Terrorism or not ?

[Context: The worst terrorist attacks over 2002-2011 was in #Nepal, where 518 people died, according to the Global Terrorism Index http://www.economist.com/blogs/graphicdetail/2012/12/daily-chart-0 #GTI]

Irony: What the world considers as a terrorist attack, the “great revolutionary people” of Nepal will probably identify as an “altruistic attack” on a legitimate state they identified with.

This is a question I get asked quite often on twitter:

“When Nepali Congress does it, it is a freedom struggle, but when UCPN Maoist does it, how is it a terrorist attack?”

For different reasons:

1. In the cave age, the humans killed fellow humans for food, and it was a perfectly acceptable way of living life at that point in time. Similarly, non-violent means of political change was something that was established by Gandhi in the world. Before that, violent struggles were pretty much the standard way of getting things done. Some of the pioneers of the Gandhian struggle were the Nepali leaders like Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, Dilli Raman Regmi and Bhim Bahadur Tamang. But until their time, violent struggles were still the standard way of getting things done.

2. Leaders like BP Koirala served very strenuous jail sentences for involving in violent activities. It can’t be compared with other leaders who took no responsibility whatsoever about the violent political campaigns they led. BP Koirala was in fact serving a life sentence. And even people inside their parties were against such violence at that time (e.g., KP Bhattarai). In fact, at later points in time, even BP Koirala regretted violent activities. But comparing them with Maoist violence where neither the wrong has been admitted nor have the wrongdoers been served the necessary sentences, is totally outrageous.

3. In 2010, violent struggles are usually purveyed by international community for war crimes and terrorism charges. It is not like in 1700s or 1960s where violent struggles where the only means to achieve political change. Today, they have to pass different standards to qualify as a legitimate freedom struggle as opposed to a humanitarian crime. In the past, non-violent means of achieving political change were uncommon, and even when they were, they were non compulsive. Evidences tell that in case of Nepal, violence was more of a luxury than a necessity at the hands of those who could afford them.

Terrorist attacks mapped around the world (via The Economist)

So, before you make non-standard arguments like: “The Congress or the UML did violent movements in the past, so why only ostracize the Maoists” please try to understand that people actually understand that you are making an unqualified statement. It will help you prepare with much stronger arguments against a series of horrendous terrorists attacks.

Until then,
Best Wishes,

• Ushaft

President’s coup or Maoist propaganda?

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A republican order means that ordinary citizens can rise to the highest ranks of power. By asking the President not to “forget his roots of being a buffalo herder,” the Maoists have exposed that republicanism is just a smokescreen for their ulterior goals.

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General Rukmangad Katwal (Picture: telegraphnepal.com)

I think everybody agrees now that a disastrous front-page story in Kantipur daily by its editor Sudheer Sharma (who I respect) accompanied by an english equivalent in The Kathmandu Post (by its editor Akhilesh Upadhyay, who again I respect very much) describing a failed coup d’état by the CoAS of the time, Rukmangad Katwal was largely a product of imagination (not necessarily the Editors’). It is not easy being in the media business- you get information of all sorts from people of all kinds. You then have to decide what to trust, what to publish, what to watch for a while or what to out-rightly reject. However, the imagination was successfully planted in two of the major daily newspapers in Nepal.

Accept it or not, we were all smitten by the Maoist bug once in our lives; the amount may vary. There was a time when the whole country was madly in love with the comrades despite all they had done, written and said many times over. We believed ourselves, our analysts, our media-men and many people in many guises when they said that the Maoists had signed the 12-point agreement in order to find a “safe landing,” a way for them to join peaceful democratic politics and pursue their beautiful goal of making Nepal a highly democratic, developed, and modern country. Today, many heartbreaks later, the only difference seems that some people got over this bug sooner than others. Some others never had this bug- as they would soon be comrades-in-arms, or had been so all along. They had a choice: to be the useful idiots, or to aid the war in different capacities (fighting with guns is always risky, you know, or ask DPM Narayankaji, or some writers and columnists).

“Strongman”: Akhilesh Upadhyay has written about Baburam Bhattarai’s tendencies (click on the picture for the story) (picture: nepaliblogger.com)

Another product of imagination seems to have found its way into the media lately. I can guess that the esteemed Editors mentioned above, among many others have survived the heartbreaks and learned a lesson or two. That explains why this imagination could not find its way into any mainstream news outlet, and had to be unceremoniously planted in a blog. Apart from that, the Maoist conviction that President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav planned a failed coup d’état recently against Baburam Bhattarai’s government was sneaked into an interview of the finance minister Barshaman Pun. A couple of other government ministers made similar allegations against the President in some press meetings. This got the President’s office miffed, and they have challenged the government to investigate the matter and bring out the truth to the people. They have further called for action against the ministers if the accusations are not substantiated. The President has also made it clear to leaders of major parties that “he will not, and cannot take any action without the consensus of political parties.” Not surprisingly though, a news story whose major portion sounded very much like a government distributed propaganda-material was published yesterday in The Hindu. The story contains no mention of the call by President’s office to investigate the matter or his refusal of the allegation. The writer, Prashant Jha, is known to be close to the ruling coalition, and also as a lobbyist for Prime Minister Bhattarai.

Sounds familiar? Why is this happening all over again? The truth of the matter, as put by another Editor who earns my great respect is that the “parties don’t feel any pressure from the President, they just pretend they do. Reason: the public.” The President of Nepal has largely been a conciliatory figurehead acting as per the court’s or the constitutional provisions. The Maoist-Madheshi Morcha government led by Baburam Bhattarai on the other hand, has repeatedly been an aggressor in the national politics, both before and after it successfully dissolved the Constituent Assembly that was also acting as a parliament.

PM Bhattarai is said to be one of the most intelligent and shrewd politicians Nepal has seen after 1990 (picture: Mercantile Communications)

The government, deemed “care-taker” by the President, has misappropriated the national treasury in a shameless manner (see recent press reports for the massive scale in which this is going on), and has been unable to hold elections it announced in a unilaterally. In the ensuing constitutional and political vacuum, the government’s supporters have openly announced that they’ll continue ruling like this for 25 years to come. They have taken actions to back up this claim too, for example: the Judiciary and all major constitutional bodies are going to be defunct because of the failure to man them by the government, and many arbitrary actions of the government in the absence of the parliament look like preparation for a new bout of authoritarian regime in Nepal, under the leadership of Dr. Bhattarai. In such a situation, the President’s office is now standing between the government and its will to get a free hand in running the country. Aware of this, the government even dared to ask the President to issue an ordinance which would in effect make ordinances unnecessary, making the cabinet’s decision equivalent to law. Naturally, the President’s office refused to budge to such an outrageous attempt. In the absence of a regular parliament, ordinances cannot be discussed within one month of being issued, as required by the interim constitution. The constitution further requires all major decisions to be taken by the parties in “consensus.” the President’s office is only trying to abide by the constitution and not invite any controversy for its actions.

Maoists protesting against the President in 2009, after resigning from power. They staged roadshows mimicking the President as a buffalo herder (picture: demotix.com, Edwin Koo)

Recently, the government has publicly threatened the President to issue an ordinance on the fiscal budget, and has warned of dire consequences if he fails to do so. The planted news stories seem to have come in this context. It seems like a last-ditch effort to destabilize the President’s office, having done so with almost all established institutions in the country. Of course, observers of the Maoists’ protest rallies in 2009 following their government’s resignation know pretty well that their advocacy of the republican order is just a smokescreen for their ulterior goals (it was during this very time that the Gen. Katwal led coup story made headlines) . After getting down from power, apart from the propaganda about Gen. Katwal’s coup d’état, the Maoists staged a very vulgar scene in the streets. I was first-hand witness to their mimicry of the President as a buffalo-herder and statements indicating that a buffalo herder has forgot where he belongs by not coming to the aid of their plans. Let me remind you that President Yadav has humble roots as he used to be a buffalo herder in his village during his childhood.

