The issue of federalism wasn’t all that much controversial during the initial phase but at the end of the CA, it became a bone of contention and the CA had to be dissolved without drafting a new Constitution. [break]
Photo Courtesy: Dev Kumar Sunuwar
Even in the upcoming second CA election, federalism undoubtedly is going to be the main issue, especially the various modes of federalism – the single identity based federalism based on ethnicity, language, culture, history, geography or based on multiple identity and the demarcation of the boundary etc.
While the political parties are preparing for the second CA election and are still debating on the forms of federalism, when local people, politicians, entrepreneurs, teachers, residing primarily in the two VDCs – Bamti Bhandar and Kumbhu-Kasthali – in the northeastern part of Ramechhap District were asked what they understood by ‘federalism,’ the result was shocking.
Many of them have never heard of the term, even if they have heard, many don’t know what it actually means and what benefits they can derive from a federal state. Many couldn’t fathom why there was a need of division of Nepal into different states based on ethnicity.
The demand for unity
Even though almost all of them have heard about the term ‘Federalism,’ not a single person knew what it meant.
“I don’t know much about federalism. Although I’ve heard the word, I know it’ll bring a change for the marginalized community, including indigenous people, Dalits and women,” says Ang Dorji Lama, Bamti-Bhandar’s Nepali Congress VDC committee secretary.“It’s all about giving recognition to regional, lingual, cultural, political and ethnic existence.”
He further says that it is perhaps because of the lack of recognition and equal rights of ethnic groups that led to the demand of federalism. Besides giving recognition and rights, it could create an environment where diverse ethnic/caste groups live in harmony, with equal dignity. There must be multi-identity-based federalism if single identity-based federalism is declared, for example, a Sherpa State to one’s specific state, where if only the Sherpa ethnic groups can reside and have priority to rule, then such federalism hardly means a thing.
“The local political leaders have to raise the issue of federalism for the sake of attracting people and ultimately voters as well. I am sure the political leaders requesting for votes are going to make federalism their major agenda,” says Ngawa Temba Sherpa of Bamti-Bhandar-4 Deurali, member of Nepali Congress regional working committee.
Bamti-Bhandar-3, UCPN (Maoist) VDC committee vice president, Tej Bahadur Shrestha, says that the effort of making a federal state is to empower the poverty ridden community, marginalized and backward people. Whatever the forms of federalism would there be, it must ensure that there will be similar harmonious state in our society, where diverse ethnic/caste groups like Sherpa, Newar, Bahun-Chhetri are living peacefully, sharing resources commonly and equally.
He also says that the debate is rather all similar in India or China with regards to single identity-based or multi-identity-based federalism. We have been raising the issue of federalism in such a way which unites all. Earlier, there was demarcation of boundary based on the river or place. But the demarcation of boundary is going to be the most contagious issue and therefore there must be intense discussion not only at the centre but also at the local level. Prior to this, every member of the society needs to be given education on federalism, its needs, and forms and so forth.
No federalism, rather its development
It is not federalism but development such as the connection of road, access to education, sanitation, quality health services that are the major issues of villagers. They simply demand that the government provide daily necessities – salt, sugar, rice, kerosene – at reasonable prices, create employment opportunities for the youth, so that they do not have to migrate in search of work.
Bamti-Bhandar, merely 250 kms away from the capital city Kathmandu, is the gateway to Mt. Everest. The Likhu Khola has the highest possibility of hydropower, but people here are still deprived of electricity.
The government has not taken any development initiatives like road construction or building infrastructure for schools and hospitals. Whatever initiatives there have been, have all come from the community itself and a few donors.
It takes two to three days to reach the district headquarters. Corruption and lack of management has left the headquarters in a dismal state. The residents have to travel for two days to fetch even the basic of daily necessities like salt and kerosene etc.
According to Babukaji Sherpa of Bamti-Bhandar 4 Deurali, a VDC committee member and tourism entrepreneur, the locals have a difficult life.
Declaring of Gaurishankar as a conserved area has brought about more problems. According to him, the locals, especially the Sherpa indigenous communities here who are dependent on the herding of Chauri (mountain cow) and Yaks and making of cheese and milk items, have been banned from entering the jungle. As a result, many of them have been compelled to migrate to foreign countries in search of jobs. If there is to be a federal state, then the community could have access to its local resources.
According to him, federalism is very important for marginalized and oppressed ethnic groups like Sherpa, Sunuwar, Dalits, as it gives them a chance to have an equal status in the society and in every way – education, economy, political participation and representation in the government.
“Politics is a male domain. Women here are uneducated and are only concerned with our daily works. Federalism is not our issue. We couldn’t care less unless it made our work easier,” says Dolma Lama, a housewife of Bamti-Bhandar 4, Ramechhap.
Nothing to bridge the divide
Three major political parties – Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, UCPN (Maoist) including UCPN-Maoist – and many other small parties have their strong presence in the village and even at the ward level. There are cadres of respective political parties. It is perhaps because of the corrupt state mechanism where allocation of national budget to the local development is made in the presence of representatives of major political parties. If they represent one political party, they have stake in the budget allocation at the VDC level. Besides, they have hardly understood what their respective political parties in the center are advocating and what their agendas are.
“We need federalism because we are from backward communities. Federalism addresses the issues of Janajatis (indigenous peoples), ensures reservation, which is, I think, a medium to empower marginalized groups,” says Chhongba Lama, former district committee member CPN-UML. “If there will be federalism, the poor, backward and marginalized groups will have their stake in the ruling. But I don’t know what exactly federalism entails, whereas the understanding among local community is even less. But I think we need it and if we have it, there will be something better.”
He also says that though party leaders have been fiercely raising the issue of federalism, the people haven’t understood much. But being political party representatives, they are compelled to raise the issue in order to keep attracting local people.
Sunuwar is a feature writer.
Related story
Book review: Analyzing political economy of federalism in Nepal
