#Nepals fleeting moment of optimism - #Nepals constitution seems destined for a futile conclusion. Good reportage but with some technical errors; nonetheless, the point that constitution destined for a futile conclusion is accurate... Two factors lie at the heart of the chronic political dysfunction. First is the lust for power, and bitter rivalry, among the small club of party leaders. A big reason that the constitution - first scheduled to be complete in 2010 - still hasnt been written is that they have been far too concerned with toppling a series of governments in order to enjoy another brief stint in office themselves. The second factor is to do with different visions of Nepali nationalism, specifically the struggle either to replace or preserve a sense of national identity that was given its present form in the 1960s. (while the first is superficial, the second is the core issue) The centralised state system has entrenched the dominance of upper-caste Hindus, and this can be reversed by a federal system designed to partly reflect the traditional homelands of other groups (Read indigenous peoples and Madhesi minority). It is a demand to secure what they believe is their rightful place in the nation. What is obvious now (and has been pointed out by world leaders from Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India to the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon) is that only a compromise acceptable to all major political forces will produce a viable constitution. Reinstituting the old days, before new demands were raised, will not prevent future confrontations.
Posted on: Mon, 26 Jan 2015 05:45:05 +0000
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