....And then there were Maoists!

The votes have been counted and the results are in. Maosists - the former rebels - have won the general elections in Nepal. It is an immensely surprising result to a historic general election and I am still trying to wrap my head around it.

As a recent college graduate who has spent the last 4 years (almost 5 now) away from Nepal, I do not think I am in a good position to judge the outcome of this election. I am not aware of the 'mood' of the general public in Nepal. It obviously is way different from what it was when I left home for college in 2003. However, having been estranged from the country and its people for so long, I have developed a way of looking into situations from the outside - not just literally. When I was home, it seemed I needed to pick a side. I was either against the Maoists or for them. I could never be neutral. But here in the US as I study/work, I can be completely neutral - something that took me a while to learn.

So as a neutral outside observer, I can confidently say that I have 'hope' and 'concern' for Nepal following the election results. I have hope that the Constituent Assembly and the government that comes into office will finally do some good for the people and economy after years of abuse and neglect. At the same time, I am deeply concerned about the underlying unrest within the social and political fabric of the nation. I am talking about the Madhesi ethnic group in the South, the potential of a political backlash from the losing parties and the frightening possibility of a Maoist run autocratic government.

Once again, I admit that I am in no position to pass judgements on the Maoists. They were underground when I was in Nepal and I haven't been back since they formally joined the political parties during the uprising against the Palace. But history - if history were to guide a portion of political actions - shows that leaders who gain power professing Marxism-Leninism or even Maoism, fail to embrace the ideologies of social-democracy. Robert Mugabe's unjust reign of Zimbabwe is the most recent example of this. The worst case scenario is thus:

Step1: After abolishing monarchy, Prachanda declares himself the President (it is well known he wants to) establishing himself as a political figure disengaged from the parliament but engaged with the people. In people's mind he would essentially become the new King because we are used to having a King rather than a parliament represent the people.

Step2: The Maoists use their threatening ways to write the Constitution to meet most (if not all) of their demands and decimate the other parties hence turning the Parliament into a one-party autocratic government. They did use threats and intimidation to get their demands prior to the general election effectively postponing it twice.

Step3: The Maoists 'merge' the People's Liberation Army (PLA) with the army - against the army's wish. This would create a military at the disposition of Prachanda and his government - an effective way to deal with dissidents among opposing parties and ethnic groups like the Madhesis.

This picture definitely looks scary. But Maosists are not the only party with the potential of a royal screw-up here. The losing parties (Nepali Congress, CPN-UML et. al.) could very well jeopardise any good intentions the Maoists have if they were to not participate in the government. A democratic government by nature and definition is supposed to reflect the entire publics views and opinions - not just the majority's. A good government should have political players who have differing views so that different sides of an issue can be examined in front of the general public before any concrete decisions are made. That is why we need the other parties to participate in the government and make it a truly democratic parliament.

The Maoist victory has been touted by many as a fresh change, a positive change. I really want to believe this. I want to see Nepal flourish and prosper. I want to see the people live in peace and enjoy a healthy economy. Personally, I do not care if this change comes from the Maoists or any other political party. I guess we will have to wait and see. In the meantime, one thing the Maoists could do to gain some positive PR is to apologize for the atrocities linked with their revolution and provide assistance to those affected by the violence.

Music, Movies & Art: Part 2 - Movies

Music, Movies & Art: Part 1 - Music

Movies are more than just a source of entertainment for me. They have saved me from going insane and helped me become a better person. Even to this day, movies serve as my mentors and guardians continually shaping my conscience. That might put a big question mark on the credibility of my sense of right and wrong. To say the least, Dude where’s my car? doesn't even come close to getting a piece of my conscience.

I watched movies primarily to escape my sad reality. Growing up poor in a third world country among conservative hardliners led to several instances where I wanted to scream, cry and make my head explode. It was precisely at such moments that I appreciated movies the most. I could rent a VHS tape (and later VCDs & DVDs) and get lost in a different world. I'd watch comedies -romantic or otherwise, action flicks, historical dramas, documentaries, animated shorts - anything! It did not matter if they were good or bad. All that counted was, I could forget about the encroaching poverty that infested my family, the school bullies, the constant whining of my mother and my father’s frightening rage. I even managed to forget that I was growing up in a society defined by caste, class and race where even my own kin treated me differently for being a ‘mule’1.

