Procrasti nation

MIN RATNA BJARACHARYA

ACCOUNTABILITY: Residents of the Koteswor area have been protesting against the Maoist murder of Ram Hari Shrestha since Saturday.

Depending on whether you see the glass as half full or half empty, some of us are waiting for Nepal to enter a brave new era of democracy and progress, while others are convinced that we are headed towards a totalitarian abyss.

The argument is well made that the Maoists won the elections, and they should be allowed to lead a government. The NC and UML should get over their self-obsessed misery and deep suspicion of each other, and look at the nation's future instead of their partisan ambitions. And in a vestige of the Old Nepal they take to the streets and declare a shutdown, punishing the people to get back at the Maoists. So set are they in their ways, that to change seems to be asking too much of them.

But it's not entirely fecklessness at the helms of the NC and UML. There is deep-set paranoia and distrust about true Maoist intentions. The comrades, it must be said, have done nothing to allay these fears. They have kept up their tactics of violence by beating up those they beat in elections. They have even taken a victimised businessman to a UN-supervised camp to torture and kill. We gave Pushpa Kamal Dahal the benefit of doubt, but it is no longer believable that terrorising opponents is not a part of his strategy.

Why is it so difficult for Pushpa Kamal Dahal to say sorry? He owns up to the killing, says there will be an investigation, the guilty will be punished and the victim's family will be compensated. But not a word of remorse or contrition. And it is the same with all other acts of YCL brutality. The standard operating procedure is first to go into denial, and when the evidence becomes too glaring, dismiss it as the work of a few rogue elements. And if public outrage mounts, a statement is released promising compensation and blaming "reactionaries" and "counter-revolutionaries" for a "conspiracy".

Revolutions devour their own children. If the Maoists aren't careful this is what will happen to them. The Nepali people in their wisdom voted for the Maoists, but didn't give them the majority to run things on their own. In a democracy, they have to learn to work together with the other parties in a coalition. The other parties have some understandable concerns and have set pre-conditions to joining the government.

Ultimately there is no way but to give up the culture of violence and cooperate. That can start with the Maoists leading the government, making the NC a ceremonial head of state and giving the speaker's post to the UML. After that, who gets what ministry isn't that important.