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The Maoists won a majority of seats during the Constituent Assembly elections held earlier this year, but due to bitter infighting between major political parties their plan to form the new government had to be put on hold. Now, the former rebels have formed a somewhat shaky alliance with the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) (CPN-UML) and the Madhesi People’s Rights Forum, and they hope to swear in the new Cabinet soon.
Comrade Prachanda, who has successfully led his party from the deep jungles to the corridors of influence and power in Kathmandu, unfortunately has no time to celebrate the achievement. The “to-do” list for the new Nepal is miles long and growing.
The 10-year-long civil war between the Maoists and the state shattered Nepal’s already fragile economy. Two years after the ceasefire, the investment and business environment of the country has still not recovered. Lacking security, corruption, red tape and the overall uncertainty hanging over the country have pushed the country’s economy to the breaking point. The Hindustan Times, referring to a UN report, says that Nepal – one of the least developed countries in the world – has done worse compared to other countries in the same group.
News published the same day that Prachanda was sworn in said that Nepal’s GDP is growing at a sorry rate of 2.8 percent, compared to an impressive 7.6 percent posted by other least developed countries. Needless to say, the state of the country’s economy poses a big challenge for the new prime minister. He also has to honestly examine how much his party and its loyalists have contributed to this mess and take steps to rectify the mistakes.
As this is being written, reports are coming in about the Maoist-affiliated Young Communist League beating up those who disagree with them and intimidating small businesses to provide financial support. In remote Sankhuwasabha, Maoist cadres reportedly looted maize crops from local farmers. These are not isolated incidents; even after the 2006 ceasefire, Maoist activists and members of the YCL continued to use strong-arm tactics to force their wishes upon people.
The prime minister should stand above party loyalty and politics and rein in these rogue elements within the Maoist group. He also has to face citizens who suffered terrible losses during the civil war and accept the blame for atrocities committed by his party members.
His success in enforcing discipline will show how much sway Prachanda has within the party; it will also show his capacity as a leader and a diplomat – skills he will very much need to deal with neighbors India and China.
The Maoist’s victory took India by surprise. The country’s right-wing politicians blamed the Congress-led government in New Delhi of being asleep on the job while communists took control of Nepal. The Bharatiya Janta Party made no effort to hide its displeasure, saying that the historical influence India has had over Nepal will now be taken over by China, based on the often-discredited theory that communists everywhere are brothers. The BJP – sometimes criticized for its loyalty to Hinduism – was also not thrilled by Nepal’s decision to go secular, abandoning its long Hindu tradition.
The BJP’s interest in events in Nepal took a curious turn after the “Hindi boomerang,” where the country’s vice president took his oath of office in Hindi – constitutionally a foreign language – and the country erupted in violent protests. On Monday, newspapers in Kathmandu were reporting that the hard-line right-wing party had issued a “threat” to Nepal saying that Hindi had to be recognized as the country’s second language, or else.
Comrade Prachanda will need leadership, diplomacy and some common sense to deal with the hotheads in the BJP. In the case of China, the prime minister will try to correct President Ram Baran Yadav’s misstep – rejecting the invitation to join the Olympics opening ceremony – by attending the closing ceremony. Hopefully the effort will have positive impact; Nepal cannot afford another diplomatic tumble.
Other challenges are facing Nepal’s new prime minister: law and order, national integrity, refereeing between not-too-happy allies, and, yes, keeping the Constituent Assembly on track to complete the new Constitution on time. Comrade Prachanda has a long way to go before celebrations can begin.
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(Bhumika Ghimire is a freelance reporter. Her articles have been published at OhMyNews, NepalNews, Toward Freedom, Telegraph Nepal, Himal South Asian and ACM Ubiquity. She is also a regular contributor for News Front Weekly (Nepal) and Nepal Abroad (Washington D.C.). She can be reached at bhumika_g@yahoo.com. ©Copyright Bhumika Ghimire)
