Rights And Duties Go Hand In Hand

Many people have found our country as a happy playground where they can easily blame the government for all the problems that we are all seeing now. But they should also be thankful that at least an environment has been created by these same individuals who have contributed to make a place where the people can speak out freely, be it in the media or on the streets. This is a far cry from the days when the voices of the people were gagged in different ways. So even though the situation may not be that good as most people thought, we are still living in an independent country where the people are secure in the sense that the law is always on their side and they cannot be prosecuted for their political beliefs alone.

At the moment, making Nepal like many other well developed countries may be mere rhetoric for those who are not satisfied with the way the government is being run, but at least some targets have been set for us to be more positive about better days ahead. At the same time, the people in general are still not satisfied with what has been accomplished through different phases of political changes in the country. Yet, as one gets informed by different media outlets, there seems to be dissatisfaction even when much has been achieved. 

More opportunities 

This may be a reality with which the suffering Nepali people have to learn to live with, specially, when unions of all sorts exist with the backing of either political forces or those individuals with much funds in their hands. There is no doubt that the people who had been marginalised before, including women, now have much more opportunities in every sector. But it is astonishing to hear almost all people only complaining for mathematical gains, without being aware of their own responsibilities and duties while making many such demands.

It would not be out of place to talk of some persons, who have made their presence felt in the international arena also, but always seem to be talking only in seminar type of 'jargon' with much repeated phrases mostly scripted by others exactly like them, to tell us what is right or wrong. These people seem to forget their responsibilities, while constantly demanding for their own rights or the popular slogans that are thrust down their throats by outsiders who influence them.

Another thing which our 'learned' men and women like to talk about is statistics, clichéd phrases which they repeat and different clauses in the constitution or some complicated regulation, without really knowing about the actual meaning of what overall good intentions the laws really have for the wellbeing of the society and the people as well. This aspect has to be understood by the government service givers as well, as the rules have not been made only to harass the common citizens, but to protect them.

Like this author normally repeats in most of his writings about being an old timer, while on the issue of only parroting numbers and such information which actually mean nothing, but which impresses the majority of the naïve people, like many others, he was also highly impressed by one person who had the best degrees and also international recognition, but who failed miserably while trying to beef up Nepal's economy as the then finance minister. I still respect this man, but I would again like to repeat that just shouting some slogans and quoting numbers will not work in really building the nation. 

This is the work of funding nations and the bevy of different NGOs where they give jobs to former bureaucrats, the so-called intellectuals and also media persons, who do as they are told to do by some masters of theirs, either outside the country or inside it. Meanwhile, it can also be said with pride that most Nepalis have been well grilled by tradition and religion to respect women as we all do. It is natural that there are some exceptions in this belief of the majority of the people but still, the situation is not so bad as described to us by the so called rights activists.

Representation 

Yes, the people also know that many women, just because of their gender are living in difficult conditions, especially in remote areas, which have few facilities. But many also know that these hard working women are the solid base on which our society stands. So when we come to the role of 'activists', can anyone say that these hard working women to whom we look up to are really represented in the governance or in different decision making processes?

No! And I can say this through my experiences that whether in politics, gender equality, representation of indigenous community or such popular slogans we hear all the time, this has not happened and only the 'elitist' group have ruled the roost as always of course with the 'generous' attitude of outsiders who want us to think as they do.

To come back to the demands of different people, one women's right leader, who actually is a dear friend of mine said in an interview that she was 'not satisfied' by the number of women in the present government. She shrilly said that she would like to see in writing that there would be an equal number of women in the cabinet as well. This again was only a question of numbers, so it would not be inappropriate to question, would it be better to have only a few members, but effective ones, in the cabinet or simply have more numbers but not really well meaning ones just because some want to see the 'quota' system fulfilled? Well, we hope we will not have to suffer like others, to only add numbers and fulfill quotas.

(The author is former editor in chief of this daily.)