Mission- Recreating May 7th, 2010- A ????

Oh! Yeah! Recreating May 7^th, 2010? That’s what I had in mind. I dug in deep to my guts and invoked my soul with the same youthful exuberance; I had while participating in the similar event initiated by FNCCI and other partnering firms, encouraging my downtrodden hopes of better Nepal. So I went firm footed to reach Durbarmarg sharp 5pm after finishing regular official and non-official chores only to witness my hopes shattered into rubles of despair and anguish of my psyche losing hope of seeing matters change in Nepal. The bottom line- the peace and harmony rally today at Durbarmarg was a total disappointment which showed in the looks of discern in faces leaving the event after a short stint of about 30 minutes while the rest looked for refuge from the nightmare of witnessing one’s hope crumbling into pieces under the agonizingly scorching hot evening sun to cafes and restaurants in the area.

FNCCI did what it does best help businesses proliferate and here by supplying huge crowds into the local eateries. Now I realize how foolish I was expecting any enlightening facts and words of wisdom about the grave consequences of the bandh culture in Nepal which I thought the event had been organized to voice against and to spread the message of peace, harmony and accord in the psyche of the youths. Then, inadvertently, present relevant arguments to stop the divide created in the minds of the citizens engulfed by the stridently anonymous outcries of the visionaries who laid the foundation of the culture of bandh. (I mean to say the pioneers leaving behind apparent footprints to follow the trail of conspiracy.)

Let’s not go into this blame game of who did what well and what worse culminates from the good intention (rather inadvertently or so they claim), without being more gullible into thinking otherwise (bad) about anything, not even the events’ motto. Well, the motto was sheer enlightenment about…. (Not really sure what, apart from the seemingly obvious - peace, harmony, exchange of good will and some good old publicity.)

Yet, I felt there was something lacking there. I saw there was a whole bunch of enthusiastic young minds, worried more about their portrayal in the frame of the camera they had brought down to upload some cool, hip pictures of a cult youth initiative. (I guess the target audience at the event, or the ones who turned up would earn the event organizers the bragging rights to call it a youth initiative though the concept was masterminded, in the background, by the redundantly wise mature master minds.) This event must have benefited facebook, as the organizers owe the social network giant a symbiotic favor for making this event go viral on facebook, in Nepal. And no wonder people there were busy taking snaps, inadvertently thinking about posting the photos on facebook and enjoying a moment under the spotlight like FNCCI and some of the famed guests, though I saw some notable celebrity faces losing interest and leaving the venue rather quirkily trying to avoid appearing disappointed.

Yet, this event seemed successful in making it clear that we all love our country and are anti-bandh and anti-caste-based-segregation. It was rather vociferously articulated through the choices of songs that were played created an aura of concert. It felt like I had come to a concert where the theme was to flaunt patriotism, unity and harmony. Yet the repetitive message delivered through the speeches of the honoraries and the orator gave me a vibe that the sound system required some maintenance to avoid replaying the same audio repeatedly.

The concert aspect was pretty interesting and ostensibly creative. It must have soothed people’s mind that might have been aggravated by sitting in the sweltering heat of the evening summer sun. No wonder people opted to seek refuge for relief from the exhausting sun after a hard day’s work at the office in the nearby restaurants and eateries. The crowd seemed rather thrilled to have been part of an event of such magnitude as changing the current trend of affairs in Nepal and more so the city. They were enjoying their refreshments and a light evening snack in those eateries. How refreshing! It, at least, felt so to me.

So the message was clear that the bandh culture is wrong (even though it was elementary) and the current affairs causing the bandhs were more wrong and that the civil discord has to stop and that we should unite to think of ourselves as Nepali than belonging to a particular ethnicity or caste and that we should realize what we already do and that and that. Yet somewhere I felt something was missing. May be, I was the only one trying to find the missing clue related to what could have made sense, organizing such a huge mass event with so much media coverage to spread a message, an analytical one, to the preposterously large crowd sitting back home choosing to not show up smartly.

The message could have been as refutation to the vehement crowd that is holding to the belief that their cause for bandhs to meet their demands doesn’t have any unequivocal effect on the economy. I was hoping the experts at FNCCI were giving us some substantive facts and figures about the negative causality between bandhs and the economy and advertently the lives of the people, by giving rise to ridiculous inflation as much as Rs200 for a Kg of tomato. May be I was expecting too much from the event to learn about the ill-effects of the current affairs on the health sector. May be, I was wrong in thinking that my appetite for knowledge about the grave danger Nepal is facing would be satiated. I thought the organizers were going to enlighten us about the future prospect of Nepal which is standing on the cusp of civil riot emanating from caste and ethnic discrimination in the civil minds. May be it is not as lucid to them about where this path will lead Nepalese to and a possible solution as a summary.

