Written by: Bikram Nembang (limbu), M.E.

Nepal identified as a mountainous where 70% of its land covers by mountains and hills and 30% of plain terrain is a beautiful natural blessed country. Buddha know as Icon of peace to the world was born in this country, and list one of the few countries with its vast natural wealth and recourses. For the last two decades Nepal has been suffering with the political turmoil and instability; as a result today lack of development, corruption, crime, unemployment, and viability of ethnic confront has pushed away its citizen to far below the poverty level.

Nepal has stepped in the path of democracy for last two decades. Although it is immature but are we heading in the right direction based on our own cultural values and indigenous society? How would you define the meaning of democracy? How far the freedom shall exist in the name of democracy? Is the path chosen by the developing countries is ideal for Nepal? Is it just right thing to copy and paste democracy from one state to another? There are bunch of questions regarding the definition and

mean of democracy. But if you think Nepal as a democratic country then what is the viability toward the majority of people's willing so called "Federalism"? Today in 21st century the practice shows that Democracy, Independent or Federalism in any place is prearranged only in the circumstances with the blessing of, at least, regional or global players, with their geopolitical or economical interests. So, if this is a fact, a question arises again, in current situation what are the trumps do Nepal holds? Is Nepal situated in appropriate location for their geopolitical interest? Today majority people's preference is toward Federalism. We all as normal citizens desire Nepal to stir toward this direction bearing in mind that (description and expectation wise) governing regional state shall be vast efficient compare to the one, that is centralized government. Efficient and well organized of the state derive to direct impact in the GDP economic growth of the State, which in overall is the fundamental economy growth of the country as a whole. But likewise, there is a say that everything has its two sides - right and left. You need equally to give the importance for the both sides. So as per saying always check right to see what's left and if nothing is left then go left and check what's right. With no any difficulty it is visible to everyone the positive impact but we always undervalue the consequences or sometime disregard the negative impact.

Today in terms of developing Nepal beside federalism there are three vital things which, with no any doubt, should be modernized - Democracy, Bureaucracy, and Corruption. There are a lot of other factors as well but I see these are the vital things to resolve in the first place. Country cannot move forward or expand democracy, where the party's internal system itself is undemocratic. Lack of democratic system within the party will encounter the chaos in overall of all parties. Bureaucracy within the party leads competent politicians vanished, where today Nepal lacks the most. Today citizens experience paying a big chunk (approximately 20%) in terms of Nepal's GDP for bribes to the existing bureaucratic groups. Each and every single business dealing has to go through this well organized bureaucratic group, which means without corruption and giving bribes a new investment is rarely possible. Economy of Nepal is shrinking day by day rather than being stable or increase. Actual inflation rate is in double digit with its currency devaluation day by day. Therefore our leaders faces tough challenging assignment to stop this trend and create a good investment environment and list Nepal as one of the worthy place in terms in investment. Because without investment development of the republic’s economy is hardly possible and at present practically none effort seems desired by the leaders either. The situation is disaster – there is no any new investment in Nepal. There is a challenge to everybody to combat corruption in earnest instead of selling out the seats in government because if work continues the way it does now, no results will be achieved at all. The second the most essential thing necessary to deal with is country's "unemployment" which is sky rocketing. Our intellectuals or entrepreneurs who shall be the main drivers of the country are forced to migrate to other countries. And here I would like to remind everyone that searching for better life and money is not always the first choice or option for intellectuals and entrepreneurs. But the most important thing is a good environment and working facilities prearranged to them in other countries. Let's not go far away and take a close look to our neighboring country India where the leaders have acknowledged that country cannot move forward if the brain draining of any particular country persist, so maximum afford been given by the government to created the good environment where today’s architect of the country (intellectuals and entrepreneurs) are returning back to their country, once they were migrated to other countries searching for better opportunities. And here I would like to point out that India is listed on the top in terms of brain draining of its citizen after Russia. This process of brain draining of our country is another big challenge to bring to an end by our leaders.

I have a little bit different view with someone, who perceive deficient of human resource in Nepal. Today compare to 20 years back Nepal has a tremendous skilled and unskilled work force. But definitely there is a lack of government system and a work plan. So who you do blame or who is responsible? Is Democracy to blame? Politicians? Or we citizen as well? Or maybe it is a problem with a copy and paste of a modern democracy that exist in developing countries? Journalists or we as ordinary citizens are quick to blame to the head of government (politicians). But the real problem is not only with the politicians rather each ministry department and authorities practically are driven by governmental officials including top first class officer to bottom peon, and unfortunately corruption is also tagged on the same way. Uncertainty creates when there is a change of Ministry of Department. But in my opinion- concern shall be taken to the work plan and system rather having full of anxiety and concentration to the political changes.

