Nepal-India relations : Vision for the 21st century

By KRISHNA PRASAD BHATTARAI

Nepal and India have had friendly relations since time immemorial.  Their age-old friendship is the deepest and most extensive of any two countries in the region and perhaps in the world. Nepal-India relations are multifaceted and include ties in geography, history, politics, and  economy and are further bound by a common cultural heritage and linguistic origins. Of these our common interests in security, border issues and economy, particularly trade and transit and industrial collaboration, have shaped the bilateral relations between our two countries.

A hallmark of the change in the world environment in the 21st century is the growing political interdependence and economic integration among countries, commonly known as globalization. The free flow of goods, services, money, ideas, people and technology across international borders have created a new international environment in which cooperation rather than conflict, interdependence rather than independence, and outward looking rather than inward looking have become the norms of interstate relations. Intensified but integrated economic relations among or between countries have been the basic thrust of most countries’ economic policies. Such a trend has motivated not only Nepal and India but also other countries to forge economic integration and the world has seen more regional economic groupings at the beginning of the 21st century than at any other time in history. The explosion of democracy in the last decade, the tremendous progress in science and technology and the increased pace of economic integration of the world economy are all positive developments we must feel happy about. The tremendous changes that are shaping the 21st century, therefore, offer both opportunities and challenges and it is only through a concerted effort that we will be able to harness this vast opportunity for mutual benefit.

It is in this global context that India-Nepal relations need to be examined for the 21st century. India’s own relations with both the United States and China have improved in the post-Cold War years. These relations were also the determinants of Nepal-India relations in the past. The United States has acknowledged India as a major power and has extended support to India’s growing regional as well as global roles. India and China have agreed to build a long term and stable relationship on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. Another factor that has an important impact on our relation is that both Nepal and India have pursued liberalized trade and economic policies that require more openness and freedom. These policies used to be heavily linked to the overall framework of our bilateral relations.

So the old ideological divide and consequently the Cold War power politics are no longer games countries were forced to play. The Cold War is gone but the world is not any safer than before. There is a new challenge. World peace is now under attack by the menace of terrorism. The barbaric attacks on the World Trade Centre on September 11, 2001 show that even the militarily most powerful nations in the world are not immune from the ravages of terrorism. The great progress achieved by the beginning of the 21st century: widespread democracy, the immense progress in science and technology and the increased pace of economic integration in the world are all in peril in the hands of terrorists.

Both Nepal and India are the victims of violence and terrorism. In Nepal we are still reeling from the most horrible violence suffered by the members of our own royal family. India has been a victim of terrorism for decades now but never more graphically than by the brazen attack on its very parliament on December 13, 2001. Nepal has condemned this terrorism in the strongest terms. The Maoist insurgents of Nepal who are misguided by an ideology discarded by history are killing innocent civilians and threatening Nepal’s fragile economy. The government of Nepal has declared them terrorists and is now mobilizing its resources to bring them to justice. The people of Nepal have greatly appreciated India’s support in this endeavour. The open border between our two countries which has been a boon to trade has unfortunately also helped miscreants find easy hideouts and facilitated the illegal trafficking of weapons, drugs, money and smuggling of goods. Trans-border illegal activities by terrorists of both countries must be checked through a cooperative action. I believe we must devise means to effectively manage of our open borders without hindering the free movement of our citizens and economy that have been the bedrock of our cultural and socio-economic ties.

In recent years trade and economic cooperation have undergone massive changes globally. Every country is now trying to increase its comparative and competitive edge by removing trade barriers and by participating actively in world trade. As described earlier, both Nepal and India have pursued economic liberalization as the keystone of their economic policies. India is a member of the World Trade Organization and Nepal’s application for membership is under consideration. The changed environment in global as well as regional trade requires Nepal and India to harmonize policies and enhance their competitive advantages. Another area where slow progress in economic cooperation has prevented us both from reaping mutual advantage is that of water resources. Both countries should avoid mistrust and suspicion in harnessing the vast water resources Nepal is endowed with for electricity, irrigation, flood control and mutually advantageous development projects. We must review the progress as well as the problems of the projects executed in the past and come forward to exploit this precious resource.

