New Nepal
Regressive Results
Under
Progressive Banner
Nepal is going through a very paradoxical situation. Although the popular uprising II was launched under a progressive banner for liberal, moderate, plural democratic system with guarantee of equality, human rights, individual freedom and rule of law, the issue now dominating is the regionalism, sectarianism, ethnicity, castes and creeds. In politics, there
are regressive results coming out of progressive banners. Under the slogan of inclusive democracy, there are growing tendencies of exclusion on the basis of casts, geographic region and ethnicity. There are anti-national results coming out under the cover of sectarian slogans. Nepal is not a unique case for this kind of situation. Although revolutions in Russia, Iran, Afghanistan and Cambodia were all fought under the progressive banner, one need not emphasize what they ended up doing
By KESHAB POUDEL
Although all the changes and revolutions were launched under the progressive banner, past experiences have shown that such revolutions often end up with regressive
results. Nepal's recent change, too, seems headed towards the same direction.
Outmoded communist ideology is dominating the streets and ethnicity, regional issues, caste and creeds are dominating the public debate. Nobody is talking about the basic fundamental questions like independence of judiciary, human rights, freedom of individual and sovereignty of the people. Even the Interim Constitution, the first product of Popular Movement II – pushed the country towards regression.
According to International Crisis Group's Report of 26 February 2007, so far the process has concentrated on building elite consensus at the expense of intense political debate or extensive public consultation. "A handful of SPA and Maoist leaders have controlled closed-door negotiations; limited parliamentary scrutiny has not even extended to recognizing the concept of an opposition. The interim constitution has granted the prime minister and cabinet sweeping authority, subject to minimal checks and balances; the
compromised independence of judiciary has weakened the independence of
judiciary," the reports writes.
Inclusion or Exclusion
In the name of inclusive Madhes, many people of hilly origin are compelled to vacate their original native places. The demand for autonomous state on the basis of ethnic group with a right to self determination is another slogan that is sure to end up with deepening the social divide and exclusion.
At a time when influence of ideology-based political parties is gradually declining, the divisive issues like language, ethnicity, regionalism and caste are coming up. If this trend is not checked, the nation's journey towards new Nepal could become a mirage.
Many groups have raised such catchy sentimental slogans - from complete autonomy with right to self determination to separate independent state in certain geographical region. There is a possibility that it will spread like wild fire and ideology of mainstream political parties will be unable to hold them together.
"Unfortunately, Nepal is again at the cross road of choosing one or the other alternative models of government at the convenience of major decisive force. Before explaining those alternative models, one must keep in mind that none of the previous model of government failed to work due to the disenchantment of the people. The prominent cause behind all these changes of the past were the on going political instability in the region. Despite several changes in the government in the past, the trend of political instability persists. The root cause is not the forms of government but something else. And the dimension of instability is not determined by internal contradictions. It has epicenter somewhere else," said a political analyst.
Debate on Federalism
There are several models on debate and splitting Nepal into several fragments on the basis of ethnicity language, regionalisms are being prescribed under the inclusive democracy.
Different people may have different concept of the inclusive democracy because all the conflicting parties are using this term as their shibboleth.
No one can dislike the idea of inclusive democracy. The simple dictionary meaning of this word is: that includes rather than exclude. To address the regional and ethnic question, all have accepted federal structure for the future constitution without knowing what result it will bring and whether Nepal has institutions to sustain it.
"The idea of federalism is the product of necessity particularly when the state is made of ethnic, linguistic and geographical and other variations. Since the restructuring itself is n inclusive subject that encompasses the qualitative change in the structure and contents of Nepali politics, federalism, being one of the principle components of such restructuring, is likely to resolve many outstanding issues related to the distribution of power and resources between the center provinces and local representatives institutions," said professor Lok Raj Baral in his paper Nepal as a Federal State presented at the seminar on Issues for Nepal's New Constitution, which was organized by B.P. Koirala India-Nepal Foundation. "So, federalism based on ethnicity alone would not address the issues of proportionate sharing of power and resources."
The debate over what kind of federalism Nepal has to adopt is to be decided. Some groups are stressing the need to follow the model of federalism on the basis of ethnicity. "Nepal needs to have ethnic autonomous states with right to self determination. Even the government has agreed to divide Nepal on ethnicity-based federalism," said Dr. Om Gurung, an ethnic activist and former president of Federation of Nepalese Nationalities.
Others, too, see federalism as the best option for Nepal but not on the basis of ethnicity. "There is no doubt that the Nepali state has to be loosened, and that some form of federalism and devolution is necessary. The justification for this type of federalism or devolution – democracy, participation, responsiveness and accountability- and therefore the divisions of powers and institutional arrangements, are different from ethnic federations," writes Yash Pal Ghai, in his paper Ethnicity, Identity, Participation, and Social Justice: A Constitution for New Nepal.
Inclusiveness in Practice
Till now Nepalese were familiar with the inclusive characters of democracy even though no such adjective had been added by any person or party any time in the past. For example, Nepali Congress, one of the oldest parties, has consistent objectives since its formation to have democracy for all not for any particular class, creed or race.
Its leadership had inclusive character since the very beginning in which persons of different race, language and region were included.
The first democratically elected Nepali Congress government – back in 1958 - was quite diverse. Under the leadership of prime minister B.P. Koirala- a Brahmin, there were much respected leaders like Ganeshman Singh (a Newar), Dewan Singh Rai (a Rai from indigenous nationalities), Yogendra Man Sherchan (a Thakali), Ram Narayan Singh (a Madhesi), Prem Raj Angadambe (a Limbu), and Parshu Narayan Chaudhari (a Tharu) in the cabinet Tharu, who was a senior general secretary of his party for more than two decades, carried the same respect and trust of all till he continued in the party.
