How do Nepalis put up with this government; they’re too patient! is a statement I’ve repeated regularly in the 15 years that I’ve been linked to this country. In fact, in 1990 and 2006 the people had had enough and launched movements, or revolutions, that contributed to dramatic redesigns of the country: in 1990, the return to democracy and in 2006, the creation of a republic that included Maoist rebels who had just signed a ceasefire.
Earlier this year a third movement was born after the prime minister, mired in a major crisis within his own political party, shut down Parliament. Like its predecessors, this movement signalled its arrival with street protests but they were much smaller than the ones I remember from 2006, and this time — perhaps because of Covid-19 — revolution was not in the air in Kathmandu. In fact, I only knew about the birth of the movement when someone tweeted it.
But after speaking to today’s guest from Brihat Nagarik Andolan, Bhaskar Gautam, it seems right that this movement is not bringing hundreds of thousands of chanting, banner-waving Nepalis to the streets. Yes, the previous revolutions were monumental but somehow this movement’s aim to create a fully participatory democracy with all of Nepal’s citizens as equal partners seems a much higher goal, requiring not an explosion of people power but a sustained, unrelenting push against the weight of history.
Just a reminder that we’re still recording remotely, from home, so you may hear sounds of Kathmandu in the background, among them vehicle horns honking, dogs barking and vendors calling.
With that in mind, I’m slightly reluctant to ask for your feedback. Just kidding. As always, you can email me at marty@martylogan.net or share your thoughts via the Instagram, Facebook or Twitter accounts of Nepal Now. If you haven’t already, don’t forget to like, follow or favourite the show on Anchor, Apple or Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
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Thanks as always to Nikunja Nepal for advice and inspiration.
Music: amaretto needs ice ... by urmymuse (c) copyright 2018 Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial (3.0) license. http://dig.ccmixter.org/files/urmymuse/57996 Ft: Apoxode
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Music by audionautix.com.
Thank you to the Association of Community Radio Broadcasters of Nepal and Himal Media for use of their studios.