- Govinda Neupane
The New Nepal has become a different Nepal. This different Nepal is a republic. This republic pardoned former monarchs and their cronies, corrupt political leaders, wrong-doing bureaucrats and dreaded criminals. So, all of them are having a field day. The former monarch is roaming around dreaming that one fine morning he could reclaim over his previous throne. The shady leaders have been projecting themselves as the Messiah of New Nepal. They occupy all high positions existed legally. Even, they have arranged strange entities such as High Level Political Mechanism and have been parading everywhere showing luxurious political clout. The criminals have been pardoned as many of them all of the sudden converted themselves as cadres of ruling political parties. Many among them purchased their political affiliation by paying good price to the leaderships. So, day-dreaming, corruption and crimes have become the ruling ideology of the superstructure of New Nepal. Hence, full blown anarchy, ailing national economy, confrontational social relationships and all pervading black marketing and profit-pocketing by several layers and types of politico-business tycoons and their stooges have been hitting hard at the backbone of New Nepal. Similarly, the commoners in the new republican order are also experiencing the heat. Acknowledging this nonsense as the sad side of the story, in this essay, I will share my exploration on fundamental positive change that has been taking place at the grassroots and at national level in many areas.
The series of movements and strategic initiatives including the Arya Samaj movement, pro-democracy movements, Jhapa movement and decade-long Maoist people's war contributed significantly in the process of grassroots awakening. The same movements and initiatives also contributed to break several chains of exploitations and injustices, which had been preserving unjust socio-economic and political structures, order and hierarchies. A different grassroots of New Nepal has emerged as a result of many socio-political factors including the initiatives that created common community wealth and greater facilities. Similarly, at national level, the people and the nation have erected some important milestones. Hence, it would be relevant to talk about the contributing factors and their impact on the larger society, though briefly.
Silent social revolution
Without any hue and cry, people at local levels tried to insert new values, which, on the long run, replaced the value system that existed for centuries. A Brahmin boy got married to a Dalit girl and he was thrown away from the village. It was difficult to adjust with but they survived. This event was a clear break with the past. Slowly, such events were replicated all over Nepal. This new trend had major contribution in breaking the untouchability myth. Hundreds of undocumented events including the struggle of Dalits to get rid of untouchability and to get justice and equality created the platform. And, the state was forced to declare untouchability as crime. But, the forceful implementations of such arrangements were only possible when education offered new information and the paradigm of the people particularly that of youths shifted. Now, they have generally (though not fully yet) regained respect in the society after several centuries. Similarly, the oppressed nationalities have individually and collectively tried for several years to get recognition of their rights and equal place in the society. Now, they have attained a level from where realization of their goals is not far away. Several women including Yogmaya and Dibya Koirala either through religious reform movements or by spreading facilities to educate women took part in the emancipation process of women. These acts of silent revolutions contributed most meaningfully to provide the foundation to change the society. During the ten years of the Maoist people's war, the process was shortened as they revolutionized the thought processes and the behaviors of the masses. So, the village Nepal is quite different than the village Nepal of ten years back. The same is applicable at grassroots level in urban Nepal. Although, the grassroots is not egalitarian as such, neither it is free of social prejudices against Dalits, women and oppressed nationalities, but it is uniquely different. Now, no power could prevent it from saying "good bye" to untouchability, gender stereotypes and socio-political exclusion of oppressed nationalities. The forces of change have been proceeding forward and their march is fast and irreversible. This is really a New Nepal in making at the grassroots.
Chains of mass movements
The new political journey initiated by the idealist youths of Prachanda Gorkha (the very first political party in Nepal that survived just for some months) has created several milestones to reach the level that of today. Among the movements, the anti-Rana movement, pro-democracy movements (1947 onward), Jhapa movement and Maoist movement contributed more in the process of mass awakening, but the major role have been played by several small local level mass uprisings. Some of these uprisings had a class nature such as the very first industrial workers strike in Biratnagar Jute Mills (1947) and Gaur peasants struggle (1950). The same could be seen in social arena like oppressed nationalities' movement such as the Kirat rebellion in Majhkirat (1908) or that of Dalits such as the struggle launched to establish their right to enter inside Pashupatinath temple (1954) or that of student's Jayatu Sanskritam struggle (1947). These struggles erected several milestones in the process that played significant role in detaching the future from its past. They developed and disseminated a strong message that a new Nepal is in making. May be, several small local level uprisings did not last long, but they deeply impacted on the socio-political landscape of the area. The synergy generated through their impacts accelerated the process of substantial change in the larger society.
