Factors Behind the Maoist People's War-IV

BY: D.B. Gurung

The indigenous nationalities were primarily egalitarian and did not practice untouchability until the induction of Muluki Ain that forcefully imposed such trends. It was reinforced by orthodox Hindu social rules of endogamy, commensality, untouchability, and the notion of purity and pollution. The "untouchables" or dalit are socio-politically and religiously isolated and equally neglected by the government. Most of all, the practice of untouchability against dalit in public facilities from schools and hospitals and milk cooperatives to temples and festivals and social rituals and places of cremation is more than inhuman. Dalit women have to suffer twofold discrimination: one for being a dalit and the other for being a woman. The dalit are markedly motivated and attracted by the Maoist rhetoric saturated in egalitarian principles. The dalit, whose life and dignity is reduced to sub-human levels, are more than ready to fight against the corrupt and unethical Hindu state.

It is a paradox that even the upper caste madhesi Brahman of tarai, save a handful of those lucky ones who could make their place in the capital, do not necessarily fall into the category of the privileged Parbatiya (hill) Brahman although they are unquestioningly Hindu. The madhesi of the southern plains have been neglected and rejected for ages. Until 1951, the people from the tarai region of Nepal needed a permit from their own government to visit Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. They were not employed in the military and police and only a few of them were accommodated in the civil service (Shaha: 18). The reason could have been that their participation was not notable during Nepal's territorial expansionary adventures in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. This has insulated them psychologically. The dire irony is that Kathmandu has never ever fully accepted them as Nepali citizens. Their suppressed soul is ignited by Maoist doctrines that ensure to materialize their demands, such as regional autonomy, equal linguistic rights, and affirmative action. Hence, a lot of them have hoped to attain their salvation through the People's War.

Like the Kham Magars of the western hills, the indigenous Tharu of the tarai plains have suffered for generations from the exploitation of feudal lords belonging to high Hindu castes, for whom they serve as tenants. Although the Tharu are noted for their attributes of being timid and less hostile as contrary to the character of the hill dwellers, they have not been less susceptible to Maoist propaganda, and many are affected by the movement.

The Shining Path boasted the most significant participation of women, comprising nearly 50 per cent in its movement, to confront the rigidly patriarchal Peruvian society. The women in Nepal are as much oppressed as anywhere in the world, and women belonging to indigenous nationalities, dalit, madhesi, non-Hindus, and non-Khas-Nepali speakers suffer double, treble and even more levels of oppression. Deprivation of basic needs, such as food or health care, is the primary form of violence that many women suffer regularly. Illiteracy being the most malignant disease in our regions, women are the hardest-hit victims. In our congenitally male-dominated society, many uneducated parents as well as social taboos and roles ascribed by the society limit or hinder the girl child's access to education. More appalling fact is that in Nepal 40 per cent of the girls are married by the age of 15 and seven per cent by the age of 10 (Gurung 2003: xxviii).

American journalist Li Onesto who traveled extensively in Nepal's hinterland in early 1999, and who was provided full access to the inner-most circles of the Maoists, explicates that "for many women, the People's War offers an immediate escape from an oppressive situation where they can't go to school, may be forced into an arranged marriage and are expected to spend the rest of their lives devoted to husbands, in-laws, and children. The People's War has given a new life to women who have been abandoned by their husbands, women who have been socially shunned because they were raped, or women whose family could not afford to pay a dowry to get them married." No wonder, the widows of martyrs (either a real Maoist or a Maoist sympathizer only, or a civilian) are highly inclined to join the Maoist movement.

In our poor rural economy, one man in every family of two or three men, tends to make a seasonal migration to the cities within the country or to India. Moreover, the Maoist war has displaced a large number of men: they are either forced to go to the jungles to align with the Maoists or leave the village. Therefore, women compose the majority in the rural population. The majority of the hill women who make up the Maoist women warrior wing are mostly derived from the non-Khas indigenous groups. They are tough and equally susceptible because of illiteracy, ignorance, and lack of external influences. The Maoist propaganda puts them on a pedestal showering them with eulogies, such as "fury of women" or "formidable fighters, more committed, reliable and militant". One top Maoist woman leader, Hisila Yami, stuffed her statement with dubious irony that "the People's War gives all of them (i.e., women) a meaningful life and a meaningful death; it allows them to prove their worth is equal to the men."

