Nepal promulgated its new Constitution on 20th September, 2015 with the aim that it will help Nepal to overcome the political, economic and social crisis that it had faced for a long time. However, the newly promulgated constitution before being fully operational and getting imbibed has instead led to inter-ethnic tension thereby causing political unrest in the Terai region and has affected the entire country.
By Pravhat Lama
Nepal
promulgated its new Constitution on 20 September, 2015 with the aim that it
will help Nepal to overcome the political, economic and social crisis that it
had faced for a long time. However, the newly promulgated constitution before
being fully operational and getting imbibed has instead led to inter-ethnic
tension thereby, causing political unrest in the Terai region and has affected
the entire country.
Image Attribute: Nepalese President Ram
Baran Yadav with the Constitution / Source: Creative Commons
The new constitution
has created a federal structure consisting of seven provinces and this has been
opposed by ethnic groups like the Madheshi
and the Tharus belonging to the Terai region as their demand for
creation of at least two autonomous states on ethnic lines in the Terai region
has not been fulfilled. Further, these ethnic groups have opposed the new
constitution for not giving them adequate representation in the parliament and
the lack of reservation in all the spheres of national life has compelled these groups to come out for protest and
demand for the amendment of the constitution.
Terai, it is a
region which is closely and continuously connected to Indo-Nepal border through
which the goods and materials bound for Nepal passes to be sent to various
destinies within the country. The political unrest for more than two months in
the Terai region has led to the blockade of supplies of essential commodities
to Nepal. Moreover, the unrest is crippling the industries throughout Nepal due
to lack of shortage as well as lack of continuous supply of raw materials. The
unrest has been no less in showing its influence on the daily lives of the
people in Nepal such that the basic necessities for survival including the
medical supplies are becoming scarce and is inflicting immense hardship to the
people thereby leading to the possibility of humanitarian crisis.
Further, it
has also affected the tourism industry of Nepal, one of the important
contributors to the national economy and the important source for employment
generation in the country, which was still in the process of revival after the
devastating earthquake that hit the country earlier this year. Those people who
are dependent on tourism for their employment has been badly affected by the
unrest. In nutshell, the political unrest is affecting the overall economy of
Nepal.
However, for
this blockade Nepal has blamed India as it holds the view that India has unofficially created and backed the blockade in the Terai region. India
on its part has also voiced its displeasure over Nepal’s new constitution
on the issues concerning Madheshis and Tharus and has demanded amendment of the
constitution so as to make it inclusive. Further, from India’s perspective, it
is the unrest in the Terai region that has actually led to the blockade in the
region. Thus, the difference in perspective regarding the blockade has made the
two countries further far away from each other.
The fact that India and Nepal, both share a unique relationship with each other as both the countries since
time immemorial have historical, cultural, social, geographical and linguistic
ties but the elements of confidence and
trust supported by unique relationship could never make its way while engaging
with each other over the years. The relationship between the two countries
could never flourish. During the past two decades the relationship has
deteriorated and the present constitutional crisis in Nepal has further
deteriorated the relationship between the two countries.
It is important for the Nepal government to realize that the Terai region is the engine of Nepal’s economy
and the recent conflict in the region has not only hampered the country but it
has also strained its relationship with India. The government must acknowledge
that the demands made by the Madheshi and the Tharus are not the new problems
or are the demands created by the new constitution. The problems and the
demands were there since long time as these groups had been facing the problems
over a long period of time. The governments over the years has failed to
address the problems and never made a concrete effort to resolve the issues of
the ethnics groups.
The Nepal
government should immediately look into the matter rather than wait for the
conflict in the Terai region to settle by itself. More than two months
have gone and the region is still a zone of unrest and at times the situation
has gone worse. Most importantly, the government must take steps to initiate the
process of amendment of the constitution as quickly as possible and include the
representatives of the Madheshi and the Tharus in the amendment process so that
the amended constitution is accepted by all the people of the country.
And the
existing oligarchy power holding system, habituated to unquestioned leadership
has to be restructured within the country and make it democratic and inclusive
so that the power is shared among all the sections of the country. Further, the
government must strive to promote and provide open and equal opportunities to
all the people in all spheres of national life. Any delay in initiating the
process of amendment and addressing the issues of the Madheshi and the Tharus
will prolong the unrest in the Terai region thereby leading to the possibility
of outbreak of civil war in the region.
Thus,
immediate response which is much needed from the government will not only bring
peace in the Terai region but will also end the possibility of outbreak of
civil war in the region. Moreover, sooner the peace is restored faster the
movements of essential commodities including medical supplies and raw
materials for Nepal will restart and this will not only end the crisis
that the people have been facing for more than two months but it will also help
Nepal to slowly revive its industries back to normal. Finally, Nepal must act
maturely by realizing the fact that the present crisis is due to internal
problems in the country, therefore, immediate response to resolve the crisis
will also help Nepal to normalize its relationship with India.
About The Author:
Pravhat Lama (O-8110-2015) is a Doctoral Candidate at the Centre for
East Asian Studies (Japanese Division), School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
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