Public Opinion Matters
Twenty years ago this week, the Nepali Times editorial was about the politicians, Maoists and the king not respecting public opinion. It is not very different today. Back then, people wanted peace. Today, they want better education and jobs, clean air and water, affordable healthcare -- none of which elected leaders seem to be bothered about.
Excerpt from the editorial published in issue #254 1 – 7 July 2005:
The Maoists say they are fighting a 'people's war although many who supported the revolution don't want to have anything to do with it anymore. The king says he took over to save the people from conflict but all we have seen in the past three years is a systematic plan to dismantle what remained of democratic institutions and civil liberties. The political parties haven't faced their electorates in six years, their mandates have expired and there is little public enthusiasm toward their call for restoration of Parliament.
All three forces think that lack of support for the other two translates into support for themselves. The Maoists pose as the people's genuine liberators, promising to wipe the slate clean of a feudal monarchy and malfunctioning democracy. The king thinks the lack of public support for the parties means the people back his autocratic experiment. And the political parties take it for granted that most Nepalis are against February First.
What we have seen year after year in nationwide polls since 2000 is a vast and overwhelming yearning for an end to violence. If the three forces want to genuinely address the people's most important concern they should be making urgent moves to restart the peace process instead of clawing at each other.
Eighty percent of Nepalis surveyed have always rejected communist totalitarianism and royal authoritarianism. Extremists of the left and right will overlook this at their own peril. But the mainstream political parties haven't stood up convincingly for the middle ground either.
For archived material of Nepali Times of the past 20 years, site search: nepalitimes.com