Democracy For Nepal

Thursday, November 06, 2014

संघीयतामा राज्यको आफ्नै सर्वोच्च अदालत हुन्छ

कति कुरा निर्णय भइसकेका छन। जस्तै कि अंतरिम संविधानले नै गणतन्त्र भनिसकेको अवस्थामा दुई तिहाईको बलमा संवैधानिक राजतन्त्र देशमाथि लादन मिल्दैन। गणतन्त्र क्रांतिले स्थापना गरेको हो। संविधान सभाले होइन। क्रांतिले अन्तरिम संविधान मार्फ़त संविधान सभालाई आदेश सम्म दिएको हो: यो गणतन्त्रलाई संस्थागत गर भनेर।

बहुदलीय लोकतन्त्र पनि त्यस्तै हो। क्रांतिले स्थापना गरेको कुरा। दुई तिहाईको भरमा कसैले एक पार्टीको शासन लादन मिल्दैन।

संघीयता त्यस्तै हो। संघीयता मधेसी क्रांतिले स्थापना गरेको कुरो हो। त्यो संघीयतालाई दुई तिहाई अथवा तीन चौथाईले फालन मिल्दैन। "मधेश स्वायत्त प्रदेश" भनेर गिरिजा कोइरालाले बजाप्ते सही गरेका हुन। अन्तरिम संविधानमा राखिएको कुरो त्यो।

मधेसी क्रांतिले विकेंद्रीकरण/वीरेन्द्रीकरण भनेको होइन। संघीयता भनेको हो। ती दुई फरक कुराहरु हुन।

र संघीयतामा राज्यको आफ्नै सर्वोच्च अदालत हुन्छ। अहिलेको न्यायपालिकालाई जस्ताको तस्तै भोलिको नेपालमा लान मिल्दैन।

Tuesday, November 04, 2014

The Raute, The Chepang And Federalism In Nepal

Say there are 50,000 Chepang in Nepal. 50,000 Santhal. 5,000 Raute. We can't just design a federalism that works for the Madhesi, the Tharu, the Limbu, the Kirat, the Sherpa, the Tamang, the Magar, the Gurung. These are groups that have sufficient numbers that sooner or later will get their fair share. But federalism will also have to be designed for ethnic and cultural groups that are small in number, and might as well be close to extinction. Our approach to cultural diversity has to be like the healthy approach to biodiversity in the Amazon forest. We have to preserve and protest. We have to empower. Their small numbers should not work against them.

I would like to add to my 3 states, 25 regions formula that there should be autonomous regions created for these culturally distinct small number groups that are quite vulnerable to extinction. These autonomous regions should have direct relationships with their state governments, and perhaps to the central government. They should be allowed their own income sources, and should be given special aid packages for their educational upliftment, socio-economic advancement, and cultural preservation.

It is not a long list. And the country of Nepal has to do right by them.

These autonomous regions would be different from local governments, different from village and city governments. They would be given special treatment. They would have their own police, their own courts. They would elect their own leaders. They would hire bureaucrats among themselves.

We have to act progressive on the issue of their welfare.