Power Social Forces Shaping Nepal

This is a special guest post from former GPPW intern Saurav Raj Pant, originally posted on Glocal Khabar.

The day has gone, when herd of adult males are literally forced to be ‘exported’ to join British & Indian Army squad to work as a ‘surrogate’ army, letting them make no other choices of life. But, now adult males have choices to work and so do women. The passport (1960-1990) was kept under the ‘toe of regime’ and media was strictly regulated. Political forces were black-listed and individual political opinion was like a ‘fairy tale’.

Nepal has always been cut off and often under tug of war —–historically perceived ‘legitimate’ power to rule in Nepal & new force of intellectualism unilaterally working to make Nepal, free from family dictatorship to enable her under excellent functioning of democracy. Nepal’s post-1950’s scenario can be described as above.

Nepal’s new IT generation is making the things happen in a newer way—-not a proverb like ‘New wine in old bottle’. For the instance, how the things are working? I have visited one of the cafes in Kathmandu —— (Kathmandu, capital of Nepal) to know how youth are thinking in this entirely new global sphere (growing Asiatic age) and after newly promulgated constitution of Nepal.

I found out — Empowerment, Internationalism and liberal thinking are flourishing in an unprecedented way among Nepalese youth. The clout of an international thinking is growing among youth. During my encounter with 20-25 years of youth, their ‘epicenter’ of thought was — Nepal has long been ruled in a traditional way, utilizing traditional code of conducts, values and acts. Youth thinks that, in an entirely growing international atmosphere, Nepal must sell ‘water melons’ that she thinks appropriate. Meaning, Nepal should immediately build alliances with foreign country, to pave the way for economic boom.  The discussion further went ‘hot’ when one of the participants, Mr. Bidur Dhungana urged, how global economy is guiding global politics since 1970’s. And he further added that, Nepal should follow the path of economic expansion. He even emphasized that, “Empty stomach can’t chant the song of nationalism”.

Supporting Mr. Bidur’s version, yes it is a neo-reality of current world and one’s should think in an economic way, one of my statuses in Facebook, related to Nepal’s economic boom referring to ‘Indian economic embargo to Nepal’ issues was shared fairly (14 times) among colleagues. This sharing shows, how youth are thinking in a current environment (though, it is a very few shares, still it gives some insights).

Do you know why Mr. Modi ignored us during Facebook HQ live chat? He is on the voyage for Digital India Campaign- mammoth campaign to connect rural India’s through Digital Connectivity. And, do you know, why Mr. Zuckerberg, ignored our questions (as he did not public it to Mr. Modi)? He is on the voyage to expand his business in India among 1.25 billion populations through his magnum opus, Internet.org project. So, both are on a business deal. Where is India now? World’s third biggest economy and we are among the Asia’s poorest countries (0.03% GDP shares to the world). India is countering its seat for UNSC and Nepal is still trying hard to get out from LDC list. So, let us brainstorm for economic boom rather to debate on ‘India’s intervention’ in Nepal. If anyway we had thought it before, Kathmanduites would have never been under such ‘oil, food and necessity’ trap. Tweak the tweet ‪#‎BackOffIndia to ‪#‎BoominNepal

The other participant during my debate was—Mr. Samaya Lama 23, studies Political Science who urged the importance of Politics and role of leaders in changing the country.  He adds, “Nepal now cannot ignore the world affairs, primarily Nepal’s foreign policy was based on non-aligned movement. But at current, Nepal needs to rethink her foreign policy”.  He even urged, Nepal’s backwardness is also due to external factors, meaning Nepal should work in an international environment”.

Nepal got its new constitution on Sept, 2015 after 8 years of thundery struggle among various sections.  The newly promulgated constitution brought new hopes and energy but followed by perceived 4 months long ‘Indian economic embargo’ to Nepal—cutting off essential fuel supplies—–not letting everyone be known what had actually happened in New Delhi and in Kathmandu’s leadership circle. It is one of the ‘vacuum’ periods in Nepal-India relationship.

