Editorial»
New year wish
DEC 27 - Scientists gauge the temperature of the earth every year and say it is rising constantly. Our senior citizens too agree that the winter has lost its bite. Leave aside the cold wave that recently killed two people in Siraha district. It is a different story altogether. The globe is warming on more than one front. International politics has recorded a rise in mercury these days. There is unprecedented warmth across the Kashmir border and the same is true between Tripoli and Washington.
On the home-front, too, we are experiencing extremes of temperature. Maoists and the Royal Nepal Army are killing people in cold-blood. The winter night has lost its chill but the incidents of atrocities perpetrated by both the fighting parties send cold chill down the spine and along the nerves. Relationship between the major power-players of the country is at a freezing-point. Our sincere hope is that the relationship will thaw out before it is too late. When they lock horns, we, the people feel the maximum heat.
The mercury is boiling somewhere else as well. Recently, students got all steamed up over the arrest of their leaders. As we know, police detained three student leaders on the charge of sedition after they chanted inflammatory slogans against the king. The arrest only added fuel to the fire. In spite of being subdued, students flared up. Peaceful demonstrations turned violent. Angry students demolished anything having a mark of the government. In the heat of the wrath, they forgot that government property belongs to people, in fact. Bricks from the demonstrators and batons from the police were used in the pitched battle. Police also threw one student off the third floor of Tri-Chandra College. Things could have turned nastier, if the government had not released the student leaders. They were released after they pledged allegiance to constitutional monarchy and multi-party democracy.
What should be clear is that everyone must abide by laws, not just the students. Misinterpretation of certain clauses of the constitution to fulfil one’s vested interests is also breach of the law of the land. Making the constitution inactive and creating constitutional void is also unlawful. First of all, persons at the helm should respect the constitution in letter and spirit. But, what is observed till now is-to translate a Nepali adage- there is restriction for the common but the powerful have the freedom to do anything.
Political campaign to restore democratic has not borne fruit as yet. We should take it to a logical solution without violent confrontation. For that, the monarch and the political parties should respect the principle of mutual co-existence. In the 21st century, there is no place for absolute monarchy and there is no alternative for effective multiparty democracy. The need of the hour is to develop tolerance and respect for each other’s existence. It should be clear that respect cannot be earned by force. However, there must be no disrespect to the extent that a law is violated.
So here is a new-year wish on behalf of all the Nepali citizens: Let a well functioning multiparty democracy and constitutional monarchy exist, in harmony, side by side.Posted on: 2003-12-28 05:09
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