Nepali Times
Editorial
Unfree and unfair



The Kathmandu chattering class is a bit full of itself, and likes to collectively call itself 'buddhi jibi': literally, pundits who make a living out of punditry. It is getting to sound like an echo chamber, as self-proclaimed intellectuals dissect the electoral arithmetic for the next polls, whenever that will be held.

We could do with less chatter and more action, but old habits die hard. Which is why there is microscopic analysis about which Madhesi faction has the upper hand in the Tarai, what the Maoist split means in the far-west for the NC and how the UML can regain lost grassroots support. There is speculation about how issues of federalism and ethnicity will play out, and how identity politics could upset all calculations.

Guessing the outcome of elections is an international past-time, and we can't do much to change the way politicians and political parties approach elections, either. Universally, the run-up to polls is a time of populist policies, whipping up paranoia about immigrants, accusing rivals of selling out on natural resources to foreign investors, or postponing urgent decisions on the economy because of what it might mean for a party's standing in the polls. Whether in recent elections in Greece or France, the forthcoming elections in the United States, or the next polls in Nepal, politicians are hard-wired to behave with short-term time horizons and be single-minded in their pursuit of power.

What is different about Nepal compared to more mature democracies is that fatal flaws in our electoral process lead more directly to governance failure. Elections should be the mechanism through which citizens select the most efficient and honest managers to make laws and run the country for four years. But the way they are actually run, elections embed corruption into the body politic so that the rot spreads right through society.

Political parties have to raise money from businesses to finance elections either to buy votes or buy goons. When they get to power they have to repay their benefactors in contracts. There has been so little investment and businesses are so cash-strapped, however, that political parties have to make sure they amass as much resources as possible while in government so they can finance future campaigns. Incumbent politicians today don't
even try to hide the plunder of the exchequer while in office because it has become standard operating procedure.

Nepal's multi-party democracy started decaying almost as soon as it was restored in 1990. It wasn't for any inherent flaw in the system, but the way it was mishandled by those with electoral mandates. Freedom fighters from the 1960s who suffered long years in jail and exile showed very early on that they couldn't handle power. Suffering incarceration and persecution for the cause of democracy doesn't, it seems, necessarily guarantee leadership qualities.

Neither, it seems does taking up arms: the Maoists in power have proved to be just as greedy and selfish as the other fellows. The only difference is that they have honed ransacking the treasury into a fine art, and combined with past and on-going extortion, this gives them a formidable war-chest. You can be sure the current Maoist-Madhesi coalition will step down when it has had its fill, and there is nothing left to steal from the state.

They say Nepal is not poor, only poorly-governed. And it will stay that way unless we reform the electoral process with strong laws to regulate campaign financing. Until then, all intellectual navel gazing about the relative standing of the parties is pointless.



1. Prabhakar
Yes, it is pathetic when people self describes themselves as "budhi jibi." It is only in least developed Nepal where the mentality is also least developed that we find people describing themselves as intellectuals or higher than others. It is disgusting indeed!

2. who cares
people who think they know everything annoy those who do. 

3. K. K. Sharma

For your information, voters do not choose or select the party candidates. They only endorse those already selected by the party, by giving tickets, to stand for elections in different constituencies. Vote is not selection it is endorsement of one or the other candidates of the party. And as such, they are the representatives of the concerned party, not of the constituencies.


4. Uma Bhattarai

Nepal has always been governed by idiots, starting with Rana prime ministers. What can you say about rulers that are given the title of a General the minute they poke their head out of their mother's womb. Nepotism has been rampant especially among the Bahuns, who are really the pseudo intellectuals of Nepali Society. Add corruption to this mix and you get Nepal and a cowardly Nepali Society. When are we going to realise that a crimnal like Dahal cannot lead Nepal into the 22nd Century. Baburam takes orders from Indian masters and in reality works for India. Nepal desparately needs a brave person, ( man or woman, either one), to come forward and lead. Nepali leaders are all reeking and stinking of corruption and they only want to hoard and amass wealth for their personal gain.  We must replace all the rotten Netas of today with honest and hard working men and women.  Stop the bleeding. Communism will never prosper in Nepal and Nepalis should come together and destroy the roots of communism. Nepali needs to build a strong middle class instead of being a 2 class society and only capitalism  can make this happen.  



5. Durga Shrestha

We have elevated political goondas as our leaders and they all have robbed us blind. All is not lost, yet. We Nepali are waiting for a Knight, a man with guts to take on the corrupted mass of politicians. The current male dominated structure must crumble, it must be dismantled. We should stop putting our faith on a criminal looters like Dahal or a Koirala, the only headlines about Nepal's Neta Jees are how corrupted they are. We must make a change, a radical change, the Netas can all go to hell. The domination of male politicians in Nepal must end. Nepali women will make much better leaders than white haired, pot bellied men that are ruining our lives each day



6. Danny Birch
Why is it accepted without question that western style parliamentary democracy is what is needed?  If the party leaders are all criminals and effectively rule criminal gangs, how can anyone expect some good person to step forward from among them to and help the society? King Mahendra knew how to treat party politicians. He understood that they would destroy Nepal if they were allowed to come to power. One may ponder the fact that even Hitler was the duly and democratically elected as German Chancellor! Having parties and elections is not necessarily a sign of improvement or advancement of a society. How are of these monster politicians an improvement over the Shah bamsha? At least King Birendra cared for the continued existence of Nepal as a unified country and tried to give all ethnic groups a sense of belonging to a whole nation. How will dozens of ethnic groups treat each other after they get there separate little territories? How about returning to the concept of King Prithvi Narayan Shah the Great, that Nepal is a phulbari of different varnas and jatis? Otherwise how will Nepal survive? 