India’s progress in science and technology and particularly in information technology is a subject of much admiration by the international community. Nepal, where information technology is still in its very early stages, could benefit greatly by entering into some form of collaboration with the information technology firms and organizations in India. Similarly, environment and agricultural development are other key areas of cooperation the two countries must take into serious consideration. The two countries suffer from poverty and unemployment. These two problems have in fact been the main source of political unrest and growing terrorism. In order to reduce poverty and increase the economic empowerment of the poor Nepal and India should engage in active cooperation in the fields of technology, education, and rural development. Nepal and India are also experiencing the fastest growing rates of AIDS that can be tackled through joint but serious action. Cross-border communication of this disease has been a serious problem for both of us. A different but related problem is that of the human trafficking across our borders. It is deplorable that at the beginning of the 21st century there still exist so much ignorance and so much poverty to allow this despicable trade to flourish. We must work together for the sake of our women and children to put an end to this form of slavery.

India is the world’s biggest democracy and a future global power. It has achieved real progress in science and technology, industry and health and education. It has the potential of becoming a world economic power. Its vast market and its growing economy provide tremendous opportunities for a small country like Nepal. I would like to thank Prime Minister Vajpayee for his speech at the 11th SAARC summit held in Kathmandu a few days before in which he stated inter alia that "India can consider further concessional duty regimes for products" from the least developed countries of the region. Nepal values its trade with India very much. But Nepal’s huge trade deficit with India has remained an intractable problem. We hope that India will be sympathetic to our trade and transit concerns.

The existing warm and friendly relations between our two countries can be continued into the 21st century by our mutual consent, our mutual trust and our joint interest in security and development. Nepal and India should also show serious commitments in resolving the outstanding issues that are the consequences of our geographical contiguity and our differences in perception. As a small neighbour and as India’s close friend we expect India’s magnanimity in addressing some of our outstanding issues. I also feel that Nepal-India relations should be continuously adapted and changed in tune with the changing circumstances so that they are dynamic and effective to further strengthen our bonds. Nepal and India can demonstrate to the world the example of the best relations that can exist between two neighbouring countries.

(This is an abridged version of the lecture delivered by former prime minister at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Memorial Trust, New Delhi, on January 11, 2002)

Untouchability: How long will it prevail?

By B K RANA

Everyone aspires for self-respect, independence, equality, and justice against all sorts of prejudice, discrimination, oppression, exploitation, hatred and insults based on caste, religion, colour, gender etc. But the situation is sadly different for the people of South Asia, and Nepal is not an exception. South Asian countries are beset with superstitious beliefs and orthodox traditions.

Many people in Nepal suffer from social evils, and are therefore impelled to live a miserable life. In some situations, they are treated no better than animals. An animal is worshipped, on different religious occasions, whereas some humans are treated as untouchables in society.

Having remained segregated under different caste names such as Sarki, Kami, Damai, Gaine, Chamar, Dushadh, Halkhor, Mushahar, Pasi, Teli etc, some Nepalis peoples have now realised the need to come forward and fight against injustice under the banner of Dalits. This has offered them a sense of solidarity in their struggle for social justice and respect.

By and large, the case with Dalits in Nepal is different than it is in India. There is an admixture of different people of different origins and cultures in most of the Nepalese societies. The formative processes of these societies have been determined by Hindu ethical values. Having received top priority and profound admiration from the state, both the people of Indo-Aryan descent and Hindu culture were able to gain a firm ground on Nepalese soil resulting in the gradual decline of the people of other origins and cultures.

Prejudiced as it has remained, the state eventually promoted a fashion of mono-culturalism and dismissal of other indigenous identities in the country. Hinduism thus became more than a religious faith and practice but it came up as a polity that disfavoured human values and social justice. Over the years, several corrections have been made in the Hindu polity only to serve the interests of the so called ‘upper caste’ people.

As the country has quite diverse and extreme topographical and climatic conditions, the caste hierarchy here is even more diverse and extreme. The stratified caste hierarchy has been the main basis for Hinduism in caste culture under which one’s own brothers are regarded as Shudras – the low caste peoples who are also known as "untouchables". The practice of untouchability in the Hindu caste system can be viewed as one of the major causes for underdevelopment in Nepal. Similarly, a number of people in other South Asian countries such as India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and Maldives have also been facing more or less the same types of problems of discrimination and social injustice either on the grounds of descent or cultural traits.

Caste structure: For ages, Nepal has been a common home to the people of different origins and cultures. Generally speaking, at least three different types of people make up Nepali nation: i) people in four-class Hindu varnasahara – Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Shudra, ii) ethnic people speaking their own mother tongues and having their own cultures and, iii) others from different religious beliefs.