Movies were a great way to see the outside world while I struggled within the small and unyielding world around me. I could put aside all reality and travel through space & time as I munched through every flickering sequence. I remember watching Schindler’s List and The English Patient only to realize how ignorant I really was. It was movies and not parents or teachers who got me to borrow books from libraries and cultivate a voracious reading habit. I’d watch movies from all over the world in several languages. It greatly contributed to my curiosity of cultures across national boundaries and kept me from developing any stereotypes about anyone based on CNN and BBC talk shows.

As they saved me from turning into a narrow minded prick, movies also helped me find myself. As embarrassingly clichéd as it sounds, I could relate to several fantasy world heroes - Anakin Skywalker and Frodo Baggins are my favorites. I could even see a piece of me in Thelma & Louise. Sure the movie could be about feminism, but the protagonists’ desire to be free and fly resonated deeply with me. And then there were some that surprised me by helping me discover an unknown side of me. Silence of the Lambs brought out my own gory imaginations (I tried the insides of a bird once….yuck!), and others like Boy and Pirate of the Carribean made me hate having to grow up.

I hate having to pick favorite movies. In most of my social profiles I include Say Anything as my favorite. John Cusack quite effectively captures the ‘wanna-be-cool-guy’ in me. However, the one movie that has left its mark on me is Forrest Gump. I envy Forrest’s child-like innocence to this day. I will never get sick of watching Forrest Gump over and over again. I will also never get sick of going to the theater or renting a DVD. After all, ‘Life is a box full of chocolates’, you never know how the next movie you watch is going to affect you.

1. The Nepali word for ‘mule’ is a derogatory word used to describe someone born from the marriage of two different castes, races or classes.

The General Elections of Nepal 2008 - Yes, it's a big deal!

On April 10, 2008 Nepal had its first general elections in more than a decade. The Constituent Assembly resulting from it will re-write the constitution of the country declaring it a secular republic. (You can follow the developments here)

The changes that are slated to be enacted are historic. However, let's not forget that there will be consequences of these changes. For instance, not many Hindu nationalists will be pleased with Nepal becoming a secular state. Similarly, a lot of royalists will most definitely do their best to reinstate at least a ceremonial if not a functional monarch. And no one should forget the several thousand minority castes/tribes throughout the country who will want to address several issues (mostly related to discrimination and inequality) if their chosen candidate does not win. The voice of choice under these circumstances has been guns and homemade bombs in recent years.

Then there is the question of how the losing party is going to react. Would the Maoists go back to the wilderness and pick up their guns again to wage another civil war? In the highly unlikely situation of either the Nepali Congress or Communist Party falling behind the Maoists, would these perennial powers contest the election results citing the election-time violence that so far has been blamed on the Maoists by popular press? What would happen of the King, if the political parties bicker and quarrel over election results? Would he carry out an army coup?

With all the uncertainties surrounding the election results one could very well ask: Was it the right time to even have elections? To a large extent, the international community pressured the interim government to hold elections. The Nepali people no doubt want peace and stability. They also know that the elections are only a step forward in that direction. And now the political parties and constituent assembly that gets elected have a giant responsibilty. (I pray to god that they do not mess it up this time around.)

PS:
Much has been written about the Nepali election on the web. Here are some I'd like to share

Blogdai's Big Election Primer
A Blog entry where the writer lays out several post election scenarios.

Nepal's Perilous Ascent
A first hand account of a voter - sad and scary.

Election, and Maoists, Could Transform Nepal
It is not often that New York Times covers anything to do with Nepal. Proof that the elections are a big deal.

Nepal takes tenuous step to democracy
For anyone who has no idea what Nepal has been through, Deepak Adhikari's pience in the Pittsburgh Post Gazzette is a perfect point to start at. This is from a really good writer.

As Nepal votes, this tiny Indian village will watch
My favorite of all. It address the border and citizenship issue that has been either neglected or subdued for too long.

28th Chaitra 2064Ek Jug Ma Ek Din
This a a great insightful reply to a post on UWB written with a clear conscience. We need more Nepalis who think like this, and we need them to act now.