Nepal needs new hopes: one is emerging

I am not in favor of political parties or monarchy. All I care about it Nepal. Most of the time, there are no good news that relates to Nepal. It seems like it is perpetually trapped in a twilight zone. However, sometimes a glimmer of hope comes through. I read the news about UML stance for democratic republic. That to me is a big and bold move that is essential at this juncture. Nepal is the poorest coountry in Asia. With no natural resource or internal source of wealth creation, whatever come in aid has been lining the pockets of the powerful--there are no people who are more powerful than the royal family. Obviously, they are the biggest obstacles for Nepal to make a clean break from the authoritarian and autocratic rule that demeans its citizens and constricts their aspirations. It is not the time for Nepal to keep the past alive. It has to root out the evil of entrenched familial privileges and spread the opportunities, free the chains of inequality and break the monopoly of privileges. UML has done the right thing. Here is the news from the Kantipuronline from August 29,2005:

UML for democratic republic

By Ghanshyam Ojha
KATHMANDU, Aug 26 - The 9th Central Committee meeting of CPN-UML, on Thursday, decided to carry forward the current movement in favour of a democratic republic.
The Central Committee meeting, at the conclusion of its discussion on party General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal's political paper, also decided its slogan for the movement: "Let's end autocratic monarchy and restore complete democracy through constituent assembly."
Issuing a press release Thursday, the UML said, "Since the King's October 4, 2002 and February 1, 2005 moves have violated the tripartite agreement of 1990, the UML has decided to take the current movement toward democratic republic."
UML politburo member Keshav Badal said the Standing Committee (politburo) had earlier discussed ceremonial monarchy as the party's political line. "However, the Central Committee members with overwhelming majority, decided in favour of democratic republic."
"Now we will take this decision to other political parties and civil society," Badal said, adding, "In the present time, no party can go against the wishes of the people."
Three of 68 Central Committee members wrote a note of dissent against the decision.
Politburo members Bishnu Poudel and Mukunda Neupane and Central Committee member Krishna Gopal Shrestha wrote the note of dissent. However, the disagreement is not against the party's decision to go for a democratic republic. "Our opposition is not against republic, but we are concerned that the decision for democratic republic would put into shadow our party's political line of people's multiparty republic," said Poudel.
Meanwhile, the party also ruled out the demand for the party's early convention and decided to focus on the current movement against regression. "The issues raised in the 9th Central Committee meeting will be continued in the 8th General Convention in future," the statement said. The Central Committee also decided to form a task force to formulate the party's official stance on issues such as state restructuring, intra-party democratization and review of the party's past performance.
The meeting has also called on Maoists to immediately give up violence and initiate negotiations with mainstream political parties to coordinate against the King's regression.
Party Standing Committee member, Jhala Nath Khanal, presented his evaluation report of the party's performance in the past. The deliberations on Khanal's paper will continue on Friday.