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M.K. Nepal: Nepal's Transition to Democracy
Written by Rt. Hon. Madhav Kumar Nepal, Prime Minister of Nepal, 2009-2011
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Keynote Speech delivered by Rt. Hon. Madhav Kumar Nepal, Prime Minister of Nepal
World Leaders Forum, Columbia University, New York, USA
September 24, 2009
Nepal is a country of extreme diversity in topography and social and cultural moorings, is situated between India and China and enjoys excellent friendship and cooperation with both the countries. It has always remained independent throughout history, even during the rise of colonialism. Our foreign policy is guided by our desire to establish and promote friendly ties with all countries of the world. The United States was among the first few countries to establish diplomatic relations with Nepal way back in late 1940s. Nepal-US relations have always remained cordial, and the Government of the United States has supported the Government of Nepal in the consolidation of its sovereignty and independence, its development endeavors, and our struggle for democracy and civil liberties. On this occasion, let me also record the contributions of scholars and authors of this great country and the role of the Nepalese community in the United States in further consolidating our bilateral relationship and also supporting the democratic movements in Nepal. Similarly, as multilateralism is one of the basic tenets of our foreign policy and Nepal has an abiding faith in the principles and ideals of the United Nations Charter, we have always supported the role of the United Nations in international affairs. We express our support for the contributions of the United Nations Mission in Nepal to our peace process and gratitude for development cooperation of many UN agencies.
I come from a country with unparalleled scenic beauty that has both Mt. Sagarmatha (Everest), the highest peak in the world, and the world's deepest gorge at Kali Gandaki and a great variety of flora and fauna. It is also home to two of the oldest religions, Hinduism and Buddhism, represented by Pashupatinath and Lumbini, the sacred birthplace of Lord Buddha, an apostle of peace and non-violence, who is revered and respected by tens of millions of people all over the world. At the same time, with a very fragile ecosystem with increased scale of adverse impact and higher rates of melting of snow and degradation in ecology, Nepal is at the receiving end of the problems and impact of climate change for which the poor and landlocked countries are not responsible, yet more vulnerable. With these climatic effects, our agriculture, natural resources, health, infrastructure, and even livelihood are adversely affected. Common and differentiated responsibilities have to be accepted and acted upon by the international community to address these problems in an equitable manner with substantial transfer of funds and technology to the vulnerable and poor countries.
Over two and half millennia ago, Nepal gave birth to Prince Siddhartha who, having meditated on the causes of human sufferings for years, got enlightenment, became the Buddha, and prescribed a middle way between the two extremes of self-indulgence and self-mortification as a practical remedy. This simple philosophy of life has been a source of inspiration for many around the world. Buddha is well known as an 'apostle of peace.' Today, as we engage in institutionalising peace in our own country and also wish to see peace reign all over the world, we proudly recall this historical legacy of peace emanating from the Buddha's teachings.
In the modern era, the United States has also produced the finest sons of soil, whose contributions transcend time and space. Leaders like George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Martin Luther King, Jr., have made their marks in promoting nationhood, the general welfare of the people, and social reforms.
Nepal is in the midst of a historic transition of great significance. After the major political parties including the Maoists agreed to sign a Comprehensive Peace Agreement to end a decade-long insurgency and re-establish democracy in the country in 2006, the country has come a long way in its most crucial political transformation in its history. We had historic elections to the Constituent Assembly last year with a view to giving the representatives of the people the unique opportunity and responsibility to draft the Constitution of their choice. The Constituent Assembly is the most representative of all the legislatures in our history. One third of the members of the assembly are women, making it the most gender-friendly legislature in our region. With no violence and little political turmoil, the new Constituent Assembly consigned the almost two and half centuries old monarchical institution to history. This is indeed one of the rare moments in the contemporary history of the world. Since May 2008, Nepal has formally been declared a Federal Democratic Republic to give effect to the aspirations of the people expressed so eloquently and persistently during the people's movement of 2006. Let me express my gratitude to all those who campaigned and provided moral support for peace and democracy in Nepal. It could not have been possible without the fearless determination of the Nepalese people at home and selfless and ready support from the international community.
The new Nepal is committed to fully respect and uphold universally recognised principles of human rights, civil liberties, the rule of law, and democracy in the country. We have a National Human Rights Commission that is free and independent and enjoys a constitutional status. It can monitor and investigate all human rights-related issues directly and can make recommendations to the Government and other agencies in this matter. At the same time, the Government is committed to establish various mechanisms such as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and the Disappearance Commission to address these issues in a comprehensive manner.
Nepal is keen to promote peace, stability, and development in our region and in the world at large. We were among the first five troop-contributing countries for peacekeeping and peacemaking operations under the aegis of the United Nations, and we have been providing this service for over five decades. Even with our present engagements in promoting peace, stability, and progress in Nepal, the Government is committed to continue our contributions to UN peacekeeping operations in various places of conflict in the world.
The Government of Nepal under my leadership has set three goals and objectives as a matter of priority. The first is the urgent need to take the ongoing peace process to its positive and meaningful conclusion in a spirit of national consensus, dialogue, and consent of major political parties and groups in the country. The Special Committee for Supervision, Integration, and Rehabilitation and the Technical Committee assigned to look after the question of management of Maoist combatants and related matters have recently been re-constituted and have started their functions with a view to injecting a new momentum to the peace process. The Special Committee has committed itself to complete the specified work in six months. Similarly, the tenure of the Technical Committee, which supports the Special Committee, has been extended by three months to facilitate the process.