Of course, it was stupid of us all to be smitten by the Maoist bug in the first place. Here is a party that has never flinched one bit from its commitment from a totalitarian system of governance and violence as a political tool, here’s a party that advocates centralization of power into a group of elites called the “party politburo” (contrast this with their federalism gameplan), and that has in its official records, repeatedly denounced established democratic norms, and here’s a group of leaders who do not believe in economic freedom and individual liberties- still we chose to believe in the opposite. Of course, people who want to replace a monarchy with a republican order with the noble goal of making it possible for ordinary citizens to rise to the highest ranks of power cannot be challenging it’s very fundamentals- that the beauty of a republican order is just that a buffalo herder can become our President. It has neither apologized for such vulgarity, nor has shown any indication of changing that attitude. It was all along a love affair based on impossible dreams and lies. So when I say that the rumor spread by the Maoists on the Presidential coup is just another in a series of such propaganda they have mastered, I do not expect to be believed.

बजेट आउनु अघि

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के हालका वर्षहरुमा नेपालको गरीबी बढाउन सबैभन्दा जिम्मेवार “गरीबमुखी” भनेर चिनिन चाहनेहरु नै हैनन् र ?

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November 2010: Maoist lawmakers roughing up Finance Minister Surendra Pandey as the latter prepares to present the budget for 2010/11 fiscal in the parliament. (Picture: THT ONLINE)

देशको वार्षिक बजेट आउनेवाला छ, तर राजनीतिक खिचातानीका बिच नआउन पनि सक्छ । वैधानिक सरकारले ल्याउन खोजेको बजेटकै दौरान संसदमै हानाहान गरेर अर्थमन्त्रिको हातबाट झोला खोस्ने चलन बसेको देशमा अधिकार विहीन बनिसकेको र वैधानिकता पनि गुमाउन लागिसकेको सरकारले ल्याएको बजेट उपर के कस्तो रडाँको मच्चिने हो, हेर्न त बाकिँ नै छ । यो लेखको विषय भने बजेटलाई कसरी हेर्ने भन्ने बारेको एक पक्षसँग मात्र सम्बन्धित छ । नेपालमा बजेट आएपछि सबैतिर हुने चर्चा प्राय राहतहरुका विषयमा हुन्छ: तलब कति बढ्यो, भत्ता कति थपियो, अनुदान बढ्यो कि बढेन, वितरण हुने रकम कति मोटो छ? तिनै विषयहरु उपर पत्रिकामा लेखहरु छापिएलान् र सो कै आधारमा कतिले बजेटको मुल्याङ्कन गर्लान् । त्यसमाथी गरीबमुखि भनेर चिनिन चाहने वर्तमान प्रधानमन्त्री, अर्थमन्त्रि, उनीहरुको पार्टि आदिको समूहले ल्याउने बजेट झनै रोचक हुनेछ । यस विषयमा हामीले कस्तो तयारी गर्ने, बजेटलाई के आधारमा मुल्याङ्कन गर्ने ? यो लेखको विषय यहि हो ।

सन्दर्भ : बिसुनी सदाको घरमा बाबुराम भट्टराईको रात्रिभोज

प्रधानमन्त्रि बाबुराम भट्टराई निजी सम्पत्तिमा विश्वास गर्दैनन्। उनले आफ्नो पार्टिको नीति पनि यहि बनाएका छन। सक्दा हुन् त त्यसैलाई देशको नीति पनि बनाउँथे- संविधानमा त्यस्तो व्यवस्था लेख्न खोजेका पनि हुन् र “माओवादि छापको संविधान नबने नस्विकार्ने” समेत बताएकै हुन् (त्यहि भएरै संविधान सभा विघठन गरेका हुन्)। यस्तो मा महोत्तरीका बिसुनी सदालाई प्रधानमन्त्रिको रात्रिभोज व्यवस्था गर्दा ऋण लागेको कुरालाई हामीहरु जसरी बुझ्छौँ, बाबुरामले त्यसरी बुझ्दैनन्। यस समस्याको बाबुरामीय समाधान हो: ऋण दिने मान्छेलाई जबरजस्ति सो ऋण मिनाह गर्न लगाउनु, नमाने आफ्ना पार्टिका लठैतहरु लगाएर बाध्य पार्नु। उनी सबै सम्पत्ति राज्यको हुने अर्थव्यवस्थामा विश्वास गर्छन्। त्यस्तोमा उनले सदाको घरमा गएर खाएको पनि राज्यकै श्रोत हो, नखाए पनि आखिर त्यो राज्यकै थियो। यसलाई उचालेर ठूलो कुरा बनाएको प्रधानमन्त्रिलाई पक्कै मनपर्ने छैन र मौका मिले उनी भन्नेछन्- “यो केहि सिमीत समूहको कुण्ठामात्र हो, यसको कुनै महत्व छैन। हामीलाई थाहा छ कि जनता हामीलाई खाना खुवाउन एकदम खुशि छन् र अरु खुवाउन चाहन्छन्”।

PM Bhattarai with his team at the dinner (Picture: ekantipur.com)

प्रधानमन्त्रिले दलितको घरमा गएर खाना खानु राम्रो कुरा हो, यसले जातीय भेदभावको प्रथालाई दुरुत्साहन गर्छ। अझ उनले सार्वजनिक यातायत चढेरै गए हुन्थ्यो, त्यसो गर्दा बाटोमा मानिसहरुले दैनिक रुपमा भोग्ने समस्या र भेदभाव पनि थाहा लाग्थ्यो होला र केहि समाधान पनि निकाल्थे होला। यद्दपी यस्ता समस्याहरु समाधान गर्ने अरु धेरै राम्रा बाटोहरु होलान्, तर प्रधानमन्त्रिले खाना खानुलाई नै म त्यति ठूलो विषय बनाउनेवाला छैन। समस्या गएर खाना खानुमा छैन। समस्या प्रधानमन्त्रि स्वयंले गर्ने शोषण र भेदभावमा छ।

भट्टराई एकदमै पूर्वाग्रहि व्यक्ति भएको तथ्य अब कसैबाट लुकेको छैन। उनी लडाईँमा मरेका आफ्ना पार्टिका मानिस बाहेकलाई शहिद पनि मान्दैनन्। यो भन्दा अघि उनी खाना खान गएको पश्चिमको एउटा घरकी छोरीलाई सेनाले लगेर मारेको रहेछ। उनले माओवादीले लगेर मारेका मानिसहरुलाई साहनुभुती दिन कहिल्यै चाहेका छैनन्, बरु तीनका घाऊमा नुन छर्किन उनलाई मनपर्छ। त्यस्तै बीबीसी नेपाली सेवाको हिजोको रिपोर्टमा पनि “भट्टराई निकट मानिने भरत साहको फुलकहा गाउँमा राती बसेका प्रधानमन्त्रि” भनिएको छ। यसरी हेर्दा आफ्नो पार्टिका खड्गबहादुर विश्वकर्मा मोहन वैद्य खेमामा गएपछि त्यसको राजनीतिक क्षति न्युनिकरण गर्न यि भ्रमणहरुको प्रयोग गरेजस्तै देखिन्छ। त्यसलाई अनेक नाम दिएर “लोकप्रिय” बनाउन खोज्नु उनको चारित्रिक विशेषता नै हो, तर तीनलाई हामीले जस्ताको त्यस्तै पत्याउनु पर्छ भन्ने पनि छैन।

