Nepal & Bhutan Brief (6/15)

Internal Developments

Constitution Drafting:-

1. After the long-stalled negotiations between the ruling NC- UML, the main opposition, UCPN (Maoist) decided to attend meetings of all parliamentary committees. This decision was taken at a meeting of the leaders of UCPN led 30 parties’ alliance on March 8. The UCPN (Maoist) law makers had been boycotting all parliamentary committee meetings since January 22, 2015, protesting against the ‘majority-route’ adoption of the new constitution. However, the opposition alliance warned of another round of protest if they fail to forge a consensus in five days time.

2. Meanwhile UCPN (Maoist) leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal has been under pressure to stick to the opposition stance of identity- based federalism and inclusive electoral system. In a meeting of the 30 party alliance that Dahal leads, fringe parties cautioned that dialogue could be a strategy of he ruling parties to weaken their street agitation. Leaders of the parties opposed to the majority process of constitution writing also urged the Maoist leader not to adopt unnecessary flexibility on the disputed issues of the constitution writing process.

3. The opposition Maoist and the Madhesi parties have announced fresh round of protest to increase pressure on the ruling NC-UML for a consensus on the contentious issues of the new constitution. This was announced on March 15. As part of their agitation, the Maoist – Madhesi alliance has threatened to call a three-day general strike in the first week of April. If the NC- UML parties did not show flexibility, they would call for an indefinite general strike. Their agitation programmes include obstructing vehicular movement of ministers and top bureaucrats, encircling government offices and disrupting revenue collection at custom offices. The ruling alliance has termed the decision of second round of protest programmes as highly unfortunate.
4. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sushil Kumar Koirala claimed that political environment in the country was returning to normal and the likelihood of consensus emerging between political parties remained high. He appealed to all parties represented in the Constituent Assembly to help facilitate ruling parties to create favourable atmosphere for talks to resolve the prevailing disputes. Koirala also claimed that he had also resumed talks with leaders of other parties.

5. Constituent Assembly Chairman Subas Nembang has said that CA sessions can not remain suspended indefinitely. It has already been a month since CA meeting was halted but there is no sign of consensus among the parties. Following suggestions from President Ram Baran Yadav, Political parties and civil society members, the CA chairman stopped the majority process to open the door for dialogue among the parties. It is believed that Nembang would wait until next week for parties to forge consensus. If consensus remains elusive, he might announce the date of CA meeting to proceed with the voting process on contentious issues of new constitution.

6. Nepali Congress senior Leader Sher Bahadur Deuba has expressed his optimism that the new constitution would be delivered by the CA on the Republic Day which falls on May 29. Deuba expressed this at a press conference held on March 12. Deuba, also a former prime minister, stated that lately the ruling parties and the opposition had been holding talks in a positive manner which kindled hope for issuing constitution on the Republic Day.

Maoist Parties Initiate Reunification Efforts;

7. Weakened by electoral defeat and split, the two factions of Maoist parties have initiated re-unification efforts. The UCPN (Maoist) and the CPN-Maoist, on March 15, formed a Joint Committee to prepare an ideological ground for their reunification. It may be recalled that Mohan Baidya and other senior leaders had quit the UCPN (Maoist) to form the CPN- Maoist shortly after the dissolution of first Constituent Assembly in May 2012. Baidya was unhappy with Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s decision to surrender weapons to the government. Baidya accused the UCPN (Maoist) of being ‘surrenderist’ and ‘revisionist’. While the UCPN (Maoist) took part in the second CA elections, the CPN-Maoist led by Baidya boycotted the elections, stating that the whole process was ‘absured’ and that the ultimate goal of ‘people’s republic’ could be achieved only through revolution. But, political scenario changed after the electoral reverses suffered by the Maoists in the second CA elections, making it imperative for the two factions to join hands once again. It may also be noted that Netra Bikram Chanda ‘Biplav’, who was general secretary of the Baidya faction, had split away further by forming a new Maoist party, which is now considered more revolutionary than the CPN-Maoist.

RPP-N and RPP Also Moving Closer to Merger:-

8. The two major rightist parties in Nepal- Rastriya Prajatantra Party- Nepal (RPN- N) and Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), which were in informal dialogues for merger, have formally started their unification process by forming two separate committees to execute the plan. Both parties have claimed that since informal talks were positive on the merger, they agreed to form the committees which will work to set the bottom line on major political agendas. In view of immense pressure of cadres from both parties for unification, the leaders were forced to realize that there was need of a democratic and nationalist party in the country. Currently both parties are in agreement on the religious agenda as the RPP too has started raising voice for the referendum to decide the issue of secularism. Now the main difference between the parties is to find meeting point on the status of the monarchy as RPP-N has been advocating for its reinstatement. The parties have almost agreed on the new name after their merger as Rastriya Prajantantra Party. There are no major differences even on the party’s flag and election symbol. If the committees agree in principle, the central committees of the parties will take the final call on it.

External Relations:

Nepal, India to Start Boundary Up Gradation Works:

9. The joint Nepal India boundary up gradation works will start on March 19. A senior Nepalese official said that they had received confirmation from the Indian side to begin the works based on the agreements made earlier. First, there will be border survey work in eastern Nepal and thereafter the two sides will start the work relating to up gradation of border pillars. Separate survey teams will be deployed to determine the condition of the border pillars. They will use the maps that were jointly prepared by the two countries in 2007, as reference. Chief District Officers from Nepal and District Magistrates from India will lead their respective teams in the boundary up gradation works.

China’s New Daily Flight to Nepal:

10. A Daily air service between China’s south west Changdu and Kathmandu will be launched on April 1. The daily direct flight will leave Chengdu at 7.30 am and in arrive Kathmandu at 10:10 am (local time) via Lhasa and the Tibet Autonomous Region. This is expected to boost tourism between the two countries.

Bhutan