Emergence of the critical mass
Expansion of formal educational facilities, non-formal education activities, cooperative movements, community level project implementation mechanisms, user groups and several small scale participatory grassroots mechanisms had created the environment, where people started to question, tried to search for probable answers and more importantly moved away from subordinate frame of mind and became a part of valuable critical mass. The recognition of plurality of values, belief systems, social norms, community behaviors and social relationships opened the horizon for interactions, quantitative reformation and qualitative change. Hence, the society has been passing through several acts and activities of continuous renewal. Thus, it has provided opportunities to expand the critical mass and helping it to be more informed, reasonable, logical, confrontational and resolute.
New information highway and ever-expanding communication networks
Newspapers, radios including FM stations and television channels played one of the most important roles not only in disseminating information and building knowledge base in several areas but also they helped people to move out of the mindset primarily confined to feudal attitudinal frame. Gradually, they have been moving towards open attitudinal space. Now, they know how the affluent sections of their society live. Hence, they have the opportunity to compare between two types of livelihoods and lifestyles. This has exposed them to different type of reality. This exposure enabled them to set new life goals on one side and also it empowered them with information to direct their efforts to attain those goals by mixing confrontational and capability building approaches, simultaneously. The telephone network and other communication facilities are integrating societies more closely and hence, more united actions could be seen in several fronts that include but not limited to new initiatives, common interest actions, joint acts, issues/events based struggles etc. The means of information dissemination, knowledge building and attainment of relaxation/entertainment have offered more comfortable space and livable environment.
Expansion of facilities
Whether be it formal education institutions or health facility service centers or business enterprises or community level service delivery mechanisms; the number, size and capacity of such facilities have increased many folds. The airports, highways and road networks have connected places and people and provided infrastructural base for the feeling of oneness among people of several different regions. These transportation infrastructures have also expanded the market for products and services. Although, there is power cut for more than 12 hours daily during dry season, the fact is that Nepal produces more than 600 megawatts of electricity (2009). This is not enough, but the foundation is ready to move fast to generate more.
Emergence of new social contract at the grassroots
The annual labor contract system between the peasants and agriculture workers in the rural areas has gone through a sea change. The system of an agricultural worker attached to a certain peasant or a landlord is no more in practice in eastern and central Nepal and in western Nepal too such systems like Kamaiyas, Haliyas and Kahmlaris are disappearing fast. It may not continue for long. This is one major contribution of the left movement in Nepal. Similarly, the changes in tenancy system and providing rights to the tenants have freed them from evicting whenever the landowner wished so. Though, exploitation and unjust relationships are still prevalent in the society, the new system of social contract has been emerging very fast with a clear goal of establishing a just and egalitarian society. It may not radically transform the society just through evolutionary change, but it has been building foundation to realize the goal through revolutionary means.
Labor migration and remittance economy
Many youths from rural areas even from remote parts are daring to travel to the places they have not heard about. Neither they know the language nor they are familiar with the culture there nor do they be sure what type of job they will get and how much money they could earn. Even, they do not know to complete the embarkation/disembarkation forms. Still, they ventured particularly to Gulf countries, Malaysia and South Korea. Some of them have gone to Israel and Cyprus. A few could be found in Japan. And, many travel to several parts of India. Their number is not exactly known but that could be more than 2.5 million. They are sending money home and that is estimated around a trillion in Rupees every year. They did not only go out and send money, but also helped to take out excess workforce from agriculture creating fairly reduced supply of labor in that sector of economy. The demand and supply mechanism created some positive change in rural wage system. Now, the labor gets more. Though, it has increased the price of agricultural produces but it is only fair if the agriculture workers get more wages. This way, the rural folks are getting inward remittance regularly and their living standards are improving. The children of migrant workers are enrolled in schools, in some cases in better schools. Hence, rural livelihood mechanism has been changing and the national economy is getting breather in times of senseless anarchy.
