Nepal’s political course has taken a rather peculiar turn with the agreement between the expanded HLPC and agitating parties to sit for a roundtable political conference. It is wonderful for almost all the important political forces to be able to come to the same platform. But without specifications on the issues to be discussed at the roundtable, there is plenty of room for suspicion that the political parties will be able to come up with a meaningful compromise to clear the way for November election.
Most significantly, the agreement on roundtable conference (to be held among political forces and ‘experts’) addresses the main demand of Mohan Baidya’s CPN-Maoist. Even though other agitating forces had seemed amenable to compromise, CPN-Maoist has been adamant on roundtable political conference and dissolution of HLPC as well as current government, among other demands.[break]
The decision on a roundtable gives them the platform they were looking for and a great opportunity to clearly articulate their demands. The other major agitating party, the Ashok Rai-led FSP, has also welcomed the roundtable idea and is preparing to flesh out its demands.
Yet a concrete agreement from the proposed roundtable is far from a certainty. Can the radical demands of CPN-Maoist like dissolution of current government, poll postponement and prior agreements on future constitution be addressed through the roundtable mechanism? And how interested is CPN-Maoist in meaningful give and take? Will the other agitating forces find enough space in the roundtable? Equally importantly, will the roundtable be able to find solutions on time? The Election Commission has made it clear that it is working with an extremely narrow timeframe and any more delay in settling outstanding political and poll-related differences could prove fatal to the prospect of the scheduled election.
There are fears that the CPN-Maoist could use the roundtable as a time-buying tactic and its only intention is to foil CA polls. Alternately, the major political parties have agreed on roundtable since they too are unsure of their electoral prospects. If true, this will be a self-defeating tactic, particularly for the major parties. It could irreparably damage their public image and create space for the forces that want to take the country back to pre-2006 dispensation. We still believe election should be held on November 19.
There is still just about enough time and if the parties are really committed, it is possible. If the roundtable can come up with a broad framework of the new constitution (for instance on the basis of federalism, system of governance, etc), so much the better, but the nitty-gritty (number and specific boundaries) should be left for the people to decide.
We are in favor of the Khil Raj Regmi government holding the November vote; government change at this last moment would create more problems than it will solve. All participants in the roundtable should engage in deliberations with the goal of holding CA election on November 19 and giving the country a new direction through the CA mechanism. The roundtable deliberations will be a wonderful occasion to find out who is really committed to peace and constitution and who is looking to cash in on the prevailing chaos.
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