Question
Of
Identity
At a time when Nepal is living under an interim constitution, which has made all the institutions, values and ideals interim, every one is in search of their identity. Although demands from autonomy to federalism and right to self determination are definite to incite further chaos and confusion with long-term implications, the nation is still capable of upholding heterogeneous interests of cast, ethnic communities and linguistic groups into a common thread - that is the identity of Nepal . A time-tested lesson for all ethnic, regional groups in this country as well as neighboring countries – which have huge stakes in Nepal – is that only a unified and integrated Nepal can well serve the interests of all
By KESHAB POUDEL
* Tharu Kalyankari Sabha called general strike in some parts of terai region demanding Tharuhat autonomous region in certain parts of terai region.
* Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NFIN) has been launching series of agitation demanding autonomy for ethnic groups living in different parts of Nepal and wants elections on the basis of ethnicity.
* Similarly a group of Muslims have already threatened to launch nation wide agitation demanding reservation for Muslims and recognition of Madrassa and their religious fest at national level. Muslims argued that the agitation launched by Madhesi Janadhikar Forum did not address their issues.
* Likewise, the indefinite general strike called by Chure Bhawar Ekta Samaj paralyzed the life of the villages of Sarlahi, Mahottari and Rautahat districts.
* Nepal Chepang (Praja) Association (NCA) has called Dhading, Makwanpur, Chitwan and Gurkha bandh demanding Chepang Autonomous Region with right to self determination
* Madhesi Janadhikar Forum, a large regional group, has called general strike in entire terai region demanding federal system of government in the region. After successful first phase of agitation, it has already announced second round of agitation from February 26.
* A Hindu religious group called National Defense Army has recently bombed two government offices in Biratnagar and CPN-UML offices in Birgunj demanding to declare Nepal as a Hindu State. They also bombed offices in Biratnagar.
Although all of these groups have different religions, languages and ethnicity, they had been living together without any violent conflict in Madhes and hill for quite a long time.
There is no expression of race or linguistic group against the other with a tinge of animosity. Differences are there in the views and in the priorities but none of the powerful opinion groups has expressed separatist attitude against the unified Nepal .
“Taking note of all these factors, it is not at all convincing that the demand of autonomy or federalism is natural and spontaneous. Like so many unfortunate cases in the past, Nepal seems to be a victim of a grand design to achieve certain desired results by creating dissensions and disruptions but ultimately this has a limit and no force can proceed more than the space it is permitted. In Nepal ’s case, now the time has come to say enough is enough to all concerned machinations of destabilization,” said a political analyst.
Among the people living in Terai, the fore and foremost are Tharus. According to anthropologists, Tharus are of Mongoloid origin. Other various groups of population in terai are mainly local inhabitants as well as immigrants from nearest points of India .
The third group consists of mixed population and is mainly from hills. Like all parts of Nepal , none of the population group is in a position to run a workable autonomy or a federal state within this rectangular size of the country - whether it is terai or other parts of Nepal .
With population of more than 26 million, Nepal is multi-ethnic, multi-lingual and multi-religious with diverse geographical region. No single linguistic, ethnical or religious group has absolute majority in a particular region and/or pockets.
From Madhes to hill and mountain, the country is diverse in culture, ethnicity, language and religion. Only unified Nepal can protect the identity of all ethnic, regional and religious groups. Once it is torn apart, all will lose their identities.
One can see this realization in all the groups- which have been launching agitations. From the leaders of MJF to NFIN or from Muslims to Nepal Chepang Association or Tharus and other ethnic bodies, all have shown this realization.
“We are demanding the autonomy for Madhesh in federal Nepal . We are not separatists,” said Dr. Upendra Yadav, president of Madhesi Janadhikar Forum. “We are committed to integrity of Nepal .”
Others, too, have similar arguments. “We are demanding the respect of our ethnic identity,” said Pasang Sherpa, president of NFIN.
NFIN is also demanding for proper representation in the forthcoming elections for Constituent Assembly. Their main demand is to hold the elections for CA under the proportional representation. “We want autonomous region in Chepang dominated area,” said Santa Bahadur Chepang, president of Nepal Chepang Association.
Whatever the demands may be, all ethnic, regional, lingual and religious groups know that the identity of nation is still capable of upholding heterogeneous interests of cast, communities and language into a common identity that is the identity of Nepal – oldest country of this region.
“Until now the ruling ideology has been that Nepal was an untied country and people lived together happily. There is still strong sense of being Nepali. But there is also demand for recognition of identity of differences. And many countries have gone through that. It is not unique to Nepal ,” said Yash Pal Ghai of the Constitutional Advisory Services Unit UNDP in The Kathmandu Post. “If parties acknowledge that there is a fundamental problem, I think they can handle it.”
Country of Heterogeneity
In a fluid political situation as now, it is natural to see these kinds of opinions and voices like right to self determination, federal structure on the basis of geographic region and autonomous areas on the basis of caste and ethnicity. The ground reality of Nepal is different where none of the racial, ethnic, lingual and religious groups have majority.
