[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 63 (Thursday, May 19, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 19, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                          THE MANDELA OF NEPAL

  Mr. DURENBERGER. Mr. President, all Americans have a right to be 
proud as we watch the transformation of South Africa into a democratic 
regime based on equality and respect for human rights. It is nothing 
short of a re-enactment of the American idea--the noble quest that was 
expressed by President Kennedy in his declaration that Americans are 
willing to ``pay any price (and) bear any burden, to assure the 
survival and the success of liberty.''
  Nelson Mandela's odyssey from political prisoner to democratic 
President is a thrilling human drama. But it is not unique. I would 
like to bring to the attention of my colleagues the story of another 
world statesman who made the perilous journey from political prisoner 
to leader of his Nation.
  Today, Girija Prasad Koirala is the Prime Minister of Nepal--a 
powerful force leading his Nation toward full economic and political 
freedom. He has traveled a very long road to reach this summit of 
leadership.
  For two centuries, Nepal has been an island of independence in a 
world marked by great-power European colonialism. But Nepal's 
independence from colonial powers did not provide for the self-
government of its own people. From the consolidation of Gurkha power in 
1775 until 1951, the politics of Nepal was characterized by ruling-
class rivalries between the royal family and various factions of the 
nobility.
  In 1947, the withdrawal of the British from India--and the consequent 
withdrawal of their tacit support for the Nepali regime--had wide-
ranging consequences. Democratic forces were heartened by the Indian 
example, but their forces were blunted for a decade by compromise with 
the royal family.
  In 1959, a democratic constitution was finally approved, and 
Koirala's brother--Bisheshwar Prasad Koirala--was elected Prime 
Minister of Nepal. In the following year, King Mahendra--declaring the 
democratic experiment a failure--dissolved the Parliament and 
imprisoned B.P. Koirala and his Cabinet ministers.
  Subsequently--as part of an agreement with India--the Koirala family 
and other democratic leaders were allowed to emigrate to India. But 
this opportunity for permanent exile did not satisfy the desire of G.P. 
Koirala to bring democracy to his own land.

  The so-called basic democracy system implemented by King Mahendra in 
1962--basically a monarchy, with the support of traditional village 
councils--was not the full political democracy of which Koirala 
believed Nepal to be capable.
  For 29 years, political activity was banned in Nepal. According to 
the British journal the Economist, the Nepalese government under the 
basic democracy system was dominated by corrupt feudal families--and 
consequently did little to promote the real interests of the Nepalese 
people.
  After returning from exile in the 1970's, Koirala spoke out for 
democratic change--and served a 7 year jail sentence as a result.
  Throughout his years of imprisonment and exile, Koirala never lost 
sight of his ideals. Armed with right--like Nelson Mandela in South 
Africa--he prevailed over the might of the right-wing royalists.
  In 1990, a democratic revolution overtook King Birendra, Mahendra's 
son and successor. Ten weeks of demonstration led to the formation of 
an interim government and a new constitution featuring multi-party 
elections.
  The first elections under the new regime were held in the following 
year--and on May 12, 1991, G.P. Koirala won a slim majority to become 
Prime Minister.
  The new regime is a constitutional monarchy, and while a majority of 
Nepalese citizens believe that King Birendra is an incarnation of the 
Hindu divinity Vishnu and consequently must play some role in public 
life, nobody doubts that the Prime Minister is the chief responsible 
officer of the government.
  The analogy with South Africa is suggestive. Nelson Mandela--like 
G.P. Koirala--is not an absolute ruler free to reshape society in 
complete accordance with his own wishes. He inherits a racial 
situation--and some established sources of power--that are potentially 
explosive. But the example of G.P. Koirala--the hard work and 
perseverance he has demonstrated in his 3 years as Prime Minister--show 
that democracy can work if the people go about it in the right spirit.
  Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world--only about a 
third of its citizens are literate and 80 percent of the people are 
engaged in farming at the subsistence level. This is the society that 
G.P. Koirala leads--in the firm faith that they can govern themselves, 
without recourse to absolute monarchy or Communist class warfare.

  Just 2 months ago--on March 7--Koirala's vision was reaffirmed by the 
Parliament, as he beat back a no-confidence motion. During the debate 
on the no-confidence motion, Koirala collapsed on the floor of the 
Parliament after delivering 70 minutes of remarks in defense of his 
government.
  He has been ordered by his doctors to slow down his pace. But Koirala 
is a man with a mission. He had time to relax when he was in prison--
now he wants to share the benefit of his wisdom and ideals with the 
people of Nepal.
  The criticism, the infighting, and the partisanship are all part of 
the price that he is willing to pay for his vision of Nepal. While his 
aides reflect on occasion that it was easier to be in the opposition, 
Koirala knows that he has duties to perform.
  Mr. President, I would offer to my colleagues the heartening example 
of this statesman. Prison and exile can teach two very different 
lessons: They can teach anger, hatred, and revenge. And they can teach 
endurance, commitment, and faith in fundamental bedrock values.
  Like Vaclav Havel before him--and, I am confident, Nelson Mandela as 
well--G.P. Koirala has learned the right lessons from his hard 
experience. He has become a strong person--and he is going to bring 
those lessons to bear on the creation of a better future for Nepal.

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