Experienced PM

BY DONNING the prime ministerial mantleship for the fourth time, the new prime minister-designate Mr. Girija Prasad Koirala brings with him a lot of experience of ruling the country from that coveted post.  Though this is  his fourth stint as a prime minister, this is only the second time he is heading a majority Nepali Congress government, the first time being the   government following the 1991 general elections.  Being at the head of the majority government puts him in a solid position to govern the  country in an atmosphere of stability.  Koirala’s elevation to the prime ministerial post puts to an end the internecine battle within the Nepali Congress that had vitiated the political atmosphere.  When the Nepali  Congress won a resounding victory in the May 1999 general elections, the third since the advent of democracy, it was generally believed that Nepal was in a for an extended period of political stability, putting behind the uncertainties of the past several years.  The  appointment of Mr. Koirala caps  another bout of uncertainty that had unfortunately dogged the Nepalese politics for the past months.  It became clear during the  voting for the leader of the Nepali Congress parliamentary party last week that Koirala commands loyalty from the majority of NC lawmakers, though the rival contestant former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s vote haul was not insignificant.

Nepali Congress lawmakers wanted Koirala   to be the next prime minister after the resignation of Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, and so he is now.  The trust that they have placed on him to steer the nation should find expressions in how Koirala leads the nation in the days ahead.  His first test is the formation of a competent cabinet that would translate the  pledges made by Nepali Congress during the election time. The shape and size of the cabinet would provide a shape of the things to come in terms of good governance. Having logged so many years at the head of the government,  Koirala should be able to see clearly what  needs to be done.  He has said in recent days that his priority is to maintain law and order and to check corruption, among other things. Finding a resolution to the Maoist problem and mitigating the cancer of corruption should naturally take much of his prime ministerial time. The priority is well-placed.  No time should be lost in tackling these twin problems and other myriad issues confronting this country’s governance.

Ending Untouchability

A NEWS story has it that Dom community in Sarlahi district recently organised a gathering in which voices and concerns were expressed for carrying out programme for the liberation of the oppressed classes of the society from various kinds of exploitation and discrimination. As the Dom community is suffering from social segregation and various kinds of social and cultural evils like the one concerning untouchability, they submited a memorandum to the chief district officer demanding equal opportunities in all fields including the permission to center into temples. The Constitution of  the Kingdom has prohibited any kind of discrimination and exploitation on the ground of caste, sex and colour. It is more than 35 years that Civil Code came into operation that seeks climination of such social practices including untouchability. Similarly, the government has expressed its commitment at several national as well as international forums to guarantee equal rights to all its citizens and eliminate all kinds of discrimination and exploitations. However, some discriminatory practices like untouchability are still in existence in the country especially in villages where majority of the population is illiterate.

It is not only Dom but there are also other castes and communities which are treated as untouchables and are not allowed to take part in certain social and cultural activities. There are reports that certain people in the rural areas are not allowed even to take water from public wells and taps. It is a great irony that human beings are divided into touchables and untouchables and upper class and lower class on the ground that they were born in particular families. This is blatant violation of national as well as international laws and  universal norms and values of human rights. In view of this, several human rights activists, social workers and organisations working for the rights and interest of oppressed class have made efforts to end the existing discriminatory practice against the oppressed class. However, their efforts are yet to fully materialise. Social workers and human rights activists attribute the existence of such discriminatory and  exploitative practices to the absence of will and commitment on the part of political parties and government agencies to strictly implement these legal provisions and take action against those who violate the law of land. Against this background, the move of the social groups in Saptari needs to be appreciated and a nationwide social awareness campaign needs to be launched in order to end untouchablity.