The summary I thought from this event would have been educating the ignorant minds creating divides in the minds of the people who’re taking charge of all the dreams that had been implanted in their minds since the last 22 years after the inception of democracy in 1990. I reckon people have lost faith in the government to fulfill those dreams thinking they are incompetent. Yet, they don’t realize that there is no such thing as radical change. Change is but an evolutionary process that is continuous and not revolutionary. To build Nepal into the next USA or Switzerland is impossible and that it is about time they reflect on one prominent quote, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”

The inference I drew from today’s event could be just one. The message was loud and clear, the writing was on the walls, “The whole system is run by one in the herds, inept in divergent thinking, and there is one thing and one thing only that people want- Public Relation and free Publicity apart from messing the streets in Durbarmarg with redundancy.

Strike Striking the Nation, Crippling the Minds and Nothing Else

Education! Education is for those who don’t have skills for survival and need to work to meet their daily demands; we protest articulating our demands to be met in the streets not through skills learned in the school. Schools after all are shut every now by the teachers themselves demanding their lavish (not basic needs) be satiated and all the learning you draw from schools is just “Demand You Rights, rights you inherit as Nepali and not that you earn through bearing civil responsibility. So schools have since long have been redundantly incepting ideas of political Bandhs (nothing creative). It has finally emerged clean from the dearth of Nepalese poverty- A Cult called Bandh! (Now that’s hip.)

Bandh is a culture deep rooted in the psyche of the youth. Youths are imparting their rebellious ways/visions upon the silent majority, creating an aura of fuming pressure cooker in the Nation through bandhs, and bewildering the national economy and educating the young minds about demanding like spoilt brats of rich parents (Countries), totally discarding the thing called national civil responsibility. The political faction is there to look after these necessities. (Yeah Definitely!!!!) What they voice raucously for is their demands which they want though they may be unaware what exactly they’ll do after the demands are met.

(Empathetically- Speaking like them)

Who cares? Let tomorrow think about it before it comes to us (Nepal). For now, we don’t care about thirst, hunger, pain or empathy. Who says the economy is suffering? Nothing new! So let it bear some more excruciation, since we voice for the greater good and we don’t look at the aggravation culminating our nation, jolting down under woes of faltering economy, the imminent food shortages and the ominous inflation in daily consumer goods, we won’t hear more complaints about hungry children or sick infants or crippled people/economy. The people are resilient to such food crisis as well, since half of the population has learned to live off single meal and devoid from the luxuries of lavish cuisines like in many of the moderately developed or all of the well developed countries. This is how empathy has grown in the young and fervent minds taking shape of apathy to the observers outside the pressure cooker.

So what is it that is happening in the nation, what is the cause of it, where is it leading us and how are they leading us? We have to know all this about ourselves since even a blind person would want to know where s/he is going since we are not handicapped and have perfect senses- if feeling accounted for sense, this perfect sense phrase would be an irony here. Yet, more importantly, where are the proponents, the strident crowd, propelling the notion of state restructuring with division done on the basis of caste and ethnicity? Or are they just similar to the bulls’ herd rampaging through in San Fermin (Bull Running festival shown famously in the Hindi Movie Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’s last scene) on the back of the vision imparted by the visionary leaders who might have had an undiagnosed case of myopia, metaphorically.

I guess, the nation which is steaming up to the deadline of Constitution in Nepal, Jestha 14 and the scenes are reminders that we are indeed being treated royally for wanting some change for better. Well, we might have been getting something better, a better show to say the least, something to pass time, watching the news channel as there is a people versus people war show on TV. Yes, a war indeed, an internal conflict to term it perfectly, but for what- an uprising for something called caste, ethnicity and culture? Well we might not be aware that newer unheard castes and ethnicities have emerged in an outcry seeking a state for them as well, more like a piece from the Nepal’s (B’day) Constitution Cake. Moreover we have already created another culture- the bandh culture.

If they don’t get something, then the only option at their disposal, their arsenal of wit, is Strike!! Nepal Bandh!! Now even kids have learned that Phrase- Nepal Bandh! One day, our kids in our homes will protest if their parents don’t buy them a Play Station. They will go on hunger strikes against parent for reprimanding them for not focusing on creative studies. Well, no one will be able to complain about such demands and protest. It is now a culture for Christ Sake!!!! (As you sow, so shall you reap?) And every culture is for good, isn’t that what we grew up learning in schools and that Nepal is a country of diversity in demographics, language and culture. Here’s another culture to add to that list of omnipresent cultures. Now that’s creativity on part of Nepalese. (I am hearing Loud Applause or is it my hallucination?)

