“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil
Is for good men to do nothing.”
– Edmund Burke
By Shashi P.B.B. Malla
At the time of writing, Shri Durga Prasai and a rival activist Mahesh Basnet from the CPN-
Unified Marxists-Leninists (UML) were supposed to launch their respective street movements on this very day, Mangsir 7, 2080 (or November 23, 2023).
Will this turn out to be another historic date? It depends on how leading personalities of the current Nepalese establishment react, how events unfold and whether and how external powers are involved in the domestic developments.
For a positive outcome of Prasai’s movement, he must be clear about what he really wants to achieve. As the great Roman philosopher Seneca the Younger noted:
If one does not know to which port one is sailing,
No wind is favourable.
Any final outcome less than regime change will be hugely disappointing to the mass of the Nepalese people.
Prasai himself is no doubt an enigmatic personality. He is a successful medical entrepreneur managing a substantial hospital in the country’s south-east. However, he is not a so-called self-made man, since the alleged substantial family fortunes dates back to his grandfather.
He claims that he has no need to go into politics and amass a fortune like the grandees of the various political parties, since he already has the fortune, a major part of which he is ready to contribute to the nation’s development. As he said: He is ready to give, and not to take.
In the meantime, the out-of-power and frustrated Don of the UML, K.P. Sharma Oli is planning a head-on collision with Prasai’s street demonstration.
Oli claims that the UML is beginning protests to let the government know that it had only provided bad governance and that as a result, the country and the people were suffering.
The reason stated is hogwash as Oli has his own axe to grind. In fact, the UML has provided hardly any constructive opposition, or any substantial opposition for that matter and given the government complete leeway for various schemes and scams – as they say, to make hay while the sun shines.
Oli also has a personal grudge against Prasai, who strangely remains a nominal member of the UML. Prasai has accused Oli of investing a colossal amount of his ill-gotten gains in Cambodia of all places!
Oli has already conceded that his is only a symbolic protest to warn the government that it is not on the right track. It is in no way a mass demonstration.
Oli and the government will, therefore concentrate on Prasai’s movement on “Nation, Nationality, Religion, Culture and Citizen Rescue Campaign”, which seems to enjoy the nominal support of the former king, HM King Gyanendra.
The security services have already been alerted and have discussed possible security challenges.
Until Tuesday, the government was closely watching the build-up to the demonstrations and contemplating measures depending on how the situation unfolds.
Prasai’s Options
However, Prasai is a wily fox. As a successful entrepreneur, he will have planned his moves carefully.
If he has really mobilized the masses as he claims, the members and hangers-on of the various Mafia families of the Dons [the so-called political parties] will be no match for his concerned citizen-activists.
He will also have forged political partnerships with relevant groups and patriotic political parties.
Prasai will have found ways and means to neutralize the security services – urging them to stay non-aligned and stay on the sidelines and on the right side of history.
The historic struggle is after all of an enlightened citizenry against a rapacious pack of thugs, who should be sent packing.
Prasai has indeed emerged as an impossible savior to possibly make this happen. It is a golden opportunity – perhaps of a lifetime.
All Nepalese have a role to play. We are on the cusp of making history – once more!
The writer can be reached at: shashipbmalla@hotmail.com
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect People’s Review’s editorial stance.
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