We- the Bigots

“We –The Bigots”

We are a diverse country. With over 92 different living languages, and countless different ethnicity and religion we have a wide variety of culture and people. However, only few individuals from the minority communities take part in policy formation and decision making at the government level. The government and bureaucracy are filled with people from either the Bahun or the Chetri community. They have dominated politics, army, bureaucracy, education and most of the other institutions.
However, over the past few years the political awareness of the masses has increased by a significant level. The oppressed have begun to raise their voices. The government and people in general cannot ignore the fundamental ethnic polarization in our culture for long. The issue needs to be addressed. I am not talking about addressing the issue at the government and bureaucratic level. With the increase of political power of the minorities, especially the Madhesi community, I am sure at the government level some improvement will come. But I wonder whether or not we as citizens are ready for intelligent and meaningful debates about letting our bigotry go.
A Madhesi should not have to undergo the humiliating treatment, and stereotyping he/she has been subject to in the past. They should not have racial slurs hurled at them for something they have no control over. A Pahadi in Tarai should have the right to live without harassment. It’s the 21st century and we are still categorizing people based on ascriptive characteristics. And this is being done not only by people who are uninformed and uneducated, but disappointingly by people who we are hoping will change the way our country is. The youth all over the country is still engaging in what they so loudly preach against. So how are we to change a system in whose formation we all are equally and presently guilty.
For this type of bigotry to end we must engage the civilian population in meaningful conversation. We have to inculcate the idea of equality and anti-discrimination in our educational and social system. Educated youth must challenge the bigotry of the past. Are we going to build a nation where we hate and hold prejudices based on our skin tone and accent? Is that what we want to leave behind for our children? A messed up country with so many unresolved issues, like the one we have inherited, courtesy our unquestioning forefathers.
We all think everyone should be equal (at least I hope we all do), then why not practice what we preach. It’s not that difficult. Engage someone who is being a bigot in a conversation, ask them for their logic. Stop your friends when they pass a racist judgment. Talk to people, friends from different backgrounds, about the situation and work with them and through them to make a difference. Question your parents, teach them, and learn from them. Change does not come from sitting on our fat and lazy posteriors and complaining, it comes from active engagement and debate. And if and when you debate remember what Aristotle so wisely said, “The end result of a debate should not be victory but wisdom”.

A Call to All Moderates.

A Call to All Moderates.
Madhesi movement was overdue. After the April revolution, the political conscience of the Nepali population was revived. By the conclusion of the restoration of “democracy” and commencement of the nation building process, Madhesi who were discriminated against found the opportune time to start their greatest battle for equality. Madhesi from all over pitched in to support for the fight. Blogs rallied for support and momentum to the movement. Student, political parties, businessmen, farmers, academia, someone from every strata of society demonstrated on the streets for equality in Nepal. The movement was an example of how nationalistic and humanitarian integrity can be achieved.
However, some over zealots administered into this movement that which changed the noble grounds on which the movement was founded. The policy of attacking innocent Pahadis was inculcated into the movement. And a feeling of revenge was installed. These uncalled for revengeful attacks on Pahadis has inspired a new wave of skepticism among the already skeptical Pahadi community. The policy of reverse discrimination is tainting the struggle for equality. Incident like these prevent meaningful debates from taking place. Emotional bias and ethnic pride has prevented intelligent conversation among all communities.
The Madhesi moderates must recognize and articulate that a mutual better future is possible if they work with and through Pahadi moderates. The same holds true for Pahadi moderates. The two communities cannot hide from each other. It is the mutual interest of both to build new equal relations. Madhesi are politically powerful in the parliament and in masse to make sure equal opportunities are guaranteed this time.
In the long run Pahadis in Tarai will prove to be a vote bank and financial assurance that will be much needed for regional Madhesi parties to gain more seats. While Tarai, the economic and farming heartland, will be an important base for any of the big national parties.
Another problem with the Madhesi movement is the lack of leadership in both the social and political fronts. Bickering and personal agendas have over taken the common mans interest. Thugery and stupidity is on the verge of taking over. The political decision makers in Madhes will need a coherent ideological stance once federalism is achieved. If a regional and ethnic political party is to be a national powerhouse it cannot go on beating the same drum. It has to appeal to more than one ethnicity or else eventually its existence will be unimportant. Moderates in the Pahadi community too must understand that for a better future instead of ignoring the issue we must find common grounds to thrive on.
If the Madhesi population is to achieve emancipation that it will have to be aware of the potential “it’s because of the Pahadi” rhetoric by the politicians. Let them not fool anyone anymore while remaining unaccountable to their constituencies. The average Madhesi has suffered long for equality, and should not rest till he achieves it. And let not equality be limited only in terms of ethnicity but extend to caste, creed, gender and sexual orientation. Moderates from all communities can and must come together; there are enough people who want positive change in the system we just have to reach across.