अर्को भेदभाव उनले श्रमको सम्मान नगरेर गरेका छन्। होटेल-रेस्टुराँमा खाएको पैसा माओवादी बाहेक अरुले त तिर्नैपर्छ। अरुको घरमा खाँदा पैसा तिर्न नपरे पनि अरु शिष्टाचारीय नियमहरु हाम्रो संस्कारले स्थापना गरेका छन्। मैले देखेको नेपाली संस्कार अनुसार पनि कसैकोमा पाहुना लाग्दा केहि खानेकुरा कोशेली लिएर गइन्छ र आफुले पनि निम्तो दिएर फर्किइन्छ। चिनेजानेकालाई खानेकुराको पैसा दिँदा अपमान हुने हाम्रो चलन भएकोले यस्तो अप्रत्यक्ष रुपले तिर्ने व्यवस्था बसेको हुनुपर्छ। त्यसमाथी ५०-५० वटा गाडिका लस्कर लिएर खान गएपछि त “दु:ख भयो होला” भनेर काममा सघाइदिनु त अनिवार्य नै हो। हुन त हाम्रा प्रधानमन्त्रि सबै नेपाली संस्कारहरु फ्याँकेर नयाँ संस्कार बसाउने अभियानमा लागेका मान्छे, उनलाई यीनको मतलब नहुँदो हो। तर किसानहरुको श्रमको पुरै अवमूल्यन गरेर प्रधानमन्त्रिले आफ्ना उपलब्धिहरुको सुचीमा “श्रमशोषक”को परिचय पनि थपेका छन्। यसरी कुनै निम्न आय भएको किसानको घरमा अबुझले झैँ दर्जनौँ मानिस बोकेर पाहुना लाग्नु, उनको समय र श्रमको कुनै महत्व नभएजस्तो गरी र आफैँले आर्जेको जस्तो गरी मजासँग खाना खाएपछि आफ्नो बाटो लाग्नु लज्जाविहिनताको राम्रो उधाहरण हो। उनले प्रचार-प्रसार लगायत आफ्ना व्यक्तिगत स्वार्थहरुका निम्ति यसरी निम्न आय भएका मानिसहरुको उपयोग र शोषण गरेर ती मानिसहरु र आफूले प्रतिनिधित्व गर्ने भनेको वर्गकै मजाक उडाँएका छन् ।

बाबुराम भट्टराईले यस्तो गर्नु नयाँ वा आश्चर्यजनक भने पक्कै होइन। उनले चलाएको युद्धको समयमा पनि उनका कार्यकर्ताहरुले गाउँमा जनतालाई दिनुसम्म दु:ख दिएको कुरा जगजाहेरै छ। मानिसहरुका भकारी लुटेको, खानामा “मासु-भात नै चाहिने” उर्दि दिएको र भनेजस्तो नभए खाना फ्याँकेर हिँडेका कुरा लेखक स्यंयले भरपर्दा भुक्तभोगीहरु र कहिलेकाँहि आफन्तैहरुबाट सुनेको हो। भट्टराईबाट ती भन्दा उपल्लो स्तरको व्यवहारको अपेक्षा गर्नेहरुको common sense मा प्रश्न गर्नु बरु बढि उचित हुनेछ ।

Understanding anonymous speech

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Note (12th Sep 2012): The point of this blog post is NOT to discuss the behavior of the @UN_Nepal twitter handle. Although that handle’s activities are shameful, I am no more interested in @UN_Nepal’s twitter activities. This is more about the very unclear and contradictory attitude practiced by other respected people of our society vis-a-vis anonymous speech.

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A good thing about societies where democracy is not just a name for the political system but also a part of daily culture is that people mind their own businesses. Minding one’s own business is manifested in many different ways like respecting the rights of individuals and not interfering in others’ private sphere while practicing one’s rights. The right to privacy is one case of minding one’s own business.

In our society, lack of democratic culture is not just a specialty of the form of governance, but also of our personal cultures. We are fond of poking our noses into others’ affairs- we love minding others’ business. We are also full of contradictions like demanding a democratic treatment from the state while not practicing the same in our lives. If you observe carefully, you can extend this also to many famous, well known and “democratic” people in your social circles; they’re so devoid of that democratic acumen, of that moral integrity required of the defenders of democracy.

Concerning the allegation of cowardice or hiding: I think it is a matter of minding one’s own business.

Take the example of anonymous speech on the internet and how our contradictions are exposed while dealing with this subject.

Let me start with a tweet regarding my blog on the UN mission in Nepal. The @UN_Nepal twitter handle responded to a mention of my blog saying it “won’t dialogue with anonymous bloggers.” Whether or not to dialogue with anonymous bloggers is a matter of personal choice and there’s nothing wrong in not wanting to dialogue with someone.. However, the UN’s twitter also chose to ignore similar questions by others, including a famous Nepali writer who is not anonymous on twitter. Surely, the problem does not seem to be anonymity, but the views expressed. My blog did not try to exploit anonymity by indulging in defamation, insult or similar questionable (or illegal) acts, but raised valid, logical and well-formed questions and arguments.

.@wagle If this is a "well-wisher" our detractors must be a barrel of laughs. Won't dialogue with anonymous bloggers -will respond elsewhere—
Robert Piper (@UN_Nepal) August 28, 2012

But then, I have also been frequently surprised by some well known personalities (not excluding writers, journalists, editors) and friends. Their opinion of anonymous tweeting or blogging amounts to cowardice, hiding, unqualified of attention, undeserving of response and so on.

Q: What kind of anonymous speech is bad?
A: Any speech that can be qualified as bad, e.g., hate speech, defamation, personal assault and so on.

In our society, it is no more surprising to see and read racist speech and hate mongering even by people writing under their real names. Not only has it become acceptable, but also fashionable- most writers and newspapers won’t publish any criticism of anything without a racist slur on some communities or hateful labeling of some people. I think in such a situation, a valid counter-argument may require similar tactics, blurring the line between good and bad speech. But still, whatever scale applies to normal speech, also applies to anonymous speech.

Q: Are all anonymous bloggers/tweeters bad?
A: Like I said before, many people use pseudonyms to say what is out-rightly improper, wrong or illegal to say. Instead of using logic and arguments to express their views or question others’, they use pseudonyms to mask their wrongful activities. We see many online commenters, bloggers or twitters using pseudonyms to hurl personal abuses. A more recent example I have faced myself is a twitter handle that goes by the name of a ground in central Kathmandu- I’m told it is a platform used by a group of unknown whiners for spreading hate-speech and personal insults. Lumping all anonymous bloggers with such distasteful examples and generalizing them with blanket adjectives is not ok.

Q: How to understand anonymous speech?
A:

1. First, anonymous speech is respected as a constitutional right in many countries because it is considered a prerequisite for free speech. A latest example is a court ruling in South Korea.
2. Some other reasons why people choose to write under pseudonyms are explained here.
3. In repressive and semi-repressive regimes, anonymous speech is how dissidents can practice any speech. In countries with poor record of freedom of expression and press, using real names to air views not liked by the powerful forces may result in death, kidnapping or other kinds of trouble. In Nepal, several journalists have been killed, silenced or kidnapped for airing views that were not liked by the powers-that-be.
4. “Free democratic societies benefit from anonymity,as it permits those with unpopular views to air them without fear of punishment or arrest”
5. Earlier this year, results of a study published by Disqus revealed that pseudonyms are more likely to post quality comments and they are the drivers of online discussion. Maybe this shows that gross generalization and stigmatization of pseudonym bearers is unnecessary?

A post on the subject on my facebook page.

Major concern:

Freedom of expression and press on the internet is a very important issue. In the past, only journalists risked reprisal for what they wrote or said. But today, news of bloggers being abducted, jailed, threatened or kidnapped by governments, political parties and criminal groups is becoming common. Such dangers apply to anonymous bloggers as well, often they’re in more risk than others. In such a situation, responsible members of a society are expected to understand different issues surrounding freedom of expression and anonymous speech. At times of repression, such an understanding is expected to convert to solidarity. By only appearing concerned over the arrest of a cartoonist in India, but being antagonistic to anonymous speech in one’s surrounding, one’s democratic credentials are highly tarnished. It is better for citizens who believe in democracy and freedom to arrive at a common understanding about subjects as fundamental as these. After all, a strong united voice will help us all in times of trouble or in protecting our liberties during normal times.

Finally, concerning the allegation of cowardice or hiding: I think it is a matter of minding one’s own business.

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Clarification: While hate speech might be undesired in a civilized society, they cannot be banned. Also, anonymous writers who abuse others have the right to free speech, and if someone is offended, they can try legal, personal or technical measures. However, using pseudonyms to settle personal disputes or to abuse others is not a civilized practice because personal disputes require the person to identify himself. Therefore, abusive and personal writings while done under pseudonyms only weaken the argument.

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The United Nations could offer a few answers to its well-wishers in Nepal

Without convincing answers from the United Nations on the recent controversy to its well-wishers like me and other people of Nepal, the presumption of innocence accorded to the global body cannot hold for very long.

