New budget and the national shame

Some may argue that the introduction of incentives for marriage with widows and dalits is a positive step towards bridging the gap between people of the so-called lower and upper castes, but I believe this policy invites disaster, a disruption of social harmony, and is destructive to the essence of marriage.

By Kamal Lamichhane

Each year, the last week of Aasad (mid-July) becomes the center of concern for Nepal’s people as the government prepares to bring forth the new budget for the new fiscal year, with new programmes and new hopes. However, there were clouds of uncertainty as to whether the UML-led government would be able to produce the budget on time or not, as the largest party in the Constituent Assembly had not been taking part in CA sessions. Maoists ultimately gave the Government the green light to introduce new policies and programmes followed by the budget (although, only for one month), though, and Surendra Pandey, the Finance Minister, presented the budget for fiscal year 2009/10 on Monday.

When finance minister began the presentation of the budget, I believe many Nepalis, myself included, did not stray far from their radios or television sets. As an expert on disability, I was keen to hear whether the Government would announce any programmes related to providing quality education and employment for persons with disabilities. Although concrete programmes on disability are lacking in the new budget, it is nonetheless a good sign that this government has given continuity to previous social security programmes for marginalised members of the community, including persons with disabilities. Furthermore, although there are many facets of the new budget that deserve further clarification from the side of the Finance Minister, I must focus on one: I was stuck by the Minister’s declaration that the government will award Rs. 100,000 to those who marry so-called lower caste people (dalits). Another, equally surprising, and related announcement was the declaration that the Government will award Rs. 50,000 to men who marry widows. I believe that many marginalised people, who wish to have dignity based on equality and who looked forward to seeing measures made in that direction in this year’s budget, must certainly be disappointed by such a move.

I do not argue that the intentions of the government are at fault; however, correct intentions alone do not always make for positive development. It appears the government believes that people will not misuse this scheme that there is already sufficient acceptance, awareness and understanding in place that people will willingly marry widows and dalits not for money, but for the sake of a better family life. In that sense, the idea of encouraging inter-caste marriage seems like a good thing. However, I am skeptical of whether such a plan can move smoothly in a positive direction. If such understanding were already widespread, there would be no need for perks from the government to encourage inter-caste marriage or marriage with widows. However, this is not yet the case. What’s more, this policy clearly shows that the government is lacking in professionals with the skills, knowledge, and determination to develop better assistance programmes for widows and lower-caste individuals, instead of money-oriented marriage programmes which seem more likely to end with tears and sadness rather than joy and smiles for these women who are now susceptible to being exploited for the sake of money.

Some may argue that the introduction of incentives for marriage with widows and dalits is a positive step towards bridging the gap between people of the so-called lower and upper castes, but I believe this policy invites disaster, a disruption of social harmony, and is destructive to the essence of marriage. As a person deeply invested in the rights and dignity of those who are marginalised, including women, lower-caste people and persons with disabilities this announcement shocking to me, and weighs negatively upon my heart. Perhaps our finance minister does not understand, or refuses to understand, how his announcement of this programme can be regarded as inhuman, immoral and a shameful act. It is undeniably true that one of the major challenges we face as a nation is to work toward ending the prevailing, negative and discriminatory attitudes toward widows and lower-caste people, but such a thoughtless package of encouraging marriage for money will not bring about positive change in the lives of these groups. Rather, it constitutes no less than the formation of what is essentially a national dowry system, which blatantly contradicts the existing legal provision that any dowry system is against the law. Given that one-third of Nepal’s population are living under the poverty-line, I understand how such a cheap and populist programme is expected to be successful, but I believe it will only contribute to endemic violence against and exploitation of women, and, indeed, bringing the government into a relationship of complicity with these problems.

Of course, we all want a society with equality and dignity, but this equality and dignity simply cannot be bought and sold. This type of programme, I believe, will ultimately hurt more widows and lower-caste people than it will help. The likely consequences of this programme is that, due to increasing poverty, many people will be interested in marrying widows or so-called lower-caste people, not with love and affection, but only to get the money. We have already seen many incidents of paper marriage, either for the purposes of usurping control of a woman’s property, or of otherwise earning money in some way; this may further escalate if the government does not rethink this new scheme, which is problematically based on misguided sympathy rather than on recognising the equality and dignity of individuals. We cannot ignore that many people, once they get their money, may ultimately divorce the women they have used as stepping-stones to a government payout. What, then, happens to the women married under this scheme? Will the government double the package such that anyone marrying these divorced women will also get money? Can our finance minister bear the responsibility of possible consequences of such an inhuman act?

We people who are discriminated against by mainstream society are just craving for love and affection, dignity and equality but I warn that those things cannot be gained by an attractive money distribution scheme. If our finance minister had made some economic miscalculation or misinterpretation, he could be forgiven on the basis of the fact that, although he is the finance minister, he does not come from a strong economics background. Given, however, that his academic background is sociology he holds a masters degree in the field and this failed attempt at showing his knowledge and good intentions as regards social change is ironic. Such an inhuman, shortsighted and irresponsible budget announcement must make us wonder, once again, whether the Government is really moving toward uplifting people, or whether this Government is just toying with the sentiments of its people. Aside from the potential for exploitation, thanks to the Government’s cheap scheme, those with honest intentions who wish to marry widows or lower-caste individuals may have second thoughts, not wanting to be perceived as marrying for money. Speaking for myself, as a person who has spent their entire life advocating for the rights and dignity of minority peoples, I believe it would also be impossible for any true advocate to marry a widow or a person of lower caste unless this program be dissolved. With programs like this being put into place, I begin to worry that, if this finance minister continues in the same vein with the new policies and programs for next year’s budget, the next announcement will be that the government will award the same amount of money for marrying persons with disabilities.

Had the government had fair intention, it could not possibly have believed such cheap schemes to be a good idea. Rather, the government should be focused on more constructive policies, such as increasing awareness-raising programmes and developing laws that strictly punish any one harming or exploiting lower-caste individuals and women who have lost their husbands to untimely deaths. It is now the responsibility of all marginalised groups, and of civil society in general, to pressure the government to develop positive programmes targeting those groups, programmes that would encourage respect, and foster understanding of the fact that no matter who we are, we are all human beings. Furthermore, the finance minister should apologiae to such marginalised communities and express his commitment to avoid developing or promoting such naively anti-human programmes in future. All over the world, the ideal of marriage is based on love and understanding, but our government is trying to define marriage in monetary terms. Can a budget which includes a programme like this, a programme that implicitly supports the notion that lower-caste individuals and widowed women are fundamentally lesser than other members of the community, truly be said to take a socialist approach? It is my personal belief that we must treat others not based on their origins, but based on the acts they perform. We can be great by our deeds, not by our castes, and we must act collectively toward ending all forms of discrimination against women, against members of the so-called lower caste, and against persons with disabilities.

(Lamichhane, a visually impaired person, is researching on socio-economic status of persons with disabilities and is a Ph. D. candidate at the University of Tokyo, Japan. E-mail: kamal@bfp.rcast.u-tokyo.ac.jp)

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