The collective identity of these people is the ‘Nepalese people’ as stated in the Constitution. Therefore, there should be no difficulty in distinguishing Hindus, whereas ethnic people are known by their origin or descent rather than by their culture and nationality only. These people are also known as janajatis (nationalities) of Nepal. Dalits fall in the classical Hindu Shudra category and the ethnic people are also not necessarily recognized and placed above Shudras. Psychologically weakened, and with little or no resources of their own, such socially oppressed people could not improve their economic conditions.

The Civil Code of 1854 recognized nationalities as the ‘pani chalne’ (water touched by them will be acceptable) Shudras and put them above Dalit Shudras on the social ladder. This new stratification also forced Dalits to further suffer from another group of people, apart form Hindus. Slowly but surely, Dalits are coming together and fighting for their rights. This sort of social movement is expected to strengthen solidarity of the nation and promote socio-economic development in the country. So long as this social discrimination continues to prevail, the country cannot develop, socially and economically.

Talkative luminaries

By RAMJI GAUTAM

If there is one thing that seems to me a puzzle, then it is human character, especially of personalities who are termed either as social workers or politicians or democrats. These so-called luminaries deliver their speech as if they have swallowed Amrit and have been bestowed with the knowledge and wisdom par-excellence!

You must have seen them, or at least heard of them. If not, do not worry; it is not a painstaking job. Our nation could be enlisted in the Guineas Book of World Records for having plenty of such personalities. So you can meet them in your own locality, or at any office or even on the streets peeping through the windscreen of Toyota, or Pazero or Maruti (in worst case). If you can manage, attend any workshop, seminar, mass gathering or talk programme. Either they conduct these programmes themselves or you can see them as chairpersons or the chief guests. There you will find how committed they are and how well they talk.

Well, you will also see the audience treating them as true caretakers of democratic norms, religious harmony and socio-economic development. Hey! You will find the audience spellbound throughout their relentless bombardment of words and catchy slogans. Encouraged and elated by the clapping and again by pin-drop silence, they utter their borrowed phrases and proverbs until their thoughts dry up. You will see them tapping their feet on the dais, swinging their fingers in the air and twisting their lips and roving their eyes, speaking for women’s rights, equality and poverty alleviation. They will also recite mantras on how to wipe out poverty, corruption and illiteracy. They try to present themselves as bigwigs by criticising their opponents without producing evidence to prove their allegations. You can’t fathom the clue as how they calculate GDP and per capita income. You’ll be delighted to have a glance at the graph that shows the soaring GDP as if there is a supernatural element behind it. Do you feel bored? Never. They are no less brilliant at Nepanglish, ethics and moral education. In a unique Nepali dialect, a mixture of English words, they can advise you how to behave, how to react to party policies so as to maintain peace and harmony in society. They are equally fantastic at philosophy and can dream a lot. So they will let you know the formulae that could and would transform our nation into a Utopian State. Why not? Even a septuagenarian bachelor had once promised us to transform this Himalayan Kingdom into Singapore!

That is the way they talk. They never brag but only prefer to be called either the follower of Marx or Gandhi or at least an ardent follower of socialism. Their pledges are seldom put into practice. Never mind, we Nepalese must be proud of them and respect them because genuine intellectuals and leaders with foresight are either sidelined, or they opt to keep away from public platforms.

Importance of exclusive breast-feeding

By REEMA SHRESTHA

Many women, despite having babies, are working in the paid work-force. Working mothers are torn between motherhood and livelihood. Breast-feeding has an economic impact on health and food security for the mother and child. According to the basic assumption, mothers should be free to choose how to feed their children without any commercial pressure or from any family member with the full knowledge of the health benefits of breast-feeding.

Breast milk is still the ideal food for a vast majority of infants for at least for the first six months. It contains not only the right amount of nutrients needed to foster normal growth and development, it also contains immunological factors from the mother that can protect infants against infections. Breast-feeding creates infant-mother bonding that can enhance a child’s emotional bonding. Breast-feeding is associated with a small but detectable increase in child cognitive ability and educational achievement and that these effects are broad and extend into childhood and early adulthood. Partially breast-fed and weaned infant gained weight more slowly than those exclusively breast-fed infants. According to the research done by South Africa Vitamin A Study Group, infants exclusively breast-fed for 3 months or more had no excess risk of HIV infection for over 6 months than those never breast-fed. Observational studies suggested that breast-feeding benefits the visual development of children, which has been attributed to the presence of docosahexachioc acid (DHA) in breast milk.

