Before the dialogue between the government and the Maoists starts, it would be better if the King calls the political parties for their role in defusing the political crisis confronting the country, and setting it on the right track. The King should not undermine political parties and he should trust them. It is true that the King alone is not enough to rule the nation without the support of the political parties. Nevertheless, the country needs the constitutional monarchy. So, restoration of democracy is inevitable, and for this reason political parties should be given due place. Although the previous government couldn’t solve the Maoist problem and hold elections on time, they have a large organisation spread across the nation. There are other parties as well that have hundreds of thousands of cadres. So, it may be a good if the King asks them to strengthen their organisations and present proposals on current problems and their solution.

Besides, the political parties should start a dialogue with the Maoists and the King while continuing the dialogue among the political parties to discuss pressing issues, including the steps to be taken and the changes to be made in the constitution, if necessary. This is the right time for the King, the political parties and the Maoists to play their role, and establish theselves as a strong entity. It is almost certain that the King will be in big trouble if the dialogue does not end the Maoist insurgency. So will be the fate of the people and the political parties, including the Maoists.

It is also the right time for the Maoists to prove that they are responsible to civil rights and why it was necessary for them to resort to violence during the struggle? Otherwise, there will be no meaning of making such a loss to the nation. There should be great changes and reforms that should come along with peace, and it is the Maoists who should come up with revolutionary proposals.

In this regard, the role of all political parties, human rights organisations, the government, the Maoists and journalists is very important. All should make efforts from their places to bring the ongoing informal dialogue to a logical conclusion for the resolution of the Moist conflict and everlasting peace.

If the present government succeeds in solving the Maoist problem then the King should be given the credit. Today, all the political parties should accept their inability in maintaining peace, security and providing people a government that will be accepted by the majority of the people. All the political parties should apologise for the mistakes they have committed. The current state of national politics is the result of a series of events, especially the tussle for the seats of power. There is intra-party squabbling within the politcal parties, be it CPN-UML or the Nepal Sadhvawana Party. The Nepali Congress Party has already split into two. Such a practice ahs given democracy a bad name.

In order to rectify the follies, the political parties should strengthen their organisation and make necessary reforms. They should be responsible to the people. The political party is not anyone’s personal property so that it can be divided among its leaders. The parties should make an unconditional promise to the people that their party would never be divided over petty issues. Individuals or leaders come and go, but the party should always remains intact. Similarly, the political parties should promise the people that they will give up wild ways of protest like bandh, chakka jaam, closure of educational institutions and vandalising public property, or boycotting parliamentary sessions. Instead, they should resolve every problem in democratic and scientific ways.

If people have faith in peace through dialogue even in the present do or die situation, then why cannot minor issues be solved through dialogues. The political parties should order the student unions to stop calling strikes and closing educational institutions in the name of putting pressure on the government. We should also establish the same system in the case of trade unions and towards solving their problems. Besides, forming a government of political parties to conduct free and fair elections may be a good idea. And conflict resolution would have been easier if Nepali journalists organised political discussions, involving the political parties, the King, the Maoists and human rights activists. The journalists should also discuss their roles in the present context.

Sushil Koirala, China