Today there is an urgency to modernize our (public labor) officials by training them for their capability and make to know-how to perform their job transparently and ethically where as equally important to keep the officials uninfluenced by any political parties. All the social activities and the work plan shall be implemented rather freezing due to the change of the government. Today  public serving officials, judicial system, Police department each and all departments are corrupted and incompetent to perform their duty where there is a need of modernization as well. In other words a system and law must be developed. The root cause of corruption should eradicate and its analysis has to be done, and sometime quality not the quantity should be the priorities by the government in terms of employment. Law shall be equal for all with no double standards when it comes to the ordinary and the elites groups.  Therefore an independent justice court based on modern legislation is essential for protecting a democracy, civil rights and to fight against corruption. But it must be mirrored by a change in people’s minds by abandoning long-held traditions of disrespect for the law as well. We need to find a taste for legal culture, lawfulness, respect for other people’s rights, including such an important one as the right of property. Courts with wide public support must be able to wipe the country's corruption. It’s a difficult task, but a feasible one. So, today there is a need of strong civil society to push forward anticorruption reform in Nepal. And the spread of modern information technology gives unprecedented opportunities to implement such fundamental changes with the freedom of speech and assembly to find and eliminate hotspots of corruption with direct access to virtually reaching everywhere with the direct exchange of ideas and knowledge between people all over the country. But equally society as well must become more transparent than ever. China today succeeded to be the world's second largest economy in the world within the two decades of time after significantly modernizing their economic policy. Fighting against corruption and implementation of law were introduced with tough punishment such as death penalty for corruption charges. It has taken corruption as a serious threat for its economy growth, where today it enjoys a growth by a double digit. The point is some time it is necessary to take a tough stance to make it something happen and once people are aware they will comply with it or must face tough punishment.

Several times in our history, haste and rashness in political reforms have caused tragic events which as a result today Nepal is on the brink of bankruptcy. Do you think political leaders have the rights to risk with public stability, to endanger the safety of people for some abstract theories? They have no right to sacrifice stable life even for a high cause, because Political reforms are for people, not people for the reforms. Nepal's democracy should not mindlessly copy a foreign example, although we must take into consideration the experience of other countries, their successes and failures in the development of democratic institution. A civil society cannot be bought with grants. Political culture cannot be changed by mimicking the political traditions of advanced societies. An efficient judicial system cannot be imported. Freedom cannot be scribbled down from a book, even if it’s a very smart book. But borrowing other countries experience, technology and ideas is something which Nepal can’t do without cooperation with foreign nation.

People's thoughts are divided with the ideas and vision of varies party in Nepal. It is normal human kind, but the critical part is a huge dose of injection given to the people and hypnotized by the parties as a result people are very silent and dim when it come to the matter of their own party. Due to the hypnotization, party has a tremendous support and, as a result, the wrong decision taken by these parties and its leaders is always accepted. So, this cause has led to the trend of ignoring the people voice by the politicians. The vertical power of the governmental system is from upside to down, which needs to modernize as well. Therefore, today Nepal's leaders and Democracy of Nepal faces the tough challenge to win the faith of its people or in other words it is vital to change their attitude toward governing a country in a right direction, when it comes in a bid to create a good economy and prosperity of the country.

Two decades of experiencing democracy is a long time and our citizens are still passion in a  hope for better and not yet irritated, but once the Nepalese people start rolling, it is going to be another very serious and, I am trying  to avert, armed conflict or even civil war inside the country. So, the time has come to all parties to demonstrate that they can work united, when it comes the matter of democracy, modernization and development of own country. Each minority party or opposition party shall take for grant now on, that if no ideas and effort are shared and keeps the trend to destabilize the environment of the ruling government to make citizens oppressed to turn on their ruling government, then that will be the worst scenario for its own destiny, because that footsteps or ploy will never work. Today Nepalese are well-groomed enough to analyze, as a result it will turn on the ones, who are imposing the sanction against the country's development. Majority Nepalese people are able to identify and judge the ruling government for its responsibilities and value of the achievement. But no exclusion for the ruling party either and shall take for grant now on as well, that the power of the majority shall move forward in light of interest and opinions of the minority as well. I hope, "movement mechanisms" of our country would recognize the importance of the modernization for the development of our nation.