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I appreciate the goodwill of foreign missions in Nepal, including the UN and would like to whole hardheartedly thank them for the good work they are doing. It is with the hope of making them aware of the public perception they are engendering that I sat down to spend some of my time in writing this post. I hope this is received as a positive criticism of some of their works, and not a grossly generalized attack on all of their activities.

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We are used to seeing China or Russia doing all they can to prevent discussion in the UN about their human rights records. This applies to many other countries like the USA and Israel, and involving different other issues too. Despite not having a veto power in the UNSC, India also frequently lobbies to stop similar discussion in international forums like the UN, especially about caste-issues, Dalit rights and Kashmir. It terms them as “internal issues” and fears that internationalizing them would invite players of all sorts to meddle in the social, cultural and political sphere.

Unlike many other countries, because of remaining free, we could not learn the harsh realities of colonization. On a psychological level, it left us wanting of the few benefits of such a possibility, like railways, administration, English education or a greater exchange and mobility with the Europeans. While the formation and independence of this country can be attributed to the prudence of its past rulers about regional realities and the tricks/skills of colonizers, some of our wanting is being fulfilled today precisely because of our disregard to those very principles that helped build our nation. Some such wanting are coming true in the form of a molotov cocktail bottled in inflammable policy recommendations and sealed with aid. The failure to learn even from our immediate neighbors on why our social problems are best kept away from hands known to break whatever unfamiliar societies they lay on has left us in a situation where trying to do what Kul Chandra Gautam, a former senior UN official, terms as the most predictable and likely course of action, has been made an excuse to attack different tenets of our society.

The UN involvement in Nepal’s peace process (especially the management of arms and cantonments of Maoist army) was controversial (picture: franceonu.org). Ian Martin and Karen Lundgren led the UN Mission to Nepal.

The subject of this discussion is a policy document (UNDAF) drafted by the UN and revised by the Government of Nepal (GoN). Not happy with the various phrases used by the UN, the GoN suggested some changes. The UN chose to express its dissatisfaction and leak the details of the document through a commenter, who is known as an active promoter of Nepal’s ruling ultra-left political force. The easiest and surest method of demonizing anyone who disagrees with this ruling coalition in Nepal these days is a highly generalized and racist accusation (Hill-people, Hindu elites, elites, Brahmin-Chhetris, Khas oppressors, etc.) repeated so often that it is on the way of becoming a part of normal discourse. On the internet and the press, it was done again, this time to blame some “bureaucrats” who allegedly suggested changes to the UN document.

Despite the elimination of effective criticism and diversity in opinion by demonizing any disagreeing individual has succeeded in creating an obstruction-free path for the ones who designed it, some people indeed tried to point out the flaw in their arguments, albeit in a tone that is clearly pursuant of avoiding being seen as discomforting.

I want to bring to attention three points that have not been covered elsewhere:

1. First, as this interview of the National Planning Commission (NPC) Vice Chairman Deependra Bahadur Chhetri (on BBC Nepali service, 22nd Aug 2012) reveals, the changes were fully endorsed by the government. Mr. Chhetri is a known leftist and he was politically appointed to the post by the Prime Minister. This not only renders the blame on “Bahuns (aka Brahmins)” or even “bureaucrats” useless, but also raises a question of whether the blame was done in purpose so as to support the series of hate-campaign on certain communities and cultures (Hill Brahmin, Khas) that has been launched in recent years.

   As Mr. Chhetri states, the GoN has done quite a lot towards addressing the concerns of minorities in Nepal. I do not understand how the same number of people can be without citizenship every 5 years (election?) because just before the previous election, a lot of people were provided citizenship certificate under a special clause, and a few years before that too. Nepal’s electoral process and parliament is one of the most diverse in the world in terms of the represented minorities. The government has also enacted several laws since more than a decade ago to reserve seats in government positions for people from different communities. Some of these measures were taken before the issues were hijacked by the ultra-leftist forces.

2. Second, the UN Resident Coordinator, while tweeting from an official UN twitter handle (@UN_Nepal), actively promotes views and newspaper articles from the radical leftist writers. Whether it is just co-incidence or if is also a participant of this smear campaign and one-sided propaganda is beyond the knowledge of this meek blogger. I also do not know if my attempt to bring to his notice an article from a different viewpoint and opposing the ongoing campaign was well received. The Kul Chandra Gautam article linked above certainly represents a different opinion on the subject, but the official twitter handle of UN’s Nepal mission seems not to be interested in it.
   
   

   H.E. Robert Piper, UN Resident in Nepal (picture: youtube.com)

   
   The UN has in the past received a benefit of doubt during what many term as it’s espousing of the Nepal’s radical left in the form of being a silent spectator during the latter’s infamous inflating of their fighting force, violation of the terms and conditions of weapons-management and peace agreement and the use of violence for different political goals. The UN has also supported the ultras’ agendas in social-political issues by both choosing to ignore the excesses and toeing them.
3. Third, is it time for Nepal to initiate a critical discussion on whether our psychological need for friendly mixing with interventionist forces and organizations is bearing its intended fruits? Without convincing answers from the United Nations on the recent controversy to its well-wishers like me and other people of Nepal, the presumption of innocence accorded to the global body cannot hold for very long. Is it time for us to analyze why our neighbors and other countries who have learned it the hard way have been doing what they’ve been doing? By belonging to comparable social-geological environment, can theirs’ be a model we could take some inspiration from?

   It could be for these very reasons that India and China were warning us against our more-than-eager invitation of international mediation of the peace process. Not many countries have survived such a decision.

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Please hold on a second before using your flawed reasoning to label me as enemy of Dalit rights- I am a strong supporter of freedom for all people, including the marginalized ones, minorities, and dissidents.

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अब के गर्ने (What do we do now) ?

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अङ्ग्रेजी संस्करण तल छ । English version follows.
के गर्ने भन्नेबारे तपाईँको बिचार के छ? मसँग हामीहरु आफैँ-आफैँले गर्नसक्ने केहि कामहरुको योजना छ, बहस गर्नेभए इमेलमा वा तल कमेन्ट बक्समा छलफल गरौँ ।
I have a plan about a couple of things we can do from our side. If you have some ideas about “what do we do now,” let’s discuss them over email or in the comment box below.

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अहिले टेलिभिजनमा भट्टराईको चर्चित मुख बन्द गरी गरी आधा हाँसिने कुटिल र आडम्बरी मुस्कान देख्दा मेरो मनमा अनायसै विचार आउँछ, “कठै बरा हामी नेपाली जनता ।” हिरोको आशमा तड्पिरहेको समाजको नियती यस्तै नै हो।

Politicos (picture: nepalitimes.com)

हाम्रा नेताजीहरु साह्रै बिग्रिए। वास्तवमा भन्ने हो भने उनीहरुको केहि काम छैन। राजाहरु हुँदासम्म कम्तिमा देशको अलिकति इज्जत भने थियो। उनीहरु विश्वका नामी विश्वविद्यालयहरुमा पढेका थिए, संसारका धेरै महत्वपूर्ण व्यक्तिहरु र नेताहरुसँग उनीहरुको व्यक्तिगत सम्बन्ध पनि थियो। यस्तो अप्ठेरो भुगोल र पिछडिएको समाजलाई आधुनिक देशमा बदल्न संयुक्त राष्ट्रसंघको सदस्यता बनाउने देखी लिएर आफ्ना नागरिकहरुलाई विश्वका धेरै ठाउँमा स्थापित गराउन उनीहरु सफल थिए। एककिसिमको सद्भाव थियो नेपालप्रति त्यतिखेर विश्वसमुदायमा। त्यसैले त करीब-करीब हाम्रो जस्तै स्थिति भएको तिब्बत, सिक्किम, भुटान, कस्मिर, अफ्गानिस्तान जस्ता ठाउँहरुको तुलनामा हामी धेरै अगाडि बढेका पनि थियौँ। भारतकै आधाभन्दा बढि राज्यहरुभन्दा हाम्रो विकासको स्तर ५-६ वर्षअघिसम्म पनि राम्रो थियो। नेताहरुलाई आन्दोलन गर्न र बिगार्नबाहेक केहि आउँदैन। उनीहरुलाई बरु स्थिति बिग्रिरहोस, ताकि आफुले विरोध गर्न पाइरहुँ भन्ने भावना छ, किनकि बनाउन उनीहरुलाई आउँदैन। ४६ सालपछि प्राप्त ठुलो अवसरलाई उनीहरुले संस्कार र संस्थाहरुको विकास गर्न खर्च नगरी खेर जानै दिए। अहिलेपनि गर्न सकिने धेरै कामहरु गर्नुको साटो नेपालले फेरी त्यहि दुश्चक्र बेहोर्नुपरिरहेको छ। लाग्छ नेपालको नियती सधैँ २०१७ सालकै वरिपरी घुमिरहनु हो, सँधै एकै गल्तीको लागि हामीले मूल्य चुकाइदिइरहनुपर्ने ।

