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VOL. 28, NO. 23, March 06, 2009 (Falgun 23 2065) |
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“ Nepal Needs More Decentralization And Inclusion”
Rei Shiratori
Japanese political scientist and Professor REI SHIRATORI was recently in capital Kathmandu under JICA’s project in supporting constitution making in Nepal. Professor Shiratori met with constitutional lawyers, political scientists and media person at the office of Consortium of Constitutional Experts (CONCOE). Shiratori spoke to KESHAB POUDEL on various issues. Excerpts:
What is the purpose of your visit?
As a member of the mission of JICA, we are doing two things: one is on the constitution making process and another on federalism issues. As a part of our program, we have already organized a seminar on Federalism.
How do you see the debate in federalism in Nepal?
The word federalism is too much utilized and exploited in political way as a symbol. My experience is that it is not symbolic in political world. If we work without coordination, we may end up with unexpected results.
What did you share with Nepalese scholars?
Although they are my good friends and well known scholars, one of them showed me a very nice map of the world indicating the countries which have federalism in their constitution. Of course, the map showed that large part of the world is covered by federal states. That is misreading because the map of the country includes Australia, United States, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Russia which cover more than half of the world area. This means all these counties are introducing real federalism to a great degree. When you take out United States, Canada, Brazil, Argentina and Russia, larger number of countries will be there without federalism.
How feasible is federalism for a country like Nepal?
Considering the size of your country, it is difficult and almost impossible to introduce federalism to maximum degree and make federal states. Your country is so small and you cannot use your resources effective way. At the same time, you are going to change your political system.
How important is economic factor for deciding on federalism?
You need economic development to achieve social order. If your GNP and GDP go down, there will be increase in the incidence of violence. If the economic growth is higher, there is much possibility of stabilization of political process. This is the transitional stage and you also need to take off the economic development. Since your society is still an agricultural society, you don’t have enough social and monetary capital and governability. Therefore, quite often your country enters into transitional situation like this.
How do you see the management of this transitional period?
In these transitional stages, some countries have authoritarian and very much centralized military government. For instance, at this moment in Myanmar, military government is defending itself saying that their country is in transitional stage and needs high economic growth. They argue that their presence in power is necessary to carry out the fast economic development. In the past, many Latin American countries had similar kinds of situation like that of Myanmar.
Do you perceive any problems in case of introducing federalism at this stage?
The central government needs more resources in the transitional stage. If you introduce real federalism to the maximum degree, you may have more difficulties at this stage. As a political scientist, I am on the side of federalist elements for more decentralization and inclusion.
Do you think that will work?
It will work perfectly. We should consider including minority in the decision making. I am actually on this side. But, at the same time when you consider realistically, you need to see difficulties of passing through the transitional stage.
Since Nepal has already declared itself as a federal republic, we cannot go back. What suggestions do you have to make it successful and workable?
Nepal is federal republic but we cannot introduce federalism one hundred percent. There is a need to introduce more local self governance and initiate the local government with equal distribution of fiscal responsibilities to local government. Nepali government can provide only ten percent of total revenue to local government. I found how effectively the local government can work with this 10 percent of transfer of resources from national government. I found that the local self governments have enormous amount of independence and freedom to introduce any kinds of tax.
Where did you learn this?
I was in Chitawan recently and I met with chief district officer, local development officer and local chief of the police, I found the Chitawan local government was very rich because they are collecting revenues from various industries and mining. They are far richer than central government of Kathmandu. When we consider this fact, we must accept the initiative of local government in accordance to the principle of inclusion and even we can include more minority people in decision making.
Do you mean the decentralization can still be effective tool for resource and power sharing?
This kind of decentralization with federalist elements must be introduced because you have already decided that Nepal is federal republic. On the one hand, we can increase the initiative for local government and, on the other hand, we must strengthen the function of federal and central government to coordinate with this local government. You have quite large economic disparities from one area to another and it will cause the political instability. You need the strengthening of governability of central government and the strengthening of governability and autonomy of local government. This must be carried out to keep the balance.
