Friday, September 9, 2011

Japan India and Nepal Global Partnership Summit 2011 On Strategic Vision for Next Decade.

India Japan global Partnership summit 2011
4-7th September, 2011
Tokyo Japan
Speech delivered by Khimlal Devkota

Mr. Chairman distinguish guest, speakers, participants ladies and gentleman,
First of all I would like to express my sincere thanks to the organizer for inviting me and giving me an opportunity in this august gathering. India Japan Global Partnership summit 2011.
I am from Nepal, a country which is now in a peace process after a decade long people's war. In case of Nepal, conflict evolved against the autocratic feudal monarchial unitary system which forced the people to live in a miserable life; in poverty, illiteracy and week socio- economic conditions. Nepal inter in peace process in 2006, after signing on comprehensive Peace accord. We have identified integration and rehabilitation of People's liberation Army (PLA), Constitution formulation and the socio-economic transformation as the major tasks to achieve a sustainable peace.
Indeed, the peace accord in the struggle against feudal monarchy and oligarchy was a grand success. However, Nepal is now at a transitional phase. Time and again, peace process is obstructed when political parties in the country fail to consolidate on a common agenda for peace. We are feeling diffulities to create a sustainable political environment in the country. The weak socio-economic condition of the country has been as major challenge in the peace process and post-conflict restructuring of the country. As you all now know that, Nepal is drafting its constitution through constituent Assembly, through their elected representatives. We aimed to represent all sector, identities and diversities in the constitution. Moreover, it has become a test for direct use of people's sovereignty. Thus, our new constitution must be a codification of people's rights. If we confined again in only civil and political rights but failed to address the socio-economic rights of the people, root cause of conflict may not be abolish. We believe, the constitution must guarantee socio-economic and cultural rights of the people.
Through New constitution we must have to fix our political and economic system at least.
Political system:
Coming to the second decade of 21st century, the innovation in science and technology has expanded their ambit. I do believe politics was and politics is always in command. In the last century, Japan went through bad has bad experiences of war and India had bitter experiences of British colony. Sadly, Nepal is still suffering from its history of feudal autocratic monarchial unitary system and its hangover.
Parliamentary systems or the presidential system, both have merits and demerits. Besides, now its proven that we cannot generalize a specific system to be the perfect one for all the countries. There is a need of a rethink and revise these systems in accordance with demand of the diversified issue of the specific country and the emerging global economy. Today, strong economic system and a strong political system have become each other's support. If political system collapses, it creates a negative effect on the economic sector. Similarly, an economic system can sustain only in sustainable and suitable political system. This is an opportunity to draw attention for new and pro-people political system for themselves and for others too. India and Japan both countries are having parliamentary system they had maintained their status quo but not able to resolve their own problems. Especially, why does, India, the country with 60 years old democracy has the largest number of poorest population in the world? , why are there defragmentation among the people and different groups are marching against the system and are broadening their area scale day by day? So, why not rethink about parliamentary system. Why not to research and find out the root causes of devastating conflicts that we aim to eliminate from countries?
Economic system:
Around the world peoples are facing their own problems government and establishment is also in same condition. Frankly speaking, socialism and capitalism both were success in the past era but now it is in 21st century always in questions. We cannot deny that, communism was in one of the ruling position in the 1st half of the 20th century. However, with the disintegration of the USSR, rumor spread out analyzing it as an s failure of the Marxism. Flowingly, capitalism dominated the world. Many nations claimed it to be the best system. But sadly, the economic crisis in the 1st decade of the 21st century has challenged capitalism. Many of us have anlysised it as a failure of capitalism. So, now it's time to come together and find a better sustainable system which will, in true sense create an economic world of mutual prosperity. Let's reassessment the growing economy and reform our angle to view the specific sectors and our priorities.
People's relation:
Political dynamics is changing now. Only the formal relation institutional relations of a country to country can't do everything. There is a need to establish people to people informal relations and promote non-governmental l relation and track 2 relations. Peoples are everywhere if people are ignored then strong establishments also can be challenged and questioned. Pro people policy and policy owned by the people, oversight by the people and guided by the people must be a slogan for policy makers.
Challenges: Gap between haves and have not is going bigger.
Ladies and Gentlemen, just think even if we believe everyone has equal rights, some of the peoples are still deprive from state power and state services. Though, legally they are all equal but among those equals many of them are unable to access equal power and rights. Sadly, in the same state there are people who have power to monopolizing state mechanism and for their own benefits. The outcome of this type of social structure is violence and tension. This type of tension can only be address by inclusion sharing power and ensure access to state power.
Poor people are our main stakeholders:
If we study the population structure, we can see mass of poor people as a poor people. These poor people are largest part of our populations. Thus, I believe these people must be the main stakeholder of the economic development, user of state power and order of the state power. If we forget to include them in our economic policies, we are missing the biggest target.
If look deep into major tensions and conflicts in our societies, Poverty, illiteracy, exploitation and suppression are the sources of these conflict and revolution. Constitutional and legitimate formal institutions or rule of law have failed to function in the countries with poverty, illiteracy, exploitation and so on.
