The recent publication of the 20th UN Human Development Report showed that Nepal’s ranks 144 out of 182 countries in the Human Development Index (HDI). Norway ranks 1, China 92, India 133 and Niger 182. Of all the components evaluated, only income and enrollment in schools responded to short term policy changes in Nepal. The growth of Nepal’s rising HDI though is falling behind (142 in 2008 report) since the scores across the world have increased over the last years. Main reason: poor economic growth. The emigration rate is 3,9 %, with 95% of them directing to Asia. Remittances make the most direct impact as it increased household income, thereby increasing overall standard of living. Migration is considered as a necessary evil: there are simply not enough jobs in the domestic market for the 350000 annual school leavers.
These and many other negative news fill the dailies in Nepal …. and probably impact the perception and mood of the Nepali population. But you don’t need to be literate to experience “hands-on issues” such as the unavailability of 500 (around 7 USD) and 1000 NRS bank notes which led to a decrease in trade. That became visible during the Dasain festival season not only in less gift shopping. Many farmers who came to Kathmandu to sell their animals for the festivals (see my earlier notes on the Hindu animal sacrifices and goat dishes eaten during Dasain) had to go back to their villages without having sold all their animals. Big question: Where is the money? Nobody knows, hypotheses suggest that certain political groups horded them or people save their money for worse times.
Another? Corruption in the bureaucracy. The Minister of Education – currently taking part in a UNESCO Conference in Paris – is accused of abuse of authority. He is said to have directed the vice-chairman of the Higher Secondary Education Board to appoint one of his party cadre as an advisor and to have pressed him to grant past marks to his nephew who had failed the Grade 12 exams.
And: The Government decided early September the phasing out of gas-run 3-wheelers (also called: Tuk-tuks). There are around 850 in the country, 400 are running in the streets of Kathmandu and transport 120.000 passengers a day. They are supposed to be replaced with (probably Japanese and Chinese) 14- to 16-seats 4-wheelers in order to allow for better traffic management. The owners of the 3-wheelers come from poor families and would be put on the street if they would not get compensation for their old or subsidies for the new ones. The Wheeler Owners association announced wide strikes if the Government does not provide adequate solutions.
Then: grocery costs increased due to less food available. The scarce monsoon rain and increasing heat over the last years results in a poor harvesting and hence shortage of crops. Nepal will lack rice, maize and grains. The warming will also result in less fruit and vegetable in the valleys and mountain regions. Hence, the dependency on food imports from 3rd countries increases. Last week, Nepal got the Chair of the Least Developed Countries Group on the occasion of the recent UN General Assembly. While in the US, Nepal requested increased duty- and quota-free access to Nepali for ready made garment and textiles. Nepal needs 330 mio metres of clothing per year. Local production is 50 mio. In the last few month, 50% of the industry located in the flat land close to the Indian border (Terai) which has the highest number of textiles industry in Nepal, closed down. Frequent workers strikes, the lack of adequate infrastructure (streets and daily electricity cuts of up to 8 hours) and security threats to the business community from various armed outlets were the main reason that 50000 workers lost their jobs.
More distant to the everyday life but all the more fundamental for Nepal’s future: Will the negociations to end the two-month stalemate of the Nepali Parliament be successful? For an outsider, it seems that one side is scapegoating the other for hampering a compromise on the premiership and the intended adoption of the new constitution (planned for April 2010). Interestingly, many articles and opeds in the last few days were suggesting that an all party commitment to non-violence could pave the way for a compromise leading to the long-awaited democratization in Nepal. Referring to the 108 birthday of Mahathma Gandhi and his doctrine of non-violent revolution (” Nations have progressed both by evolutions and revolutions – history is more a record of wonderful revolutions than the so-called ordered progress. However, a successful bloody revolution e.g. France, Russia, can only mean further misery for the masses – an eye for an eye only ends up making the world blind”) however provoked reactions from Maoist whose vision is to create a whole new Nepal by getting rid (also violently) of old structures. A big issue is the rehabilitation of over 20000 ex-Maoist combatants to put an end to the ten year long armed conflict between 1990 and 2000. The Nepali Congress party is all out opposed to the integration into the Nepal Army whereas the Maoists seem to be in no mood to relent short of the integration of the rebel army in the national army. The overall conflict seems to turn in circles around constitution first vs adjustment or integration first.
A lot of foreign aid comes to this country but it takes a lot of time to be turned into tangible results. Factors slowing down well-intended solutions are mentioned above. In addition, one should not forget the geological situation of this country. Mountains cover 64% of Nepal. From 26 m (Terai) to 8859 m (Mt Everest) above sealevel over a distance of a maximum of only 230 km means the second-greatest range of altitude (after Hawaii). In a mere 160km conditions change from tropical to arctic. Nepal has more than enough of one of the most scarce resource in this world: WATER. It is however almost impossible to exploit the enormous amount. The rivers shooting out the Himalayas transport so much rocks and sediment and have such a power that building water power stations requires the most sophisticated high-technology. So far, only a minor amount of water power is transformed into electricity and it would require a stellar investment to do so. Everybody in this country wishes that the standard of life increases.
The country is at a turning point where ideas and wishes need to be put into action. The process will be long and will take generations – remember: Rome was not built in a day. The most important ingredient for this change are the 26 mio Nepalese who believe in their country and their nation and will continue to contribute what they can. Each individual needs to be empowered and encouraged to step up. This can be done if each individual is valued by society and the system – education is a fundamental catalyst if done properly: teaching knowledge is important but is worth little if life skills and the heart/soul formation is neglected. The children at BHCH can be proud to be in a school where they get an allround education combining skills and knowledge to succeed in their life and contribute to Nepal‘s growth process.
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