Parties Closing Differences

The political parties are narrowing down their differences on some key issues pertaining to constitution writing and are arriving at a compromising point. The Dispute Resolution Sub-committee and Constitution Committee have already agreed on some issues mainly related to the federal structure. Only recently, they unanimously agreed on the name of the federal provinces. Several other contentious issues are also being resolved through discussion and negotiation. This is an indication that the constitution-writing process would be completed in time. We have only five months left for writing the constitution and promulgating it. The Supreme Court has already given its verdict that the present extension of the Constituent Assembly should be final. Although the political parties resent the verdict of the Supreme Court and claim that it was an encroachment on the jurisdiction of the Constituent Assembly, the Supreme Court verdict must be accepted without any question and hesitation. Unless the Supreme Court reviews its decision, the tenure of the Constituent Assembly will be over on May 28. Thus, a new constitution must be written and promulgated by then. This compulsion has made the political parties more serious in writing the constitution. Most of the issues have either been resolved or are in the process of being sorted out. The dispute over the issue concerning federalism is in the process of resolution. A high-level panel of experts has been mandated to give its recommendation on the federal model and the number of federal states in two months. Once the panel submits its report, it would facilitate the Constituent Assembly to arrive at a common point. There has also been encouraging progress on the management of the Maoist combatants. The parties have agreed to integrate 6,500 combatants into the Nepal Army and send the rest on voluntary retirement with cash incentive. The regrouping of the combatants has been completed. This clearly indicates that the constitution-writing process is in the final and important phase, which needs to be further expedited. There are definitely some reactionary elements that may try to sabotage this process in order to create chaos and instability in the country. The parties need to be extra cautious against such sinister designs of the reactionary and regressive elements and focus their attention on constitution writing and the peace process. The country has suffered a lot from conflict and confrontation, which have badly afflicted our economy and development drive. The country cannot afford more conflict. Peace is the desire of all the people, for which they are prepared to sacrifice everything. A new constitution is a must for advancing and concluding the peace process. Thus, the parties must shed their partisan differences and arrive at a common point in order to give the country a new constitution and ensure the early conclusion of the peace process.