Learning from the past experience: Implementing democracy in Nepali society.
By Nepali Bai
(UWB received this article in email)
The difference between pre- and post- 1990 is not the level of corruption, gentlemen, and corruption has actually gone down. Get used to it! Democracies all over the world have the same low opinion of their politicians that you have of yours. The difference is a free press, non-governmental watchdog organizations, investigative reporting, and an effective judicial system that puts corrupt politicians in jail and confiscates their property. I can’t wait till the mandate of the new government’s anticorruption commission is extended to cover the royal family, the palace secretariat, the army, and the police!
Ever since the Maobadis (Maoists) were prevented from participating in the 1995 elections and retreated into the far western hills of Nepal to begin an armed revolution to overthrow the monarchy, they have attacked multiparty democracy in favor of a one party communist state. How effect their propaganda has been will only be known when elections are held to a constituent assembly and we see the position delegates take on restructuring democracy in Nepal. Then we will know if they are committed to multi-party democracy or push for a one-party authoritarian state. The other parties have no one to blame for this but themselves.
The Congress Party, in particular, put the breaks on real social and political reform out of a fear of pushing too hard against the interests of the Palace and suffering a repeat of 1961 when King Mahindra arrested the government of B. P. Koraila and ushered in 30 years of repressive party less Panchayat Democracy. Koirala even resigned as Prime Minister rather than force a showdown with the Palace over control of the army. This time he will be forced to resign if he doesn’t! The party’s failure to enact their own promises to the people has made it all too easy for others to attack the very concept of Democracy.
During the past four years of Gyanendra’s attempt to return the country back to the old Panchayat Raj, the government controlled TV, radio, and print media, and the king’s hand picked ministers launched a non-stop attack on democracy in the name of “democracy” as it is always defined by dictators–meaningless elections to powerless posts under the control of the dictator, in this case the king of Nepal. The main charge has been corruption!
Corruption
To listen to the king and the official media over the past four years, you would conclude that corruption was invented by the political parties in 1990. After all, all government revenues were the personal property of the Shah kings from 1769 to 1845 and the government treasury was the private bank of the Ranas from 1845 until 1951 to spend on building private palaces and living a life style unimaginable to anyone else in Nepal. Any careful examination of the news media and the court records of the Panchayat era would lead one to believe that Nepal had one of the most corruption free governments in the world. During this same time, democracies around the world were arresting, trying in court, convicting and sending to jail, and confiscation the personal property of government officials by the thousands from the local postman to presidents and prime ministers. Generals and defense contractors, judges and police officers, lawyers and doctors, you name the position of power and authority, and if there was a story of corruption, the news media ran with it, corruption was investigated and the guilty went to jail.
A corruption reduction program is going to require at least the following:
1. A Freedom of Information Act. Full financial disclosure for any candidate for any office of public trust. Public hearings on all expenditures. A degree of transparency in all financial transactions that requires the publication of all government accounts with the right of citizens to challenge the accuracy of reported government expenditures in court.
2. Reduction in the Size of Government. Reduce the size of the government bureaucracy in half and use the money to double the salary of the remaining bureaucrats and then demand that they perform or get out. Where you now need ten signatures from officers in ten differences departments to open a tea shop, we need just one and a number clearly posted on the office wall for whom to call if there is even a hint of corruption. The other nine need to be retrained to do something useful and be sent out to the villages to do something good for once in their lives.
3. Qualifications and performance reviews. This requires clear job descriptions, verifiable proof of qualifications, and an equally clear line of authority and accountability for all decision making. We have to reverse the government hiring policy of the past 500 years and make it “it’s what you know, not who you know, stupid!”
4. Independent Judiciary. Qualified and astute judges who are above corruption are critical to enforcing anti-corruption laws. The election of district level judges who can be closely observed in court by the local community can quickly eliminate a great deal of bias and corruption. A mechanism for parliament to impeach zonal and Supreme Court judges will also be a deterrent to corruption.
The difference between pre- and post- 1990 is not the level of corruption, gentlemen, and corruption has actually gone down. Get used to it! Democracies all over the world have the same low opinion of their politicians that you have of yours. The difference is a free press, non-governmental watchdog organizations, investigative reporting, and an effective judicial system that puts corrupt politicians in jail and confiscates their property. I can’t wait till the mandate of the new government’s anticorruption commission is extended to cover the royal family, the palace secretariat, the army, and the police! Newspaper sales are going to soar and people are going to be glued to their televisions. I anticipate a huge jump in home deliveries of food as it will be impossible to detach the cooks from the TV!