कुनै हिसाबले पुष्टि गर्न नसकिने इतिहासकै सबैभन्दा महङ्गो युद्धमा नेपाल जाकियो। बाबुराम भट्टराई लगायतका केहि अहंकारी मानिसहरुको व्यक्तिगत इच्छा र कुण्ठाको खातिर नेपाली जनताले के मात्र बलिदान गरेनन् ? पढाइमा जान्ने भएको, लायक भएर पनि मौका नपाएको जस्ता अनेक बहानामा भट्टराईलाई मिडियाले र जनताले निकै माया गरिराखे। आखिर देशको सबैभन्दा पुरानो संस्था, प्रजातन्त्र, नागरिक अधिकार, आर्थिक विकास लगायतका महत्वपूर्ण निकायहरु धेरै नसोचिकन पनि उनिहरुले त्याग्न तयार भइदिए। के का लागि? अहिले टेलिभिजनमा भट्टराईको चर्चित मुख बन्द गरी गरी आधा हाँसिने कुटिल र आडम्बरी मुस्कान देख्दा मेरो मनमा अनायसै विचार आउँछ, “कठै बरा हामी नेपाली जनता ।”

अब फेरी अर्को २०१७ सालको चक्र दोहोरिएर दु:ख पाउनु अघि हामीले केहि सोच्नुपर्ने भएको छ। किन हामीसँग यस्तो भइरहेको छ ? मलाई लाग्छ हाम्रा बुझाइ र चाहनाहरुमा समस्या छन्। हामी प्रधानमन्त्रि, राष्ट्रपति वा राजामा सबै समस्याको समाधान देख्न चाहन्छौँ, राजनीति गर्ने असफल मानिसहरुपनि प्रधानमन्त्रि भएपछि मात्र सबैकुरा गर्न सकिन्छ भन्ने सोच्छन् । आखिर सिनेमाका अभिनेतालाई “हिरो” भन्ने समाज शायद हाम्रै मात्र हो दुनिँयामा। हिरोको आशमा तड्पिरहेको समाजको नियती यस्तै नै हो। प्रधानमन्त्रि वा राष्ट्रपतिले सबै अधिकार पाएमात्र विकास हुन्छ भन्ने हामीलाई लाग्छ।

त्यसकारण अबदेखि विद्यालय तहबाट नै केहि आवश्यक सिद्दान्तहरु हामीसबैले पढ्नु जरुरी छ। हामीमा नागरिक दायित्व, सामाजिक चेत र इतिहासको मूल्याङ्ककन गर्ने क्षमता विकास हुनु जरुरी छ। स्कूलमै टोलीहरु बनाई समाज र राष्ट्रबारे कृतिम समस्याहरु दिएर, कसरी समाधान गर्छौ, छलफल गरेर आऊ भन्ने गृहकार्यहरु दिनु आवश्यक छ, यस किसिमको एक विषय अब पढाइनु जरुरी छ । हाम्रो देशका अधिकांस बुज्रुकहरु अझै पनि यस्ता हाँस्यास्पद तर्क वा कुतर्कहरु गर्छन, त्यो पनि खुलेआम सार्वजनिक रुपमा वा संचार-माध्यमहरुमा, जुन सुन्दा कुनैपनि सभ्य समाजका बच्चाहरु पनि हाँस्दा हुन्। तीभन्दा बढि दार्शनिक र गंभिर कुराहरु त मैले कतिपय विदेशि गीत र सिनेमाहरुमा सुनेको छु- मलाई लाग्छ जति पढेको-सुनेको भनेपनि त्यस्तो एउटा औसत साङ्गितक समूहले हाम्रा नेताहरुले भन्दा बढि जिवन र दुनिँया देखेको होला, बढि तार्किक र व्यवाहारिक सक्षमता होला ।

All smiles, Baburam Bhattarai.

यति सब हुँदा हुँदै पनि हामीलाई अहिले पनि रुकमाङ्गद कटुवाल वा ज्ञानेन्द्र शाह, वा बाबुराम-प्रचण्ड नै तर बहुमत वा कार्यकारी राष्ट्रपतीय अधिकार सहित, वा गगन थापा वा रवीन्द्र अधिकारी नआई देश विकास हुँदैन भन्ने लाग्छ। यी सब अप्ठेरो काम नगरी सुख पाउने छोटा बाटाहरुका कल्पना मात्र हुन् । तपाईँको घर, छरछिमके, टोल, संस्था, वा जिल्लाहरुमा समस्या पहिल्याउने, समाधान गर्ने र मूल्याङ्कन गर्ने बारे जबसम्म उचित विधि र चेतनाको विकास हुँदैन, तबसम्म देशमा जोसुकै आएपनि दिगो विकास हुँदैन। त्यसैले पहिले नेताहरु कस्ता चाहिने भन्दा पनि हामीहरु कस्ता बन्ने भन्ने बारे हामी निधो गरौँ । यो गाह्रो बाटो हो, तर बढि दिगो हो, यसले कम्तीमा हाम्रो समाजले चाहेको दार्शनिक, आर्थिक, र राजनीतिक स्वरुप अनि भविष्य कस्तो हो भन्ने बारे बहस चलाएर एक-किसिमको मार्गचित्र निर्धारण गर्छ, साँचो रुपमा समाज निर्माण गर्छ। सबै समाजहरुले यसकिसिमको बहस गरेका छन् कुनै न कुनै समय। युरोपमा रेनेसाँ र इनलाइट्मेन्टबाट यो क्रम शुरु भयो, त्यसैगरी अमेरीकामा त्यहाँको स्वतन्त्रता आन्दोलन र संविधान बन्ने क्रममा भएका बहसहरुले त्यो देशको रुपरेखा कोर्यो। हाम्रोमा जबसम्म यस्तो केहि हुँदैन, हामीलाई आफ्नो बाटो के हो, कता जाने हो, के गर्ने हो भन्ने थाहा हुँदैन, सजिला बाटाहरु सबै निराशामा बदलिने निश्चित नै छन् ।

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English version:

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Our politicos have failed us- we think they are good for nothing. At least we had some sort of national pride and prestige while the kings were still there. The kings had gone to the world’s best universities, were personal friends with many important figures and leaders from all around the world. They were successful in establishing this country in many fronts. Just until a few years ago, Nepal was in a lot better shape than most Indian states. We were more advanced and developed than comparable land masses like Bhutan, Sikkim, Tibet, Kashmir and Afghanistan. The Kings steered the modern era of Nepal (starting from 1950) and led the country from a state of backwardness to where our citizens had gone to assume important duties around the world. We were successful in earning a lot of goodwill from the international community as well.

Baburam Bhattarai (picture: nepalitimes.com)

All our politicos know is to bicker and to damage. They’d prefer situation to go from bad to worse, so that they’d have something to protest and bicker about. This is because they find it easier than actually doing something, constructing and developing the society. It’s easier for them to do what they are capable of. We had immense opportunities in the period after 1990, but by not establishing proper values and institutionalizing the system, they let it be wasted. Even now, a lot of things could be done, but Nepal has been subjected to similar practices. Sometimes I wonder if our destiny is tied around the 1960 coup and if that is what we’ll always be circling around.

