On/Off the Record
By P.R. Pradhan
The foreign powers sponsored then seven-party-alliance plus Maoist in armed conflict had launched a decisive movement in Nepal in 2006. The Maoists, in the name of “peaceful movement”, had launched bloody conflict killing dozens of Nepal Police personnel at the Thankot Police Post when they were having dinner. Girija Prasad Koirala had asked Prachanda for the bloodbath in the Kathmandu Valley, to make successful the decisive agitation. The Maoists in arms had asked people around the Kathmandu Valley for compulsory gathering around the Kathmandu streets to demonstrate the human sea against the King’s direct rule. Those, who deny the Maoist circular for compulsory presence in the demonstration, had to pay a fine in cash.
Indian ambassador Shivashanker Mukharjee, British ambassador Keith Bloomfield, American ambassador James F Moriarty, among others, were supporting the agitators to introduce the present system called “loktantra”. Mukharjee was instrumental in inking the Indo-West designed 12-point agreement. Bloomfield was found publicly criticizing our king saying that the King was a liar. Moriarty, moving a step ahead, was found saying that the King may run away from Nepal by hanging himself on the tail of a helicopter. Maybe, currently, all those envoys are spending their retired life in their respective countries. The King is still staying in his motherland and, whether they believe it or not, the King is very popular among the Nepalis.
The King had assumed the executive power with the commitment for holding local and general elections and handing over the executive power to the elected government within three years as the political parties were avoiding elections by showing the Maoist threat but were fighting against each other to capture the power. The democratic commitment of the King didn’t digest to the Indo-West envoys. Today, the political scene is the same. We are watching the double standard of the political leaders on the MCC controversy.
Perhaps, if the then envoys are following the developments in Nepal, they can see streets around Kathmandu have turned into a battlefield. Those political parties, which are in the government, have mobilized their party workers against the Americans. “Back off America!”, “Say no to MCC” like slogans have become common. Nepali media and intellectuals sponsored by different American agencies are trying to clarify that MCC is not against Nepal and Nepal’s interests and the US Embassy even is clarifying that the MCC is a gift for the Nepalis. However, the communist parties in the government are not ready to accept it!
There is a Nepali proverb, “je ropyo tehi falchha” (whatever you sow, the same fruit will bear”. As they had sponsored the communists, now, the communists are exposing them.
In the 75 years long diplomatic history, especially during the King’s rule, all of the countries having friendly relations with Nepal were enjoying very cordial relations as the Nepal government was very sensitive on her foreign policy dealing and respecting the friendly countries’ prestige. The foreign policy issues didn’t become the issue of dispute against any of the friendly countries.
The present MCC controversy is invited by the political parties. Now, the very political parties that are denying accepting the MCC grant. They are in the street saying that they don’t need such a grant against Nepali sovereignty and independence! Today, Nepal-US relations have become the issue of stone-pelting in the streets.
Let’s recall, during the Kings’ days, Nepal has received much grant support from friendly countries. Such grant or loan projects were accepted only after detailed homework. If such projects were aimed at any other friendly countries, they would not have been accepted. For example, the construction of the far-western section of the King Mahendra East-West Highway was handed over to India even after the Chinese construction company had won the global tender. Considering India’s security sensitiveness, the then government had cancelled the bidding from the Chinese construction company.
At present, the government has already signed the MCC grant accord and at the time of rectification of the grant from Parliament, the political parties are creating disputes. This is the result of accepting the grant project without homework. Now, Nepal has already fallen into the MCC grant trap, in the meantime, they have made suspicious to China, Nepal’s immediate neighbour from accepting such a controversial grant project.
Today, the “loktantra” imposed by foreigners has become very costly for themselves. Many things took place through a conspiracy in the name of loktantra. Those ambassadors mentioned above were the witnesses of such conspiracies. The erstwhile dissolved parliament was reinstated even after the expiry of the five years’ tenure; the Maoist rebels were nominated to the Parliament without an election; the country was declared a secular republic without people’s mandate or a referendum but through a conspiracy of the foreign powers. The political leaders of the day were instrumental in fulfilling the foreigners’ interests. Moreover, the new constitution was introduced through a conspiracy and without necessary debate at the people’s level. Above 95 percent of the suggestions submitted by the locals were against secularism, federalism and republicanism. Suggestions of the local people were not made public but dumped at the dustbin of the Constituent Assembly. Be that as it may, it is interesting to watch dirty political games in the streets and in Parliament!
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