7. Suman K C
Its just ridicoulous for Nepalis to put their faith and trust on the communists like the Maoist or the UML. Everyone knows that the communist only know how to kill and plunder. To be fair to Dahal or Maakuney, the N C is also filled with criminals. 3 high profile NC ministers are rotting now in jail for corruption. So what option is left open for the people of Nepal. Another Andolan ! We must purge the leaders of all political parties of Nepal. Bhattarai is a shameless man, clinging to the chair of PM while Nepal is burning. This is what happens when communists take power. The young and honest leaders must revolt and get rid the old and rotting men. Why is it so hard to find a man of vision and integrity in Nepal today. The Moaist leaders, especially Dahal msut be arrested for treason and sent to prison. Dahal has destroyed Nepal and only looted billions from the people. Dahal is the Idi Amin of Nepal. 

8. Birendra Thapa
Nepali Netas only know how to bicker and fight with each other. Why do we put up with this miserable failure. Is not the suffering for 2 decades long enough. Deuba or Koirala or Dahal or BRB, only power struggle for personal and petty gains. Who can change the course. Is the Shah dynasty ready for a come back once again. What is the future of Nepalis. The Netas of today are despised and hated and slapped in the face. We need to do more than a slap. People are crying for some justice, who will give that to them. No one has been arrested for killing a SC Judge. What a disgrace.    

9. Shankar Adhikari

Are we ready or getting ready for the 3rd revolution. The leaders of Nepal must be punished for their malfunction and blatant abuse of power and authority. The bigger fish needs to fried. The heads of head honchos must roll. Why is there no consensus but only division and bickering. Does Nepal belong as a personal property to Pushpa Dahal or Sushil Koirala ???  The NC, UML and the Maoist cannot keep on looting and hoodwinking the people for ever. The inept and bungling idiots must go. Precious lives and precious times are wasting each day, the backlash from the people may come with a big bang if things do not change soon. How long will Bhattarai rule by ordinance, does Democarcy mean a rule of ordinance. Go figure that out. I wonder what the hot shot personalities of the Civil Society do each day. Are they there to just eat Dal Bhat or will they bring the change we need so desparately.   



10. Keshav Jha
Nepali Neta Ji Haru,  Beware ! Justice can be delayed but NOT denied. I never thought that 4 corrupted and rotten ministers from NC would be jailed and fined. This is indeed a glorious day for Nepal. But there are so many others that need to punished and punished immediately. Lets start with Dahal from the Maoist party. Dahal has proven himself to be a corrupted man that wants to devide and destroy Nepal. Deuba is responsible for the abuse of rights of people by setting a precedent for disloving a elected Parliament. These two enemies of the state cannot go free. There are killers and criminals in the UML and the parties of Terai that must be held accountable. It feels wonderful to know that there are many honest men and women in Nepali Govt., that are working hard each day to advance the prestige and glory of Nepal. Kudos to the men responsible for arresting the corrupted ministers. Now, lets keep up the good work and bring others to book as well.   

11. Narayan Shrestha

Its exciting to read that Khum Bahadur is in jail. He is a common criminal from NC and desrves this fate. NOW, arrest Sher Bahadur for he is a bigger traitor and enemy of Nepalis than  K B K. Arrest Sujata Koirala for the corruption and illegal wealth she has amassed. N C is nothing but a party of corrupted criminals that love India more than they love Nepal.  If this becomes a reality, Nepalis all over the wolrd will rejoice. One by one, the corrupted and criminally linked leaders from the 1990 should be sent to prison. The list is long, but at least the process has begun.  Maybe a Nepali spring is on the horizon,  its really about time. I always knew that one day the honest Nepali men and women would rise to the occasion and take back the glory we deserve.



12. Sanjay Gelal
No matter how many times we have election,it doesnt weigh much since we have no any choice left to vote other than hoodwinky leaders and corrupt candidates. The events of booth-capturing and buying votes are prevelent in every places.

13. Bisnu
Nepali or most of third world  so called budi jibi sept their time to marry word to manipulate common people by vesting political parties. Even political parties want to ladder upon budi jibi to be leader .it is my view that election is not main factory to be seen but also its system to do election whether voters got right to vote fairly or not, political behavior is as democratic or not, the quality of candidate is ensured certain criteria, needed.


LATEST ISSUE
638
(11 JAN 2013 - 17 JAN 2013)


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