Professionals and experts
The experts in certain fields and professionals in many areas could be found working in several parts of the globe. They are with United Nations and its system agencies, multilateral organization, international business enterprises, universities and research centers, aid agencies including international non-government organizations and expert services caterers such as famed fashion designers, mountaineering instructors etc. Outside the country, they are Nepal's goodwill ambassadors and when they come back home, they bring unmatched expertise. Even inside Nepal, we have some world class professionals. In this way, slowly but steadily, Nepal is moving forward.
Conclusion
It would be helpful to examine the objectiveness of the above analysis by comparing the deference using some indicators. Hence, a few basic indicators below could be quoted for this purpose.
a. Nepal during 1960-1970
Life Expectancy at birth (1960): 38 years
Adult Literacy Rate (1970): 13%
Under 5 Mortality Rate (per 1000, in 1960): 297
b. Nepal during 1980-1990
Life Expectancy at birth (1987): 52 Years
Adult Literacy Rate (1985): 26%
Under 5 Mortality Rate (per 1000, in 1988): 197
Real GDP per capita (ppp in 1987): US$ 720
HDI (1990): 0.273
http://hdr.undp.org/en/media/hdr_1990_en_indicators1.pdf
3. Nepal during 2000-2010
Life Expectancy at birth (2007): 66 Years
Adult Literacy Rate (2007): 56.5%
Real GDP per capita (ppp in 2007): US$ 1049
HDI (2007): 0.553
http://hdrstats.undp.org/en/countries/country_fact_sheets/cty_fs_NPL.html
Human Development Index (HDI) has doubled in 2007 (0.553) compare to 1990 (0.273). Similarly, Adult literacy rate too has jumped more than four fold in 2007 (56.5%) compare to 1970 (13%). Life expectancy has gone steadily up from 38 years in 1960 to 52 years in 1987 to 66 years in 2007. Per Capita real GDP (PPP) also has increased from US$ 720 in 1987 to US$ 1049 in 2007. Although, it is not that much, still the over all trend is positive. Hence, despite Nepal being under despotic regimes or 'democratic' anarchies, the progress mentioned above is not small. Moreover, during the decade starting 1996, Nepal was in unprecedented turmoil and upheavals primarily caused by the Maoist-led people's war. Nepali economy and infrastructures had been on constant pressure that included damage of common wealth created already. Overcoming such difficulties and getting some good marks is an achievement for which Nepali people could feel proud.
Nepal has three limitations in regard to its way forward. First, Nepal has the governance problem. No mainstream political party commands the respect of people. Their politics of deception and their acts, which revolve around their petty interests, have injured the nation, dangerously. Second, in both areas, in creation of wealth, Nepal is not in optimal level and in distribution of created wealth justly, Nepal fares badly. Third, in comparison to nations, which were generally in the same situation in 1960, Nepal's pace of change and its overall development have lagged far behind. Therefore, Nepal is in great need of the politics of transformation, which has a blend of progressive ethics, values, characters, hopes, visions and commitment to cause. Also, Nepal very much needs political, social, economic and organizational instruments, which could lead Nepal in creation of wealth. This wealth could be meaningful skills, physical facilities, organizational infrastructure, intellectual capacity, technological capability or simply that could be production of enough goods and services. There should be appropriate mechanisms, polities and practices that ensure basic equality, equity and justice in distributing the wealth that has been or would be created. Nepal could catch up with the nations, which reached ahead of it today, if it could create synergetic effects of these two factors. Also, identifying correctly its strength base, setting priorities right and channeling entire national energies to drive the nation forward are equally important. Certainly, in this course of all inclusive transformation, the roadblocks should be cleared. A progressive, compassionate, just, shining and ever-renewing New Nepal could and should emerge, if initiatives, endeavors and enterprises prosper.
April 07, 2010
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