Women comprise a little more than half of the country's population: they are not only being treated as second-class citizens, but have also been the victims of socio-legal orders sanctified by traditional Hindu religious values. Several women's organizations have been crusading against the state to eradicate gender discrimination, paternalistic social structures, and for equal property rights, right over one's own body, etc. In an atmosphere of stifling discrimination and injustice against women and the rise of feministic consciousness, the Maoist rhetoric has struck home in persuading women with grievances. At the ground level, the Maoist activities have imparted priorities to issues such as sexual harassment and women's exploitation, and to campaigns against gambling and alcoholism. The Maoists, in contradistinction to some of the so-called leading Nepali women activists belonging to Brahman and Chhetri castes, have acknowledged the ethnic, linguistic, cultural, and regional diversity of the Nepali women and the exploitation and discrimination that arise out of it. The Maoist agenda has committed to emancipate women from patriarchic manacle and to annihilate the barbarous social practices imposed upon them since time immemorial. The plausible solution: to join the Maoist armed struggle. Many have done so. (concluded)

Courtesy: Conflicts, Human Rights & Peace: Challenges Before Nepal Editor: Bipin Adhikari Published by: NHRC

I/NGO beloved SUV’s and Environmental Ethics

By Suresh Bhattarai

"We are committed towards better environment" this is probably the sentence that one is compelled to hear and is expected to acknowledge time and again in almost all the environmental meets. Sometime I feel like asking those "committed" people whether their commitments are personal or institutional. In Nepal "concerned institution", both International Non-Governmental Organization (INGO) and Non-governmental Organization (NGO), are working hard (?) to ensure a better tomorrow. Unprecedented achievement of those INGO and NGO’s i.e. kicking out emitting giant Vickram Tampoo, two stroke bikes has decorated themselves as a "successful achievers". Those pioneers are now on verge of adding one more star to their already impressive collection of medals by ejecting out brick kiln out of the valley. Those elites are always ready with the answer regarding their past and on going endeavors "channeling our effort towards addressing climate change issues". And, would be happy to give you an hour long lecture on how the emission from those cheap means of transportation and brick kiln escalating the risk of global warming.

Being an environmentalist myself, let me salute those triumphant friends, well done Amigos. I’ve little concern though, what about the bulky Sports Utility Vehicles (SUV’s) and the air conditioners which you guys seem so habituated of. Are they environmental friendly? I may be wrong but if my writing goes correct then my lecturer notes from both Nepal and United States suggests no they are not. I find it very interesting when my fellow colleagues, from those INGO and NGO, brags of having those SUV and how s/he feels "concentrated" working in those air-conditioned office room. Moreover, those beloved friend of mine ask, request and prefer to use those impressive SUVs to go to the venue to deliver an expert opinion on "how the vehicle emission leading towards the global warming". Give them free choice to choose from Eco-friendly Toyota Prius and lavish Toyota-Land cruiser, at the blink of your eye, you would see your friend seated in front seat of the Land cruiser. With a big smile covering his/her face they will find vehicle specious enough to conduct a "brain-storming" session to formulate action plan to eliminate the brick kiln factory from the valley, without a trace.

SUV’s and their environmental consequences

Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) is the perfect machine that money can buy for those who loves outdoors, power and roomy means of transportation. In United states SUV (Nepalese nomenclature describes them as Jeep) and Trucks (popularly known as Pick-up in rest of the world) tops the chart of the most preferred vehicle. True, their five grand cc engines generates awesome power but so does the emission. This has ignited a fierce row in United States to impose ban on SUV and thus triggered an Anti-SUV crusade.