Nepal was forced into a very long war which has no justification and cost us a great deal (recently, there have been new revelations to substantiate a long-held suspicion in Nepal that Maoist war was in large part sponsored by the Indian government). After all, what did the people not sacrifice for the sake of the personal frustrations and aspirations (of power) of a few men like Baburam Bhattarai? Bhattarai was the loved son of the people, and the darling boy of our media- because he was good in studies and they thought he was able but deprived of opportunities to implement his ideas. For his and their sake, we let go Nepal’s oldest institutions, democracy, civil rights and economic development. I wonder what was that for. These days, when I see Bhattarai’s sly and famous closed-mouth smile on television, I feel deeply sorry for the people of our country.

Before we go through another cycle of 1960 coup, there are issues that require us to do some soul-searching. Why are we having to go through all this? I think it is because of some fundamental problems with our understanding of things and aspirations out of what we have. We expect all our solutions to incarnate in the form of a Prime Minister, President or a king. Similarly, the failed people who are our politicos, also harbor this misconception that they’ll be able to do everything once they get to power. After all, we are the only society in the world to call movie actors as “heroes.” A society that desperately waits for a hero to come and rescue it is destined to be like ours.

Prachanda to Stalin (picture: nepalitimes.com)

That’s why I think we need to study some basic values and principles starting from the school itself. We need to inculcate a minimum level of civic sense, social understanding, and the basic skills of evaluating problems, history and coming up with solutions. Children in schools should be given artificial problems related to the society and nation, and be made to come up with solutions for them by discussing, working in groups and constructing proper arguments. It is high time we introduce this kind of teaching and understanding in our society.

Many well established thinkers of our society put stupid and illogical arguments in public space and media, so stupid that I think they may sound ridiculous to even some kids in civilized societies. I have heard more philosophical and serious things in some foreign songs and movie dialogs. I wonder if an average musical band has more understanding of the world, of logic, and practical insights than some of our leaders who are lauded for being intellectual.

Despite this, we’re still waiting for some Rukmangat Katwal, Gyanendra Shah, or Baburam-Prachanda with executive presidential powers, or Gagan Thapa or Rabindra Adhikari to come along and rescue us from the present quagmire. These are all short-cuts to success requiring little work from our side. Unfortunately, the road to success is not always straight; a long and winding road may be more challenging, but the success it provides at the end will be more sustainable and long lasting. Unless we develop proper methods and institutions to come up with solutions at the level of our homes, neighborhood, organizations or districts, expecting rapid development at a national level is a bit too far-fetched. 

Baburam Bhattarai (picture: nepalitimes.com)

So, when we discuss about the kind of leaders we want, let us also discuss what kind of society we want, and what kinds of citizens we want to be. This way, we’ll launch a discussion about the kind of philosophical, economic and political structure and future we want for ourselves and help carve a road-map for our society. This is true society building, nation building. All advanced societies have been through it. There were Renaissance and Enlightenment in Europe and after its civil war, the USA established a set of values on constitution and civil liberties. Until we are ready to take a similar route and be sure of ourselves by debating what is it that we want, what road and future we need, all short but easy routes are bound to give us more failure.

संस्कृतिको कसरी रक्षा र जगेर्ना गर्ने ?

Janai Purnima: a priest offering sacred thread (picture: beautifulfarwest.blogspot.com )

Janai Purnima: a priest offering sacred thread (picture: enasha.com)

ट्विटरमा कुरा गर्दा गर्दै अनेक विषयमा गफ सुनिन्छ र गरिन्छ। मान्छेहरु यस्ता गफ गरेर, चिया खाँदा बहस गरेर वा फेसबुकमा छलफल गरेर के नै हुने हो र भनेर पनि भन्छन्। हो, धेरै स्थितीमा केहि हुँदैन, तर केहि होस् भन्ने सोचेर मात्र गफ गर्नु त आफ्नो महत्वको आफैँले बढि मूल्याङ्कन गरेको हो। कुराकानी गरेर, नयाँ किसिमका मानिसहरु र सोचहरुको बारे थाहा पाएर आफ्नै सोचाईमा पनि विकास र परिवर्तन हुन्छ, अझै परिस्कृत हुन्छ। झगडा मात्रै गर्न खोज्ने, स्पष्ट तर्क र कारणहरुमा आधारित नभइ कु-तर्कहरु र मनपरी कुरा गर्नेहरु, आफ्नो सोचाई लाँद्न मात्र खोज्ने र पहिल्यै देखि आफू ठीक भएको अनि अरुलाई “हराउने” भन्ने मानसिकता हुनेहरुसँग म बहस गर्दिन, नभए मलाई फुर्सदमा ट्विटर, फेसबुक, चिया पसल, चोक, जता पनि अरुका कुरा सुन्न र आफ्ना कुरा राख्न राम्रै लाग्छ।

केहि दिन यता जनै पूर्णिमा र राखि पर्वको बारे केहि बहस सुनियो ट्विटरमा। केहि मानिसहरु जनै पूर्णिमा किन मनाउनुपर्यो भन्दै थिए, कोहि आफ्नो संस्कृती मनाएको जिकिर गर्दै थिए, कोहि राखी “हाम्रो” हैन, त्यसकारण मनपर्दैन भन्दैथिए, अरु मानिसहरु अरु कुराहरु पनि गर्दैथिए । मलाई पनि केहि भन्न मन लाग्यो।

पहिलो कुरा, म व्यक्तिगत स्वतन्त्रताको ठूलो पक्षपाती। म कसैमाथी संस्कृती थोपरिनुपर्छ भन्ने कुरामा विश्वास गर्दिन। मान्छे आफ्नो इच्छा अनुसार नेपाली, भारतीय, बङ्ललादेशी, जापानी, अफ्रिकाली लगायत सबै संस्कृती र धर्म मान्न स्वतन्त्र छ र हुनुपर्छ । मानिस आफ्नो इच्छा अनुसार नागरीकतै पनि बदल्न सक्छ, कुनै संस्कृती नमान्ने बन्न पनि सक्छ । वास्तवमा कसैलाई आफ्नो संस्कृती प्यारो लाग्छ भने उसले के बुझ्नुपर्छ भने त्यसको रक्षा अरुमाथी लाँदेर हुँदैन । कसैलाई आफ्नो संस्कृती त्यति महत्वपूर्ण लाग्छ भने उसले र उसको समुदाय आफैँले केहि गर्नुपर्छ, अरुले मानिदिनुपर्छ भनेर काम छैन ।

यसमा एउटा उधाहरण प्रस्तुत गर्न चाहन्छु: नेपालमा व्यक्तिगत स्वतन्त्रताको बारे निकै कम बुझाई, र प्रशस्त भ्रम र अस्पष्टताले गर्दा होला, बन्द हडतालहरु पनि जवरजस्ती गरिन्छन्। मैले देखेको छु, आफ्नो कामै छोडेर डाक्टर वा शिक्षकहरु हडताल गर्छन्। कसैलाई आफ्नो मागप्रति त्यति धेरै विश्वास र समर्थन छ भने त वास्तवमा उसले आफ्नो जिम्मेवारीको काम सकेर, साझँ समय निकालेर वा विदा लिएर विरोध कार्यक्रममा सरीक हुनुपर्ने हो। कार्यालय समयमा एकछिन बाहिर बसेर हो-हल्ला गर्यो, तलब पनि पाइहालिन्छ, विरोध गरेको जस्तो पनि भइहाल्छ- आहा कति सजिलो। तर सोचौँ- के त्यो मान्छेको साँच्चै आफ्नो मागप्रति लगाव छ त? छ भने उसले समय निकालेर, अलिकति कष्ट गरेरै भएपनि, र परेदेखि बरु बिदा लिएर विरोध गर्नुपर्छ- अनि न असली रुपमा त्यो स्वयंसेवि वा स्वस्फुर्त विरोध हुन्छ। नेपालमा विरोध, बन्द र अवज्ञा जस्ता सालिन विषयहरु पनि यति सस्ता र घृणित भएका छन् । आफ्नो विचार प्रति त्यत्रो निष्ठा छ भने परिआए तलबै छोडेर, पद नै छोडेर विरोध गरौँ न ।

