In this video, Mr. Aditya Adhikari and Mr. Prashant Jha join UNU Rector David M. Malone for a conversation focusing on Nepal’s quest for democracy, justice and stability following the end of a decade-long conflict between the state and Maoist rebels. The conversation explores the challenges involved in the transformation of the Maoists from a rebel group into a political party, the rise of identity politics, the struggle over a new constitution meant to address popular aspirations and the role of regional actors and international institutions. The discussion also takes stock of the achievements Nepal has made in the post-conflict period, as well as the goals that are yet to be accomplished. Since emerging in 2006 from a ten-year Maoist insurgency, Nepal has struggled with the difficult transitions from war to peace, from autocracy to democracy and from an exclusionary and centralized state to a more inclusive and federal one. The establishment of a secular republic, the dissolution of the Maoist Army, and the opening of significant democratic space signal achievements of the peace process. However, stability and economic growth remain elusive in light of a deeply divided polity, recurring political crises and the political parties’ failure to agree on what was meant to be the crowning achievement of the peace process: an inclusive and federal constitution. Why has the promise of the peace process been unfulfilled? ABOUT THE SPEAKERS Aditya Adhikari is a journalist and political analyst based in Nepal where he is currently a political affairs consultant with the UN Department of Political Affairs Liaison Office. He has worked with the Kathmandu Post since 2008 as an op-ed editor (2008–2010), contributing editor and columnist (2010–present). From 2007­–2008 Mr. Adhikari served as a political analyst with the Carter Center in Kathmandu. His most recent book, The Bullet and the Ballot Box: The Story of Nepal’s Maoist Revolution, offers a sweeping account of a decade of revolutionary upheaval in Nepal — a case study of how communist ideology has been reinterpreted and translated into political action in the twenty-first century. Mr. Adhikari holds a Master’s in State, Society and Development (Political Science) from the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. Prashant Jha is a journalist and author based in New Delhi. He has recently published Battles of The New Republic: A Contemporary History of Nepal, a deeply personal account of war and peace in his country. He is currently the associate editor for the Hindustan Times, covering Indian politics and foreign policy. As a columnist, Mr. Jha has written extensively on Nepal’s political transformation. He has been the Nepal correspondent for The Hindu, a contributing editor for Himal Southasian magazine, and briefly an analyst with the International Crisis Group. Mr. Jha holds a Master’s in International Politics from Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru University.

• published: 05 Jun 2015
• views: 78