5 QUESTIONS

This week we preferred to invite five different intellectuals for short questions. The scholars are perhaps not new figures for the regular readers of this newspaper. We asked them questions regarding the present mess seen in the country and their views to get out from those ailments. Understandably, the economists offered answers in their own manner and the political scientists gave political twist to our questions posed to them.

Below the results: Chief editor.

There is need for reviewing the existing trade and transit treaty with India

Prof. Madan K. Dahal, Senior economist, T.U

TGQ1: To what extent the Nepalese economy could have suffered due to the present Himalayan disorder seen in the Nepalese politics? The way out if any?

Prof. Dahal: Nepalese economy is circumscribed by the low level equilibrium trap primarily attributed to inefficiency and lack of capacity to absorb the external shocks. This is not a new phenomenon. Although there is apprehension that the state of economy is becoming more vulnerable, it has no nexus with the present political crisis because Nepalese economy suffers from serious structural constraints for a long time. The basic challenges to our economy are poverty alleviation and an attainment of high level of economic growth rate. The poor must be identified in totality through the census if poverty is to be eliminated in true sense. The extent of poverty could be reduced by developing human resources through utilizing internal resources particularly to meet the growing demand for middle level manpower in the international labor marker. This will significantly increase the magnitude of remittance instrumental for a high level of GDP. This calls for reordering of priority from subsistence agriculture to remittance
economy. The high level of economic growth rate could be attained through maximizing the benefits from the economies of neighborhoods--India and China, regional cooperation and globalization under the doctrine of 'Outward Oriented Economic Nationalism'. It entails a trade regime with zero tariff for both Nepal and India to start with. Although this may lead to a loss of Rs. 10 billion revenue from customs duties in the beginning, benefits from the free access for Nepalese goods to the vast market of India with zero tariff would yield foreign exchanges ten times higher the expected revenue. Therefore, there is need for reviewing the existing trade and transit treaty with India that comprise a negative list. The present customs duties regime is also the source of smuggling, corruption and a bone of contention between India and Nepal. There is also need to conduct survey of the wealth of the nation to examine the economic potential of bio-diversity. Nepal must claim its patent rights over various species grown in Nepal such as herbal plants and water resources to be mobilized as per the theory of economic
development.

There is a 'mess' in Nepalese politics for the last 11 years

Dr. Krishna B. Bhattachan, Tribhuban University, Nepal

TGQ2: Question: How do you evaluate the present mess in Nepalese politics? Who is to be primarily blamed for this chaotic condition?

Dr. Bhattachan: Mr. Upadhyaya, the 'present' mess is not of the present only but it is a continuation of the 'past.' There was a mess in Nepalese politics during the 104-year old Rana rule. There was a mess in 30-year old autocratic partyless Panchayat rule. There is a mess in Nepalese politics for the last 11 years. So, what is new here? The present mess is nothing but 'business as usual.' The stage and script or text of the drama of Nepalese politics that you have referred as 'mess' is same but the difference is that of the context, that is, time and actors. Whether we like it or not, mess in Nepalese politics has been an every-day-life phenomenon in Nepal for the last two and half century.

Mr. Upadhyaya, if you are referring to the insurgency or People's War waged by the NCP (Maoist) as a mess, there are many Nepalese who do not believe that it is a mess. They believe that it might be a boon for the transformation in the traditional social and political structure for the benefit of a larger section of the society.

The present mess has been manifested in terms of 'communal constitution,' overcentralization and absolute misuse of power and authority, gross violation of human rights, frozen Parliament, skyrocketing corruption, ever widening gap between the 'haves' and 'have-nots' and between the dominant and the dominated groups, sinking law, and rising disorder. Nepalese politics has turned out to be fathomless, not just bottomless. If past should be any guide, our future would not be different from the past and present, if the trend should continue.

Who is to be primarily blamed for? I have no doubt whatsoever in my mind that the only villain of the mess in Nepalese politics, both in the past and the present, is the Bahunbadis. By the term Bahunbadi, I mean those rulers and people who are very strongly for the domination by one caste group—Bahun-Chetris, one religion—Hindu, one langugae—Khas Nepali and one culture—Hindu. As long as the ideology, policy and practice of Bahunbad is not eliminated, such mess would continue. Unfortunately, ruling and opposition political parties, executive, legislature, judiciary and media are all infected with the deadly virus of Bahunbad.

If there is no economic discipline, democracy can't sustain

Prof Gun Nidhi Sharma, Senior economist, T.U, Kathmandu

TGQ3: Prof Sharma, what you would suggest the Prime Minister at this juncture?

