Govinda Raj Joshi The term Peace process and people’s sovereignty has become a popular slogan in Nepalese politics. Politicians never miss these words in their deliberations. What they are doing is for the logical end of peace process. Without the logical end of the peace process the goal of establishing the people’s sovereignty in Nepal will not be achieved. In the name of peace process huge amount of money has been spent and international communities have been involved in this work. But the action having done to this aspect has made the Nepalese people confused. In this article I am trying to explain what the peace process is and how the people’s sovereignty can be achieved in Nepal. The peace process and peoples sovereignty is interrelated in Nepalese politics. Maoist created deestability in Nepalese society in the name of arm struggle. At the same period there was an autocratic rule of king. To overthrow the autocratic rule of the king in Nepal and to establish democracy 12 point agreement was signed between the Maoist and agitating seven political parties. This was the beginning of the peace process and establishing people’s rule in Nepal. First of all we have to be clear what the objective of the peace process is? The peace process is not only related to the Maoist movement. It is related to the people’s fundamental right and their sovereignty. For this we have to find out the issues related to peace process. The first guideline of the peace process is the 12 point agreement. The second is the National Peace accord signed by Nepal Government and Maoist. The aim of these two documents is not only bring Maoist in the mean political stream but also solve all problems facing by the people of Nepal. So priority should be given not only to Maoist problem but also to the people who became displaced by the Maoist movement and also return their property seized by the Maoist. Also has to be given compencession to those who has lost their lives, and to those who has become disabled from the Maoist attack to them. Also attention should be given to the Maoist combatant who really was involved in the arm struggle. These are the primary objective of the peace process. Leaving all these issues behind and giving emphasis only to be always in power will be a crime to the innocent people of Nepal . So the main focus should be given to establish rule of law in the country. It is for this reason priority was given to hold the election of the constituent Assembly. After the election of the constituent Assembly the attention of the political parties has been derailed. Their attention has gone to make and unmake the Government in place of establishing democracy in Nepal. The following should be the step wise agenda of the peace process. Implement the 12 point agreement. Implement the National peace Accord. Return the property seized by the Maoist and return the displaced people to their own home. Solve the Problem of the Maoist combatant before declaring the new constitution. Give compensation to those who have lost their lives and those who have become disable from Maoist. Give priority to make a new constitution which will guarantee the rule of law and fundamental right of the people. Peace process has just become the strategy for political parties. They have not given their attention to the above issues. Maoist also are not honest to the commitment they made in different agreement. There are three fundamental issues for the peace process. The first is the declaration of the new democratic constitution. The second is the management of the Maoist combatant. The third is the creation of an environment of law and order in the country. Nepal being a member of UN has signed in many agreements as declaration of democracy and many other covenants under UN. Nepal cannot go beyond that. But the recommendation of UNMIN to 21 thousand Maoist combatants on the contrary to the Maoist Suprimo Prachanda’s statement at Saktikhor camp that they have only three to four thousand legal combatants shows how honest UNMIN is to democracy and to the people of Nepal. Maoist leader’s deliberation of people’s agitation in Nepal in the support of UN and UN also not doing any comment on it shows the continuation of Iean Martin policy to support Maoist in Nepal. This unclear policy of UNMIN to Nepal also creates confusion. Democracy means the rule of law, fundamental right of the people; independent judiciary and time bound free and fear election in the country. Guarantee of all these principles in the constitution will be the guarantee of people’s supremacy. The Maoist has not shown any positive attitude on these issues. Their stand in the constituent assembly on the above issue does not show their commitment to democracy. In the preliminary paper drafted by judicial committee of CA Maoist stand on appointing the Supreme Court chief justice and other judges by the parliament and provision of controlling the judiciary by the legislative does not show their commitment to democracy. Unless the system of check and balance among legislative, executive and judiciary is there, no democracy and no people’s supremacy will be there in the country. Maoist party in the Natural Resources committee took stand on no compensation to the people even if the government seized their property. This undemocratic stand of the Maoist shows how honest they are to democracy. The composition of parliament, election of president and the prime minister and the whole political system should be based on democratic principle. On all these issues Maoist has shown their differences. Now the question is how we can achieve peace and make a constitution according to the will of the people so that the democracy in the country will be established .Also the people of Nepal feel that there is a law and order situation in the country. The major political parties do not seem honest to the above issues. They are giving priority to change the government and to be in power in place of achieving the peace process. Maoist slogan of people’s sovereignty is also meaningless while they are claiming unless they are in government and unless there are weapons in the hands of every Nepali will be no people’s sovereignty in Nepal. Of all these reasons the peace process and peoples sovereignty has only become a slogan in Nepal. As the constituent assembly is not functioning well the constitution will not be made on time. Again the interruption of functioning of parliament for a long time does not give positive sign. Thus it is difficult to say that peace process will be completed and people’s sovereignty will be established in the country. [Joshi is the former Home minister & CWC member of Nepali Congress.] VOL. 03, NO. 10, Oct. 16 2009 (Ashwin 30 2066) SpotLight weekly Magine