United We Blog 
Comments
64 responses to “Trashing Democracy: Nepal Case Study”
Very good points Nepali Bai, that was a good read.
Well all that sound good just in words……Keep writing…..dont forget to write and one day you will forget who you actually were.
I say till we have Sun and moon on earth there is corruption in Nepal. Because we Nepalese are easy-go-lucky type. Deuba wanted his man to become Minister of labour so as to take advantage in Moon Drops Manpower. Sujata wanted certain police Officer to be posted somewhere lucrative and Sitaula wanted Basudev Oli,his relative dispite his bad record on repression on the Jana Andolan II, to be the Armed Forces IGP, shows that we are not abondoning the old habits.Is this revolution ?Is this the revolutionary Govt. ? They still do not know about the whereabouts of Sharad Chandra Shah and the like and do not have any guts to take action on PJT.
There is already a good “networking” in the pipeline for corruption. So what do you expect other than frustration within two months. I will tell you guys that after two months , people will start saying- “blood of 21 martyres and 5000 injured was wothless” and Barha Barsha Kukur ko Puchhar etc….
Mr Layman
enough is enough for tactical corruption techniques in nepal.
now, people are watching more carefully about the corruption and ” mai lau , mai khau , sukha sayal moj garu ” attitude.
should be their concrete evidence and not merely based on hearsay..
people don’t wait for the time consuming judiciary or whateva
people have just started giving ” instant verdict ”
look what happened to lumbini zonal hospital and everest nursing home.
we must remember ” justice delayed is justice denied ”
u may not agree but things are this way now, ain’t it ??
I agree with Bhunte ko babu. The corruption cases must be handed over to the People’s Court.
action speaks louder than words…..you may have the best rules….but those rules only apply to the common man……rest go scot free…loot free….try finding a job in the govt..u’ll be disillusioned pretty fast….
Hey fellow bloggers, are we not getting a bit too negative here? Nepali bai wrote a sincere article with his thoughts on tackling corruption. Do you just bitch and bitch all the time in this blog post? We all know what the realities are but will all this negativity really help?
The most important element is the attitude. If you do not change your attitude to others in the changed context, respect to others,like for government to completely change their behaviour on corruption etc.
Because they are the same people who came to power. Girija, Ram Sharan, Gopal Man, Oli, Sitaula etc. If they again gather their Bhajan Mandali and same Thekdaars and smugglers and rule the country, people go inside Baluwatar and “Finish” them.
They must think in a new way and rule the country.
Layman,
Sad but true! They have to make for the losses they suffered for last four years…
Nepali Bai has suggested whole lots of new reforms aimed at administrative mechanism. If suggestions for political and electoral reforms, along with administrative reforms, had been suggested, it would have been more comprehensive and elaborate.
As painting a fox with black spots does not make it a tiger, it may be too much of a difficult task for current politicians to implement these.
I think this is an article worth the ink so as to speak. A fact which has been evading these pages for some reason for a very long time.
Both extremes should be aware that democracies are self criticising and self correcting, and trying to make the most of it for political gain without review of oneself like the maoists is nothing but propoganda and facism.
Just as the King used the term democracy to attempt to go ahead with his own agendas, the maoists too use this term these days very loosely but albeit with less finesse.
It is therefore very crucial that people understand that neither of the two mean it or will attempt to understand it. However, it is easy to criticise it because among other things democracy assures us the freedom of speech whether based on fact or fiction. I am fraid this freedom will not exist in totalitarian governments who will only showcase their own mythical achievements and supress their real disastors.
I have read to often this attitude of “finishing them”. It is unfortunate that the state of mind of people in this country is that of anarchy, as we have witnessed all too often these days. Instead of taking the difficult route to change which will be more permanent, we choose the easy route of “finishing them”.
15 men on the ded man’s chest..
yohoho and a bottle of rum….
The defination of democracy is different for different people. Look at the examples below:
For the King: I will protect and consolidate democracy and human rights if you give me three years. I will conduct “free and fair” elections to the Parliament and put my Mandales in power through “my parliament”. My PM would be Kamal Thapa and I rule the country for long years till I die and hand over my power to “my able and good chraracter” son Paras. The people of Nepal will be happy and will make a great progress under this system in a speed DIN DUGUNA RAAT CHAUGUNA.