Prof. Sharma: He is the Prime Minister of the country and he should not work for the party interest as well as for family interests. I think he should stick to constitutional provisions. He should not think that he is above the constitution. As for example, in the Lauda scam, his reply to the CIAA is above the constitution. This may make him another Jung Bahadur which will be very bad for the nation and for the democratic system itself. In the meanwhile, the economic situation in the country stands worsened due to many anomalies including corruption, bribing, commissionism and unaccountability. If there is no economic discipline, democracy can't sustain. The situation in the country is very dark as the country is depending more on foreign resources. The government has also ignored the internal resources. It has, instead, encouraged capital flight and brain-drain. Small savers are penalised as they are getting very low rate of interest on savings account. The joint venture banks are not obeying the government order of spread-rate reduction and the provision of priority sector loans. The institutional decay is quite often. Many national institutions who are the national prestige and requirements are being either handed over to private hands or are paralysed due to party politics or political interests. If this process continues the social justice as envisaged by the constitution will be completely undermined or the intensity of frustration of the general people regarding the national role of the government will be heightened. Both of these will lead the country to economic crisis. Therefore the government should be very much serious and sensitive to these inherent crisis as being generated through the actions of the government. The Premier should not depend only on the minister(s) or on his allies. He should work above the vested interests. The persons who are not responsible to the people, country and to their posts should be immediately punished whoever he or she may be.

Maoist's problem is the result of 'bad governance'

Lal Babu Yadav, Lecturer, Patan Multiple Campus

TGQ1: How do you see the present mess in Nepali politics? What you suggest to be the best solution to this mess?

Yadav: The present political mess is the product of bad governance of the ruling party. You know, Koirala government is plunged in corruption (Lauda affair); nepotism (family-ism); anti-national activities ( forceful passing of the citizenship bill and dubbing it as finance bill); anti-social initiatives( withdrawing many cases related to criminal activities from the court); the haughtiness to stick to power by any means has created the dead-lock in his own political party and the forces of opposition. As his relatives encircle him, he sees everything from the lens of family profile. He doesn't have any national vision and knowledge of democracy. Therefore he has acted against the spirit of constitution. The Supreme Court itself has given verdict in a number of cases like the Labor act, citizenship act, work-permit, Tanakpur case and so on against his decisions. Many public institutions house his relatives who treat them as their private properties. He doesn't discriminate between private and public and his 'intellectual' and the 'donors' friendly to him justify his actions. This has dampened democratic norms, values and institutions in the country. Maoist's problem is a result of bad governance so is the Bhutanese refugee case. Economy is crippled and society is facing a number of tensions and crises spring out of poverty, inequality, hunger and violence. Even holy institutions like police, army, bureaucracy and educational institutions are increasingly congressized. A sense of justice is missing in public policies. In a word, the country is now facing a series of crisis assuming dangerous proportions. The best solutions lie in the penal actions taken against the Mafia ruling the country and bring them to court. Second, starting strong punishment system in the country. Rapist, girl-traffickers, anti-nationals, and drug-peddlers should be immediately hanged. Third, rule of law should be strictly implemented and fourth, poor Nepalese should be given welfare benefit by the state. The Maoists' issue is a political one created by the incumbent government. Dialogue and compromise should solve it. A national consensus among the political parties of all hues must be created; issues of public importance identified and public institutions should be allowed to operate on an impartial basis. The national consensus in these matters can also ward-off foreign forces meddling in Nepali soil and extending support to corrupt elements of the society and politics. Peace must prevail over naked and brutal power politics enmeshed in foreign interest to destabilize Nepali society, culture, religion and unity.

The people are by and large ignored

Shrish Rana, Senior Journalist, Kathmandu

TGQ3: What is wrong with the System?

Rana: When you want a Japanese monarchy, a British parliament and an Indian multi-party system functioning simultaneously in Nepal, this is what you get.

In order for the three to function as desired a minimum consensus to do so by all three would seem the basic necessity. So far, only the monarchy appears to be willing. The political parties inside and outside parliament refuse to do so, as also the government, for sake of organizational interests at the risk of the State and democracy.

The fact is that the very political parties that contribute to the current chaos chartered the present constitution in which they preserved the prerogatives of change and constitutional development to themselves. They are now themselves threatened amidst the public clamor for change. As a result, they have put the state at stake. Their politics lies now in preserving their prerogatives. The people are by and large ignored.

If the political elite of the moment can ignore the people so blatantly for sake of feeding their respective party organizations on grounds of a non-productive democracy, it is to little surprise that radical politics outside the constitution becomes a tempting alternative. It is the predominant political parties monopolizing the system that must now seek an effective and binding solution that is mush less radical and all acceptable in order to abort a national disaster.

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