But where did this culture stem from? Now this is a part of the deductive reason skills we lack in school or are forgotten to be taught in school. But wait…. It isn’t even part of our age old curriculum. (No!!!)

(Empathy lesson again)

We, the bandhkartas, the proponents of this Bandhs, didn’t learn it; we are but merely cult followers. So who are the trend setters? I guess this is lamely rhetoric question to ask. The political parties, of course!!! And the major political parties should take the biggest credit for being such pioneers. We are, but following the trails of the footprints left behind by our leaders- our visionaries. They have been talking about Radical Change for the last 20+ years since the reinstatement of democracy in 1990.

Now, the vision- of changing Nepal into Switzerland or USA in 20 years- was portrayed by the then revolutionary cult setters. And now seeing that they failed in their mission of creating a Utopia in Nepal, at par with those two exemplary countries, bewildered by their ravenous appetite for money and power, and overindulgence in riveting acts of corruption, the herd called people has taken over charge to getting along the mission themselves and creating a world beyond their imagination. I guess, here ignorance and years of suppression under fascism and staying aloof from the world around may have kept them away from knowing the history that Modern American History dates back a few centuries. Well, no one can blame them or the country itself neither the usurped Tyrants- Kingdumbs- for not including Modern American History in the course syllabus. It would be silly unless if the teachers never bothered to relate those events and teach critical analysis.

Having elaborated about all unnecessary analyses of my own, I escaped the major issue of concern here, the ones circling the facts- The News! But I guess, it is elementary and even our neighbors’ kids give Nepal Bandhs as reasons for not going to school. I guess, no one needs news now, everyone knows. Since there isn’t much making the headlines except the bandh, and every event transpiring from Bandh- protests, road blocks, vandalism of vehicles, shops, businesses, man-handling and much more. They are all news for now, how entertaining!

-          Written By: Romeo Maskey (रोमियो मास्के)

Date- May 21, 2012

Transparency in Governmental and Bureaucratic Activities

 

A few days back, I had a small discussion with my mom and she came up with an idea which at that moment sounded brilliant to say the least. It is about having transparency in the government's activities and reports which will be done by youth groups at youth's initiative.

Asking myself a question, "Is it not my right to know where all the tax money, we pay goes, and how all activities that government plans every year are carried out?" Then I realized it is every citizen's right to know about government's activities.

As a matter of fact it is the essence of the time that the country is passing through. We ought to know where all the money allocated for development activities in the budget are spent, whether or not they are spent the right way at all.

Can CIAA assure that all of their staffs are fair and that they do not befall prey to the temptation of big bucks these corrupt current and ex-minister, the bureaucrats and the rest are willing to pay? Is their morality priceless or one that doesn't bow down to hard cash? The answer is: NO.

So what is the answer to all these loop holes and the flaws in governmental assurance to the public that they have everything covered. The answer could be youth and one new youth initiative out of many recently.

Let's form a committee of the youth, with some one from within these youth initiatives who are born leaders to lead this activity. The youth led committee will ask the government bodies for all records of activities of the government. The committee will then see the credibility of these documents and overview all government activities and prepare a report.

It doesn't have to be in a large scale, as big as the government bodies doing these jobs. It can be a small committee with groups assigned task to check the credibility of particular department of the government. They can exercise all their rights in the jurisdiction vested upon by the people- we.

This initiative can take shape even before the constitution making process is over. It can look at the wrongs hindering the peace process. This is just an idea which can be an trigger to an avalanche of other ideas. This idea is very raw, so it could be with the wisdom of the elite group heading such youth groups like Gari Khana Deu, Die Nepal Bandh DIE and Entrepreneurs for Nepal.

So please ponder upon this idea and come up with a solid plan one that can assure full transparency in Nepal's governmental and bureaucratic activities. Peace.

Jai Nepal!!!!

Romeo Maskey

What after the caste based state structuring?

 

The very foundation of Maoist’s decade long insurgency and the ominous victory of the so called, People’s War, is now haunting the very visionaries and thrusting them into the very grave they dug up with the inception of this caste-ethnicity based state structuring. The rebels are no longer mere puppets of the masters enslaved under the gullible manipulation. Now that the slaves have developed their own thought process; they have learned from their masters that voicing vociferously against the state and creating civil unrest, political strife and bandhs will self create a solution out of thin air, hindering nothing except may be creating some economic imbalance, some inconvenience to the timidly resilient public and the imminent food shortages in the country. But the people are resilient to such food crisis as well since half of the population has learned to live off single meal.