Maoists: The progress of all Nepalese is only possible through Prachanda Path. Beloved leader liked by all revolutionary people of Nepal Prachanda will be the Chairman of our People’s Revolutionary Government under which Nepal will progress like Democratic People’s Republic of Korea under late Great Leader Kim Il Sung.We will implement the polcy of great revolutionary leaders like Pol Pot. In our system, Khalasis and Khates will rule because we will kill all educated bourgoui people. That is the representative government of true oppressed people.
Political parties:
NC Girrija: I will put UML and all other smaller political parties into a ditch before I die. The Thekdaars, dalals and smugglers with whom I have good relations will continue to worship my only daughter whom I leave my power for the progress of future generations of Nepal.I declare that she has many good qualities of a true leader. If I am a
Nehru, she is the Indira Gandhi of Nepal.
UML, Makune: We are confused between King’s democracy and King in republic. We were always a confused lot. We have also Madan Path to follow. Madan Path is the only path which can lead to the golden futre of Nepal. We have future leaders of Nepal like Bamdev and Oli who can take care our “golden future” which originates at the Airport..
I do not want to go more to other parties. We all know that under Deuba what type of progress we would have.
I ask all here to choose which of the above democracy we will follow for our better future.
Why these people are spoiling democracy???Corruption will give people negative impact about the democracy, whereas democracy is the only option to run the country. We think these corrupted people like Sitaula needs to be removed immediately…without waiting for some time..
Grumble already started within a month what happened after 2 months..3 months and 1 year.
corruption is human invention, but what is surprising in Nepal is the fact that if someone did a corrupt or and criminal act, people knew about it and it was in the media but the government did not take action, in the opposite, such people were promoted because they distributed the booty.
Laxmi, that’s the Nepali way of dealing with corruption-turning a blind eye and promoting the main culprits. I think there are very countries where people like Girija and Bamdev would even have a political career left after such allegations were made against them during their rule. But in Nepal they get away scot free.
Talking big ideas, do not mean an thing in Nepal. Lets not act as Sunder Mani Dixit and his ilk’s- in the name of democracy they are hell bent on bringing a guided (by Maoist, of course) Anarchy. Hospitals are vandalized, a simple micro bus accident flares up into vandalism. Is this what people mean by democracy.
Democracy in itself is nothing,for democracy to succeed people must be empowered and fully educated, not the way of maoist indoctrination but in a manner that provides social values, undeniable rights, assumption of one’s obligation. Basically- Bill of Rights.
But sheparded Democracy ( by foreign countries)creates a problem which is the case in point in Nepal. No wonder in disguise of Democracy, maoism is making headway in Nepal.
Sansar-as per your own philosophy why are you posting on the web? You are all for ACTION and no talk, aren’t you? Go hit the streets-be true to yourself at least.
Brother Kirat,
Excuse me for assuming you a brother not a sister. For sister would not advise me to run a revolt. This does not mean I will not, if push come to shove definitely, you can count on that.
Being true means standing by your own principle, not be influenced, goaded, and coerced into thinking and acting as per the flavor of the day ( for you I suspect, it is not the country you are worried about, simply your paramount concern is Seven agitating parties & Maoist’s agenda). Therein lies the fault.
Now question of hitting the street- why do as unruly mob do. It is against my principle to burn tires, vandalize public property, and terrorize common man. Do not slot me. Do you think the only way a man can fight is through street, c’mon.
“I ask all here to choose which of the above democracy we will follow for our better future.”
None of them if we want a good future for our country.
From the list provided I would choose them altogether, because choosing just one is not democratic. Choose all together and democracy will be self correcting. Only problem is they have to agree to disagree in a democracy and not try and wipe each other out.
As far as Maobadi “danka” are there, Nepal won’t be developed.
Layman,
You have indeed summed up the thoughts of each actor in the Nepalese politics. Good work! Of course, there are many with lots of radical ideas who can criticize and belittle forever. But, what the heck, barking dogs don’t bite..
Is promoting and posting their relatives in money earning areas by Sitaula is democracy? Is bringing illegal gold by means of anyhow by Bamadeva is democracy?