Some interesting facts on SUVs and related issues [Unit converter; 1 pound = 2.2 kg, 1 mile = 1.6 km]

· Switching from an average new car to a 13 mpg SUV for a year would waste more energy than leaving a refrigerator door open for six years, a bathroom light burning for 30 years, or a color TV turned on for 28 years

· SUVs spew out 43 percent more global-warming pollutants - 28 pounds of carbon dioxide per gallon of gas consumed - and 47 percent more air pollution than the average car, using 1 million barrels of oil a day.

· from the EPA: In the United States, approximately 6.6 tons (almost 15,000 pounds carbon equivalent) of greenhouse gases are emitted per person every year. And emissions per person have increased about 3.4% between 1990 and 1997. Most of these emissions, about 82%, are from burning fossil fuels to generate electricity and power our cars. The remaining emissions are from methane, from wastes in our landfills, raising livestock, natural gas pipelines, and coal, as well as from industrial chemicals and other sources.

· Leading climatologists predict the temperature of the planet could increase by 5 degrees this century; extinction is forecast for vulnerable animals and plants across more than 1/3 of the Earth’s natural habitat. Estimates are that concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere will double from pre-industrial levels during this century. Some projections suggest a three-fold increase in concentrations by 2100 unless action is taken to rein in the inefficient use of coal, oil and gas for energy production.

· Because SUVs are permitted to emit 29% to 47% more carbon monoxide (CO) and 75% to 175% more nitrogen oxides (NOx) (as well as other pollutants) than passenger cars, they contribute far more towards the health and environmental degradation on our planet - how can someone supporting this be a responsible and concerned person?

What would Jesus Drive?

The anti-SUV group, to seek more support, ran a campaign to ask people "what would Jesus drive"; the campaign was organized and sponsored by the Evangelical Environmental Network (EEN), a biblically orthodox Christian environmental organization. People from all walks of life participated actively to express their opinion. Pro-SUV group fumed at anti-SUV group citing infringement in their freedom of choice, they argued that being a free citizen of United States they have right to choose and drive whatever they wants to. Where as, anti-SUV group demanded their own right to breath in clean air. Anti-SUV solidifies their argument saying that gas guzzling SUVs not only pollutes the ambient air but also is threatening American security. SUV burns more fuel means more dollar to the gulf nation, concerned American citizen smells backfire as those oil rich Arabian counties are suspected of funneling petro-dollar to terrorist cells through the secret channels.

What is Environmental Ethics?

Environmental ethics, is the discipline that explores the moral relationship of human beings to, and also the value and moral status of, the environment and its nonhuman contents. The questioning and rethinking of the relationship of human beings with the natural environment over the last thirty years reflected an already widespread perception in the 1960s that the late twentieth century faced a ‘population time bomb’ and a serious environmental crisis.

Ethics is somewhat different from the moral responsibility. Moral responsibility is the one where society delinates good and bad, where one is supposed to do what society thinks right. Where as ethics being completely different, it is a guidence from inside, an enlightment of the civic sense. Problems and conflicts that are far from being solved through the moral channel can be achived through ethics.

Conclusion

Well it is time to ask not only about Jesus but also Ram, Krishna or Mohamad, what would they have actually driven. Their choice would have been ethical and would have stop us from committing environmental sin. The use of air-conditioneers and SUV by the I/NGO, those advocating to check gobel warming, is totally unethical. The effort to achive ultimate goal to minimise the green-house gases (that are responsible for global warming) should be started from their own back yard. Instead of telling other what is good or bad, won’t it be better if they could set themselves as an example. Till date, none of the big INGO seems to much concern switching to the mass tranportation to commute their employee or experts. I would neither be wrong nor rude to address those unethical behavior of our I/NGO and their experts, as "enviornmental hypocrates".

The author can be reached at sbhattarai@ku.edu.np

Headline | Opinion | Dateline |  5 Question  | Editorial | Letter | 2nd Impression | International | Past