Across the world, there indeed are peoples like the Scots, Basques, Kurds, Tamils, and hundreds of others who may be called distinct nationals by some definition, irrespective of them living in countries with a dominant populations, or spread over several nation-states, or having no country they could claim their own. Yet, even if one applies this one-in-many definition, the Madhesis cannot be clubbed as one single nationality as they possess several distinct ethnicities that speak distinct languages, like Maithali, Bhojpuri, Tharu, Awadhi and many more. The majority of these ethnicities only marry within their ethnic boundaries, and are, in many ways, as ethnically distinct from each other as are Limbus, Rais, Gurungs living in the hilly regions of Nepal.[break]
My objection to the ‘definition of convenience’ applied by the distinguished politician from the Madhesh is to the fact that he was using it just to further the divisive brand of politics he and many others of his likes are practicing these days – sadly with great success.
And, mind you, it’s not just the Madhesi politicians who are to be blamed for this. Politicians from the hill communities, who love to claim themselves to be the national leaders, have had no less a convenient take on nationalism for as long as our memory could go back. To them, anyone not subscribing to their brand of nationalism, largely defined by the language they use and the culture they grew up in, will automatically fall under the category of tainted nationality. We cannot afford the dominant ethnicity putting a question mark on the commitment of other ethnicities.
Both these definitions are ill intended if examined in the context of the dire need to unite the country at this momentous time in our history. Nepal is a multi-ethnic country. Yet we are all Nepalis. We must rather choose to use the definition of nationality that makes us a stable and modern nation state. We must find the definition that gets us closest to the prospects of a bright future. They are not so difficult to find.
We all are Nepalis – first and foremost. Let us find definitions and expressions that unite us, and not the ones that divide us.
Political leaders from ethnicities who remained marginalized in Nepal for ages foment anger in their constituencies by telling their people repeatedly of all the injustices meted out to them by the politically dominant ethnicity. The solution the leaders from marginalized communities put forth routinely read, “now that the time has come, we will show to them (the oppressors) who rule the roost.” Again it’s a solution of convenience, as by projecting a solution of this sort, they win their political legitimacy, and trick people into glossing over their incompetence.
On the other hand, the leaders from the so-called oppressor communities continue to live endlessly in a state of denial. To them, the state of Nepal never made any discrimination based on ethnicity. To them, Nepal always was a great example of peaceful coexistence of varied ethnicities. Those claiming on the contrary are downright anti-nationals. Yet another analysis of convenience, this must be deplored categorically by every well-meaning Nepali.
Gentlemen on both sides of the arguments (yes, there are hardly any ladies to be seen), let us not waste any more time in painful diagnosis. Let us rather work hard to get the right prescriptions. Let us create a win-win scenario for all Nepalis. It’s the perception of losing something that nurtures conflict and violence. We cannot make winners and losers in the name of finding a political settlement. History has witnessed backlashes resulting out of winner-takes-all approach enough number of times for us to humbly accept this possibility as a pitfall to avoid.
Nepalis of all ethnicities must have a sense of victory in any political solution that we devise. All Nepalis must believe that they are getting a level playing field whereon none of them would ever be discriminated against based on ethnicity, caste, creed, and religion.
The disease of ‘convenience’ has spread all over. Politicians, albeit being the absolute masters and earliest traders, have no monopoly over it anymore. The business community squarely and conveniently puts the blame of corruption and inefficiency on the civil servants while the civil servants blame low salaries and benefits associated with their jobs for this evil. The politicians say the businessmen are not paying enough taxes, and therefore they cannot raise salaries of the bureaucrats.
The aid agencies firmly believe that the government is not utilizing their resources in judicious ways. The analysts blame the aid agencies for distorting the markets, and even corrupting the bureaucrats. Every reader thinks that most analysts and columnists are bought by vested interests. What a conundrum of convenient argumentation!
The most recent and tragic entrant to this trade is Nepal’s justice system. Legal and constitutional luminaries apart, even the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court appears to be interpreting the Constitution based on his individual convenience. With the entry of the ultimate repository of fair play in this game of convenience, the vicious circle seems to have completed.
There are two ways to moving forward. One, we get into the spiral of this vicious circle and happily continue in a state of denial of our contribution to the mess. Or two, we admit, at least in private, that each one of us, in whatever capacity we operate, to have actively participated in bringing our country to the bottom of this dark pit. Admitting this inconvenient truth would be the first step in the right direction.
We must use the knowledge that we have acquired for our betterment and not to our detriment. In a world where knowledge is proliferating at a breakneck speed and information is exploding by terabytes every millisecond, we all can find definitions that meet our convenience. But such definitions of convenience would not get us our dream of amity and prosperity.
Convenience must be replaced by conscience. Our knowledge must convert to wisdom. It should be understood that being a Nepali first does not deny us anything. . Instead, it enriches us by giving us close to three million brothers and sisters instantly. Let us stop being the victims of our own misplaced convenience.
Prashaant Singh is Founder of HCI.
prashaantsingh@gmail.com
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