Stalled peace process hits statute writing
A day after the Constituent Assembly revised its calendar extending the deadline for resolving the disputed issues on constitution making, the statute writing process faced a serious gridlock with the opposition Nepali Congress smelling a rat over the “refusal” of the government and the Maoist party to advance the peace process as agreed.
The first meeting of the Constitutional Committee after revision of the CA calendar ended inconclusively on Saturday. Though the leaders discussed the report submitted by the UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal-led Dispute Resolution Subcommittee, they failed to endorse any of the agreements. Over 60 outstanding contentious issues, including the forms of governance are awaiting political decision at the CC.
NC said progress in the peace process is a precondition for resolving the contentious issues of constitution making.
The Maoist decision not to advance the peace process will block progress in constitution drafting, said NC lawmaker Ramesh Lekhak. “The Maoists want to retain the cantonments and combatants till the next elections. The new constitution will not be promulgated if they continue showing reluctance in completing the peace process.”
NC is irked by the change of mind of the major ruling party with regard to bidding farewell to the combatants opting for voluntary retirement. The process of discharging the combatants choosing voluntary retirement was supposed to start by Sunday, according to the decision taken by the prime minister-led Special Committee last week.
Maoist lawmaker Khim Lal Devkota argues that the NC’s decision to backtrack from the agreement on forms of governance is the reason behind the current stalemate.
The taskforce led by lawmaker Laxman Lal Karna comprising representatives from major parties, including NC, had recommended a mixed model with sharing of executive powers between a directly elected president and a prime minister elected by the parliament.
“The Nepali Congress doesn’t want to see the constitution being drafted. They not only backtracked from the agreement on forms of governance but are also responsible for delaying the process to prepare the first draft on the basis of majority by pressing for the revision of the calendar,” he said.
NC leader Lekhak says his party has never consented to the report of the taskforce but has showed flexibility in recent days to forge consensus on forms of governance.
During the cross-party talks last week, NC leaders committed that they were ready to adopt a mixed model with sharing of powers between a “constitutional president” and a prime minister elected by the parliament. NC has been claiming that a directly elected president is unsuitable for Nepal because it can give birth to a new dictator.
Posted on: 2012-01-08 09:22
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