Editorial
Death of GP Koirala
With him passes an era of values
THE death of Girija Prasad Koirala brings to an end an illustrious career in Nepalese politics. Koirala was a political figure who came in the mould of those remarkable for their role in a reshaping of history. Like so many others dedicated to the principle of politics being a trust and a call to duty in the service of people, the late Nepalese leader upheld certain norms and values he considered essential for the growth of progressive thought. That his was an indispensable presence in Nepal's history was proved conclusively when he brokered the deal which was to put an end to the conflict between the state and its Maoist rebels and thereby inaugurate a new phase in the country's evolution to democracy. At a time when few people believed that Nepal could wriggle out of what then seemed to be an intractable problem, Koirala did not lose faith in his belief that better days would dawn.
And that was precisely what happened. And more. It was Koirala more than anyone else who caused an eventual transformation of the Hindu kingdom that was Nepal into a republic through easing King Gyanendra and the royal family out of power. Koirala was one of those men of foresight who knew that the monarchy was an anachronism in Nepal when the rest of the world was passing it by. It was this conviction which often earned him the wrath of such powerful men as the late King Birendra, who in the early 1990s was nevertheless forced into becoming a constitutional monarch. Over time, it was for Koirala to take the next logical step, which was to enlist the support of all political groups, including the Maoists, in the movement of bringing about the abolition of the monarchy. His adherence to parliamentary politics made it possible for the Maoist leader Prachanda to reorient his radical organisation towards democracy. Koirala could not have been happy with the attitude the Maoists demonstrated in the recent past through resigning from the government, but he surely must have been satisfied that for all its bumpy ride Nepal's democracy was well on track.
Koirala held the office of prime minister four times. In his long career in politics, he was looked upon as a stabilising force in Nepal, especially against a background of rapidly collapsing governments. With his passing ends an era in Nepalese politics, one remarkable for its emphasis on old-fashioned values so necessary to reshape a world in new colours.
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