11 years of uncertain Nepal

The moment the news broke in the morning – still unbelievable how things unfolded, how things actually happened. Still remember running to the TV and switched on to Nepal TV which did not show anything till that time but BBC, CNN and all other foreign channel were flashing the breaking news – Nepal’s Royal Family massacred. “Massacred” was the word which I had heard umpteenth time in History class. But had hardly imagined, would be a living in the age of a real one. It was terrifying, in deed. The King, Queen, Crown Prince, Princess and Prince whom you had been seeing as the supreme of the country – whom you adored were no more – and at once. Was a total shock, for the entire nation and to some extent to the world!

It’s been 11 years since then. Where are we now? The uncertainty that increased after that fateful night has still not left the country. Yes, the insurgency was there, the poverty was there, the morons were still doing poor job in the government. But that very incident added a very deep level of  uncertainty – which eventually led to the abolishment of the monarchy – who thought of that happening in a country where people regarded King as the incarnation of Lord Bishnu. Abolishment of monarchy, for good or for bad, future will tell, but had the then Royal Family been around, probably monarchy would have still be flourishing.

During  the last years of the then King, the Royal Family had started becoming more open to the public – walking in the crowd of people in street festival, or taking a walk to their daughter’s  home or supervising the regional games personally, the Royal Family were getting more personal to the  public – and their popularity was increasing.

I wonder how the country would have been now – if they were still around. I wonder how they would have taken the social media thing. I wonder how the Crown Prince would have uplifted the sports sector. I wonder if the countrymen would feel more secure and certain. I wonder if the county would have been a better place to live. I really wonder.

Your Majesties, RIP!

“Ever cried for your country?”

An article written by Ban Whi Min few years back, then 15 years old student of Hankuk Academy of Foreign Studies, South Korea who came to Nepal for volunteering. This article is still very relevant to Nepal – in general scenario. So, just thought of sharing it.

“Nepalese complain about the caste system and corrupt officers. They openly vent their anger against the government. But have they ever thought About Nepal’s real problems? I believe that they have not. I want to say that Nepal’s real problems are lack of patriotism among the people and lack of love for one another. This is the conclusion I have reached during my stay. This summer, I did voluntary work from July 5 to July 30 at FHI Ever Vision School, Matatirtha, Kathmandu.

Let me first tell you about my country, Korea. This might help you understand my point. Just after the Korean War, which claimed lives of more than 5 million Koreans, Korea was one of the poorest countries in the world. Without natural resources, Korea had no choice but to desperately struggle for its survival by all means. Under this gloomy situation, Koreans envied other Asian countries like Japan, Taiwan, and Nepal. Korean government officials were horribly corrupt. With the dual classes of Yangban (nobles) and Sangnom (peasants), Korean society was sickening day by day. However, Koreans, having determination to become rich, overcame the unfair social structure and put the country onto the track of development. When the former president Park Jung Hee took over the government, there were few factories in Korea. Korea could not attract loans or expect foreign investments. Under these circumstances, President Park ‘exported’ miners and nurses to then West Germany. The salaries that they earned were used to building factories and promoting industrialization of Korea. In 1964, when President Park visited then West Germany, the miners and nurses asked the president when the Koreans would become rich. The president replied, crying with the miners and nurses, that someday the Koreans would become rich.

Many of Korean scientists and engineers, who could just enjoy comfortable lives in the United States, returned to Korea with only one thing in their mind: the determination to make Korea the most powerful and prosperous country in the world. They did their best even though their salaries were much less than what they would have received in other countries. The Koreans believed that they have the ability to change their desperate situation and that they must make the country better, not only for themselves but also for the future generations yet to come. My parents’ generation sacrificed themselves for their families and the country. They worked 14 hours a day, and risked their lives working under inhumane conditions. The mothers, who went to work in factories, fed their babies while operating machines in dangerous environments. They always tried to teach their children the true value of ‘hard work’. Finally, all of these hard works and sacrifices made the prosperous Korea that you see now. Nepalese! Have you ever cried for your country? I heard that many of Nepali youth do not love their Nepal. I also heard that they want to leave Nepal because they don’t like caste system, or because they want to escape the severe poverty. However, they should be the first ones to voluntarily work for Nepal’s development, not the first ones to complain and speak against their country.

I have a dream that someday I would be able to free the souls from suffering from the underdeveloped countries, anachronistic customs and the desperate hunger. My belief has become stronger than ever after seeing the reality in Nepal.

A child with a fatal disease who doesn’t have enough money to buy a pill; a child living in what seems like a pre-historic dwelling and not having the opportunity to receive education; and a student who cannot succeed, no matter how hard he studies, just because of the class he comes from. A society, in which wives not only take care of children but also work in the fields, while their husbands waste their time doing nothing; a society in which a five-year-old must labour in a brick factory to feed herself. Looking at the reality of Nepal, I was despaired, yet this sense of despair strengthened my belief. I already know that many of the Nepalese are devout Hindus. However, nothing happens if you just pray to hundreds of thousands of gods while doing nothing. It is the action that you and Nepal need for the better future. For Nepal and yourselves, you have to show your love to your neighbours and country just as you do to Gods. You know that your Gods will be pleased when you work for the development of your country and improvement of your lives. Therefore, please, love your neighbours and country. Teach your children to love their country. And love the working itself. Who do you think will cry for your Nepal? Who do you think will be able to respect the spirit of Himalayas and to keep the lonely flag representing it? You are the ones responsible for leading this beautiful country to a much brighter future. This responsibility lies on you.”

- Ban Whi Min

Join the page on Facebook

Rain!

Rain! whose soft architectural hands have power to cut stones, and chisel to shapes of grandeur the very mountains.

- Henry Ward Beecher

Federalism – Uniting or Breaking Apart?

Federalism is the hottest topic right now in the country.  10, 11, 14, ethnic, non-ethnic, one madhesh and what not are the most famous words in the newspapers these days. Well, Nepal has been a “Federal” Democratic Republic for almost 4 years now but we don’t have federations till now…nor do we actually have a democracy – with the top leaders extending their tenure with consensus, it actually can’t be called a democracy.

Anyways, since Federalism is such a hot topic at the moment, just wanted to write something on it. I was in middle level schooling when I came to know about the wider geography and political boundaries of the world and then came to know about the states in India and how Europe was trying to bring all the European countries together creating a confederation. These things used to interest me – could be unusual for a school goer but that’s how it was. And then, I used to compare it with my own country – divided in 5 development regions, 14 zones and 75 districts. We used to also study that the development in Nepal has not been able to reach outside Kathmandu. I used to think if we had states with governments, it might help! So, basically, I have been in favor of federalism since a (really) long time. However, I had actually never thought of having a caste based federalism.

The pros and cons of the various models of federalism are open for discussion – with everyone having their own logic. For me, the only right logic for federating the country would be to decentralize the development and progress activities. If enough power is given to the local bodies, we don’t even need states. Because if the will power is there in the leaders, development  is not far away. Also, federalism around the world has been done usually to bring together different independent states together to create a larger and powerful country – with the USA and India being examples. If we divide now, it will be a reverse process, actually. But even if we do, it should  be a sustainable model and not something that will create an internal conflict.

Having said that, Federalism should not be taken as breaking the country into pieces but as sharing the responsibility of building the ONE nation together – and not centralizing all the power in the capital. Let’s hope we have the right system in place on time.

Jai Nepal!

Quote of the week

Opportunities come when you make one!