Loktantra: Loktantra and Autonomy in Nepal

2006-09-24T10:17:00.000-07:00

Loktantra and Autonomy in Nepal

2006-09-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

The issue of restructuring is a hot issue of everywhere in Nepal in the present context of Loktantra. The Loktantra referse a Republican Democracy and some people prefer to define it as folk democracy. We can see the process of restructuring is in everywhere, be it in civil society, bureaucracy, army, police, social services, economy and over all politics of the country right after reestablishment of House of Representatives by the people's movement-2 on 24th April 2006. The current House of Representatives is unique and historical in enjoying supremacy of power even if in the presence of King.

At this moment 70 % of total populations of 2.5 billion are marginalized and they are isolated from representation in a complete process of ruling the state. Mainly Nepalese indigenous nationalities, Madhise and Dalit are strongly demanding their representation in the process of restructuring the state be it in interim government, constituent assembly, and referendum or in rewriting over all constitution.

In this process indigenous peoples and nationalities have demanded the restructuring should be done with a full of ethnic autonomy inclusive of right to self-determination in specific region where specific indigenous nationalities have been resided.

The central government is expected in the restructuring process just to hold control over External Affair, National Defense and Monetary System and rest of all kinds of rights to make decisions in the field of economy, politics, society, culture, linguistic, education, religion, geography etc. are to be given autonomy at local and regional level.

At present 'Khas' mother tongue is recognized as national language by the state and has constitutionally enforced to read and write the same in schools and educational institutions all over the country. On top of that it has also been made an official language in all the government offices and government budgets are also allocated for promoting the Khas language and their script. Where as non-Khas languages have not been allocated budgets in periodic national plan. There are more than 100 mother tongues as per the census held in 2001 and are mostly in endangered except few ones. The ethnic groups having their own mother tongues are in a belief that they can protect, practice and promote their languages in an autonomy political system when restructured.

The indigenous nationalities have made vision an autonomy region based on their individual or joint historical relationship with the traditional land and self-governance in different Ilaka (province), village or even in small unit of area called ward within a single autonomy region. In this way all groups of society including minorities can enjoy their legitimate rights ruling the state that ultimately enhance in sustaining a peace for over all development of the nation.