Date: January 12. 2009
PRESS RELEASE:
Nepal Asia Center for Strategic Studies (NACSS) has noted the up-scaled infringement
of people's mandate in the constitution building process of Nepal. The governing
body and political parties are growingly unsuccessful on fulfilling people’s desire
and expectations. Yet, the people are hoping the constitution building process will
take the right direction. Recent appointment of former UML General Secretary Madhav
Kumar Nepal to head the powerful Constitutional Committee (CC) of the Constituent
Assembly (CA) from the back door despite his defeat in the elections from multiple
constituencies and complete rejection of his candidacy by the people as a future
CA member, is a matter of total disregard and disrespect of people's mandate and
wishes. It is nothing less than a shameful act of party politics as in “You scratch
my back and I will scratch yours”. Initiated mainly by the Maoists, who proposed
it, Nepali Congress, who supported it, UML who acted upon it without proper deliberation,
and others who did not oppose it, is matter of great concern to the people. This
hurried appointment and oath taking of the office, preceded by the forced resignation
of a CA member Sushil Chandra Amatya has revealed that existing leadership in Nepal
is diverting away from the promises they have made to offer a new constitution with
inclusive participation of the multi-ethnic Nepal. The appointment has blemished
the democratic process of framing the new constitution from the Constituent Assembly
of representatives with a clear popular mandate and from proportional representation
system of the historic CA election. This appointment is regretful as it in contrary
to people's decision of barring Mr. Nepal from the Constitution Assembly. NACSS is
gravely concerned on the forced resignation of Sushil Chandra Amatya, whose absence
lowers the already poor representation of the ethnic community mix in the Constitutional
Assembly. Moreover, there is no constitutional provision to force a CA member to
resign involuntarily unless and until s/he has been convicted of illegal activities.
NACSS demands full explanation of the resignation process in such cases and immediate
correction of the mistakes committed by the political parties. It is also NACSS understanding
that this appointment is already tainted with unfair, undemocratic and irresponsible
practices, and there is no ground for the people to believe that it has not happened
earlier, and will not happen in the future. NACSS demands transparency of the appointment
process in such important committees and advise the leaders of the political parties
involved to come clean with a proper and truthful explanation. They should promise
and re-assure the people that such mistakes will not happen again, and the people
practicing such anomalies will be properly dealt with under the proper, democratic
and common sense law so that the trust of the people, on the process, can be restored.
NACSS
www.nepalasiacenter.com
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