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 Change what?
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Posted on 08-08-11 8:50 AM     Reply [Subscribe]
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www.parakhi.com/blogs

Change what?


  

 

“What’s in a name?” asked the Bard, and answered it saying a rose called by as any other would still smell the same. I sometimes wonder what difference will it make whether we call Nepal, just Nepal, or the proposed Federal Democratic People’s Republic of Nepal, or the old Kingdom of Nepal. What difference will it makes on the lives of the people of Nepal? For that matter what difference does it make if we replace one system with another, but the new system refuses to bring in the expected changes in peoples lives?

 

Consider the political changes that have taken place in Nepal in the last 60 years. From an autocratic Rana regime, to a brief period of democracy, to a party less Panchayat system, to a constitutional monarchy with multi party democracy to a federal democratic republic, we have changed many systems, and yet the lives of a majority of the people remain more or less the same. Leaders have come, promised and gone. But the people have not had any respite from the abuse of authority and system by the powerful and accessed, from poverty and lack of basic health services, from leading undignified lives as slaves, from being denied education, and even being denied the right to be treated with respect.

 

They promised us that if we overthrew the then system and established a new order we would get everything, all the freedom we wanted. And yet now, the common Nepali does not even have access to education, clean drinking water, basic health and the list goes on. The only service that seems accessible, with failed connections, is communications services, and specifically mobile phones. And yet there are rumours of the largest corruption occurring in the telecom sector.

 

Is it the system that has failed us? Or were they individuals? Every system is created over certain specific periods in history, in line with that societies cultural, historical, traditional rules and laws. And yet it is also that the same society slowly changes, amends, corrects, those laws that hold the system together. However when attempts are made to reach point C directly from point A, bypassing point B, the society does not learn the lessons required to survive in point C, after having lived in the security and comfort of point A. And is that not what Nepali society is trying to do? By giving a child more freedom than is necessary at that age, the parents ensure that the child becomes a stubborn individual that does not want to listen to anyone else.

 

There is nothing wrong in trying to catch up with the rest of the world if we can run and catch up with them. But to say that we must catch up with them and refuse to run that extra mile is like going fishing without the bait.

 

As much as I believe in the freedom and liberty of individuals, I also believe that inorder for a collective to progress the individuals within the collective must be equally responsible, committed, and ready to sacrifice. This leads me to my next question. Are we ready to embrace democracy?

 

Looking at the way the political parties are running the government, the business entrepreneurs their industries, the operation of schools, hospitals, colleges, the day-to-day activity of the citizen, there is an unwillingness in me to accept that Nepal is truly ready for democracy.

 

A democratic system is effective as long as the individuals within that democratic system respect democracy and commit to not just demand their rights but also fulfil their responsibilities towards the society. In my personal humble opinion, we are not fulfilling our responsibilities, no not yet.

 

Is there anyone among us who has violated a traffic rule and when approached by the traffic police, defended our actions, used an excuse, and pleaded to be let go? How many of us can make wise informed choices when extremist mindsets use nationalism as a means to get even with apparent expansionists? How many of us can actually refrain from the rampant consumerism, a characteristic of the capitalistic society, that will eventually lead to a downfall? We can’t not help hoard fuel in times of crisis. We don’t remember to turn off the radio or tv, or means to use less electricity but we can shout about load shedding and blame the government. We can’t not afford to put in a good word for “afno maanche” to get that scholarship or that job, and yet we cry for equality.

 

Gone are the days when rest houses or pati-pauwas were made so travelers could have a spot to rest, free of charge. Gone are the days when the guests were really gods, and treated with generosity and respect. This is a time of market economy, where we have been turned into rampant consumers and compelled to run the rat race to live a dignified life.

 

Before we boasted of “unity in diversity” now we are seeking disunity through diversity because apparently the same communities we shared our lives with in the past, now have specific cultural, traditional, and lingual characteristics that are different from mine and require me to identify myself as this, and you as that. While we forget the wisdom of the ages, the spirituality that was attributed to the orient, the philosophy that said, that all humanity was the same. Our sufferings are the same, and therefore our ultimate goal should be to a good human being above all else.

 

How many different systems will our political leaders pour on us before we realize that we have changed enough systems, but not managed to change ourselves? What a change we have brought on to ourselves.

 

Kaziba is a Nepali who dreams of conquering the world every night, but ends up waking every morning in the same prison.

www.parakhi.com/blogs



 


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