Nepal 09/03/09

A mere glance at the news in Nepal, is enough to tell you how bad the situation is . Check this out.
Nepalnews.com reports "Nepali Congress president Girija Prasad Koirala has said the sustainability of the coalition government will depend on the actions of the Prime Minister. Koirala's reaction comes amid speculations that he is not happy with Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal after he refused to elevate Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala to Deputy Prime Minister." ARE YOU BLOODY SERIOUS???? Sujata is not even qualified to be coolie, she has nothing on her resume. Her work experience is the only thing that is smaller than her intelligence.
But can't complain much. Even if she does become the Deputy PM, its to a man who LOST general elections and wasn't even a MP prior to the coalition building to form a new government.
My history teacher in high-school used to say, "democracy does not always have to be Of the people, By the people, For the people( pardon the order), it can also be Of the idiots, By the idiots, For the idiots." Chew on that!
Vice-president Jha is still adamant that he will not take oath in Nepali. My question to Mr.Wanna Be Madhes is " Are you stupid?"
If the answer is yes, than I forgive you stupidity, but if the answer is No than- WTF are you doing? Because of your stupid regional pride you are causing so much inconvenience to normal people. You are the personification of the division in the country. If you want to take oath in any of the wonderful languages spoken in Tarai,that's fine with me, but Hindi or French or Korean or any other language that is not spoken by a significant number of the Nepali population is unacceptable. Grow the Fu** up and follow the bloody law.

"New" Nepal

I remember when the great 19 days began.

They said it was the final push,

To end what started in the villages a decade ago.

Time to overwhelm the capital with people

in hundreds,

in thousands

or perhaps a hundred thousand.

Chanting ,singing,

shouting on top of their voices.

In urgency and anger

while many spectacle seekers present

because everyone else was.

Holding small branches with leaves as placards

and partisan banners,

while the silver moon and sun lost

amongst the tree, the yellow sun, the hammer and sickle.

The home dwellers poured water

and mercy and blessings to quench

what only change could quench.

A day turned to 2 and that into a few.

Till the master was master no more

but the slave still the slave.

United on the streets, as one nation

divided by flags and banners and who out does who.

Throwing stones like bullets and upholding chest

like shields

till someone was shot

for what they believed and shouted, and all would scatter

when eyes were filled with tears.

And the police are confused

and reluctant to fight a fight that is not theirs .

Striking blows at someone he would have smiled and greeted

In and around the tol, or in the footpath vegetable stall.

Only doing what he does to feed his wife and kids

while the others do what they do to feed their wife and kids.

And those who were always feed

stayed locked up at home

dreamy castles growing taller

as people got louder

whenever someone got shot.

And when the “ruler” of the land bowed down

To secret telephoned deals and the might of the people,

Like vulture they tore his flesh

And when he was devoured

They eyed each other

And our saviors became cannibals.

Let's Shoot Chivalry Dead

I see a reflection of a beautiful girl behind me, so being the gentleman, I hope I am, I humbly open the door, and stand holding the door with a moronic smile on my face. The girl stares at me; I stare back hoping that this exchange of glares turns into romantic barter of love (just like the movies). She moves closer to me…. “O, wow…this cologne really works” I think…and then she moves her lips to say, “Why the hell are you holding the door, you think I can’t get it myself, do you think I am weak?” My smile turns into a confused look; I am embarrassed. I feel like a sexist, while all I was trying was to impress the girl with my manners. A lesson learnt I pacify myself.

A couple of days later, I see another girl behind me, and this time, being the “feminist” that I am, I don’t hold open the door for her, and she gives me a highly disgusted look. I am confused yet again. I feel like a pathetic Hamlet, in limbo between “to open” or “not to open.”

Many men today are confused as to how to go about in treating a “lady”. The previously mostly muted, often helpless dame has broken the shell of traditional conformity and embarked on a journey of independence. While leaving her male counterparts mostly clueless about what they need to do to assure her of manners, while not threatening her independence.

In the days gone by, women were considered “weaker” than men, thus they needed that extra protection, that extra care. But being a “feminist,” I feel I am insulting my ideology and women in general, if I were chivalrous for that reason. If I hold on to my belief that women are no less than men, then why all this fuss about chivalry towards women? We should scrap the idea of “ladies first.” And a true lady should not be expected to be treated any differently than a man. Though I condone any kind of violence, why are people not shocked when a woman raises her hand on a man, but make a commotion when the visa versa happens? Violence of any kind should generate the same reaction.

