Valley under the shadow

Nepal, the poorest nation in one of the poorest regions of the world, is today caught between the forces of wanton violence professing to speak for national liberation and a regressive, anti-democratic and completely autocratic entity embodied in the institution of the royal palace. For years — even earlier to the declaration of the state of emergency in November ’01 — the Himalayan kingdom has been witness to a war of attrition between these two entities. The cost in human life runs into thousands, the cost in human development can perhaps never be fully estimated.

The Maoists gained major political advantage from two unedifying developments over the last three years — the palace massacre of June ’01 which saw the elimination of King Birendra, the brother of the present king, Gyanendra, and the latter’s own decision to sack Sher Bahadur Deuba, and assume executive power in October ’02. Both developments cast the palace in a dismal light. In fact, after the massacre, the Maoists briefly managed to wrest for themselves the image of being the nation’s defenders, by crying foul and organising successful strikes. But the support they have today is largely the result of fear and intimidation through kidnappings and terrorist strikes. In many ways the present state of Kathmandu symbolises that of the Nepali people. Both are in a state of siege.

The threat of insurgency was easy to ignore when it appeared to be confined to the mountains. The situation now — as Express reports testify to — is qualitatively different. The successful bid to choke Kathmandu of supplies represents an almost total takeover of the kingdom. India finds itself reduced to being a helpless bystander, even as its interests in Nepal come under attack. These are the wages of prevarication. It should have used its immense influence to further the democratic project in Nepal. This would have countered the two forces that are presently threatening to bring Nepal to the brink of disaster. It is only a genuine and functioning democracy that can counter the Maoists and marginalise the palace. Talk about the missed chances of history.