Banana Republic
20 years ago as the protests against the monarchy gained momentum, we wrote what it could mean for the institution and who were likely to benefit.
In a little less than a year, King Gyanendra once again dismissed Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and his cabinet, and assumed direct power. In April 2006, after two weeks of sustained protests, Gyanendra was forced to step aside, and the Maoists made it to mainstream politics. There was hope that democracy would change things, but political infighting and instability has continued for the past two decades as Nepal becomes a 'Banana Republic'.
Excerpt from the editorial published 20 years ago this week on issue #193 23-29 April 2004:
It is up to the king, as a first step in unlocking this stalemate, to make the move to set up an inclusive interim government. And it is up to the parties to offer solutions instead of creating more street mayhem. The king could be looking for a way to roll back October Fourth without losing face. For the sake of the country, the parties have to give him that option. It may also come to a point where it is smarter to risk losing face than to let this drag on with all its unpredictable consequences. Admission of a mismove can be easily made to look like a royal, statesmanlike effort to remove obstacles on the path to democratic renewal.
The street agitation is essentially friendly fire. Have they forgotten who the real enemy is? Are they trying to provoke a mass uprising, and play right into Maoist hands?
The Maoists have filled the vacuum left behind by the absence of the political parties at the grassroots and the absence of parliament at the centre. Each day that passes by without a representative government will only strengthen their revolution.
Democratic pluralism, with all its flaws, is the only bulwark against extremism and totalitarianism. It is the buffer the monarchy needs to return to its constitutional role. That is when the monarchy will again have continuity, be respected, and-like in Thailand-re-earn its role of being the final arbiter in times of deep national crisis.
For archived material of Nepali Times of the past 20 years, site search: nepalitimes.com