#653 26 April - 2 May 2013 20 pages Rs 50 ven while the Election Commission and the Interim FEDERAL EXPRESSION EElectoral Council haggle over who should announce elections and dates, the political leadership is already in EDITORIAL, page 2 campaign mode. There are signs the elections (when, and POLLS if, they are held) are going to be a referendum on identity- MR DAHAL based federalism. Some leaders are campaigning in the districts, while GOES TO DELHI Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal campaigns in by KANAK MANI DIXIT APART the neighbourhood. He was in China last week and page 15 goes to India next week. Could it be that Dahal is trying to ingratiate himself to the two big neighbours as an insurance against possible prosecution for wartime excesses? DIWAKAR CHETTRI 2 EDITORIAL 26 APRIL - 2 MAY 2013 #653 FEDERAL EXPRESSION s a country, Nepal seems 11 months to bridge the gap between condemned to repeat the the positions of those for and against Amistakes of the past. We single-identity federalism. From need to take to the streets to restore the statements of politicians and democracy every couple of decades ethnic pressure groups it is clear that or so because democrats emulate the the elections will essentially be a demagogues they replace as soon as referendum on federalism. they get to power. Revolutionaries Year after year since the last take the country through a ruinous BIKRAM RAI elections, surveys have shown that conflict saying the suffering is a necessary part of Indications are that elections most Nepalis, including those from various ethnic groups, attaining utopia, but when they get to rule they behave have misgivings about identity-based federalism. What like oligarchs. (when, and if, they ever they really want is development that is hastened by The Maoists used feudal injustices in Nepali society happen) will essentially be a effective decentralisation and autonomy that redresses the to fuel their revolution. The argument that the 1990 historical lack of say of the marginalised in governance. People’s Movement was unable to take the country referendum on single-ethnic The fear is probably that future provinces named after a forward was a persuasive one at a time when there was federal provinces single ethnic group may lead to internecine violence. widespread disillusionment with the democratic parties. That needn’t be so. If we can ensure that the names of The oppressed had to rise up to overthrow the oppressors, federated Nepal by explaining that he was actually for provinces are only symbolic and no ethnicity will have they said, and used the grievances of downtrodden ethnic ‘federal centralism’. His hosts must have been puzzled priority rights within that province, the election could be a groups, women, and neglected areas of the country like by this oxymoron and reminded of Mao’s own notion of way to finally finding a formula for federalism acceptable the far-west to recruit fighters. ‘democratic centralism’. to all in the next constitution. But for that we need the Later, they successfully used an overtly ethnic Geo-strategically, there is concern both in China and political parties to abide by an electoral code of conduct platform to garner votes in the 2008 elections. The some sections in India, that an untested experiment with not to fan communal flames during the campaign period. party’s manifesto carried the promise of autonomy and federalism could seriously destabilise Nepal. The main It is because of the sins of our past rulers that we self-governance for neglected ethnic groups and this reason we failed for four years to write a new constitution need to address the pent-up grievances of marginalised translated into the proposal for single-identity federal was because of the disagreement over the nature and communities by recognising their identity while devolving provinces in the last elections. This was patterned extent of federalism. Even the compromise formula that political decision-making to the new provinces. It would after the Stalin-Mao model of provinces named after the political parties had settled for in the afternoon of have been best for development and the economy if the ethnicities, but which didn’t really have any power in an 28 May last year could have been disastrous because it provinces had contiguous Mountain, Hill, and Tarai over-centralised communist command structure. Today, would have left radicals on all sides dissatisfied. Prime belts within them. But that may not be politically Janajati leaders have all been disappointed by Maoist Minister Baburam Bhattarai probably did Nepal a favour possible now. Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal trying to play both sides by dissolving the CA and announcing new elections. However, we must remember that federalism in and going progressively lukewarm on federalism. Nearly a year later, we are still planning to have that whatever form will guarantee development. We can only Dahal resorted to usual doublespeak during his election. And we are poised to repeat history because the hope that history will not repeat itself and keep Nepal trip to Beijing last week where he assuaged Chinese new CA will probably get stuck on the same old issue poor even after we carve up the country into those eight concerns about the possible fragmentation of an ethno- of federalism. Nothing has really happened in the last or so provinces. ON THE WEB www.nepalitimes.com OF away for free if anyone abroad wants government and farmers should work them. to ensure that technology which is THE Bal Bahadur adopted is appropriate for the country. O WEEK There are certainly cases where this An extremely powerful editorial on the has not been done. However, a knee- Who’s your favourite Nepali person ? embassy scandal (‘12 A’, #652). I wish jerk reaction by avoiding all technology all power to the brave Gurkhas like in agriculture - which is essentially Shiva Bashyal: Prithvi Narayan Shah Major Ghale and Gurung who are now espoused by organic enthusiasts, Khimu Darlami Ajay: Marich Man Singh fi ghting for their own country, instead would be a mistake. This is particularly Shivanath Yadav: Dr Bhagwan koirala Sushil Pyakurel: Puspa Basnet of others. true in Nepal where there is so much Barbara Clary: Bobby Malla Arniko food insecurity and where people have Bpn Pun: King Birendra to rely increasingly on imported food. Sanjay Sam: Padam Kunwar Kudos to Gurkha veterans for their BC (he slapped Prachanda) DurGa Mahat: Anil Keshari Shah effort to stop this new low of greed and Hari Dewan: King Mahendra desperation of our current rulers. The It’s easy to say what Nepal’s Bhichhyan Rai: Shristi Shrestha building of the embassy was a nice farmer and should not do. But I have Ketan Jung Dulal: Laxmi Prasad Devkota ‘gift’ in return for the effort of hundreds seen how Nepal’s only ‘organic district of thousands of young men in the two Jumla’ is currently struggling to live up @panthisagar: The person who led world wars of the last century. And now to its name of being organic. Its major Occupy Baluwatar a billionaire wishes to snatch that little produces such as red rice and apples @SUDHIRHDC: Kul Chandra Gautam ‘gift’ to give to his off-springs? Maybe constantly face threats from illegally @PawanUrspawan: Gagan Thapa Mr Mittal does not yet know of the imported pesticides and fertilisers. @jpshazza: Rajesh Hamal @harke321: Anuradha Koirala other gift given to the Sri Tre’s, some of District head quarters’ links with @UmeshUpadhayaya: Rabindra Mishra which, their off-springs are sill enjoying. Karnali Highway does 50 per cent of FOR SALE The state of the embassy in Krishna S the damage to its reputation of being This week’s Question of the Week: The title of this article should have London is an embarrassment for us all. organic, the rest is agri-politics. After ‘What’s your dream job?’ Go to www.faceboo.com/nepalitimes or been ‘Not for sale’ (‘For sale’, Kunda Sometimes I feel so ashamed to all when has politics spared anyone or Where is the pride of being a Nepali/ www.twitter.com/nepalitimes Dixit, #652). When greedy morons Gurkhali? We were never ruled by any call myself a Nepali. We are corrupt anything? like GP Koirala, Gyanendra Shah, foreign government or crown but now at home, corrupt abroad and seem to Sabita Thapa and Pushpa Kamal Dahal rule the all that is gone. Our brave ancestors have no sense of dignity or pride. country, this is what happens. All must be spitting on us. Look at us, no T Kumari Don’t go Genetically Modifi ed (GM) three want to sell the embassy to the national pride. otherwise Monsanto will control most of Weekly Internet Poll #653 Indian billionaire and pocket a part of Sameer SEEDS OF REVOLUTION your food production. Q. Where do you get your drinking-water from? the money. The idea that Nepal should convert Suzanne Ryan Jung If we had spent the money allotted to organic agriculture is an elitist one Total votes: 633 for the embassy’s upkeep in the fi rst (‘Seeds of revolution’, Ben Ayers, PUSHPA KAMAL DAHAL’S The Nepali embassy in Paris place, we would be spending far less #652). Organic agriculture is based on INTERVIEW is in a similar state as the one in money right now on the major repairs the assumption that no input should be Nepali Times should be congratulated London: stately on the outside The point is, the money that came in derived from synthetic sources. This for capturing the ridiculous verbiage (beautiful Parisian mansion on a was squandered, looted or/and stolen. premise, however, is not supported coming from that man’s mouth into this quiet street), but run down and Epacifi c by science (synthetic inputs are not succinctly written interview.