Similarly, Bhattarai got the hot seat only when the United Democratic Madhesi Front prevailed with a more controversial four-point agreement. But for some exceptions when his speaking and doing match, Bhattarai carries around two different personalities, at contradiction with each other. His success will depend on resolving this.
CONCLUDING PEACE WITHOUT DISCARDING VIOLENCE
Bhattarai has vowed to conclude the peace process within 45 days. Haven’t we had similar promises from others before? To date (September 23), Bhattarai in New York has just talked with the American President Barack Obama to get the UCPN (Maoist) off the terrorists’ list. However, he himself has yet to renounce violence. His interview to a national daily that he will continue to use the ballot and the bullet still stands. The violence which the Maoists encouraged has now begun to haunt them. Not long ago, Bhattarai got a death threat from a Maoist cadre, but received very little sympathy from the general public.
On August 27, someone attacked the Maoist trade union leader Shalikram Jamakattel. During early 2008, Jamakattel led gangs which devastated media personnel and offices throughout the capital. Those who used the sword in the past may perish by the sword in the future. Until Bhattarai himself renounces violence and declares that the UCPN (Maoist) has truly turned into a civilian party, he’s merely advocating peace for his foreign audience. If the Nepali Congress and the UML (both violent in the past) have adopted peaceful politics, why can’t the UCPN (Maoist) under Bhattarai’s premiership declare the adoption of non-violence henceforth?
Such a genuine declaration would bring tangible benefits. First, it would assure the country that the UCPN (Maoist) no longer entertains the ambition of “capturing the state" by force. It can do so through the ballot and elections. Any party that wins and forms a government "captures the state" till the next election. Second, after the UCPN (Maoist) renounces violence, it can begin to regard the Nepal Army as its own.
Then, third, it would ease up the integration of the Maoist fighters into the Nepal Army. At present, the UCPN (Maoist)’s insistence on combat role for "PLA" and the continuance of a separate contingent betray the fact that it still harbors the ambition of capturing the state by force. Other parties won’t allow that, and the UCPN (Maoist) merely ends up wasting the nation’s time toward stability and progress. Recently, Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has stated that the Maoists will go "alone" if the NC and UML won’t accept the former’s recipe for integration. What does this threat mean? The sooner PM Bhattarai resolves this contradiction the better.
PEOPLE’S VERSUS DEMOCRATIC CONSTITUTION
Bhattarai makes the right noise about bringing out the draft constitution by November 30. However, Bhattarai’s version, released in 2009, resembles that of North Korea. His "president" can easily remain so for life! It’s high time Bhattarai came clean on this; and declared that he truly advocates a democratic constitution with all the fundamental rights and freedom that go along with it. In his article, "See You in Court", the author Prakash A Raj argues that the Maoist constitution doesn’t envisage the separation of the powers normal in a truly democratic document.
When the Maoists started the futile civil war in 1996, Nepal was achieving a 6 percent growth rate under the Congress government. Presently, our country hasn’t even attained India’s previous "Hindu" growth rate of 3 percent. Even achieving NC’s 6 percent growth may convince us that the UCPN (Maoist) has something positive to offer.
We don’t know how Bhattarai would have fared as an architect for buildings; but when he chose the same role for the country, he became the cause of 16,000 needless deaths. This PhD comrade himself planned the 1996-begun Maoist war, which certainly sears his conscience during his quiet moments. He has experimented his Marxism-Leninism-Maoism enough on the Nepali people. It’s high time he settled for the world-tested and proven democratic constitution.
MUSTANG VERSUS THE GOLDEN HANDSHAKE
Like others, I too applaud PM Bhattarai’s choice of the Mustang jeep, costing Rs 14 lakhs (1.4 million), as his official vehicle. Doing so, he got the moral authority to order his ministers to opt for cars costing less than Rs 3 million. Whatever the PM may save financially for the country by his personal moves, the "golden handshake" that he contemplates for Maoist cadres who choose civilian lives negates it. Can Bhattarai with a good conscience propose that his cadres receive Rs 1 million each for having joined the "PLA" for at the most 10 years? When office workers who served in NGOs, INGOs or government booths may not get that amount as provident fund after 30/40 years of service, should his party-cadres deserve it?
A columnist of a Nepali broadsheet has argued that donors will provide the money, so why not give the departing cadres the amount? The writer presumes that benefactors will easily part with such money. They won’t. Because of the prevalent corruption, more donors now prefer to invest in tangible programs like trainings. Then, giving such a generous grant would send the wrong message that carrying a gun for a few years is the swiftest way toward quick money. The Madhesi armed outfits also may demand the same in exchange for "peace".
Bhattarai’s former stint as the Finance Minister during PM Dahal’s government can provide the solution. Then, he encouraged government loans of Rs 2 lakhs (200,000) for young people to start businesses. The same amount gifted as "golden handshake" for his departing cadres will suffice this time as well. Bhattarai should resolve this contradiction too.
DOUBLE DIGIT ECONOMIC GROWTH VERSUS MAOIST TRADE UNIONISM
Surya Nepal Garments had closed down before Bhattarai became the PM on August 28. Because 2,000 people lost their jobs, on September 7 Bhattarai initiated the process to get the factory functioning again. He failed. Bhattarai should’ve first disbanded the Maoist trade union active in the closure. He didn’t. On September 17, another Maoist-affiliated trade union padlocked Pokhara’s Him Shree Foods. With thuggish Maoist trade unions causing havoc, the Bhattarai government plans to make 2012 the Investment Year! The joke bites.
Bhattarai can daydream to his heart’s content of Nepal attaining double-digit growth like that of China or India. Until he tames the UCPN (Maoist)-affiliated, rowdy trade unions, he just breathes out hot air. When the Maoists started the futile civil war in 1996, Nepal, as a democratic, constitutional monarchy was achieving a 6 percent growth rate under the NC government. Presently, our country hasn’t even attained India’s previous "Hindu" growth rate of 3 percent. Even achieving NC’s 6 percent growth may convince us that the UCPN (Maoist), which we know so far as only a disaster-maker, has something positive to offer.
PM Bhattarai, we want you to succeed; but resolve these contradictions first.
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