Thursday, September 3, 2009

Kathmandu and federalism

August 27, 2009
Mr Hari Thapa

Dear Harijee

I am glad we are having this discourse. But after reading your response below, I am getting the impression that you want to blame Kathmandu no matter what. Reminds me of a story I read when I was small in which the tiger (or some other carnivorous animal) blames a lamb drinking water in the downstream area for polluting the water. When the meek lamb points out the anomaly, everyone knows what answer is given. In the similar vein, it sounds as if the soil of this area is to be blamed or rather the wind that blows here. People could even try to blame the water but water no more flows in the rivers in Kathmandu, rather raw sewage flows here.

On another plane, even if one is to accept that Kathmandu is responsible for anything and everything, adopting federal structure to mitigate the problem is like a proverb where a wife does something unseeingly on her husband's lap because she was angry with her husband's second wife.

I am not too sure what do you mean by "We cannot satisfy our ego just blaming the past." I would like to believe that people are not recommending federal structure just to satisfy their ego. What we need to do is to address/mitigate the problem of exclusion that exists not only outside Kathmandu valley and remote areas, but in Kathmandu too which you are blaming for all the extant ills.

With best regards,


Sincerely,

Ratna Sansar Shrestha

-----Original Message-----
From: harith@ntc.net.np [mailto:harith@ntc.net.np]
Sent: Wednesday, August 26, 2009 12:35
To: Ratna Sansar Shrestha
Cc: harith@ntc.net.np; pradeep.shrestha@hotmail.com; nesocamails@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: Fwd: Fw: [NESOCA Mail #2943] Re: Fwd: Fw: My article on federalism

Dear Ratna Sansar Sir,

Kathmandu used all the places as you mentioned as its tools to rule. The
people which acted as a ruler made their base is in Kathmandu. They all
worked to flourish Kathmandu's prosperity and popularity. Kathmandu
decides everything. We are asking federalism with those rulars whose mind
and soul is in Kathmandu and their body is in Biratnagar, Gorkha, Pyuthan,
Chitwan, Dhankuta, Dadeldhura and so on. And their masters are in China or
in India or in USA.

Kathmandu cannot carry the burden of whole country. It should be generous
towards general people living in the mountain, hills and terai.

We cannot satisfy our ego just blaming the past.

People which are still dreaming to see Kathmandu and people which has to
bring their beloved one to let die laying in the cold floor of Bir
Hospital or people which has to wait many weeks if not months for supreme
or uplift courts decisions, they should be kept in mind while talking
about federalism. Elite, business class and brokers doesn't need
federalism. They are fine here. And cannot see difference in their living
standard after federalism too.

So it is to go for federalism in real sense. Hopefully local politician
will overtaker their bosses in Kathamandu.

Thank you for your generous opinion.

Hari Thapa

1 comment:

HimalayanUniverse said...

The issue raised by Hari Thapa are linked more with the centrist approach of governance that takes advantage of only Kathmandu, the place, that is not even centrally located in Nepal. Where is the intention to put a blame on a ruler from Salyan or Biratnagar? The benefits of all failures of national development, though some what ironic, are that Kathmandu develops - Be it a Melamchi, or a Kathmandu - Terai fast track to India, to give you few examples. Development and democracy from the impermeable seat of Kathmandu can not trickle down to rural masses, it is too expensive. With a federal approach and democracy at the doorsteps of people of most of Nepal, a poly-centric approach of development will evolve, that will equitably distribute resources and benefits of development failures and successes. There is no need to fear with federal exercise. People deserve this.