Resources sharing are a big deal:
Politics, business, service and all other sectors are confined in collection and capture the resources. Not to forget that all resources are equal for all. Access to resources and sharing of resources is right of the all people but it is hard to seen in practice.
Ownership and production relation:
State assets, natural resources are equal for its people. However, the society has different classes of people. Thus, ironically, equality in the use of these resources is only exercised only among that equal mass which are equal. But what about the mass that is not equal and cant not but the mass which is not equal and cannot have access to such resources? There is a huge mass of populations are unable to exercise their so called equal rights as equal opportunities and as they lack equal access to these resources. Who made the rule that poor people cannot use the resources and the products on which they have equal rights? If the recourses are equal for all, why cannot a poor person cannot be the owner of the resources and product and neither a factory too?
We have huge masses of the poor and deprived people who contribute the production at the same time world is suffering from the Industrial capital changing and replacing by financial capital which is also main challenges.
Each and every sector is spread out throughout the world and the World is looks like a global village. Market is focused on profit rather than need of the people and service of the people. More profit can be achieved from financial capital then industrial capital. As a result the unemployment is increasing day by day. The complete sift of industrial capital into financial capital will collapse employment opportunities would completely. As in the history, when masses of the peoples are detached from the resources any kind of capital, it generates frustration, and anger creating violent revolutions and struggle against industrial financial capital.
Prosperities: Nepal is in the phase of constitution writing and at a time nation building and constitution building. This is a time to focus on special topics like political and economic system within the political system. Newest constitution from Nepal can be a model for others countries to study the new trend of socio-economic revolution. Moreover, we are egger to know the experiences and suggestions of other countries to have an effective socio-economic movement form the grassroots level.
Diversities:
21st century is a time of identity politics. If any political party does not accept it, it's definite that it will collapse. Nepal is country of diversity. Diversity is not a liability; it is an asset of the country. However, if the issue of diversity is not addressed properly, it will create tensions everywhere. Those who can manage and use the population diversity in positive and productive way would success. So, acceptance and proper addressing and capitalization of diversity within people is very important issues that the world can learn from Nepal.
Tourism:
Nepal, Japan, and India, each of these countries have high potentiality of tourism. Different level of population can be managing religious tourism, business tourism, and technological tourism. These can promote a healthy and productive exchange of different kind of ideas, culture and practices. Lord Buddha’s birth place is in Nepal, Japan as a Buddhist country can promote tourism in Nepal. Similarly, India can attract Nepal's largest Hindu communities. Specialist of three countries can sit together and plan for different tourism packages in these three countries with diversities in climate, culture and entire differences in way of living.
Human resources:
Nepal has the Young and working population is in Nepal. 2/3 population of Nepal is 18-45 age group where is the old age population is comparatively low. Nepali human resources can highly be useful for Japan and for Nepal it would an opportunity to learn the latest technology and use the experiences of Japan in the home country.
Natural resources:
Nepal is a nature gift country everywhere it is full of natural beauty which can be use as a tourism industry and development of national economic development. Several known and unknown Herbal products are also in Nepal. Which can be explore more and more with the help of develop country. Donation grant and loan in productive and doable sector must be identified.
Tension minimizes:
Everywhere is full of tense heavy investment on war industry cannot contribute for peace. Japan and India can play a vital role about to change a war economy to peace economy, destructive economy to constructive economy. Together we can create a world of no armies and wars but a world with schools and pollution free natural environment for the future generation.
Equality, co-existences:
Equality and co-existence is a spirit of the whole world but no one has taken as it in real life. Equality and co existence is a very sensitive matter. We cannot see them in concrete but can feel the sense. If we could properly handle them; peace, harmony, prosperity and development can flourish. Nepal India and Japan has series of commonalities and differences. Politically Capitalism-market economy vs. socialist economy: Countries that have been facing such event now they became a new economic super power.
At last, but not the least, I believe, Japan's global partnership, including India which is one of the Neighbor of Nepal will certainly benefit Nepal and the Asian subcontinent. I believe also believe that it will promote to create a sustainable economy and everlasting peace in the world. More specifically, Nepal would be glad to get friendly hands from Japan and India in its mission to achieve a nation of people with equal rights and opportunities and re construct the country with a tremendous socio-economic change.
Thank you !


How the new socio-economic framework evolving between India and Japan can serve as a model to emulate for global Patterned countries. The India Japan relationship is bound to acquire even greater significance as the Asian region goes through tremendous socio-economic and geopolitical changes and as the international scene rapidly evolves, the session tries to define micro-vision of Japan Global Parternership.
Suggest Policy level changes. Which will encompass Nepal in the India Japan Global Parternership Initiative.
Identify areas of cooperation and what is needed on policy level from Nepal Japan and India.

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