Nepal's continuing woes

The situation in Nepal is considerably more complicated than appears at first sight. The triangular relationship among the monarch, the opposition and the Maoists tends to exert opposing pulls that only a sagacious pragmatic approach led by the monarch can help redress. Having taken the political parties out of the equation by dismissing the government, the King has been left to his own devices to combat the Maoists who have been fighting the establishment in Kathmandu for the last ten years to establish socialist rule by turning Nepal into a communist republic.

The renewed threats of violence by the communists in view of the proposed municipal elections have all the makings of a prolonged conflict, the latter being considered by the opposition and the Maoists as the King's ploy to legitimise his position.

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There is no alternative to reconciliation among the three if further bloodshed is to be avoided. Although the King has formulated his own 'road map to peace', what's perhaps of equal importance is formulating a 'road map to democracy'. And this is the crux of the problem in that the monarchy's role in the whole episode is viewed as an impediment rather than a facilitator in the process of overcoming the present imbroglio.

The King cannot have overlooked the fact that the opposition political parties and the Maoists have come together to combat the monarchy from their own position without one coming in the way of the other. And although the opposition demonstrates a hardened attitude towards the monarchy, the 12-point common agenda made public in November 2005 indicates a shift in the policies of the major opposition groups towards the monarchy.

As a close neighbour of Nepal we would hope that there is a transition to democracy in Nepal, sooner rather than later, without any violence.