They are the virus for our democracy. Now we can see all these viruses infront of our mass movement and leading the country. First we need a vaccince to remove them to bring real democracy.
Fanta,
Some in this forum have too much of intellectual capability to understand any real issue or malaise. They suffer from ‘analysis paralysis’ syndrome – analyzing to the extent that problem no longer remains a problem and it goes away or another problem gains priority. Best of luck since you will have to deal with heap load of criticism and further analysis.
Fanta,
Of course, they will call your idea as ‘idiotic’ ‘moronic’ and other classy terms just because (1) they cannot agree with you and (2) they have to prove they-have-done-it-all and they-know-it-all. That too in the name of being democrats of tolerant Nepal.
Hey Sansar why get prickly when you were the one who wanted action and not talk-you were the one who said talk was useless. So practice what you preach bro.
Value of a human life in Nepal:
Yesterday, one child died at the model hospital.His name was rajesh manandhar.His mother committed sucide three years ago. His father used to beat him everyday . He was nineyears old. In the news, there is no talk of another woman of his father. Once his father pushed him from the Third floor of the house. He was unconcious for four days. His father did not take him to the hospital but put him in a dark room for four days without any food or medicine.Some neighbours came to know about it and they brought him to the hospital. It was too late. His vital organs had already failed and he died yeterday after remaining in hospital for two/ three days.
His father was arreasted by police. Now he will be asked money by the police for dismissing his case. Some lawyers will meet his father and say that they will try to free him if he pays money to them. Some journalists will also meet his father and say that if he pays them, they will not write anything about him. Guys this is the true picture of Nepali society. Many children die like that. Many were sexually abused and used as child labour almost in each household in KTM.
Our political scenario is also the same as the fate of this child. Our new born Loktantra will also die this sort of untimely death if all our political leaders do not care and handle it delicately.
Dear Hombre Kirat,
You are pushing the right buttons, buddy. Talk is cheap, ain’t that the truth. You are not gonna make me a demogoge (similar to you know who) but action oriented (does not just imply tires burning, vandalizing, and terrorizing)for sure. Also, I ain’t in a hurry to run just because a hombre says a crow stole my ear. I am more than that.
there is a place called hell
have u been there my friend?
there is a place called heaven
have u been there my friend?
..the answer is blowin in the wind
Long live Secular, Democratic and Open Republic of Nepal.!!!!
FCK World Hindu Federation!!!
FCK Shiva Sena!!!!
FCK Communist Dictatorship!!!
saint, talk is cheap we all know. But only a fool would come to a forum like this and dimsiss other peoples thoughts as cheap talk and demand action. What the..? All you are going to see in this forum is talk, that’s what it is for.
I will personally assinate that son of biach who tries to turn back nepal into a Hindu state!!!
Rosan Kancha, First learn to spell “assasinate” before you go gung-ho with an AK-47 trying slaughter a cow for a steak dinner to prove yourself “secular”, buddy!
Here are a few lines from Leonard Cohen’s “Everbody Knows”….
Everybody knows that the dice are loaded
Everybody rolls with their fingers crossed
Everybody knows that the war is over
Everybody knows the good guys lost
Everybody knows the fight was fixed
The poor stay poor, the rich get rich
That’s how it goes
Everybody knows
What a nice poem ? Everybody knows everything. Nobody knows everthing.Nobody knows anything.Nobody knows nothing. Go to heaven and meet ROOP CHANDRA BISTA, great philosopher of Nepal. He said “THAHA CHAHIYO”.
Hye RisingSon,
By the way i really love beef steak.
Hye RisingSon,
Lets go for to the Ruth’s Chris. they have some great steaks specially the T-Bone one.
the one who knows that he knows nothing knows most
I didn’t realize there were so many older people here: Dylan, Leonard Cohen, great stuff! I think it’s “assassin” FWIW.
What’s the latest on the nursing home situation? Is this the way things are going to be handled from now on–by violence?
Vandalize hospitals, vandalize everything else……I don’t see democracy bringing anything good if this sort of thing goes on. The government better get down to setting some order first.
Rosan, I thought you’d go for the ribeye or a filet mignon!
Yeah, what’s up with this mob rule? Vandalizing and disrputing things wihtout letting the rule of law take its course.
This is what you’d expect in a land where the new power that be,namely,SPA, is cuckolded by the Maoists!