त्यस्तै आफ्नो संस्कृती मनपर्छ भने सरकारले सो मनाउने पैसा देओस्, विदा देओस् भन्नेहरुले आफैँले आफ्नो संस्कृतीको माया गरेर देखाउन्। समुदायका सदस्यहरु आफैँले कमाएको पैसा दान वा चन्दा जम्मा गरेर साझा रुपमा चाड-पर्व मनाउन्, सम्बृद्ध बनाउन्, सहकार्य गर्न सिकुन्, इमान्दार हुन र सामाजिक हुने प्रयास गरुन्। घर बसेर सुति-सुति सरकारले दिएको विदामा २-३ कर्मकाण्ड पुरा गरेकोजस्तो गर्दैमा संस्कृतीको जगेर्ना हुँदैन ।

यस विषयमा केहि कुरा प्रष्ट पनि पारौँ। हो, दुनिँयाका धेरै देशहरुको आफ्नै इतिहास छ, परिचय छ। जसले जे भने पनि नेपाल राष्ट्र बनाएको यहाँका पहाडि शाषकहरुले हो। उनीहरुले आफ्नो र आफ्नो समुदायको रक्षा र विदेशीहरुसँग सुरक्षाको निम्ति यो देशको निर्माण गरे, बचाईरहे र धेरै मात्रामा विकास पनि गरे। नेपाल विश्वकै पुरानो देशहरुमध्ये एक हो, यसको आफ्नै मौलिक इतिहास र परम्परा छ। अवश्य नै, आधुनिक युगमा देशको प्रकृती बढिभन्दा बढि समावेशि र उदार हुनुपर्छ, तर यो ऐतिहासिक तथ्यलाई नजरअन्दाज गरेर नेपालको विकास मुश्किल छ। जर्मनीमा जर्मन भाषा र संविधान राम्ररी नजानि त्यहाँको नागरिकता पाईँदैन, पश्चिमकै अति-विकसित मुलुकहरुमा पनि जतिसुकै संख्यामा भएपनि कसैले चाहँदैमा दशैँमा सरकारी विदा हुँदैन। उनीहरुको सरकारले क्रिशमस र अङ्ग्रेजी नयाँ वर्षकै बेला लामो समय विदा दिन्छ । नेपालको पुरानो परिचय यसको हिन्दु र बौद्ध धर्मसँग सम्बन्धित भएको हुँदा यहाँका धेरै मौलिकताहरु माथि त्यसकारण अनावश्यक बखेडा गर्नु अघि यस्ता कुरा सबैले मनन गर्नुपर्छ ।

Dashain, Nepal (picture: soshgs.blogspot.com)

तेजसँग विश्वव्यापीकरण भइरहेको समयमा हिन्दी वा अङ्ग्रेजी चलचित्रको प्रभावले नेपालका राखी नमनाउने समुदायमा राखी लोकप्रिय भयो होला, वा देशैभरी भ्यालेन्टाइन्स डे बढि प्यारो भयो होला । तर हामीलाई मन नपर्दैमा यो रोकिन्छ त ? एकातर्फ हाम्रो मौलिक परिचयको विरुद्ध देशमा ठूलो डिजाइनसहित केहि वर्षदेखि प्रहार भइरहेको छ, नेपालको इतिहास, एकिकरणकर्ता, पुराना शाषकहरु, धर्म र चलनहरु सबैलाई जम्माजम्मी दुई-चार शब्दमै सिमीत गरेर बदनाम गर्ने सुनियोजित प्रयास चलिरहेकै छ भने त्यसको सामना चाहिँ नगर्ने, तर आफ्नो परिचयबारे हिनताबोधले ग्रस्त हुन बाध्य पारिएका नयाँ पुस्ताका सदस्यहरुलाई फेरी त्यहि गलत, दुष्मन र नराम्रो भनी प्रचार गरेको संस्कृती, धर्म र पहिचान नबचाएको भनेर आलोचला गर्नु कति जायज हो ?

यस्तो समयमा के गरेर आफ्नो संस्कृतीको रक्षा र जगेर्ना गर्न सकिन्छ त? पहिलो कुरा, समस्याका जडको रुपमा रहेका माथीको अनुच्छेमा उल्लेख गरिएका प्रवृतीहरुको डटेर सामना गर्ने र विरोध गर्ने। दोश्रो कुरा, आफ्नै संस्कृतीलाई प्रतिस्पर्धि पनि बनाउनुपर्छ, आफैँले केहि गर्नुपर्छ । जस्तै नेपालमा चलिआएका कतिपय चाडपर्वहरुमा विदा कटौती गरिएका छन् । कि त हामीले मान्नुपर्यो कि हाम्रा परिचयका केहि उत्सवहरु छन्, तीनको सबैले रक्षा गरौँ, सबैलाई विदा दिऔँ, विदेशमा क्रिशमसको गरेजस्तै । तर प्रबल सम्भावना छ कि दशैँ-तिहारमा विदाको प्रस्ताव गर्दा फेरी त्यहि माथिकै प्रवृतीको शिकार भएर, “खस-हिन्दु-शोषक-अहंकारवादिहरु” को चाड बहिष्कार गर्ने र बदनाम गर्ने सुनियोजित प्रयास झन् सशक्त हुनेछ ।

केहि कुरामा पनि सहमति हुँदैन भने यसो गरौँ न त: वर्षमा केहि दिन, जस्तै १०-२०-३० दिन सबैले आ-आफ्नो इच्छाले सांस्कृतिक-विदा लिन पाउने नियम बसालौँ र सबै सांस्कृतिक बिदाहरुको उन्मूलन गरौँ । मान्छेहरु आ-आफुलाई मन लागेको चाडपर्व मनाउन् । नेपालमा सबैभन्दा धेरै मानिसहरुले मनाउने चाडकै समय अधिकांसले बिदा लिन पनि सक्छन्, वा त्यहि समय नेपालमा घुमफिर गर्न मौसम निकै राम्रो भएकोले घुम्नको लागि बिदा लिनपनि सक्छन्। विस्तारै समाजले कम्तिमा केहि शिक्षा त पाओस्, एक-आपसबाट केहि त सिकोस् – के थाहा, पछि नयाँ विकसित त्यस्तो चेतनाको कारणले नेपालको संसदले अत्यधिक बहुमतले फेरी दशैँ-तिहारमै लामो बिदा दिने निर्णय गर्नेछ कि ? र त्यसरी स्थापित भएपछि समाजमा सो समय र चाडपर्वहरुको महत्व पनि निकै बढ्ने र विवादरहित हुनेछ कि ?

Holi, Nepal (picture: flickr.com/photos/fabulousfabs)

तर जे भएपनि अरुमाथि संस्कृती लाँद्ने भन्दापनि आफैँले केहि गरौँ। हाम्रा चाडपर्वहरुका इतिहास र महत्व, मनाउने तरिका आदिको बारे के-कति अनुसन्धानहरु भएका छन्, के-कति पुस्तकहरु छन्, कोहि विदेशीलाई जान्न मनलाग्यो भने के-कति सन्दर्भ सामग्रिहरु हामीले बनाएका छौँ? के होलीको बारे केहि जानकारी चाहिए विश्वका मानिसहरु भारतीय चाड भनेर मात्र यसलाई चिन्नेछन् कि हामीले विकिपेडियामा केहि लेखेका पनि छौँ ? आफ्ना चाड-पर्वहरु, हाम्रा फरकपनहरु र मौलिकताहरु सधैँ र सबैका लागी सुरक्षित र अभिलिखित रहुन् भन्नेमा हामी सजग र कृयाशील छौँ ? हाम्रा चाडहरु लोप भए भने भविष्यका लागि सबैले प्रयोग गर्नसक्ने वृतचित्र वा तस्विरहरु हामीले बनाएका छौँ वा छैनौँ? कि एकदिनको रमाइलो, सित्तैको विदा, बाटो छेकी जबरजस्ती पैसा उठाउने समय र तास खेल्ने मौकालाई अनावश्यक महत्व दिएर हामी संस्कृतीका पक्षपाती जस्ता देखिन चाहन्छौँ ? हामी स्पष्ट हुनु जरुरी छ ।

