Jacob Martin
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NEW DELHI: India on Monday welcomed the big political breakthrough in Nepal, setting the stage for return to normalcy in the Himalayan nation with the lifting of a blockade on goods from India imposed by Madhesi protesters. After resisting for months, the K P Sharma Oli government on Sunday finally decided to make significant amendments to the new constitution to accommodate Madhesi demands.
READ ALSO: Nepal to amend Constitution to address Madhesis' demands
Welcoming the decisions taken by the Nepal cabinet, the ministry of external affairs said on Monday, "We are confident that a return to normalcy in Nepal would create a more secure and predictable climate for unimpeded commerce between our two countries." Urging all sides in Nepal to show "flexibility", India asked "all Nepali political forces to now demonstrate the necessary maturity and flexibility to find a satisfactory solution to the constitutional issues through constructive dialogue in an agreed timeframe".
The decision of the Nepal cabinet was conveyed to external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj by her Nepalese counterpart Kamal Thapa on Monday morning. During the last days of his government, Koirala had moved the amendments after the initial furore on the constitution which basically made Madhesis second class citizens in their own country. Oli had refused to clear the amendments and in fact for long even refused to acknowledge there was a problem, believing it to be completely created by India.
But the agitation in the Terai sustained for over 130 days, with sporadic violence claiming lives even on Sunday, when a 16-year-old boy was shot and killed in police firing in southern Nepal, which has been one of the scenes of the protests.
Oli then tried to play the China card, signing a fuel supply agreement with Beijing for 1000 tonnes of fuel.However, only 12 trucks made it through the damaged roads from the China border. China was also made part of the protests as Madhesis burnt Chinese flags in the Terai. It has been only in the last few weeks that Oli and his government have recognized the po litical crisis within. The Oli cabinet cleared the amendments on Sunday, and is scheduled to pass them in Parliament in the coming days.
A Nepal government statement said, "The process for the adoption of the Constitution amendment bill tabled in Parliament will be advanced in order to ensure the participation in the state organs on the basis of proportionate inclusiveness and for the delineation of electoral constituencies on the basis of population while ensuring at least one constituency in each district existing at the time of the commencement of this constitution." The government said the issues of citizenship would be resolved through negotiations and consensus.
What is more significant is that Kathmandu is willing to even address the issue of provinces' demarcation (seemankan) that they had earli er said would not be touched.But in the last talks between the Madhesis and the government, Madhesi leaders rejected any compromise solution that did not take the 'seemankan' issue into consideration. The statement said, "With regard to the demarcation of provinces, in view of the demands of the agitating parties, appropriate arrangement will be made in the Constitution on the basis of political consensus. In order to forge such political consensus, a political mechanism will be constituted, which will submit its report along with recommendations within three months."
India involved itself in the negotiations earlier this month after it became clear that the two opposing sides in Nepal could find no common ground. Meanwhile, the agitation was deepening, with the Madhesis sticking to more extreme positions. The Birgunj blockade was hurting the interiors in Nepal, creating a black economy in smuggling, which would eventually impact India.
Nepal to amend Constitution to satisfy Madhesis, India welcomes move - Times of India
READ ALSO: Nepal to amend Constitution to address Madhesis' demands
Welcoming the decisions taken by the Nepal cabinet, the ministry of external affairs said on Monday, "We are confident that a return to normalcy in Nepal would create a more secure and predictable climate for unimpeded commerce between our two countries." Urging all sides in Nepal to show "flexibility", India asked "all Nepali political forces to now demonstrate the necessary maturity and flexibility to find a satisfactory solution to the constitutional issues through constructive dialogue in an agreed timeframe".
The decision of the Nepal cabinet was conveyed to external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj by her Nepalese counterpart Kamal Thapa on Monday morning. During the last days of his government, Koirala had moved the amendments after the initial furore on the constitution which basically made Madhesis second class citizens in their own country. Oli had refused to clear the amendments and in fact for long even refused to acknowledge there was a problem, believing it to be completely created by India.
But the agitation in the Terai sustained for over 130 days, with sporadic violence claiming lives even on Sunday, when a 16-year-old boy was shot and killed in police firing in southern Nepal, which has been one of the scenes of the protests.
Oli then tried to play the China card, signing a fuel supply agreement with Beijing for 1000 tonnes of fuel.However, only 12 trucks made it through the damaged roads from the China border. China was also made part of the protests as Madhesis burnt Chinese flags in the Terai. It has been only in the last few weeks that Oli and his government have recognized the po litical crisis within. The Oli cabinet cleared the amendments on Sunday, and is scheduled to pass them in Parliament in the coming days.
A Nepal government statement said, "The process for the adoption of the Constitution amendment bill tabled in Parliament will be advanced in order to ensure the participation in the state organs on the basis of proportionate inclusiveness and for the delineation of electoral constituencies on the basis of population while ensuring at least one constituency in each district existing at the time of the commencement of this constitution." The government said the issues of citizenship would be resolved through negotiations and consensus.
What is more significant is that Kathmandu is willing to even address the issue of provinces' demarcation (seemankan) that they had earli er said would not be touched.But in the last talks between the Madhesis and the government, Madhesi leaders rejected any compromise solution that did not take the 'seemankan' issue into consideration. The statement said, "With regard to the demarcation of provinces, in view of the demands of the agitating parties, appropriate arrangement will be made in the Constitution on the basis of political consensus. In order to forge such political consensus, a political mechanism will be constituted, which will submit its report along with recommendations within three months."
India involved itself in the negotiations earlier this month after it became clear that the two opposing sides in Nepal could find no common ground. Meanwhile, the agitation was deepening, with the Madhesis sticking to more extreme positions. The Birgunj blockade was hurting the interiors in Nepal, creating a black economy in smuggling, which would eventually impact India.
Nepal to amend Constitution to satisfy Madhesis, India welcomes move - Times of India