I have heard my female friends say, “We like it when we are treated well and appreciated. ” So do we, I naively respond. “No, but it’s different, we are girls, we are equal but we need to be treated better, we are more equal that you”. More equal? How sexist is that?

My male friends on the other hand think that a woman must we treated well because she is a woman. I question about equality and they say “Treating a woman like a woman does not harm equality”. Like a woman? What does that mean, I ponder.

Treating women equally is a must. When women raise their voices, other women who have not had the opportunity to do so, feel inspired. This leads to a wider awakening of the silently suffering masses. The concept of equality is trampled upon by stupid rules of unnecessary manners. I think it’s unmannered to treat women differently. Treating women differently shows that you are not ready to accept them as equals, while allowing someone to treat you well just because you are a woman shows that you do not consider yourself an equal.

I am not saying that men and women are the same; they are different. Neither am I suggesting that you treat your better half the same way you treat your friends. I suggest that you treat your better half well because she/he is your better half, and not because he/she is a woman or a man.

I see another beautiful lady walking behind me, but this time I hold no doors. I put my morals before my manners. And even though manners, honor, and respect for a fellow human being should never die, any social norm that treats one gender different than the other should be shot dead.

The Art of Inarticulation

by Slok Gyawali 10 July 2009

It amazes me to see how inarticulate I am in Nepali. My writing skills are deplorable, my reading is slow and unsteady, and my speaking could use a lot of work. Although I speak and understand my language, I wish I was better. The sad thing is I am not alone in this rather shameful situation. I see this epidemic all around me. Not many people educated in the English medium can even consider Nepali their first language. Many of us are most comfortable speaking and understanding the adulterated version of Nepali, but would we prefer to read or write an article in Nepali or English? Not many of us can converse in Nepali using only “Nepali” words. The question is –is the middle class urban Nepali losing their ability to communicate in Nepali?

I challenge the readers of this magazine to speak 15 sentences in Nepali without using an English word. Or if that’s too easy, write 15 sentences in Nepali and see how long it takes, and now do the same in English. I am sure the latter was a lot quicker.

So what went wrong? Weren’t we always proud (and loud) about our identity? Wasn’t our identity one thing that we never compromised; and yet we find it difficult to communicate in our own language?

Since primary school, English is of prime importance. Nepali becomes secondary, and sadly the vernaculars have no spot. The use of this uninformed education policy has lead to the extinction of many vernaculars, while producing a generation of educated Nepalis who consider English their language of choice. Kathmandu, which on average has a higher literacy rate than the rest of the country, also houses the largest number of people who prefer English over Nepali. So even if the educated urban youth comes to power, many in that demographic will have difficulty communicating in Nepali. Kathmandu dwellers will have once again alienated themselves from the rest of the country.

The previous generation grew up in awe of the English language. Those who could speak, read and write it were granted more opportunities. It was one sure ticket to a good job. This attitude, coupled with globalization, fostered this generation of English-speakers. This trend continued, implanting within this generation the English learning zeal. Music, news and television all aided in the dominance of English. Writing in English seems normal, while writing in Nepali seems exotic. Nepali has been reduced to the contaminated form we usually speak. Everyday the art of writing Nepali gets lost among SLC books and the old manuscripts that grandpa reads.

Many of us were angry (this scribe included) when our vice president took the oath of office in Hindi. Speaking in Hindi was blasphemy, but if he would have done the same in English, would that have brought about a similar outcry? Is English “cooler” than Hindi? Or is it the whole hatred of India? Let’s face it: more people in Nepal understand Hindi than English. Have we been so blinded by our awe of the English language that we’ve forgotten that it is still a foreign language like Hindi, Korean or Swahili? So why the different standard?

I can not help but admit that English helps, not just when it comes to education and communication with the outside world. It would be preposterous (and hypocritical) to suggest that we should stop studying English. English helps you to read books and understand things that have not been translated. Learning English is a door to the rest of the world; it is the world’s lingua franca. However, let’s not forget to teach ourselves our own language. Let’s not let any of our beautiful vernaculars die in the shadows of English. Rex Harrison once sung as an irritated linguist “Norwegians learn Norwegian; the Greeks have taught their Greek”, and I am sure he would have wanted the Nepali to learn their Nepali.

We vent our much justified anger at anything and anybody who disrespects our culture, tradition and heritage but have our own hands bloody with the slow murder of our language, literature and with them, a very important part of our Nepali identity.