| dukhi nepali |
Posted
on 26-Nov-01 02:16 AM
The Maoist problems have added more misery to the people. Those who already have power, money, position and what have you ---- earned through legal or illegal means in Kathmandu are only worried that that they will be inconvenienced by this ongoing problem. Some might even take the undue advantages of the situation to raise their income. Those who are plugged into the luxury and comfortable life in Kathmandu and major towns do not realize that how serious has been the situation in the country.
Let me walk you through my view of the history of forgiveness and amnesia:
We had the Rana regime that perpetuated chakari and the clan interest above the country. They built "bhawans" and "durbars" for themselves in their 100 plus autocratic regime. They hanged the people for demanding just rights. Nothing happened to those perpetrators after the 2007. Not only they kept all ill-earned property, they changed their tune overnight and prospered in post-2007. We still workship them. No punishment for their crimes.
Then came the much hyped Panchayat, mato suhaudo byawatha. Arbitrarily, one can say that the punishment for the bad governance of the BP government was its dismissal by King Mahendra. So many atrocities were committed during the Panchayat regime. Even with the total power in the hands of the government, we can see it today that what the Panchas claimed as develpment did not trickle down to the people. There was the carpet scandal, food scandal, deforestation scandal, overinvoincing scandal and many others. The food and medicines meant for the people were mishandled. Hardly anyone, anyone, went to jail. The embassys were used as the guest houses or shopping contacts for the priviledged ones. In other words, crores of public funds were looted in a daylight.
The Panchayati regime's last act was killing of the people on the eve of the democracy with LB Chand as PM. We don't know if anyone was made responsible for the killing of the innocent people. Instead, the same person, LB Chand became the PM again later and others from the same group served as ministers later. What a shame. Either there were no perpetrators or we conveniently forgot all about it.
Then we come to the era of Krishna Prasad and Girija Prasad. We must hold these two leaders responsible for the Maoist problems. More so on Girija because of his bad governance and non attention to the growing Maoist problems while remaining in power for a long time at various intervals. During his premiership, the country was plunged into one or the other scandal. Regardless of ability or competence, only the closest kith and kins were retained in the high leve government posts. Nepotism flourished to sky high. I do not think the history will treat kindly to these leaders for their bad governance and bickerings. I think the Nepalese people have given them far more respect and credit for their struggle for democracy but they have hopelessly failed in norturing democracy. They have badly failed to deliver the fruits of democracy to the people. It appears that the power hungry, self bickering communit leaders in UML and ML have offered nothing concreate as viable alternative to the NC.
The people are frustrated. Their expectations are shattered. There is visibly so much corruption going on in the government. The Ministers and parliament members have looked after their own interest by giving themselves more benefits, pension and Pajero, etc. Who is there for the people out in the village whose future is in dark. They have nothing to look forward to as far as the governement is concerned. In a situation like this, the Maoists thrive on. Our leaders must take the responsiblity for creating such a dangerous situation for the country.
Will the Maoists filfill their dreams? No. But it lures them to an alternative. An alternative that people are seeking as they are sick and tired of the succeeding governments in the past several years.
I don't think the Maoists way of killing would help the country go forward in any way. But then, who is responsible for all the mess?? May be we forgot all of it.
I only hope the Deuba government will act more responsibly in solving the Maoist problem. He must go to the root cause of it. Extreme poverty, feeling of hopelessness, illiteracy, corruption and nepotism in the government, bad governance, nothing to look forward to, etc., are some of the root causes that drive people to take extreme steps. It so happens that the Maoists are there to take advantages of this situation.
Does the government have an immediate term and long term plan to solve the Maoists problem? Killing for killing is only further going to divide the country.
The country is desperately in need of a leader with a vision, true commitment and common sense who can sacrifice himself to the betterment of the country and who can offer dreams and work vigourously towards making them come? Am I asking for a superman? Is it asking too much. No, definitely not. All it needs is full commitment and sacrifice from those who are in the public service.
|
| ashu |
Posted
on 29-Nov-01 07:52 AM
Dukhi Nepali wrote:
The country is desperately in need of a leader with a vision, true commitment and common sense who can sacrifice himself to the betterment of the country and who can offer dreams and work vigourously towards making them come? Am I asking for a superman? Is it asking too much. No, definitely not. All it needs is full commitment and sacrifice from those who are in the public service.
***********
Though I share the frustrations expressed by DN, I happen to DISAGREE
with his/her expected solutions.
If anything, my observation in Nepal is that: Too few Nepalis really give a damn
to make a difference around themselves. Everyone blames the politicians because that's the easiest thing to do.
And because we have a hard time celebrating the success of our peers and elders, we would rather sniff and snort and paint people in bad light and score cheap victories and NOT learn from the best among us, quietly doing good work.
What's more, people in Nepal honestly don't seem to believe that their little collective efforts, here and there -- step by step on an incremental way, ACTUALLY adds up to a big difference. Everyone here seems to wait for
some ONE BIG SOLUTION to all our problems.
People here give up too easily. They would rather complain about problems than devise solutions with multiple outcomes. Emotions run high easily, and fights
erupt over the stupidest of things.
Everyone, even educated Nepalis seems to be waiting for some leader to emerge from somewhere, possibly on a flying horse, and make all our lives better. Well, that's not going to happen.
From time to time, I meet decent folks who want to start their own political party.
I don't for a moment doubt their sincerity and even their passion for Nepal. But I doubt their ability to play the rough and the tumble game which is Nepali politics. I doubt their ability to stop being nice gentlemen and engage in, I suppose, bare-knuckle fights to be absolutely infuriating sons-of-bitches fighting for their valid principles.
I doubt their ability to devise effective strategies to push for their principles in ways that delivers results. I also doubt their ability to create strategic alliances with people vastly different from themselves, some of whom are going to be ugly, unsavory and khattam characters.
So the solution?
It's NOT going to come from the politicians.
It's NOT going to come from some leader out there with some vision.
It's going to come from people like you and me and other like us -- ordinary Nepalis
giving a damn, doing our job to the best of our abilities and being strategically fearless -- either as individuals or in groups -- about holding those in power accountable to us. Else, we will complain, complain and complain and never learn to take responsibilities for ourselves.
oohi
ashu
ktm,nepal
|