Published by the Ministry of Population and Environment, Nepal Population Report 2004 states that only a few people originating from terai live in hills or mountains but about one-fifth of people of hill-origin live in terai region. The census of 2001 has listed 103 castes and ethnic groups including unidentified groups in the country.
The major caste and ethnic group identified by the 2001 census are Chettri (15.8 percent), Brahmin-hill (12.7 percent), Magar (7.1 percent), Tharu (6.8 percent), Tamang ( 5.6 percent), Muslim (4.3 percent), Yadav (3.9 percent), Rai (2.8 percent), Gurung (2.4 percent) and Damai and Dhobi (1.7 percent).
The census records 92 different languages spoken in Nepal with 93rd category as unidentified. Data indicates that the major languages spoken in Nepal are Nepali (48.6 percent), Maithali (12.3 percent), Bhojpuri (7.5 percent), Tharu (5.9 percent), Tamang (5.2 percent), Newari (3.6 percent), Magar (3.4 percent), Awadhi (2.5 percent), Bantawa (1.6 percent), Gurung (1.6 percent), and Limbu (1.5 percent).
According to the census report, Nepal has over 80 percent population as Hindus and Buddhism is practiced by 11 percent of population. While Islam constitutes about 4.2 percent of the population, Kirat accounts for nearly 3.6 percent of the population.
Geographical Interdependence
Sandwiched between two major economic and military powers India and China , Nepal ’s east-west length is about 1600 kilometers and north-south width is about 140 kilometers. Divided into three distinct ecological regions: mountains, hills and terai, the country’s all ecological regions are interdependent with each other.
“The way to analyze the situation for Nepal is to ask – in its own context – what is the best way forward? And federalism may not be the best way if we are talking of every community having its own state. I don’t believe in that because there are too many groups and too many overlapping differences,” said constitutional expert Ghai.
Nepal has unique geographic distribution. The eastern hills and eastern terai are interdependent in trade business and everything but the Madhesis of far-east have least contact with Madhesis of far west. Similarly, Tharus of the far west have least contact with Tharus of east and central region. Magar of eastern region has least contact with Magars of mid-western region.
Upsurge of Ethnicity
Along with the Maoists, the sudden upsurge of new demands of federalism, right to self determination, autonomy, reservation for women have surprised many.
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Ethnic community : In search of identity |
Although the CPN-Maoists were a harbinger of the present change, its leaders are complaining now that their agenda are stolen by others. “Our party was the first political force in the country championing the issues of Madhes and Janajati and right to self determination but now many unknown groups are stealing our cause. There are enough reasons to suspect that these new groups are backed by monarchists and regressive forces,” said CPN-Maoist leader Prachanda at a recent press conference.
Had it been a real upsurge of ethnicity, region, language or religion, the harbinger of present change CPN-Maoist, which championed causes for Janajatis and Madhesis till recent past, would not have been put into a position where it now directly confronts them. Now reports are coming from different parts of the country about the conflicts and disputes between the Maoists and various ethnic groups. “Had that aspiration been real and their leadership to Maoists genuine, how this sudden cut-throat conflict among them would have been possible?” asked the analyst. “Ultimately, the basic character of people remains the same which desires continuity with change. Different news media have come out with their opinion surveys and almost all reflects the same conclusion that people of Nepal want to live in harmony with all the groups. They expressed their desire to live with the institution of monarchy under the democratic disciplines.”
“My wish is to see prosperous, strong and unified Nepal . As you know I wan born in Bhedasing, heart of capital Kathmandu but I have home in Birgunj, terai. I have grown up amid contacts with people from all three geographical regions of Nepal ; Himal, Pahad and Madhes. These three regions of Nepal are complimentary and supplementary to each other. I want to see a situation when every one feels pride of being a citizen of Nepal ,” said industrialist Mohan Gopal Khetan. (See interview). Although he belongs to Marwari community, Khetan identifies himself with Nepal ’s national interest.
By their own distinct professional interests, Marwari’s have multinational identity. In Nepalese context because their business interests are rooted in Nepal , they completely identify with its national interests. They cannot prosper in business if Nepal is ruined or destroyed.
It is not mere a commitment by one particular group or region but every body realizes this reality. “By convictions and by compulsions, too, people have to live together. Nepal as a nation has its own identity as the oldest state of this region. Most of other countries in South Asia regained their national independence after the World War II but Nepal was integrated into one in 1768 by King Prithivi Narayan Shah, who is remembered as a farsighted statesman and architect of present Nepal . Since then there has been continuity of monarchy under the Shah dynasty,” said the analyst.
Whether it is natural or unnatural, maximum numbers of interest groups have been aroused to achieve the same result- to smash up the identity of Nepal , which the country has till now – and to transplant something alien and unusual in its body politic.
Monarchy’s Role
Following the unification, this country of multi-ethnic, multi-lingual and multi-religious nature assimilated these different communities and emerged into a prominent identity as a nation. “This was neither like Muslim invasion in India nor like British colonial rule in the rest of countries of South Asia . The monarchy in Nepal , because of its socio-cultural background, was widely accepted despite its changed characters. The beginning was with an absolute monarchy. In more than a century during Rana’s autocracy, the King was simply a figurehead but stood as a continuity of its unifying role,” said the analyst.
