Is Nepal in perpetual transition?

Yuba Nath Lamsal

Is Nepal in perpetual transition? This is an oft emulated query and concern by our political pundits and even lay citizens on the state of our politics. To a large extent, it is a big yes. This is mainly incompetence of our visionless political actors, who always capitulate to external forces just power, position and petty benefits and do not act in a true interest of the country and the people.

Nepal is definitely in the state of political flux, which seeks transformation to a newer phase of stability from the old order characterized by domination of a handful of feudal and comprador elites. Every time when the Nepalese people tried to do away with the old, corrupt and perverted dispensation hoping to usher in an era of people’s polity typically marked by transparency, good delivery of services and accountability to the citizenry, external forces and their lackeys in Nepal often collaborate to sabotage and abort the people’s struggle for genuine change. Each time, the people’s struggle was either aborted by the so-called leaders in compromise with the old and corrupt regime betraying the people for the change they wanted. It happened in every political upheaval—be it in 1951, 1990 or 2006. When the political upheaval ends up in compromise with the old dispensation, one cannot expect meaningful and radical change. In such a case, players change but game and its rule remain intact. Given the political changes taken place in Nepal on different occasions, no significant gains were achieved from the perspective of the commoners. The life of the people remained unchanged and they continued to remain in pitiable and vulnerable condition and the cosmetic political changes became meaningless for the people. As a result, Nepali people are always agitated for a new and greater upheaval that could ensure change and improvement in the life of the people.

With the failure of the rulers to give a feel of change, Nepal always remained in the state of perpetual transition marked by instability, uncertainty and chaos. The rulers, perhaps, reaped political benefits out of the state of instability, uncertainty and chaos and at the same time some external elements tried to fish in Nepal’s troubled political water to serve their petty interests. Thus, Nepal’s political course was never allowed to be completed and instead, Nepal was kept in the state of unending transition.

Presently we are in the bigger transition. This transition of Nepal has been prolonged and painful. Although transition is always painful everywhere in the world as it is marked by instability, uncertainty, chaotic situation and weak law and order often jeopardizing the rule of law, it is more agonizing due its protracted nature and nowhere is seen its end in near future. Out of this state of instability and chaos, certain unscrupulous and criminal elements often try to take benefit to serve their vested interests. This is the experience of all countries in the world that have faced or are facing transition.

Nepal has experienced protracted and perpetual transition that has been in the process of political trials and errors for more than six decades. While domestic feudal, elites, comprador capitalists often gave continuity to political transition, foreigners used Nepal as a political laboratory to test different political and governmental modes and models. But none has so far worked to suit the interests of the people of Nepal. The experiment of one system or model has normally survived for a decade or so and then gets replaced by a different one in the name of political change. We have made trials of different regimes of different hues and creeds. We have experimented dynastic rules, monarchical system and republican democracy. We tested unitary primitive system and a limited decentralized set up in the past. We have made pledges to go for a federal model to ensure a genuine self-rule of the people.

Nepal remained a primitive feudal structure unable to be a nation state for a long time. Nepal was a military state when it was in the campaign of expanding territory. Its expansionist spree came to a grinding halt with head-on collision with the British imperial power that had already gobbled up almost entire South Asia except Nepal. The concept of nation state emerged only after Nepal came close to contact with the rest of the world. Even during the Rana period, the concept of nation state had still not been fully developed.

Despite losing a sizable territory to British colonial power in India, Nepal was, somehow, able to maintain its political independence. With the establishment of British residency in Kathmandu, British colonial power had started meddling in Nepal’s internal affairs—both covertly and overtly. Although economically, Nepal was reduced to a semi-colonial status, politically it remained independent. But the British applied the old tactics of divide and rule in Nepal and created division and rift in the royal court of Nepal. This gave rise to ugly factional and clan fight in Nepal which facilitated the British to directly interfere in Nepal’s affairs. The British resident in Kathmandu indulged in conspiracy in political circle propping up one faction against the other in the royal court of Nepal. The rise of Ranas and their family oligarchy was the result of the British conspiracy and tendency of Nepali knights and nobles to give in to foreign powers for their petty and personal benefits. Ranas compromised sovereignty and national independence to ensure their hold onto power which continued until 1951 when the popular movement overthrew the oligarchic regime and ushered in a democratic regime.

The 1951 political change brought about a new era in Nepal. But, at the same time, it ushered in an era of instability. The period of one full decade saw the height of instability which continued until monarchy took over and imposed absolute power dismantling and disbanding all democratic system and institutions. Despite some upheavals and resistance of the people at different interval of time, Panchayat survived for almost three decades which is relatively more stable period since the 1951 political change. The stability under Panchayat regime was not the spontaneous one but forcibly maintained with iron hands of the absolute monarch and its lackeys.

It is becoming clearer that political changes were brought about in Nepal with support from foreigners aiming at experimenting different political models. External meddling has been the perennial problem that has blocked the political stability. Nepal, therefore, remained in transition forever right after the Sugauli Treaty to this date. We tested and experimented limited democracy doled out by the monarchy in 1951 and again a one-party dictatorial regime under monarchy which was called the Panchayat system. With the overthrow of the absolute monarchy of Panchayat, we experimented multi-party system with more power to the people virtually rendering the monarchy to the status of titular head. We have now made a rupture from the past and transformed Nepal from a monarchical unitary system to federal structure. For the first time in the history of Nepal, an ordinary Nepali citizen was elected as the head of the state— the post was earlier reserved for a particular clan. This is, without any shade of doubt, a historic change and great achievement of the people.

This is a transition from the old feudal and monarchical structure to democratic and republican set up, which is a new experience in Nepal. The republican set up is yet to be formally institutionalized. As the entire country is in transition, the political parties, too, are finding it a bit difficult in managing themselves and adjusting their activities. Parties had different political orientation in the past and they are finding it difficult to adjust in the present changed situation. Republican set up and federalism are definitely a new system as the parties and people were accustomed to monarchical and unitary system for 240 years since Nepal was created a unified state.

We have arrived at this juncture following a long and tumultuous journey. We traversed many transitions and rocky political roads. Even now the goal that we fought throughout history is yet to be achieved. Our goal is stable and vibrant democracy—a genuine democracy that makes the people real masters. Unfortunately, Nepal is slowly becoming a playground of external forces, which is unfortunate. In some cases foreigners try to dictate our leaders whereas Nepali political actors seem to be capitulating to the outsiders just for power and position, which has hurt the patriotic Nepali population. Nepalese people are patriotic and they can never tolerate any encroachment into the sovereign status of the country. Now the time has to clearly draw a demarcation line between the patriotic fo0rces and the traitors.