Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Editorial

Media has the onerous task of flowing information to the public in a just and objective manner. Media has the task to educate the people. The media thus which is supposed to educate the people demands at first place that the media men in a particular organization possess required and needed qualification so that they can flow the views that finally comes to the grip of the lay men. However, if it is just the otherwise, the media men involved in this onerous task can send wrong messages about the events and happenings wherein the citizens at large are to participate enmasse.

What we fear is that not all the Nepali media men engaged in different media houses were sufficiently and adequately educated as regards the internal nitty-gritty’s of the upcoming constituent assembly polls and hence we have plenty of reasons to believe that the messages flowed by such media men might confuse the illiterate voters at large who constitute a sizeable chunk of the population. If this is so then it would tantamount to not only a sort of disservice to the nation but would also amount to cheating the innocent population.

The fact is that many political brains housed in the political paraphernalia were themselves at a loss, as much is visible for the moment; in getting the internal dynamics of the CA polls then what it would mean for the lay men out in the remote districts and villages is quite understandable.

If it is not taken otherwise then what we would like to suggest the government, the political parties, the election commission, the donor community and the local NGOs to first go to the people in the villages and educate them about the positive aspects of the CA polls much ahead of the declaration of the dates for the said polls. If done so would mean that all the stakeholders have decided to understand the inner feelings of the lay men in particular who have yet to be au fait with the polls in which they are going to cast their precious ballots soon. In our opinion this is long overdue that must come into action sooner the better. A voter who is completely uneducated and unfamiliar with the vertical and horizontal meaning underneath of the Constituent Assembly polls would at best go to cast his votes without knowing what he did in effect. In order to ensure that the laymen’s votes too can contribute to the nation building task, the lay man must be told the inner meanings of the polls. If done so would mean that the state too has become sensitive towards the illiterate ones who mostly reside in the remote areas. It is these people who must be given to understand that their votes at the polls are going to change the face and the fate of the nation. Making seminars at five stars hotels right being in Kathmandu would have little, or at best no impact, upon those who reside in far flung areas where even their own men do not visit them. It is these people who should be provided ample knowledge as to what the CA polls hold for them or for that matter what positive aspects would come out of the CA polls as and when it does take place.

We don’t want to frustrate those who have been educating the masses through the conduct of seminars and lectures here in Kathmandu because we think that such seminars definitely have been educating the people. However, what we also would like to add here is that such seminars or for that matter lectures as regards the CA polls if could be conducted in the aforementioned areas where illiteracy reigns supreme, the ultimate result would be much better than expected. Now it is up to the stakeholders to decide which way to go or which way if adopted would educate the people who in effect do not know what they were going to do soon. Given this situation what could well be predicted in advance that the CA polls will be held as per the schedule but without making the voters to comprehend as to what they did in the recent past.

It is here that the role of the media comes. In such an environment, the media can play a tremendous role in educating the people living in the almost inaccessible places of the country. The media, specially the vernacular media, can play a decisive role in such circumstances as the language factor would do miracles. Even an uneducated illiterate youth can learn much about the polls while listening to when his educated friends would read the newspapers that is available in the area.

It is time that the government in Kathmandu thinks about this problem that is a problem indeed if it were taken as a problem. The problem can be solved if the concerned stakeholders act on time and that too fast. Or else the polls would take place on time caring little to the problems of the uneducated ones who will certainly go to the polling centers and would cast their votes but without knowing as to what they did.

Thus it becomes imperative that the one who is expected to teach others must himself be adequately educated. This should be properly taken into account or else negative results might hit the country hard at a later stage.

This is just a piece of advice. Take it or reject it, one is free to decide.