Bideshi,FWIW,I think you are quite perceptive!
May be it’s because you’ve been living in Bidesh for quite a while now!
Bidesh, for somebody who seems to appreciate good poetry and songs…
One of my favourites…
Don Mclean’s tribute to one of the greatest artists ever…Vincent Van Gogh!
Vincent….Don McLean
Starry, starry night.
Paint your palette blue and grey,
Look out on a summer’s day,
With eyes that know the darkness in my soul.
Shadows on the hills,
Sketch the trees and the daffodils,
Catch the breeze and the winter chills,
In colors on the snowy linen land.
Now I understand what you tried to say to me,
How you suffered for your sanity,
How you tried to set them free.
They would not listen, they did not know how.
Perhaps they’ll listen now.
Starry, starry night.
Flaming flowers that brightly blaze,
Swirling clouds in violet haze,
Reflect in Vincent’s eyes of china blue.
Colors changing hue, morning field of amber grain,
Weathered faces lined in pain,
Are soothed beneath the artist’s loving hand.
Now I understand what you tried to say to me,
How you suffered for your sanity,
How you tried to set them free.
They would not listen, they did not know how.
Perhaps they’ll listen now.
For they could not love you,
But still your love was true.
And when no hope was left in sight
On that starry, starry night,
You took your life, as lovers often do.
But I could have told you, Vincent,
This world was never meant for one
As beautiful as you.
Starry, starry night.
Portraits hung in empty halls,
Frameless head on nameless walls,
With eyes that watch the world and can’t forget.
Like the strangers that you’ve met,
The ragged men in the ragged clothes,
The silver thorn of bloody rose,
Lie crushed and broken on the virgin snow.
Now I think I know what you tried to say to me,
How you suffered for your sanity,
How you tried to set them free.
They would not listen, they’re not listening still.
Perhaps they never will…
Soon Prachanda will be telling Girija when to shit and when to eat!
Maoists are terrorists, satans, killers, dacoits.
hey now i know why the ill mannered people wanted to make nepal a secular state,
to have a sizzler of cow meat…………………………………………………..
oh my god……….don’t dare to eat ur mom
Kiratji,
you really want me off this site, don’t you? Speaking of “thoughts…,” I seriously doubt what you spew out really matters in any case. But I uphold freedom of expression- you can banter all you like and even get yourself hung, dried and quatered for all I care. But speak with reason & semblance of intellect, not just make yourself cheap and awfully light weight.
Democracy does mean respecting other’s right not infringing on it. So quit advising me to get off this blog or any other. Y’hear.
sansarji, please stay on this site to your hearts content. I just wanted to make the point that this is a forum for discussion not a place where you will find ACTION.
Kiratji,
Is discussion end in all or does it lead to action? Answer me, please
sansarji, the sincere hope is that it will lead to action. But looking for action on this blogsite is like looking for a dry spot in the middle of a swimming pool-it’s pointless. The only thing you will find here is dicussion.
Got quite apprehensive after I got this from a friend, read on.
I write this with Urgency:
Recent meeting held in New Delhi (India) participated by politicians, reporters, and people like Devendra Raj Pandey has been disclosed as a meeting to discuss the modalities of making Nepal similar to Bhutan. The attendees of this meeting even after returning from India have not stated their intent and reason for this meeting. Even a senior leader like Mr. Narayan Man Bichuke have spoke against and declined to attend it by saying, I will not be a party to ” selling of a nation.” Why this is not reported in general newspapers, for all Nepali. Is there a conspiracy by these so-called-leaders to sale our beloved Nepal to India under the pretext of Democracy and Loktranta.
I urge all Nepali to fight this till the end. Ask yourself, are we so desperate, unable, and unpatriotic to let others dictate, pressure us, and mould us as they see fit. Is there no sense of duty to our nation? sense of love and patriotism left in us? Why should we accept agenda that is not in the interest of Nepal and Nepali- why be blinded by call for Democracy even if we lose the nation to foreigners.
Rise up people, time is running out. I say this, not to create confusion, THIS IS THE FACT and ask anyone of many participant who were there attending meeting to sale Nepal. I say once again-time has come to defend Nepal before it is too late.
Overkill-it is not reported in the newspapers because it is crap. I guess your next line will be Raja aau, desh bachauu, huh?