Division of Political Power along Ethnic Lines is Wrong. It will divide the country."- Dr. Ramsaran Mahat, former Finance Minister & Nepali Congress leader in Washington D.C

"Division of Political Power along Ethnic Lines is Wrong. It will divide the country."- Dr. Ramsaran Mahat, former Finance Minister & Nepali Congress leader in Washington D.C

Written by Washington Nepal Forum

Sunday, 14 June 2009 00:38

Washington, DC (June 13, 2009) - The Nepali Congress party has a “problem of internal democracy” and needs to reform itself as it moves into the future, party leader Ram Sharan Mahat said at an interaction program on June 11 with the Washington Nepal Forum in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Ramsaran Mahat speaking in Washington D.C. Photo courtesy: Washington Nepal Forum

The stakes, he said, have never been higher. The old ways that served the party well as it championed the cause of democracy for decades no longer function as effectively in today’s tempestuous Nepal, Mahat said.

The five-time finance minister decried the violence and economic paralysis of recent ethnic agitation, which he said is handicapping the nation as it attempts to forge a sustainable democracy.

Nepali people want peace, democracy and economic prosperity, but are getting only slogans, broken promises and more violence. Mahat called on the Maoists to commit to peace “in action, not just in words” and challenged the Maoist leadership to make public their internal resolutions.

He spoke at the Washington Nepal Forum, a nonpartisan organization that provides a space and platform for conversation on contemporary issues related to Nepal. It was held at the United States Institute for Peace and moderated by forum founder Homraj Acharya.

Mahat answered many questions at length from the audience. Among the highlights:

Question: If you don’t believe the Maoists have true intentions of multiparty democracy, what options are left?

Mahat: I think the solution is to keep engaging with them; to force them, persuade them, coax them to the peace process, and build up sufficient public opinion so there is no going back. Even within the Maoist ranks, we see a conflict. A significant chunk of them want multiparty democracy. The other camp, the so-called hardliners, seems bent on going to the next stage of completing the revolution. So we must strengthen those who believe in peaceful politics and weaken those who believe in violence.

Question: You see the rise of ethnic regionalism and communalism as the greatest danger. What is the strategy of the Congress Party to deal with this issue, and where are you in addressing this issue?

Mahat: We have accepted a federal structure, but this structure should be various provinces not along ethnic lines. It must be along the basis of geography and interlinkages. East to West does not make sense, because that is too long. The North-South proposition is much better. It will also strengthen the complimentarity and interlinkages between hill, himal and tarai. We favor cultural rights and language rights; all communities must have the right to express their identity, so the new constitution must guarantee that. But division of political power along ethnic lines is wrong. It will divide the country.

Question: Internal party politics seem to be weakening the Congress Party. What is your take on that?

Mahat: I acknowledge we have internal weaknesses. In this time of challenges from new parties, we are still run on traditional lines. This is how Nepali Congress has been operating for decades, but to meet new challenges, the previous style is not sufficient. We must acknowledge our problems and democratize further. We have a problem of internal democracy. There is no doubt of it.

Question: You noted that the poison of ethnicity has been injected into the body politic. What is your antidote to that, and why do you think your strategy has a chance for success?

Mahat: If we are able to strengthen our political parties, if we are strong about our agenda, if we are able to give the future vision clearly, then ethnic politics – it’s poison, it’s adverse effects – can be minimized. If we give proper ethnic representation in our party rank and file and address genuine demands, I think the resilience of Nepali society, the unity and harmony between groups that has been subsisting for centuries, will continue. Despite all slogans of ethnic power, I think people are living in the rural areas as they have in the past. A few dozen people can create havoc, and you see unrest and lawlessness. But I think the resilience of Nepalese society will ultimately win over.

-Washington Nepal Forum in Washington D.C.

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