The second priority is the preparation of the new Constitution as per the aspirations of the people by May 2010 to institutionalize the historic gains made by the country during the last few years. The Constituent Assembly and various thematic committees are engaged in the task of incorporating various suggestions to constitute the core elements of the new Constitution. A new Chairman of the Constitution Drafting Committee has recently been elected by the House to give an added momentum to the task of drafting the Constitution in time.
Major national issues under discussion today are the nature and scope of inclusiveness, state restructuring and federal structure, type of government, and socioeconomic transformation with rapid and inclusive growth. These issues have to be addressed prudently while ensuring sovereignty, independence, and the integrity of a nation, which is located in a strategic setting. They are not mutually exclusive. In fact, we must make sure that our exercise in making a new constitution reinforces all of them in a holistic manner. We make no compromise on the creation of a new polity, which will have a competitive multiparty democratic nature of governance and the guarantee of all fundamental freedoms and an inclusive process for all marginalized groups. People have asked and fought for no less than these commitments for their political order from the members of the Constituent Assembly.
The third priority set by the Government is to take all possible measures to ensure economic delivery to the people. We are among the least developed countries, with many structural difficulties and incidence of poverty. We are keen to undertake measures that will reduce poverty and speed up rapid and inclusive economic growth so that people can reap the peace dividend in an equitable manner.
If we take a dispassionate look at all the three priorities, we can clearly see that they constitute a composite whole. They form a triad and reinforce each other. Consequently, they also adversely affect each other if they are not addressed in a coordinated manner. Sustainable peace and stability requires a successful transition, formation of a new democratic constitution, and inclusive socioeconomic transformation. Yet, this is no time for complacency. Move we must to make progress, even if it is sometimes only incremental in nature.
It is the nature of any transition that it demands a delicate balance among all the stakeholders. It can be sustained only with forward movements, without losing the fundamental direction of the peace process. There is an unprecedented level of hope and expectations as a new Nepal is being born.
Therefore, we are moving slowly but surely from conflict to a post-conflict situation with a new focus on greater inclusion and mainstreaming of marginalized groups to give the disadvantaged sections of the society a greater role in national processes. As the society cannot function with deep-seated differences, we have also given emphasis to promoting fraternity, reconciliation, and tolerance among all sections of the population to maintain national unity and harmony.
In any post-conflict situation, managing the legacy of the past with creative and patient thoughts and outlook on justice and reconciliation, and mainstreaming of all forces into democratic and liberal order are major challenges. Nepal is no exception to this. Similarly, avoiding a relapse into the trap of conflict, while assuaging the hopes and unlimited aspirations of the impatient masses is yet another challenge that constantly prods us to make progress with dialogue, consensus, and unity of purpose. They represent seemingly contrasting forces at work, yet we are aware of their interconnection and our historic responsibility to the nation and people. Such an opportunity comes only rarely in history.
The Nepalese people have waged innumerable struggles in the past for freedom and democracy. I am convinced that we are moving towards the destination where autocracy in whatever form or nature will have no place and freedom and democracy shall ring forever.
A comprehensive observation of Nepal's peace process also reveals that we have come a long way. We have made tremendous progress from a situation of ravaging conflict, deadlock, autocracy, and daily killings to a rather vibrant transition with all its attendant complications of occasional ups and downs. Yet we are all committed to peace and stability and rapid progress. A particular view and event should not blur the comprehensive and overall perspective which is one of hope for and commitment to stability and peace in the country.
Let me now briefly touch upon the economic issues as well. Our low level of economic development and post-conflict restructuring and rebuilding requires huge domestic as well as foreign resources. While we are committed to enhance our domestic resources through speedier economic development and just economic reforms, we also seek international goodwill, support, and assistance to come out of the conflict situation.
Employment-generating activities and infrastructure building can greatly help reduce unemployment among the youth and use them for productive purposes. The Government is keen to attract foreign direct investment in water resources; industrial development; transport connectivity like roads, railways, ropeways, and airports; agriculture; information technology; and other fields.
The Government has pursued an investment-friendly policy, and a Board of Investment is being set up under the Prime Minister to ensure a coordinated and positive investment climate in the country. The Government is also committed to accord full protection to those interested in making investments in Nepal. The Home Ministry has recently introduced a comprehensive national security plan to strengthen law and order and security in the country.
Let me stress here that even in normal circumstances, transition from deprivation, exclusion, and traditional structures towards development, freedom, and a new order is a complex process. But the additional mixture of extreme ideological drives and a decade-long virulent conflict with all its attendant ramifications including autocracy complicates the situation even further. With the profound commitment of the people to peace, democracy, and stability, you can see for yourself the work in progress during the last three years in Nepal. We are confident that it will ultimately lead us towards a new era of sustainable peace, stability, and inclusive prosperity with the support of the people at home and with goodwill and cooperation of the international community at large.
In studying the evolution of modern society, I am sure that scholars and researchers will pay due attention to the study of countries and societies, particularly those that have passed through conflict situations like ours, in a holistic manner.