Rationality versus emotionalism By DR SHREEDHAR GAUTAM Statesmen and politicians differ drastically as they tackle the same problem with different approach. If the former resolve the issue keeping in view of its long-term repercussions, the latter resort to appeasement policy to a certain section of the people to ensure electoral victory in future, overlooking all threats to national integrity. The recent uprising in the terai needs to be settled with caution and vision, not letting emotionalism to overpower the rationality Politicians of ruling coalition have tried to present the case merely as a case of federalism and self-determination right to people with different ethnic origin. However, the explosive outburst of the terai people is the culminated result of age long suppression at the hands of irresponsible state .The crux of the conflict lies in deprivation of the right of decentralization with local autonomy to make the people responsible to raise their living standard. So, to treat the explosion on race and caste line will invite the tragedy of countries like former Yugoslavia, Iraq and Sri Lanka, to name a few. In the short run, terai people may feel satisfied with federalism and the right of self-determination, but in the long run they are bound to realize that separate state without any infrastructure for development will create devastating consequences. Moreover, politicians are confusing people by creating artificial divide between Pahade and Madhesi to sideline other real issues that need immediate corrections. An impression is being given that unitary structure is detrimental to the interest of terai people, and federal system as the panacea of all ills, irrespective of geographical and socio political reality. Nepal cannot blindly imitate administrative structure of any country without weighing its suitability for it. There are examples of federalism as well as unitary system working well in many parts of the world depending upon their ethnic, regional and demographical specialties. For a small and undeveloped country like Nepal, federalism will be only an emotional issue, as it has to first get rid of feudal system and corrupt bureaucracy. Whether a state can survive independently in the absence of basic needs for a state is a moot question before arguing for a federal structure outright. Nepal is a multi-racial, multi-ethnic and multi-language country, but no ethnic group has developed to the level of distinct nationalities as seen in countries of former Soviet Union. In our case, all ethnic, racial and religious group people have either lived with cordiality or spread all over the country in the search of job opportunities and resettlement. This particular feature of Nepal demands racial unity without undermining any interest of any particular ethnic group. Depending upon the density of particular ethnic group, autonomy can be granted at local level as has been done in countries like Britain and China. Now the genuine question is how to address the concern of people of all ethnicities and reasons in a democratic manner. The situation can be misused by the antisocial and anti-democratic elements if we mix up the development issue with race and ethnicity. We have already seen some countries becoming victim of sectarian strife, leading to the vicious internecine war and mass exodus. Equally, alien forces too will exploit such a situation in their favor if people are divided on communal or regional line. Considering all such threats to national unity, political parties should no more play with cheap emotionalism as well as popular sentiments. The eight political parties, revealing their immaturity and inexperience, have aggravated the present situation letting the communal issues overshadowing the regional development disparity. Now any divide between terai and hills will weaken the forces of republic and incite the elements loyal to feudalism. The movement of terai or indigenous group people is not against particular caste, but against the centuries-long exploitative system, which can be eliminated only with the solidarity between terai and hilly people. No party should give any communal twist to placate the people of particular place or religion, at the cost of national unity and cordiality of people. Solution again lies in the wisdom of the ruling political parties, including the Maoist party, which has prominently raised the question of self-determination right, if they review the viability of division on ethnic and racial line. Likewise, parties like Sadbhawana should rethink on the feasibility of federal state in terms of Madhes and Pahad that may vitiate the peaceful co-existence of diverse communities in the same region. Terai as well as hilly people will see the rationality once the political parties agree with open mind to correct all anomalies in distribution of national wealth, and give them equal opportunities constitutionally in all sectors of the nation without any discrimination. The government has conceded the federal structure of government rather emotionally; it can still be handled without endangering the unity of the country by giving maximum local autonomy to make the people feel that they are the makers of their own fate. Now government has to prove its sensitivity to the gravity of the subject and assure the terai people that they will get their due without hampering existing unity and understanding among people of different region and ethnicity. If the situation gets out of control, it is for the government to blame for itself. The leaders and individuals championing for the self-determination on ethnic basis should not take demand in a rigid way, with no point of return. Rationality will ultimately decide the merit of all the demands. We have seen in countries like Sri Lanka where irrational and immature decisions have engulfed the country in civil war with catastrophic impact on the innocent lives of people. In Nepal no such situation should be allowed to brew in any pretext from any corner. The recent events should once more awaken our ruling party leaders to act rationally and save the country from collapsing either into a failure state or fractured state. The history will blame the present eight party politicians, not the people of terai or hills, if the coming days take an ugly turn.