In Nepal breast-feeding has special cultural value. Being a developing country, the rate of increase in infant mortality rate is higher and it is very important in Nepal to make people aware about the importance of exclusive breast-feeding till six months and beyond.

The 54th world health assembly has recommended "exclusive breast-feeding for first six months and introduction of complementary foods thereafter with continued breast-feeding for two years of age and beyond." It is necessary to strengthen activities and develop new approaches to protect, promote and support exclusive breast-feeding for six months. According to the findings of the WHO experts, the age of six month will be the appropriate age of introducing complementary food but should continue breast-feeding.

Introduction of complementary foods should start at "about 6 months" and not from "4 to 6 months" because breast milk is free and other foods are nutritionally inferior to breast milk, even when frequency of feeding is maintained. The nutrient density of cereal-based food is far lower than breast-milk especially for vitamin A, riboflavin and calcium. It delays the return of maternal fertility and increases the duration of breast-feeding. In both developed and developing countries, the early introduction of complementary feeding leads to an early cessation of breast-feeding. Breast-feeding reduces the risk of diarrheal disease, which is a major cause of infant and young child mortality and morbidity. In poor countries the risk of infection is 3 to 13 times higher when infants are fed complementary food between 4 to 6 months compared to those exclusively breast-fed during that time.

Breast-feeding sustenance is the ultimate goal but the presence of the baby food industry whose intent is to sell their milk products and baby food contributes to the fear of women’s confidence to recapture the power of nurturing. Their powerful presence is a threat to the empowerment of women and children. Implementing good laws to protect breast-feeding calls for the support of civil society. The expert consultation recommends exclusive breast-feeding for six months, with the introduction of complementary food and continued breast-feeding thereafter. The expert consultation recognizes that some mothers will be unable to follow this recommendation; they should be supported to maximise the infants’ nutrition. The proportion of infants exclusively breast-fed at six months can be maximized if potential problems with regard to the nutritional status of pregnant and lactating mothers; micronutrient status of infants living in areas with high prevalence of deficiencies such as iron, zinc and vitamin A; the routine primary health care of individual infants, including assessment
of growth and of clinical signs of micronutrient deficiencies. Formulation and evaluation of interventions for micronutrient supplementation and for complementary foods in different areas of the world - including formative studies to identify processing and preparation methods, and local ingredients required to prepare nutritionally adequate, safe and appropriate complementary foods; and assessment of the role of care during pregnancy, including adequacy of lactation in the first six months.

There has been misleading and inappropriate advertisements by manufacturers to promote their products. Such kind of labelling and advertisement should be prohibited- the product decreases the incidence of diarrhoea, contains all the extra nutrition babies need for all-round visual, mental and psychomotor development, promotes a healthy heart in later life etc. Infant food manufacturers are increasingly using health claim to promote market of the product; such claim could mislead the perception that breast-milk and infant formula are equally. Seeing good photos of healthy babies on the product, most of the consumers are motivated towards giving their child complimentary food which may lead to diarrheal diseases, acute respiratory infection and so on. The label must carry clear picture which explains about the method of preparation of the product so that a mother who cannot read may have a good guidance for mixing the formula correctly. Such misleading advertisements should also be prohibited. The labelling shall indicate clearly the age for which the product is intended. In addition, the label shall include a statement indicating when to begin precisely the complementary feeding in consultation with a health worker based on the infant’s specific growth and development needs. Additional requirement in this respect may be made according to the legislation of the country in which the product is sold. The label should contain a statement or an important notice telling that breast-feeding should continue along with complementary food for the best nutrition and health of the child. The label should clearly state the ingredients of the product.

Some infant formula manufacturers are making claims such as product is nutritionally close to breast milk, especially processed, easier to digest, closer than it has ever been to breast milk, supports visual, cognitive and psychomotor development, close to that of breast-fed infant. This is contrary to the international code which aims to promote breast-feeding and provide accurate and reliable information to new parents. Therefore, such claims should not be permitted because the nutrient composition is very different from the composition of breast milk and important nutrients are found in human milk, which are missing in infant formula. The most important thing is that nutritional composition of breast milk changes as the baby’s nutritional need changes, but infant formula does not adapt to the infant’s need. Therefore, exclusive breast-feeding for six-months is a must and the continuity of breast-feeding even after the introduction of complementary food must be ensured.