Nepali Peace Process: Drama for mirage of peace
Bhumika Ghimire
October 31, 2006
Seven Party Alliance (SPA), Maoists, King and the international community; actors in the ongoing drama in Nepal. I am calling them actors and not the politically correct actor/ actress because women don’t seem to matter in Nepal. There were no women in original interim constitution drafting committee, no woman in ministry that matter (appointing woman minister in Social Service Ministry doesn’t count) and no woman in the peace talk committee. I am sure no will even notice the absence of actress in the drama. Other conspicuous absence, the Nepali people. Their fate is same as that of Nepali women, they have ceased to matter. Politicians, diplomats and guerillas are the ones calling the shots.
Nepal’s drama is kind of Shakespearian in nature, full of tragedy but one cannot ignore the occasional humor. It is funny when all the actors fight to be the greatest humanitarian or the greatest son of Nepal, conveniently forgetting that their sordid history is very much clear to the people. I go through serious bouts of memory loss, especially during exams, but I do remember the Lauda Air scandal and I do remember the Namita Sunita murder or the mysteriously vanishing idols from temples when a certain person was “Prince”. The Maoists who killed journalist Gynendra Khadka are now looking to reinvent themselves as the “peace builders”; I cannot find a bigger irony. For me these are the humorous pieces of the nation’s history. Tragedy is that we have chosen to live with the humor.
I can see that you don’t agree with me on my labeling the various “glorious” parts of our history as humorous. Allow me to explain. Don’t you think it’s funny that these people who in normal world deserve to be behind bars are now the champions for Nepali people’s rights? Look at Girija Koirala’s past. During his time in office he and his ministers were accused of corruption, misappropriation of national property and he still gets to be the prime minister? If you can’t laugh at this then my friend you need to see a psychiatrist. Seriously. And then there is the King himself. The main reason behind April revolution was, in my understanding, to get rid of monarchy and establish peace in the country. Now six months later Nepal still has a King who is living a luxurious life spending tax payer’s money. How worse can it get before we actually start seeing what is really happening in the country? I can’t stop laughing when things get this funny.
While the actors are busy playing the parts, as directed by someone south of the border or someone living among clouds, people of Nepal have to work hard pay for this drama to continue. I am sure our neighbors on both sides don’t mind directing the play, but what about the people who can’t afford this continuing absurdity? O! I m sorry, the people don’t count in this drama. My bad.
Did I forget to talk about peace? You see the actors are so interesting that it is easy to sideline the issue. Actually I don’t have anything to write about peace or the peace process because there is no peace in the country. Maoists are continuing their campaign of collecting donations, abductions and “mistaken murders” and the ruling alliance is working hard to silence the detractors. In this turmoil, all we have is the mirage of peace and every actor is fighting to claim it as his own.
I remember asking my Nepali teacher why Devkota didn’t win the Nobel in Literature. His reply, because the reality of life in Nepal as depicted in Devkota’s writings seemed like a child’s dream of fantasy land for the Nobel committee members, not deserving the recognition. For long I thought his reply was just some joke, but now its meaning is crystal clear. Nepal and life in Nepal is like a drama, like a story. There is no reason, no cause and effect, logic doesn’t seem to work and rule of law is non existent.
As the drama continues, the actor’s characters get more and more absurd; the mirage of peace gets farther and farther. I can’t wait to see the finale.
Nepal’s drama is kind of Shakespearian in nature, full of tragedy but one cannot ignore the occasional humor. It is funny when all the actors fight to be the greatest humanitarian or the greatest son of Nepal, conveniently forgetting that their sordid history is very much clear to the people. I go through serious bouts of memory loss, especially during exams, but I do remember the Lauda Air scandal and I do remember the Namita Sunita murder or the mysteriously vanishing idols from temples when a certain person was “Prince”. The Maoists who killed journalist Gynendra Khadka are now looking to reinvent themselves as the “peace builders”; I cannot find a bigger irony. For me these are the humorous pieces of the nation’s history. Tragedy is that we have chosen to live with the humor.
I can see that you don’t agree with me on my labeling the various “glorious” parts of our history as humorous. Allow me to explain. Don’t you think it’s funny that these people who in normal world deserve to be behind bars are now the champions for Nepali people’s rights? Look at Girija Koirala’s past. During his time in office he and his ministers were accused of corruption, misappropriation of national property and he still gets to be the prime minister? If you can’t laugh at this then my friend you need to see a psychiatrist. Seriously. And then there is the King himself. The main reason behind April revolution was, in my understanding, to get rid of monarchy and establish peace in the country. Now six months later Nepal still has a King who is living a luxurious life spending tax payer’s money. How worse can it get before we actually start seeing what is really happening in the country? I can’t stop laughing when things get this funny.
While the actors are busy playing the parts, as directed by someone south of the border or someone living among clouds, people of Nepal have to work hard pay for this drama to continue. I am sure our neighbors on both sides don’t mind directing the play, but what about the people who can’t afford this continuing absurdity? O! I m sorry, the people don’t count in this drama. My bad.
Did I forget to talk about peace? You see the actors are so interesting that it is easy to sideline the issue. Actually I don’t have anything to write about peace or the peace process because there is no peace in the country. Maoists are continuing their campaign of collecting donations, abductions and “mistaken murders” and the ruling alliance is working hard to silence the detractors. In this turmoil, all we have is the mirage of peace and every actor is fighting to claim it as his own.
I remember asking my Nepali teacher why Devkota didn’t win the Nobel in Literature. His reply, because the reality of life in Nepal as depicted in Devkota’s writings seemed like a child’s dream of fantasy land for the Nobel committee members, not deserving the recognition. For long I thought his reply was just some joke, but now its meaning is crystal clear. Nepal and life in Nepal is like a drama, like a story. There is no reason, no cause and effect, logic doesn’t seem to work and rule of law is non existent.
As the drama continues, the actor’s characters get more and more absurd; the mirage of peace gets farther and farther. I can’t wait to see the finale.
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