Nepal's peace process heading towards conflict

Interview

Nepal's Peace Process is Heading towards conflict
DAMAN NATH DHUNGANA
Former speaker of the House of Representatives DAMAN NATH DHUNGANA, who played a role of moderator in a series of failed Maoist and government talks before 2006, was a member of Nepali Congress. He remains as an active member of the civil society. At a time when there is uncertainty about the peace process and constitution writing, Dhungana spoke to KESHAB POUDEL on various issues. Excerpts:

Political parties are arguing over the numbers, ranks and integration process, how do you foresee the future of the process?

We celebrated peace day on November 21. However, the government and political parties did not remember it at all. Prime minister Dr.Baburam Bhattarai attended our celebration. I suggested to him that he had twin responsibilities to promulgate the new constitution and conclusion of peace process by May 27. The prime minister also agreed with me.

As the leaders of major political parties are condemning the recent verdict of Supreme Court, how do you look at this?

There is nothing negative in the court’s verdict. Actually, the recent court verdict helps to make progress in constitution writing process. The court is confident that the CA will promulgate the constitution by May 27. Even CPN-UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal has been saying that they can write the constitution within five months as they had completed such tasks in less than three months in 1990.

The Government and Constituent Assembly Secretariat are preparing to register a review petition. How do you look at it?

Political parties should concentrate on constitution writing rather than moving petition for review. They don’t need to go for court to file petition. As a senior constitutional lawyer, I would like to suggest them that their right to petition will not expire. Court will give them another time if they go to court with progress in their work. I think the court is always in favor of writing the constitution. This is not a legal issue but the question related to work. Court is also part of our movement and I don’t think it will create any hurdle in constitution writing process.

How do you see CA’s decision to go for review?

They need to do their own review not the review of the verdict of Supreme Court. If parties work sincerely in the coming five months and even then they fail to complete the process, we will request the court to give some extensions. Court has never closed its doors. When Nepali Congress is saying that it cannot support the writing of the constitution without completion of peace process and Maoists have been saying they will not reintegrate their combatants till the promulgation of the new constitution, you are locking horns on this issue. There is no way out.

As political parties have already extended the tenure of CA by about two years, why do they fail to promulgate the new constitution?

Nepalese political parties are yet to have a consensus on the form of government even six years after Janandolan II, five years after signing the comprehensive peace agreement and four years after the elections of CA. It is strange to see debates among political parties over presidential or parliamentary system.

How do you see the peace process given the growing conflict?

Our peace process is heading towards conflict. Our political leaders are debating on numbers, ranks and modality for integration. Our peace process seems to be creating enough spaces for conflict mongers. If they cannot take a minor administrative decision to integration of Maoist combatants, it is foolishness to believe that they will settle the constitutional disputes. Integration is just an issue of administrative nature. It should not have taken five years to settle the issue of integration of combatants. It is just a matter of a day. If you can hold the elections of CA, abolish the monarchy and make the country inclusive, why did not you integrate 6000 combatants. The way political parties are working amounts to a treason.
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