Editorial
Nepal becomes a republic
Spirit of tolerance can underpin democracy
The abolition of the monarchy in Nepal by an overwhelming parliamentary vote on Wednesday heralds a new beginning for the country. With as many as 560 lawmakers in the newly elected 601-member constitutional assembly voting to declare the country a republic, it is clear where the sentiments of the population lie. While it can be argued that the struggle against the monarchy was spearheaded by the Maoists, who now dominate Nepalese politics, it is also true that Nepalese in general have been yearning to see the back of the royal family for quite sometime. Former king Gyanendra made matters worse not only for himself but for his people as well when a few years ago he tried to impose his arbitrary authority by pushing politicians aside. He has now paid the price for that miscalculation.
The task that Nepal's political classes now face is immense. The sense of euphoria which has greeted the emergence of the country as a republic must now be followed by all those measures which strengthen democracy and underpin a society in the long run. The Maoist rebellion, spanning a decade before the 2006 peace deal brought it into the political mainstream, ended up leaving 13,000 people dead. Now that the Maoists are the single largest bloc in the assembly and will be the dominant force in governance, the onus will be on them to ensure that pluralism takes roots in Nepal. They must prove to Nepalese and people outside the country that despite their militant background, they are intellectually equipped to transform themselves into a democratic force for change. All the elements of behaviour necessary to keep a democracy going must be demonstrated by the Maoists. It is their example, and a good one at that, which can inspire other political forces into building a relationship of trust with them. Never has Nepal been in such need of political accommodation between its political parties as now.
We wish the people of Nepal well in their journey to democratic politics. There will be a few stumbles and some fumbling along the way, but it all promises to be a healthy experiment. Meanwhile, let the new men in charge avoid the temptation of engaging in anything that even remotely smacks of retribution against the lapsed monarch and his family.
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