What role the political leaders can play in this?
There is a need for concerted efforts of political parties and party leaders. They must accept the compromise in political discussions. JICA is going to invite political leaders and invite some political leaders for more concrete thinking on decentralization in federalism. Along with others; I also met with former prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala and his daughter Sujata Koirala. They also and talked about the decentralization and local government in the context of federalism. Since 1945, Japan has been successfully implementing the parliamentary forms of government by declaring only one constitution. However, Nepal has already drafted five constitutions and you are in the process of drafting sixth constitution for new democracy.
Do you think changing the constitution can stabilize the democratic process?
One thing you must bear in mind is that introducing new constitution must be very easy if political parties show their compromising attitude. After implementation of new constitution, then we need support to make that constitution viable. This kind of efforts must be considered from the starting point. Therefore, before the announcement of new constitution, JICA will organize a seminar to discuss how to make the constitution viable in a comparative way. Another thing the constitutional lawyers and political scientist must persuade the people about is constitutionalism which contains several elements. We must classify ordinary law and constitution. Because the political power is like a bear and it will like to become bigger and bigger and try to exercise the arbitrary power. The constitution is like a cage to keep the bear inside. Thus, the constitution should not be so easily changed or modified. The constitution is the fundamental law, which keeps the political power based on the will of the people, but the ordinary laws can be modified from time to time in accordance with the time. You changed the constitutions in the past to change the governments and political system but this time you are not only going to change the constitution and political system but you are going to change the society including caste system and social units. Japan at the end of the World War II, too, had seen similar change. Earlier, we had four class caste system before opening to western model of system: Samurai, agriculture farmers, carpenter or city planners and merchants and our war lords received the money or capital from merchants. We abolished everything of the whole class system to cut the hair of Samurai. After the defeat in the World War II, we introduced the new imposed constitution and abolished the aristocracy and we also made defunct the civil servant system from emperor centralized bureaucracy to the more decentralized civil servant. And even the police are now under the control of local government.
What changes can you see in Japan?
In the past, Japan’s model of development focused on maximizing the military budget. Under this model, Japan spent huge amount of money in military expansion and large number of young people were put in military garrison to send them to control the colonies at the time of requirement. After the World War II, Japan has changed its policy. After reduction of military budget, we are investing huge amount of money on education and social welfare.
It seems that Maoists will be happy to borrow your views since they too want to reduce the size of Nepalese Army?
Recently, I had a very good friendship with Minister of Finance Dr. Baburam Bhattarai when he came to Japan. After his coming back, he briefed his staffs in the Ministry of Finance on many things. All the staffs of Ministry know my name. I also told the same thing to Girija Prasad Koirala at one time when he was prime minister. Koirala replied that he too wanted to follow Japanese model. However, he was unable to do so because of Nepal’s position between two big countries India and China - both of them have atomic bombs and added that Nepal had to invest a lot in military budget.
Do you agree with this?
This is just nonsense. Even if you invest one hundred percent increase in your defence budget, you cannot win the war with either of your neighbours - against India or China. Japan’s model may be different because Japan has US security umbrella. If Nepal is able to get the security umbrella not of a one country but like that of international nature including India, China, Japan, US and Russia, then you can concentrate on social development. Japan’s five decades long development experiences have shown that one country can become economic super power without being a military super power. In case of international guarantee of security umbrella, there is nothing wrong for a country like Nepal to follow Japanese model.
Don’t you think the country needs a formidable army given Nepal’s own experiences of rebellions time and again?
Political stability will give much more improved life. Machiavelli said that if a Prince neglects the will of the people, he will be finished. Even if you put all the people inside the high wall, people will rebel in the end. So, people’s will is more important to continue stability and peace.
What forms of the government does Japan have?
Japan has two forms of government. At the central level, there is parliamentary form of government but the prefectures have presidential forms. The mayor of Tokyo’s municipal government is directly elected by people. Mayors are more powerful than prime minister many times. As prime minister has to depend upon the support of members of parliament for his survival, he is often weak. The mayors don’t have such problem.
