Even after spending billions of rupees and wasting six crucial years, it seems the Nepali citizenry will still have to wait a few more years before it sees the much awaited new constitution for the federal republic. The reason for this is that the political leaders, cognizant of the internal and external forces at play for their own vested interests, feared to ask for a fresh mandate about the structure of federalism, thereby missing the genuine opportunity provided by the second Constituent Assembly (CA) elections.

Involve the masses

Before the new CA sits down to debate the tenets of federalism, it is imperative that the public be actively involved in the process. Had the public been involved initially, they would not have taken to the streets when this issue dominated the first assembly floor.

Realising the missing task of the second CA elections regarding public involvement on the issue of federalism and the potential fallout, Vision for Nepal Foundation (VIFON), a US-based think tank on Nepal and the diaspora, intends to carry out a poll aimed at providing a fresh public opinion regarding the structure of federalism. This opinion poll will hopefully facilitate common dialogue among newly elected CA members, constitutional experts and public policy pundits to help the new assembly deliver an inclusive constitution in time.

The survey, the first of its kind in contemporary Nepali politics in terms of global coverage, will reach a significant mass of Nepali citizens residing across the globe.

In the survey, the public will answer a questionnaire set designed by public poll experts in the US. Trained enumerators will collect the information using a standard set of methodologies. The poll will be conducted in 14 pilot districts, representing the 14 zones and five development regions, in both rural and urban communities with varying topography, ethnic representation and other parameters pertinent to the process.

While VIFON’s US headquarters will coordinate the poll for North and South Americas, Africa and Australia, Europe’s coordinating office in London will cover Europe and the Nepal country office will manage the Asia region. The month-long survey will employ door-to-door canvassing, telephone polling and electronic submission methods. VIFON will make the findings of the survey public at a press conference in Kathmandu in the second week of April 2014. The report will also be handed over to the speaker of the CA.

Why the survey?

The 2008 CA was the first of its kind for Nepal. It was truly historic, given the context of a war-torn nation that was not only able to bring the fighting guerillas into mainstream politics but also dethrone the centuries-old monarchy, paving the way for a republican Nepal. Sadly, after the elections, the operational priorities of the government took centre-stage, putting the main agenda of constitution writing on the back burner. When after the Supreme Court ruled out the extension of the tenure of the assembly beyond a certain deadline, the parties hastily scrambled to address the issue of federalism overnight. Unfortunately, they were backtracked by the public outcry for their lack of maturity and judgment.

The primary reason behind the failure of the first CA to deliver an inclusive constitution appears to repeat in the second CA. Even when the assembly has yet to take full shape, the media is awash with public resentment over the parties’ juvenile conduct, already skeptical of success. The unending pursuit for power has further saddened Nepalis at home and abroad, who have put up with pains of the parties’ faulty maneuvers during the last two decade of democratic exercise.

Going forward

The task before Nepal today is to consolidate the achievements made during the last six years of the first CA as well as the social changes brought about by a decade-long revolution before that. There is also the need to reasonably accommodate public sentiment regarding the structure of the new republic and the vitally important agenda of the constitution in the making. To achieve these, it is imperative that the newly elected assembly seeks direct input from the general populace. Only by bringing together the voices, ethos and emotions of socially and ethnically diverse communities scattered across Nepal and temporarily living abroad, can the nation envision a truly inclusive constitution that ensures the rights of every individual, irrespective of caste, gender, race and economic status.

If involved in some respect, an active and young population of over two million aged 18-30 that resides overseas could change the very dynamics of election outcomes as well as the process of drafting the constitution. As it wasn’t given any say in the first election and nothing changed in the second one, this enterprising group feels continuously neglected by its own native land. This has led to fears that Nepal may never see these young people back, even though their knowledge, skills and abilities could drive the growth of the country to a new era. VIFON plans to reach out to these Nepali citizens of all walks of life in order to incorporate their voices so that the upcoming state structure can be truly inclusive.

Unless the forthcoming constitution represents the true desires of Nepal’s highly diverse population, the nation cannot attain political stability, an indispensable prerequisite for development efforts. The slow pace of development during the last decade or so, often regressive in nature, is reflected in the dismal state of national infrastructure, the colossal trade deficit that keeps getting higher and increasing foreign aid, that often doesn’t get spent in full. All of this can undoubtedly be attributed to political instability. Political strikes, often violent in nature, have been extremely detrimental to the economic health and social fabric of the nation.

By all accounts, it is clear that a public opinion poll ahead of writing the constitution is the only way to recognise and record the authentic voices of all Nepalis. Only then will the new document reflect the exact needs of struggling farmers from Koshi, Jumla and Dolpa as well as the millions of Nepali youth living and working in Kuwait, Doha and Kuala Lumpur and the thousands of university students studying in Washington DC, London, Sydney and Tokyo.

Bhattarai is Vice-President of VIFON

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