Anti-Indian sentiment (aka, perceived in Nepal as the purest form of Nepalese Nationalism) was the ‘SMARTLY’ planned propaganda by the then Nepalese divine power. Such, misled developed Nepal vulnerable to, 7 RCR’s geopolitical battlegrounds. The situation got even molten and now Nepal’s Haves & Haves-not is alienated into different factions, profoundly out of the access of Nepalese public, Katmandu’s ruling class and even New Delhi; constructed vacuum in Nepal.

This time amusingly, Delhi agitation to Nepal was, what Delhi believes—–Nepal is playing a ‘Chinese Card’.  Some notions suggest, India is continuously observing, current promulgated constitution as the ‘product’ of Chinese growing foreign policy in the region, where Nepalese leftist force were widely used by China to fulfill her vested interest.

Mr. Dipak B.k, who studies Information Management in Nepal was another guy with spectacle, says: “There’s nothing to worry about. It is propaganda penetrated by India to Nepal and does not hold any root to worry to about. In every generation, India tries to dictate her rules to this isolated but always mighty nation to make every new Nepalese generation to fear India. But, Nepal’s public is getting matured day by day. And, traditional leadership who shows some sort of ‘loyalty’ to southward neighbor won’t stand any more in Nepal. The day is not too far, when our Nepalese leadership candidate holds the academic degree, will have served Nepal for years and will be free of corruption. It is a transition phase and we are quickly surpassing it”.

Right! If taking the version of Mr. Dipak, Nepal’s public are getting matured day by day.  How? Nepal’s ultimate death point was—-lack of Nepal’s friendly politics & ideology coated by supreme leadership. But, the situation won’t last for more than 15 years. The thunder has been already started to be felt. One of the prominent examples has been established in 2013. The first constitutional assembly held on April 10, 2008, had put on power to UCPN (Maoist) by winning 229 seats (out of 601), for the purpose to promulgate the new constitution via constituent assembly. But, situation had degraded, and Maoist failed to give new constitution under her leadership. Then, there was a second constituent assembly as an effort to give second chance to political parties to promulgate constitution, which was held on November 9^th, 2013. Unfortunately, UCPN (Maoist) squeezed to 80 seats (out of 601). Such disaster was the outcome of the Maoist, who failed to fulfill promises of Nepalese public, which was made before the election. This is one of the prominent illustrations of how our public voters are ‘filtering’ their representatives in every successive election summoning for strong and qualified leadership in our public office.

These are ‘representative’ characters in Nepalese society, whose thinking and approach are changing towards Nepal in an optimum way. One of my friends proudly says about today’s Nepalese youth, “It has been 5 years, when our Telecom Authority had proudly installed telephone lines in every village communities of Nepal, making Nepal wide 100% coverage of connectivity. We are a part of post-cold war generation youth. This is today’s ‘ism’and ‘religion”. This is the age, where Nepalese is getting senior seat at AT & T (one of the renowned telecommunications in the US), followed by Nepalese who is playing a constructive role on NASA, for hunt to ‘water on mars’.

In a geostrategic sense, Nepal is a country, which lies in between India and China, —probably it is new ‘Geneva’ for sure in future to get negotiations on ground.  The country with 25+ embassies, multilateral organization and fertile land for ‘Game Theory’, it is proudly withstanding, against any anti forces directed to Nepal. This is how she is preparing herself in 21^st century world order. This is total globalization and more than, it is total ‘Nepolization’ (a Nepalese form of Globalization).

Author Bio

Saurav Raj Pant is an undergraduate student of Sociology & Population at Tri-Chandra Multiple Campus of Tribhuvan University, Nepal.  He is also a blogger and Campaigner in Nepal working for international issues that affects commons. His field of interest includes Globalization, European Union, Trans-Atlantic issues, Climate Change, public policies, Social Media, Geopolitics and Geo-economics. He is actively involved in organizing global campaigns and mobilizing youths in Nepal. Saurav was formerly part of GPPW’s internship programme.

Cover image taken from Glocal Khabar.