After 'E' day

So I was wrong. Usually, I'm a natural optimist, but in this case, in the case of the Nepali elections I chose pessimism. I chose to believe the dooms day predictions and the head shakers and the "it will never go peacefully" camp. But I was wrong. The elections were a success and men, women and youths came out in droves to exercise their democratic right. It is funny, in a way, as a successful election was not what anyone had prepared for, including me. A few days before "E" day, in response to the overwhelming election pessimism in the air, my housemate and I had registered with the embassy, stockpiled cans of tinned tomatoes and pasta and all but packed our bags ready for the evacuation. On Election Day vehicles were banned from the roads, the army and the various election observers were out in force, and everyone was ready for the mass burning and looting of polling booths, violence and intimidation from the YCL (youth arm of the Maoists) and maybe even the outbreak of civil war. But the morning came and I woke up to the sound of bird song rather than gunfire. Still convinced mayhem was being unleashed just beyond my gate; I rolled over and turned on the BBC to be greeted by the cheerful voice of BBC correspondent Charles Haviland reporting an almost 'festive' atmosphere at polling booths. And that is how the day progressed, peaceful beyond anyone's wildest dreams. Although there were cases of polling booths being burnt or thrown into the river and candidates being killed (7 in total, I think) news was also of people who made sure they voted before being rushed to hospital to give birth, old people who voted and then died minutes later (the press insinuated excitement related heart attacks), people in the Terai who came out despite threats of violence to finally have their say about how they wanted their New Nepal to look.

In the end an estimated 60% of Nepalis came out to vote. As the Kathmandu post pointed out the next day, this is nothing short of a miracle considering the pre-election tension, the numerous armed groups vocal against the elections, and the fact that a huge % of Nepal's population has been displaced, killed or moved abroad due to the 10 year armed conflict that has waged since the last elections in 1999.

I really shouldn't be so surprised. Nepal is amazingly resilient country, which always seems to come through despite 'everyone' saying it could never happen. Take the people's movement in April 2006 or the fact that the elections were held at all, let alone peacefully. Every time, it seems, the Nepali people proved 'everyone' wrong. Of course the biggest surprise of all was the landslide victory of the Maoist Party and still the pessimists and the hand ringers are predicting the worse, how can such a rebel party come out of the jungle and lead the New Nepal, it will never work! But the people of Nepal have chosen the Maoists and with them comes a feeling of change and maybe even optimism, who knows…the Maoists and the country have a long up hill struggle in front of them, but this time I will take my lead from the people and I will choose optimism and hope for change and a New Nepal (albeit a red one!)

Waiting for a New Nepal

For the last few days there has been a noticeable increase in huddling among men here. Huddling is something that Nepali men do, they sit in huddles and drink chiya and talk…but recently the huddles have got tighter, the talk more urgent and they are everywhere, on street corners, outside shops, in the usual chiya pasals (tea shops). I know what they are talking about, its what everyone's talking about, wondering about…even the street dogs have an unsure look on their face "what will happen after Thursday? Will everything change?"

Thursday (tomorrow) is the Nepali CA (Constituent Assembly) Elections. Nepal has been waiting for these elections for almost 2 years now, since the Jana Andolan (or people's uprising) in April 2006, when the king stepped down and democracy came (for the second time) to Nepal. The elections have already been postponed twice, and right up to this week, people were still not sure if they would actually happen…the ballot papers weren't going to be printed in time, the parties were fighting, the Madeshi's were bringing the country to a halt. But in the end the ballot papers got printed, the parties continued fighting but no one pulled the plug on the elections and the Madeshi's were appeased. So here we are, on the eve of the elections, wondering if the much promised Naya Nepal (new Nepal) will materialize.

Naya Nepal, is a term that everyone has been using to describe the Nepal that will materialize after the elections (Equal Access even have a radio programme by that name), it is a term loaded with hope and the promise of change for the better. It makes me think of shiny new things, of glowing lights and angelic voices in chorus. The reality is a little less shiny. The reality is news of bombs and shootings, of the killing of party candidates by other parties cadres or women candidates being beaten up so badly they loose an eye, of petty name calling between politicians and party members, of curfews and voter intimidation, of rallies that turn violent and campaigns that have no agenda for how a New Nepal will rise, no party line bar the slogan "vote for trees" or "don't vote for them". The party leaders have signed two agreements promising a peaceful and fair election yet not a day has passed in the last two weeks without the papers reporting one lot of party cadres beating up or intimidating another. Prachanda (the Maoist leader) has said that if the Maoists don't win, the elections must be unjust and he will not accept them. In reality if the Maoists DO win it will be because of fear and intimidation, as I'm pretty sure they do not have any popular support. But ke garne, if they don't win they may well pick up arms again, 'head back to the forests' and start another civil war...so perhaps, in the name of a quiet life, they will win. Whatever happens tomorrow I'm pretty sure in the end the people of Nepal will not win. But may be I'm being too pessimistic, maybe the gains that have been made in ensuring better equality and representation in Nepal will continue and this election will go smoothly and will truly mark the start of the road to a New Nepal…that's the beauty of the day before, waiting, huddling, its all rumour at the moment and from this distance we can still hope!