Avoid violence in protest !

EDITORIAL

The manner in which a political demonstration in Kathmandu on Friday witnessed violence – death of two youths including a journalist, fire-damage to properties and serious physical injuries to many innocent people and law enforcement persons-cannot be tolerated. Dissent is a right and the country is open for that in law and practice. The practice of federal republicanism is in the midst of the second cycle of five year-general elections. Those who are seeking alternative political dispensation to the prevailing one have representatives in various tiers of legislative wings including federal parliament. They have raised their voice in those bodies from time to time while their supporters have organized political protests to that effect. The Tinkune demonstration, which was clearly a continued version of that trend, did not have to go violent but it witnessed violence, got disrupted, went out of control and resulted in damages – some of which impossible to repair. All particularly those who organized the protest, brought crowd into it but failed to manage it, should take responsibility and learn lessons from the tragedy: violence or provocation for the same rewards none in mission. Those who have a duty to ensure safety in public meetings and public places should not also fall behind in reviewing approach to hostile mass meetings. The fundamental values of democracy being practiced in the country demand that much. Moreover, the government has also a responsibility of listening seriously to the voice of those who engage in protest; hear those who advocate dissenting political ideology such as restoration of monarchy in place of federal republicanism. They should analyse the reason why some seek to oppose the prevailing mode of democracy. If it is the non-performance of the government that has made the current modality of democracy unpalatable to some, the emphasis should be on offering good governance and delivery of public services well in time, fairly and in a guaranteed fashion. This will, in a sense, address the dissent directly and not let any one feel the need to seek alternative to current politics of the country. There could of course, be some weakness in the present system (procedure or mechanism) of democracy. The same could be amended through open, serious, forward looking (not backward looking) democratic dialogue among political parties concerned. Nepalis have suffered a lot in the struggle for democracy and democratic government. Their struggle has made them sovereign and given them power to participate in governance – by choosing their representatives through periodic elections. That democratic practice should in no way be disrupted.