604 11 - 17 May 2012 16 Pages Rs 30
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
#604 11 - 17 May 2012 16 pages Rs 30 Should new federal units be carved along ethnic lines as some groups want? 72.7 Voters’ voice he results of this year’s Himalmedia Public Opinion Survey 2012 reinforce many of the conclusions of previous year’s Tpolls: on whether or not the constitution will be written by deadline, what to do if it isn’t, who is to blame for the delay. The 13.0 poll also reinforces an enduring message that has come out over and over again in surveys conducted over the past 12 years: Nepalis are too preoccupied with 10.1 4.2 day-to-day survival and are disillusioned with politicians and fed up with politics. Their There shouldn’t be ethnic federal units primary concerns are more mundane: jobs, There should be ethnic federal units inflation, corruption, health, education. Don’t know The fact that more than 7 out of 10 Nepalis Don’t want to say think ethnicity based federalism is a bad idea is not a surprise because there was a similar result in last year’s poll. Nor was the relative popularity of political Which three parties would you parties, with the NC being slightly ahead of the Maoists. What was choose to deliver a peaceful, new in this year’s survey was the surge of Baburam Bhattarai and the prosperous and democratic Nepal? plunge in Pushpa Kamal Dahal’s popularity. If the results of this public opinion survey are internalised by the political parties and their leaders, and translated into their election manifestos it will prove that they are responding to the people. And this has to be done because the people are the voters. If you could directly elect the next executive president, who would you choose? More things change, Make-or-break media The terrain shifts more they remain the same This year’s Himalmedia Survey underlines Analysing the Himalmedia Survey 2012 results the need for the media to be even more accountable and responsible Editorial, page 2 page 3 page 12-13 2 EDITORIAL 11 - 17 MAY 2012 #604 MORE THINGS CHANGE, MORE THEY STAY THE SAME e have always known that in Nepal the more Ordinary Nepalis seem to have poll last year, upwards of 60 per things change, the more they stay the same. inherently more common sense than cent of the indigenous people WHistory keeps repeating itself, usually as a farce. and Madhesis themselves are Now, we can quantify that. The results of this year’s the politicians who represent them. apprehensive about ethnic Himalmedia Public Opinion Survey 2012 reinforces federalism. many of the conclusions of previous year’s polls: on be the media’s coverage of his contradictory statements, There is nothing wrong with whether or not the constitution will be written by moving to a luxurious villa, his business interests and his righting historical wrongs, but it deadline, what to do if it isn’t, who is to blame for the son’s shenanigans. does seem that a few politicians delay. The poll also reinforces an enduring message that Nepalis are thoroughly dissatisfied with the chronic want to propel themselves to has come out over and over again in surveys conducted political instability of the past 20 years and the lack of power by using identity politics even though the silent over the past 12 years: Nepalis are too preoccupied with accountability of elected leaders. They seem to blame this majority among their own aren’t going along. In fact, day-to-day survival, are disillusioned with politicians on the horse-trading inherent in the parliamentary system nearly half the respondents no matter where they live and and fed up with politics. Their primary concerns are more as practiced here. So, most of those polled said they’d which ethnic group they belong to, say if you must have mundane: jobs, inflation, corruption, health, education. want either a directly-elected prime minister or president. federalism, stick with the north-south model to make Still, Nepalis instinctively know they have to work The issue of ethnicity-based federalism has polarised the viable provinces. This is not the Bahun-Chhetri elite with what they have, and will back politicians who political class, but at the people’s level there seems to be in Kathmandu talking, ordinary Nepalis seem to have show integrity, efficiency and a can-do mentality. This is little doubt that demarcating future federal units based inherently more common sense than the politicians who clear from this year’s popularity surge of Prime Minister on ethnicity is a bad idea. Reinforcing the results of the represent them. Baburam Bhattarai, with nearly a third of The good news is that public respondents saying they’d vote for him if he What are the three main problems facing the country today? opinion still matters in this country. stood for elections. The reason is clear: more It should matter because only then than half the respondents think he’s done can we quantify public anger and a great job since he became prime minister. prod political leaders to respond and His populist photo-ops (riding a Mustang, reform their ways. Prime Minister travelling economy, cleaning the Bagmati) Bhattarai’s popularity is proof that seem to have worked and people seem to want people still value integrity and to overlook the fact that he has surrounded performance, and will reward it even himself with crooks. The poll also shows that if it means clutching at straws. And the higher politicians fly the further they fall: the lesson from the rise and fall of Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal used to Pushpa Kamal Dahal is to never take top all polls since 2006. This year, his rating anything for granted: especially the has dropped to single digit. The reason must people’s trust. ON THE WEB www.nepalitimes.com FEDERAL EXPRESS holding another elections or calling leaders had shown statesmanship and completely outside the purview of interesting stories on Nepali cities in Just give us peace, law and order, for a referendum and letting people long-term vision, traits which are sorely experts and constitutional scholars. I your upcoming issues. and justice (‘Federal express’, resolve contentious issues like the lacking in Nepali leaders as well. We am also surprised by how such closed RR editorial, #603). Control corruption, Supreme Court had ordered them to should learn from the mistakes of other door negotiations are being allowed cut down the government’s size and do six months ago. Such merry-go- nations, but do our politicians care? at the cost of the nation’s future. In Pokhara should follow the example spending, and create employment. round politics allows these leaders to Kiran L other countries, when politicians of Dharan and stop depending on As long as the leaders do their preserve the status quo, accumulate haggle over geographic space to the incompetent central government job, we don’t care who is in power more wealth and avoid facing the We now fi nd ourselves in a catch maximise their vote banks, it’s called for any assistance. Let the citizens Bhattarai, Dahal or Poudel. public. They don’t care about the 90 22 situation. If the country is not carved gerrymandering. Nepalis might want to of Pokhara and its business leaders Gopal per cent of Nepalis who are suffering out along ethnic lines, there is imminent postpone this process for a few years. provide the basic needs. because of their ineptitude and danger of violent but short-lived civil Simms Tsering Why is there such disregard inaction. unrest. And if the country is divided for human lives in this country? Rabi along ethnic lines, there is greater A federal Nepal divided along ethnic The airport in Kochi, Kerala is a Did innocent people have to die in danger of prolonged civil strife. lines will neither lead to economic fi ne example of how to preserve and Janakpur? And what if more people First we had 601 CA members and Poudel progress nor satisfy the egos of ethnic promote local heritage. Like Kerala, are killed between now and 27 now three deputy prime ministers. Is leaders. Bomb explosions in Janakpur Nepal has a great architectural history May, who will be held accountable? this some kind of joke? We need to The overall message of the column and indefi nite shut down of the far-west and traditional designs should be used Do our leaders feel any shame or revolt against this madness and let the is good. We have to be united and are just previews of what naya Nepal to build the new airport. guilt? Or will they just keep fi ghting leaders know enough is enough. We’ve stand up against divisive politics. But I could be headed towards. Martin amongst themselves over petty and already wasted 22 years, let’s not disagree with the writer’s assertion that Sital selfi sh issues? waste another day. political accommodation can lead to I don’t think building a new Bikas Nabin Dongol ethno-separatism and ethnic wars. Rigid Any federal model that does international airport in Pokhara is political structures suffocate democracy. not take into account the ecological a good idea. It would ruin the city’s Deuba and Koirala are at each 27 May will come and go and life Being fl exible and accommodating, landscape will be a failure. Ethnic natural beauty. How about choosing a other’s throats. Khanal, Oli and will move on as usual in Nepal. No without compromising on corner stones sentiments are valid, but they will location some place near Pokhara, but Nepal are also fi ghting.