The only chant you hum to is Jatiya Pradesh! (It is human psychology to repeat/hum everything you hear monotonously for a long time) Everyone wants a state for him/herself. In the recent future, a situation may surface out from this current event that when siblings grow up into individuals, each with different middle names-for instance, Hari, Man, Lal, Bahadur, Jung and so forth, might as well think about claiming for a state of their own- The Man Rajya, The Lal Rajya, the Bahadur Rajya, The Jung Rajya. (A lame sarcasm I heard from someone mocking the current situation) But at the rate stranger events are emerging today, which were previously nonexistent or unthinkable, who knows this write up might as well incept an idea into some hideous young mind.

So what now from all the unrest that this social turmoil is causing? The only solution would be on the political front. The major constitution-making parties have to promise them something substantive, something that will satiate their urges for collateral damages and total annihilation of the sentiment of Nepali Unity (Bhratritwa). So say, they met the protestors’ demands for caste and ethnicity based segregation of the country, then what? What is it that the protestors want to do with the state?-Reward for their egos?

I guess, I am the only blind person who doesn’t know what purpose it is going to serve my Newar ethnicity if I get a Newar Rajya in the valley. Can I build a fortress out of all the bricks produced in the kiln in the valley and the strong cement imported from the Terrai employing the emigrant workers from other states (different Rajyas) with different ethnicity and belligerently drive away all people from other castes and ethnicities from the capital and party to think that I will not have to go beyond the hills circling the valley of Kathmandu? Can I have Newar substitutes for my friends from all ethnicities? I mean also for the 700 facebook friends- a Newar substitute for each non-newar. I don’t know why these ideas do not appease me.

May be my analysis is wrong and this isn’t what we want from our Newar Rajya. May be we want to discriminate on all imports and exports from the state, locally consumed or otherwise. I mean pay higher perks to local workers and employees, lower taxes for local business owners, higher business mark ups for local businesses, or may be lower prices on daily necessity goods for instate residents and vice versa for everyone else. Well, this is a very good idea to earn some intrinsic benefits for ego satisfaction and extrinsic benefits on consumer goods since we will have an upper hand economically owing to the large influx of out of state non-resident migrants from all over the country. Can we live in seclusion and sustain on our own without cooperation and coordination from all Nepali? Does the prevalent economy discriminate Newars from Brahmins, Chhetris, Magarats, Tharus, Tamangs, Tamuans and the likes? I guess, it may be a new possibility in the future in the form of state segregation we believe in. Unlike the visionary protestors, I simply cannot seem to be able to map the road ahead after such segregation of the country. May be this is the answer to all our woes so far we’ve been subject to since eons. This will probably bring peace, harmony, progress and prosperity in all of our hearts not just our nation.

Amidst all these selfish demands and egotistic protests, we might have forgotten a pretty valid analysis which I have come up with, something I don’t want to be true in the heart against what I hear in the mind. I have questioned myself many times, but my query is still left unanswered. Is it because this is out of context from everything happening around us that we’re dumbstruck by such naïve question or is it the other way round that everyone else is prone to naivety?

Well, I don't know how the Genes in the youngsters growing up today, seeing all the events in Nepal right now, will change their pattern and mold their behaviors, characteristics, emotions, and many more aspects associated to human nature?

The current events in Nepal will only foster violence and addiction, famine and obesity, as per the genetic theory that says, for instance, "A pregnant woman living during a famine or violent uprising will develop a body mechanism that changes the pattern of genes in the unborn and will make the unborn child prone to health diseases like blood pressure, diabetes and obesity, as the genes of that child will develop patterns that guide the body to store all kinds of nutrients without fully utilizing or foster a pattern in the child to be prone to addictions, violence and crimes to name a few.

This trend of conflict and political strife will never end. The minds of the youth, grooming up in this state of the country will have a permanently damaged IMPLICIT MEMORY (study this) and these experiences aid in the performance of similar violent conduct without conscious awareness of those previous experiences. This is what explains why countries who are victims of years of violence, internal conflict and wars will always be trapped in this vicious never ending cycle.

Nepal's future will be doomed, and Nepali leaders' "disdainful" visions of changing Nepal into Switzerland/USA in 20 years will be delayed by another 2 centuries.

This is where I see us being led to by the current culture and if we don’t change our perception of everything around us, we will be enlisted as a failed country. It will be the biggest disgrace for all Nepalese, local and emigrants, and this is a warning call for us and an ominous prelude to the ultimate failure of humanity beckons in the futures.

I hope we don’t fail the beauty of humanity. We are humans because we have emotions and Nepalese have more empathy than anyone I have met from around the world. Have we transmuted from what we used to be and faltered under the contagious disease of the mind called myopia something which is discernibly loud in our visionaries? I bet not!

-        Written By: Romeo Maskey (रोमियो मास्के)

Date- May 20, 2012