong Maoist victory.
The remarks of President Carter not only set the tone for the international community but also placed the NC and the UML under moral pressure not to walk away from the election results, despite overwhelming demands to reject them. Of the total 575 elected members of the Constituent Assembly (CA), the Maoists secured 220 seats, while the NC and UML--the two largest parties in the country--were limited to 110 and 103 seats, respectively.
Pokharel, who had developed a good personal rapport with President Carter over the years, said that Carter was disappointed with Nepali political leaders in later years, particularly after his remarks on the 2008 election faced criticism in Nepal. “When I was at Harvard University after the 2008 election, he invited me to his residence in Atlanta. Serious differences among parties had complicated the constitution drafting process at that time. When I shared that his goodwill was still necessary to successfully conclude the peace process, he asked me if the leaders in Nepal positively accept suggestions from foreign leaders like him,” he recalled.
CPN (Maoist Centre) leader Khim Lal Devkota, who also served as a Constituent Assembly member, lauded President Carter’s role in facilitating Nepal’s peace process. “President Carter strongly believed that the Maoists, who had chosen to enter mainstream politics, should not be driven away from the peace process. His remarks after the 2008 elections helped counter allegations that the Maoists had rigged the polls,” said Devkota, who acted as a key interlocutor during the negotiation with the mainstream parties.
President Carter visited Nepal again during the 2013 CA elections, following the failure of the first CA to promulgate a new constitution. He reportedly suggested ways to bridge differences on key political issues, expressing concern over the stalled peace process. “I think that somehow helped to give momentum to the stalled constitution drafting process after the second Constituent Assembly election,” said Pokharel.
Top political leaders in Nepal, including President Ram Chandra Paudel, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, CPN (Maoist Centre) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, and Speaker Devraj Ghimire, paid heartfelt tributes to Carter, describing him as a true friend of Nepal. They highlighted his instrumental role in fostering dialogue during Nepal’s transitional period, calling him a beacon of hope.
As the world mourns the loss of President Carter, Nepal remembers him not just as a former US President but as a true friend who stood with the nation during its critical journey toward peace and democracy. Although the peace process remains incomplete, with transitional justice still unresolved, Carter’s efforts to bring the Maoist rebels into the peace process and his advocacy for a competitive democratic system will inspire generations committed to building a just and peaceful Nepal.