Even now senior general secretary of Nepali Congress is a Gurung of high integrity and credibility in the party. Similarly, communist parties of several brand names had the same kind of inclusive combination. Even the party led by Prachanda has this inclusive composition in which Rai, Magar, Gurung, Tharu and Yadav have the same decisive status which others have. Till now, there is a kind of inclusive character in Nepalese politics.
As these things are going to be changed drastically, one has to visualize the scenario of the ongoing inclusive character of democracy. Nowadays, a new phenomenon is emerging in the distant horizon of Nepalese politics. Terai Jantantrik Mukti Morcha, Terai Army and several other armed groups have taken a lead in the name of inclusive democracy where Pahade- persons from hill - have been made a target of attack.
"Political parties are positive, from the very beginning, on the issues related to identity question like recognizing bi-lingual policy and secular state. But, they were non-categorical on modality of representation of excluded groups in constitution making process and also in sharing resources. The 2001 census of Nepal recorded 103 castes and ethnic groups, 93 languages and 9 religious groups. Numerically, all groups are minorities in Nepal and the largest one, Chettris, constitutes 15.80 percent," said Krishna
Hachhethu, in his paper Nepal Pluralistic society and Inclusive Democracy.
If the trend of targeting certain community in the name of inclusiveness continues like in terai, Nepalese society will see more fragmentation and violence in the coming days.
Madhesi After Maoists
After the most brutal phase of Maoist operation in Nepal in which about 15000 lives have been lost and hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced, a new phase seems to have emerged with similar violent connotations. A new phase of violent operation under the cover of Madhesis has begun. Compared with Maoists, the losses of life have been smaller but the effect has been much more profound and dangerous. It has created a situation of hostility between divergent ethnic groups.
"In the terai region, it has created a situation of fear and distrust between people from hill origin and plain origin which may have lasting effect. Another phase is brewing up both in terai as well as in hills. Like what has been going on in Bihar, conflict between upper caste and lower caste may soon spread in this anarchic state of the country," said the analyst.
"If carefully scrutinized, one can easily find out a trend of conflict between upper class and lower class in ethnicity as well as in property. Similarly, hills on both east and west have been going on with an uneasy situation of the same nature. But the most noticeable common thing between both the regions is about the cadres used, sources of supplies of arms – they are the same," said the analyst. "Facts have changed, labels have been
replaced and slogans are different but the purpose appears the same - to create instability and chaos. Whatever might have been the strategy when conceived, but this second phase of instability is also bound to prove counter productive."
A few months back even a cabinet minister having constituency in terai Rajendra Mahato had created a controversy by his public statement that in the Madhesi autonomy, Pahade people will have to live like secondary citizens. Some armed group in Madhes having very powerful extraneous backing have been issuing order to officials of hill origin to vacate the region within a stipulated short period. Several innocent lives have been lost in this inclusive drive which has an obvious purpose of excluding the rest of the communities.
Slogans of Mao and Lenin
Whatever might be the gains for the extraneous force, Nepal has been pushed behind not only in economic terms but also in political terms. "During the Maoist upsurge, there were catchy jargons used from the outdated books of Lenin and Mao giving a progressive posture. But what we see its result is a regressive and sectarian backlash of primitive tribalism," said the analyst. "Guns seems to have come here to stayed for a long time to come."
There are a lot of materials coming up as stratification based upon caste and creeds. Brahmin and Chhetris have been targets of attack from others. Among others now, another stratification of Dalits and non-dalits are coming up.
This kind of divisive trend is being occasionally reflected in the present structure of leadership in all political parties which has till now a homogenous inclusive team of all kinds of ethnic groups and caste as mentioned above.
"Nowadays a second phase of operation in Nepal is creating uneasiness in all the political parties to maintain intimate relationship among leaders. Even this phase may prove an occurrence of passing phase that will not last long. Because of its geo-political advantage, Nepal will definitely survive and will have the same interdependent compulsions to live and let live as visualized by Prithivi Narayan Shah - the founding father of this nation- who said that this nation is a common garden of all castes and creeds. This utterance was pronounced before the French revolution of 1775 and even before 1777 of American Declaration of Independent," said the analyst.
World's Experiences
The history of the world shows that most of the revolution launched with a progressive slogan brings in regressive results. This is what seems to be happening in Nepal. There are several instances in the world but Iran is one of the glaring instances of contrary results. Even some countries lost its own identity like the Indian state of Sikkim.
Iranians overthrew monarchy with a hope to have complete democracy and freedom but they found more regressive results after the revolution. From a state of more or less secular nature guaranteeing the rights of all minorities, the rise of Khomeini turned it into a Shiite theological sate.
In his book Revolution and Counter Revolution in Iran, Phil Marshall writes, "The fall of any tyrant raises hope for oppressed people the world over. So it was when the Shah of Iran fled into exile in January 1979, propelled by a mass strike of millions of workers. Yet within weeks independent workers' organizations were being suppressed. Within six months, Ayatollah Khomeini was firmly in control of an Islamic State. Soon, workers and peasants were being sent to die in their thousands. All revolutions are shaped by the
character of the society in which they are generated."
"There were girls in jeans pants in Tehran University like any American University during the rule of Shah. After the triumph over the previous regime, it brought them under a burka and severe sectarian codes strictly imposed upon the citizens," said the analyst.
"Nepal is going through a very paradoxical situation. The King is there in Palace with his Royal purses allocated through the parliament in which the majority members are outwardly republican in conviction, inwardly untested yet. There are anti national results under the cover of sectarian. This appears as compulsions of political forces," said the
analyst.
Although various popular and progressive slogans are in the circulation, the country appears to be heading backwards towards fragmentation on the ground of sectarian, regionalism, caste, language and ethnicity.