अन्त्यमा, नेपालको तराईमा राखी मनाइन्छ र होली पनि अलग दिन मनाइन्छ । उनीहरुले काठमान्डुमा पनि सो कायम गर्नु स्वाभाविक मात्र हैन, स्वागतयोग्य कुरा हो। चाहे हिन्दी चलचित्र वा टेलिसिरियलको देखासिकि गरेर होस् वा साँच्चै चाड मनपरेर होस्, ती चाडहरु मनाउन अरु पनि स्वतन्त्र छन्। बाकिँ रह्यो मानिसहरुलाई आफ्नो संस्कृतीको चिन्ता, र अरुको प्रभावले आफ्नो पहिचान ओझेल परेको गुनासो । अलि गम्भीर होऔँ, अरुले गरिदिएर आफ्नो संस्कृती बच्दैन, अरुलाई गर्न नदिएर पनि बच्दैन- आफैँले गर्नुपर्छ । एउटा सुझाव: कसैलाई आफ्नो चाडको अवहेलना भएकोमा चिन्ता लागेको छ भने अरुहरुसँग मिलेर एउटा राम्रो पुरस्कार-सहयोगको घोषणा गरेर उत्कृष्ट निबन्ध, फोटो-सङ्ग्र वा विकिपेडिया लेखहरुको प्रतियोगिता गराएर हेर्नुहोस् ।

नाङ्गो विदेशी हस्तक्षेप बारे नागरिकहरुको चासो

सौरभ, सुरेन्द्र केसी, रत्न संसार श्रेष्ठ, अजयभद्र खनाल, ध्रुबहरि अधिकारी लगायतका नागरिकहरुले आज एक वक्तव्य जारी गर्दै नेपालका प्रधानमन्त्रि र सबैभन्दा ठूलो पार्टीका अध्यक्षसमेत मुछिएको एक लज्जास्पद प्रकरण र उनीहरु समेत विभिन्न व्यक्ति र संस्था मार्फत नेपालमा हालैका दिनमा पराकाष्ठा नाघेको विदेशी हस्तक्षेप र असम्वेदनशिल भाषा-प्रयोग तथा कृयाकलापप्रति आपत्ति जनाएका छन्। यसबारे अरुलाई जानकारी दिएर सबैलाई सचेत बनाउने र डरलाग्डो षडयन्त्रका हिस्सा जस्ता देखिने यस्ता पात्र र घटनाहरुप्रति सबैलाई सजग बनाउन आग्रह गर्दछु।

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नेपाली नागरिक समुदायद्वारा सञ्चालित
राष्ट्रिय हित संरक्षण आन्दोलन
सरोकारवाला नागरिक तथा बौद्धिक समुदायका तर्फबाट जारी सरोकार वक्तव्य

साउन १५, २०६९ (जुलाई ३०, २०१२) । काठमाडौँ ।

नेपालको वर्तमान अस्थिर राजनीतिक संक्रमणका बेला नेपालका जिम्मेवार पार्टीका नेताहरूको आपसी कार्यगत एकताका आधारमा देशको घरेलु मामिला सुल्झ्याउने प्रयत्न गर्नुपर्नेमा सो नगरी हालैका दिनहरूमा बढ्दैगएको बाह्य शक्ति गुहार्ने प्रवृत्तिप्रति हामी सरोकारवाला नागरिक तथा बौद्धिक समुदाय अत्यन्तै चिन्तित छौँ ।

साथै, वर्तमान संवैधानिक तथा राजनीतिक संकटका कारण मुलुकको अस्तित्व नै खतरामा परिरहेको भन्नेजस्ता संवेदनशील अभिव्यक्ति दिने नेताहरुबाट नै तँछाडमछाडको शैलीमा विदेशी शक्तिको आड, भरोसा र आशिर्वाद लिने प्रवृत्ति बढिरहेकोप्रति समेत हामी गम्भीर आपत्ति प्रकट गर्दछौँ ।

नेपालको यस स्थितिको अनुचित फाइदा उठाउँदै छिमेकी भारतका विभिन्न नेता तथा आफूलाई भारतको कूटनीतिक एवं बौद्धिक समुदायको प्रतिनिधि भएको दाबी गर्ने केही व्यक्तिहरूबाट नेपाली समाज र नेपालको राजनीतिलाई दिग्भ्रमित पार्नेगरी सार्वजनिक अभिव्यक्ति दिने कार्यबाट हाम्रो राष्ट्रिय स्वतन्त्रता तथा सार्वभौमिकतामाथि गम्भीर आँच पुगेको प्रस्ट छ । यसको ताजा उदाहरणका रूपमा, हालै प्रकाशित ‘नेपाल इन् ट्रान्जिसन् : फ्रम पिपुल्स वार टु फ्राजायल पिस’ नामक अंग्रेजी पुस्तकमा प्रकाशित एक भारतीय व्यक्तिको विवादास्पद विश्लेषण एवं निष्कर्ष तथा अन्य विभिन्न नेता र पूर्वकूटनीतिज्ञका सार्वजनिक अभिव्यक्तिहरूलाई लिन सकिन्छ ।

उक्त लेखमा विवादास्पद रुपमा प्रस्तुत गरिएका खासगरी एकीकृत नेपाल कम्युनिष्ट पार्टी माओवादीका अध्यक्ष पुष्पकमल दाहाल ‘प्रचण्ड’ तथा उपाध्यक्ष एवं प्रधानमन्त्री डा. बाबुराम भट्टराईको मौनताप्रति हामी आश्चर्यचकित छौँ । हामी वहाँहरूलाई यसको वास्तविकता तत्काल सार्वजनिक गर्न अनुरोध गर्दछौँ जो हामी नेपाली जनताको सूसुचित हुनपाउने अधिकार हो ।

अन्त्यमा, नेपालको आन्तरिक समस्या समाधान गर्नका निमित्त विदेश धाउने तथा उनीहरूमार्फत हामीले नचाहेको अर्ती, उपदेश र निर्देशन दिने कुनै पनि विदेशी शक्ति तथा व्यक्तिको हामी घोर भत्र्सना गर्दछौँ ।

यो सरोकारवाला नेपाली नागरिक तथा बौद्धिक समुदाय हाम्रो आन्तरिक मामिलामाथि भइरहेको विदेशी हस्तक्षेप रोक्नका लागि यस आन्दोलनको सुरुवात भएकोमा गौरव व्यक्त गर्दछ ।

तपसिल
सुरेन्द्र केसी, अनारसिंह कार्की, हिरण्यलाल श्रेष्ठ, पेशल निरौला, बद्री नारायण गौतम, वासुदेव शर्मा, तुलसीप्रसाद गौतम, कुमार रेग्मी, गुरुराज घिमिरे, धनप्रसाद पण्डित, खगेन्द्रराज सिटौला, अशोक सिलवाल, स्वागत नेपाल, गोपाल पोखरेल, एकराज पाठक, युवराज गौतम, सन्ध्या कट्टेल, देवेश झा, पी खरेल, भोला पोखरेल, आनन्द सन्तोषी राई, रतिन्द्र खत्री, बुद्धिनारायण श्रेष्ठ, जीवराम भण्डारी, क्रन्दन चापागाइँ, गोपाल सिवाकोटी चिन्तन, बलराम कृष्ठ मानन्धर, नम्रता शर्मा, नीरा रञ्जित, अशोकमान वैद्य, राजन कुइकेल, रामनारायण देव, भरत बस्नेत, अजयभद्र खनाल, सौरभ, ध्रुबहरि अधिकारी, रत्न संसार श्रेष्ठ

 

Time to find Leaders for Nepal #L4N

Although politics should be a facilitator for progress, it has been the biggest roadblock in Nepal. Without clearing this roadblock, we will have to fight a very tough battle for economic progress. For how long do we have to carry the fear of a new era of dictatorship every few years? Till when do we have to take caution in writing and speaking, because of the fear of some draconian regime starting to crush dissidents? And for how long do we have to tolerate total negligence of business, trade, commerce, education, science and technology because we are supposedly going through “a very important political transition” ?

First things first- we can’t wait forever for “others” to do the work for us. It is time to take politics in our hands and change things.

Picture source: unknown