Monarchy has changed its role in different political contexts. Whether it is in power or out of power, institution of monarchy remains a formidable force in Nepal . Despite continuous pressures of almost all leftists and radical parties for its abdication, there is still a strong presence of opinion in favor of institution of monarchy.
The opinion survey of two leading media houses - Himal Khabar Patrika and Annapurna Post - revealed that reality as both the opinion polls showed that monarchy still retains its basic identity among the people who want to see it continue in some form. At a time when no recognized political parties and groups are supporting monarchy and its relations with military is cut, consecutive opinion polls show that monarchy’s popularity, although eroded to a certain extent, is still there. Earlier, opinion poll report by Interdisciplinary Analysis also had revealed similar result.
From Maoist leader Prachanda to Nepali Congress leader Ram Chandra Poudel, everyone is engaged in using derogatory remarks against monarchy; but it still has a strong grass root support. Whether one declares Nepal as a republic or not, no one can wash out the opinion in favor of monarchy.
“There is a unique and glorious history of Nepal ’s unified identity as a nation based upon assimilation or reconciliation of various identities. A Newar King Jaya Prakash Malla was replaced by Prithvi Narayan Shah, a non-Newar king of Gurkha. It has been a continuity of tradition by original Newar Shakya community who continue to wash the feet of present King with the same religious reverence with they had for Newar Kings. That would not have been possible for a Muslim invader or British Viceroy to this continuity of reverence which Nepal could maintain,” said the analyst.
After 1951, the monarchy, too, was in search of its role in a democratic struggle. As the political situation always remained unstable, the role of monarch of different times remained different. “But, in all these phases the country had a unified identity based upon compulsions to survive together as well as convictions to remain as interdependent components of the nation,” said the analyst. “In such a stable and time tested foundation of its own as a nation, Nepal had enormous opportunities to grow as a liberal democratic state with its continuity of monarchy. But a process of series of destabilization was invisibly unleashed against it.”
Pluralism, Way Out
As long as Nepal had functional pluralistic system, the country had not seen the present scenario like ethnic upsurge. Following the restoration of democracy in 1990 and three consecutive parliamentary elections, major political parties contested elections on the basis of political ideology as an independent nation. The voices of dissensions were virtually unheard. People did not elect many prominent leaders on the basis of ethnic identity.
“The pluralist structure of Nepal is temperamentally fit for pluralistic democracy. Pluralism has its way of life. Therefore, it had exhibited an amazing capacity in its democratic exercise within the last three elected parliaments,” said the analyst.
When the first parliament had almost completed three and a half years exercise, an armed revolution was declared against it under the banner and leadership of CPN-Maoist. Nepali Congress was in power at that time and supreme leader of the party was Girija Prasad Koirala. After 12 years, a dramatic turn of events has brought Koirala again as the supreme person in the power and Maoists need him more than even Nepali Congress now.
Experts argue that democracy is way out to unite all these interest. Democratic Nepal can only be united peacefully under federalism. Non-democratic countries can remain united without federalism because people do not have right to express and mobilize and thus, the state can easily repress. That is not so easy in democracies,” said Dr. Mahendra Lawati, professor of political science at western Michigan University , in his interview in People’s Review. “If government denies federalism, Nepal will first encounter ethnic violence (insurgencies, riots etc).Later on, the movement could turn into separatist movements and Nepal may eventually disintegrate.”
UN constitutional expert Ghai, however, holds the view that federalism cannot alone guarantee the right of the people. He argues that the country like Sweden mange the dissension with adequate decentralization of authority.
What is lacking now is the leadership in the country to guide Nepal . “Unfortunately, people of Nepal , at this critical juncture, have no leaders of wide acceptability like B.P. Koirala or even like King Birendra. King Gyanendra had to deal with a very critical situation of the country after the Royal Palace Massacre. Though matured by his age, King Gyanendra had no experience to deal with the complicated situation of the country. He failed to take notice of the great game plan against the country. In fact, he was trapped for a counter productive game of his own. At critical junctures of this country, purposeful visits of old and experienced experts and their hobnobbing around the Palace were successful to achieve certain desired results which aggravated Nepal ’s conflict and has set in motion a whirlwind of crisis.”
After an uncalled for and unexplainable abortion of the constitution of 1990 some experienced and established lawyers associated mainly with NC and UML had raised their grumbling voices. Most of the sensible persons in the legal profession don’t find any space to ventilate their disagreements with what is going on in the name of right of self determination by all ethnic, regional and linguistic groups.
“It is not a utopia or superfluous idealism but a time tested lesson for all ethnic, regional groups in this country as well as friendly countries – which have security stakes in Nepal - that a unified and integrated Nepal with central chain of command at the center can serve the interest well than a fragmented parts of so called autonomous and federal units of governments,” said the analyst. “An artificial revolution of high expectations to be achieved through divisive and separatist outlook would help none and serve nobody’s interests.”
