No amnesty

EDITORIAL

The Cabinet meeting made a controversial decision on Tuesday, recommending President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav to invoke Article 151 of the Interim Constitution to grant amnesty to convicted UCPN-Maoist lawmaker Bal Krishna Dhungel. The Cabinet has grossly ignored the Supreme Court verdict sentencing the lawmaker to life for killing, way back in 1998, a CPN-UML activist, Ujjan Kumar Shrestha of Okhaldhunga. The case against Dhungel has come a full circle since the murder. Okhaldhunga District Court first convicted Dhungel in 2004, but the Appellate Court in Rajbiraj overruled the district court verdict in 2006, dismissing the murder charge against the convict, and acquitting the Maoist worker. The Appellate Court verdict came to the attention of the Supreme Court by process and in 2006, the country’s apex court upheld the original verdict issued by the Okhaldhunga District Court, convicted Dhungel and slapped a 20 year jail term to the murderer. Because he belonged to the Maoist party, Dhungel enjoyed the impunity, so much so that he even managed to get elected to the Constituent Assembly in 2008. Backstage, the Maoist party has been working all along to seize an opportune moment to drop the case and grant amnesty to Dhungel. Former Home Minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara made an unsuccessful bid last year in this direction, but was forced to step aside in the wake of strong protests from the human rights activists and members of the civil society.

All along, the Maoist leadership appears to have been down, but not out, and Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai’s Cabinet has come in handy to give a clean chit to a lawmaker who has blood in his hands. The Cabinet decision cannot be justified nor can it be acceptable to a civilized society that places firm faith in democracy, rule of law and an end to impunity. The Maoist argument that the jail sentence against Dhungel is “politically motivated” is not only ridiculous, but is also intended to question the sanctity, credibility, indepedence and integrity of the Apex Court. There can be no room for such manipulative politics.

It may only be hoped that the President’s Office will not be intimidated by the Cabinet decision or yield to the Maoist pressure tactics, and do a thorough investigation/consultation before taking its position on the matter. Maybe, it is the President’s turn now to drive home the message that Nepal’s highest constitutional office means business when it comes to maintaining rule of law, ending impunity and holding the actors accountable for their actions.

The Nepali citizenry now awaits the presidential intervention backing the SC verdict and turning down the controversial decision taken by the Cabinet. Any oversight on the part of the President and siding with the Cabinet decision will only be tantamount to yet another controversial decision, and, in the long run, the nation will ultimately have to pay a price for it. After all, a political order where everyone respects and plays by the rule and the constituon is in everyone’s interest. And, the presidential move in this regard will go a long way in building an accountable political system in the world’s youngest republic.



Quite innovative!

On the whole, the community schools have done much to increase the community’s participation in the educational sector. However, a news report from Siraha district elaborates that a community school there has become a recruiting centre for the relatives of the principal. The modus operandi is that the school register includes the names of fake students to get necessary funds from the district education office. As the student number determines the number of teachers to be employed, the number of students is increased by adding fake students. It is but a means of corruption, which is happening right under the nose of the district education office.

Such a way to dupe the authorities is one of the main reasons why quality education has remained a far cry in many community schools. It is also surprising that the education authorities in the district have remained mute spectators to such a scam taking place there. Instead of investment going to enhance the education of the students in the schools, it is used only to create employment for the principal’s relatives through the false arrangement.

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