#715 11 - 17 July 2014 20 pages Rs 50 Living off the land DEVAKI BISTA he monsoon hasn’t yet growth projections, and spike THE POLITICS OF been officially declared inflation. A minority Tas “failed”, but it is mid- Meanwhile, within the CA’s EVERYTHING within a minority July and only 30 per cent of echo chamber, it is the politics of EDITORIAL paddy fields in Nepal have been everything: the politics of budget, planted. Terraces like these (see politics of corruption, the politics PAGE 2 pic) on the outskirts of Bhaktapur of crime, politics of identity. have rice because of irrigation. And it has become politically Urban sprawl is also encroaching incorrect to question federalism, THE GENERATION GAP into arable land in the Valley and especially one that is based on HERE WE GO the Tarai, reducing harvests even single-ethnic identity. BY TRISHNA RANA further. In their obsession with the It’s not just the monsoon distribution of power in the PAGE 3 that is delayed. The 2014-15 new constitution, members have budget, which was supposed forgotten to question the political to be presented to parliament sustainability and economic WHEN THE HAMMER on Friday, has been postponed viability of future provinces. COMES DOWN because the power struggle within We are putting the cart before the BY THE WAY the UML has prolonged the party’s horse by carving up the country BY ANURAG ACHARYA Nepal’s Tibetan Muslims mark Convention. A deficient monsoon into supposedly autonomous Ramadan with fasts and feasts will impact on agriculture and states, when there is no economic PAGE 6 will bring down Nepal’s GDP base for that autonomy. PAGE 7 2 EDITORIAL 11 - 17 JULY 2014 #715 THE POLITICS OF EVERYTHING f someone somewhere wanted to sneak in a new While in the 1990s the damage bad politics could do constitution that would serve their narrow interest Why carve up the country into was limited, this time bad politics will set the country’s Iwithout anyone noticing, what would they do? future on a wrong trajectory. They would populate key committees of the supposedly autonomous states, In the CA’s echo chamber, it is the politics Constituent Assembly, tasked with drafting the most of everything: politics of identity, politics of important bits of the new constitution like federalism, when there is no economic inclusion, politics of reservation, politics of prior rights. form of governance, judiciary, secularism and electoral It has become politically incorrect to question federalism, system, with their own henchmen. And while these base for that autonomy? especially one that is based on single-ethnic identity. committees meet behind close doors, they would throw And in their obsession with the distribution of power out juicy morsels to distract the media from time to in the new constitution, committee members have time. forgotten to question the political sustainability and You do not have to be a conspiracy theorist to deduce economic viability of future provinces. We are putting that this is probably what is happening today. Reporters the cart before the horse by carving up the country on the CA beat are not covering the constitution-writing into supposedly autonomous states, when there is no process. They are too busy ridiculing the CA members’ economic base for that autonomy. demand for Rs 50 million in personal war chests and Economists have raised valid concerns about duty-free cars, and writing about members taking cat how federalism as it is envisaged will mean naps, or being bitten by bed bugs. Every week there is wasteful duplication, potentially dangerous competition a new story from the CA floor, but you can bet it is not for scarce natural resources and perpetual discord about what is being decided in the new constitution. over the fairness of the allocation of federal tax revenue Without the distraction of public hearings, and out of most of which will be confined to two future provinces. the media glare, it is quite likely that a new constitution Nepal’s future governance should be decentralised, will be rushed through the CA by January. The question there is no debate about that. The new constitution should is: what kind of constitution, and whose interest will it be first and foremost about ensuring stability, raising serve? It certainly doesn’t look like it will be a people’s living standards, promoting equity. Unfortunately, the constitution since most of the representatives of the kind of federalism they are foisting on us will lead us to people elected to write it are not a part of the discussions chronic instability, and make us all poorer and less at all. equal. In the November elections, the only substantive Let’s face it, outsiders who prescribed federalism as issue dividing the parties was that of federalism based a medicine for our ills got it wrong. Instead of steady- on ethnicity. The Madhesi-Maoist alliance that stood for state politics, Nepal will turn into a volatile tinderbox. it was soundly defeated. The people, as has happened We haven’t thought federalism through, and are rushing many times before in this country, displayed more headlong into it only because it was a slogan to restore collective wisdom than their rulers. Politics has once peace in 2006. We are not prepared for its political more become an end in itself: a mechanism to forward consequences, and we have totally ignored the economic personal ambition and greed, the country be damned. price we will all pay for it. YOUR SAY www.nepalitimes.com CONTEMPT OF FREEDOM and society abides by the rule of When I visited my village last January, more than that it has to do with the WHAT’S TRENDING As per the Contempt of Court Bill, law. But in a country where judges I found that most men had left to work government’s inability to calculate, a bench, which has suffered the can be bought, the Supreme Court in the Middle East and Malaysia. In the and the citizen’s inability to remain alleged contempt, has the right to itself is made up of crooks and the absence of these men, women have within the bound of reason to suggest pass judgment in the contempt case corruption watchdog is headed by the been left to take care of their entire an alternative value (‘Progress on (‘Contempt of freedom’, Editorial corrupt, it is the media’s responsibility households. Besides performing their hold,’ Bhrikuti Rai, #714). #714). Both the offended party and to keep the pressure on the courts. traditional duties, I saw that women The concerns of infrastructure the adjudicator being the same The fourth estate then becomes the were also doing work that was earlier projects should not be just about person or body is something that institution of last resort to provide thought to be of male domain. The private property and valuation. The infringes the separation of powers the check and balance when the participation of women in every sector subject of landscape level changes, principle. In such a case, contempt legislative, executive and judicial has seen a growth and the women brought about by the infrastructure Most liked on Facebook of court only ends up becoming a branches are weak and discredited. literacy rate and percentage of girls projects, remains largely ignored by ruse for judges to settle personal Great investigative story, don’t take attending schools and colleges are at the citizens and the government. Rain clouds hang over vendettas. your eyes off these criminals as they an all time high. I believe our women The communication challenge Kathmandu valley as seen from a Contempt of court is aimed at try to manipulate the media and the will be the ones to change our society, can be overcome and trust building hill atop Chalnakhel on Saturday safeguarding the independence of courts. They have powerful friends in in fact they have already started. can occur only through pre-project evening. Photo: Basil Edward Teo the judiciary. But care needs to be high places. Rjackson33 negotiations. In that sense, I am very taken that it doesn’t arrive with a Goma much for negotiations to occur before Most shared on Facebook heavy price for media and individual Education (not necessarily the project's start. Child predators: Sunir Pandey freedom. If the government’s motive I am really worried about the lack academic), economic stability and One thing great about limitations behind introducing this law is, in of due process in this case. The man freedom, and social emancipation: is that they tend to make valuation Most retweeted and fact, to curb legitimate criticism, the may very well be a paedophile, but these are the three intertwined pillars easier. We are so used to looking at favourited on Twitter it hasn't been proven yet. It means effect on society will be severe. for women (and men) to extract infrastructure projects along the lines Contempt of freedom: Editorial Anil Karkie anyone can be framed in social themselves out of misery. While of unlimited returns and unlimited media, and he is guilty even if he is elected women representatives may source of energy, we forget that these Most visited online page CHILD PREDATORS proven innocent in a court of law. or may not be the exemplars we might projects have fi nite dimensions to A New Nepal also rises: We should avoid trial by media, and Jib expect of them, true social justice will them. For some reason, the locals Rubeena Mahato not treat these guys as guilty until be realised through education and connect to this through their fi nite proven innocent (‘Child predators’, I hope the guilty receive maximum economic independence.