Prime Minister’s First Address to Nation

By KTM Reporter In Kathmandu

On Saturday, August 23, 2008, before leaving Nepal for China for attending the concluding ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Game, Prime Minister Prachanda in his first address to the nation live on TVs and Radios, first of all, paid homage to the martyrs, disappeared and wounded fighters of the People’s War, People’s Movement and Madheshi Movement for sacrificing their lives for making Nepal a federal democratic republic and pledged to materialize their dreams in line with continued revolution and struggle.

Nepalese people have high expectations from the new government; working hard objectively and in a planned manner, we would be able to meet their expectations; we have formulated a number of national priorities to this end, he said.

Nationality, republic and socio-economic transformation are the main concerns of the new government; so, the new government would give topmost importance to the protection and promotion of sovereignty, national unity, independence and territorial integrity of the country.

Then, he dwelt on taking the peace process to a rational conclusion, and crafting a new pro-people constitution, and committed to follow the multiparty democratic norms and values, and ensure human rights, independence of press and the rule of law. He emphasized on taking democracy down to the grassroots level of the laboring class, and would discourage anybody acting against democratic norms and values.

He pledged to end the widespread poverty, unemployment, inequality among the Nepalese people and their dependency and make the country well off working in the public-private partnership and promoting modern industrial economy. The new government would encourage foreign investments in priority sectors such as 'agriculture, tourism, water resources and infrastructure.' The government would maintain the industrial peace improving relations between employees and employers.

Prime Minister Prachanda assured the Nepalese people of introducing effective measures to end corruption, and all the entrepreneurs and professionals of creating an environment conducive to investment and a lasting peace in the country.

The government would work for providing immediate relief and special assistance to the poor and the people of under developed regions, helpless, senior and disabled people and to the families of the disappeared and the martyrs of the People’s War.

He boasted, “We have given the world an example of a new model of the conflict management and revolutionary transformation through the Comprehensive Peace Accord and its successful implementation, and then working with the responsibility to meet the people’s aspiration for a lasting peace and development.”

"We will follow a policy on defending the national unity, independence and territorial integrity through unity among the people of the mountains, hills and plain or Madhesh region based on equality," he said.

Concerning for the emergence of a conflict between the people for changes and the status quoits, he hoped to settle the conflict ending age-old class, regional, caste-based, and gender discrimination and making Nepal of a prosperous and egalitarian society.

He called on the Nepali Army, Police, Armed Police Force and National Investigation Department to forget the bitter past experiences in the conflict and assured them of no prejudices against them, and urged them to move ahead for national unity. He also sought the support of People’s Liberation Army, families of martyrs and all sections of the society for building a new Nepal.

Pointing at the challenges the government faces on the way to building a new Nepal, he urged all the political parties, security, State employees, and the people in general to support his government for building a new Nepal. He said, "People are the creators of history and with people’s support there is nothing impossible."

He also called on the international community to provide Nepal with moral and physical support for materializing a lasting peace during the historic transformation phase.

He said, “We will have friendly relations with other countries in line with the five principles of Panchasheel.’

The founders of the non-alignment movement formulated the Panchasheel as follow:
•    Respect for each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty
•    Non-aggression
•    Non-interference in each other's internal affairs
•    Equality and mutual benefit
•    Peaceful co-existence


Main points of the address as posted on the website of ‘The Rising Nepal’ dated Aug. 23, 2008:

1. Protection and elevation of national sovereignty, national unity, independence, territorial integrity.

2. Taking peace process to a logical conclusion and writing of a new constitution.

3. Protection and application of democratic norms, values and principles, democracy for the majority working class.

4. Rendering political and economic revolution hand in hand.

5. Search for and introduction of new method that ensures surveillance and participation of the people and the civil society in the state affairs.

6. Stress on building modern industrial economy, public private partnership as the basis, an environment of industrial peace.

7. Encouragement and protection of foreign investment in sectors of national priorities.

8. Effective measures for eliminating corruption, feudal remains in cultural, economic and social spheres.

9. Legal provision to ensure people’s fundamental rights to education, health and employment.

10. Stress on national consensus, appeal to all parties to rise from partisan interests and work for new Nepal.

11. Appeal to the international community to assist Nepal, materially or morally and principle of panchasheel as a guideline for international relations.

12. Call to the security wings, government employees to get rid of prejudices harbored during the time of conflict and work for new Nepal, commitment to the same on his part.

13. Commitment to implement agreements and understanding worked out by the previous governments with the political parties and different organizations.

14. Due amount of help to the People’s Liberation Army and relief to the families of the martyrs and disappeared of the PW.