International Day of Democracy and Political Irony

Ban Ki-moon’s message on 15 September

On the occasion of the second International Democracy Day on 15 September, the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in his message to the world on Tuesday said, "Democracy is not only an end in itself; it contributes powerfully to economic and social progress, international peace and security and respect for fundamental rights and freedoms." The slogan of this year’s International Day of Democracy encompasses the ideal of “democracy and political tolerance”.

The UN General Assembly had recognized 15 September as the International Day of Democracy through its resolution A/RES/62/7 on 8 November 2007. Following the decision, the first International Day of Democracy was observed in 2008 with an ideal of promoting and consolidating democracy.

The 2009 slogan (democracy and political tolerance) of the International Day of Democracy appropriate and logical because the world has not achieved democracy in essence yet, nor is there political tolerance. Instead, political criminals have been accelerating their de-humanizing process through corrupt and belligerent thoughts and deeds.

Ground reality to consider

The production and export of arms and the creation of more civil wars in many poverty-stricken and semi-feudalist countries clearly indicate that the world needs democracy more than ever before, no matter how many countries in appearance adopt democratic constitutions.

There is no political tolerance in the world. There are serious ideological discriminations in the US. Political intolerance there has sustained racism and crimes in general. In the name of democracy, no alternative voices are given a place. Corporatized democracy has monetized the mindset of people; consequently, it is difficult for them to realize the evils of criminalized politics.

Far worse is the situation of democracy and political tolerance in African, Latin American and Asian countries. They face a common problem of corrupt and slave-minded politics. The ruling elites in those countries run a heinous industry of brokering politics, continuously victimizing their people in every sphere.

Definitely, forces advocating for the supremacy of parliamentary democracy will, on this day, emphasize the importance of democracy of parliament though the grassroots people suffer the worst due to the class-based discriminations and prejudices in the policies made by the ruling elites. They are never prepared to accept the existence of the working class people, who are the most substantial labor forces sustaining and promoting the world.

How should ordinary people take September 15?

Innocent civilians are losing their lives for reasons they do not know. So many politically tagged organizations are war companies profiting from deaths. Several of them are favored by donor nations. Donor nations have a strong hegemonic attitude towards the peoples of the least developed countries. Donors are not ready to tolerate the independent ideas and activities of the peoples of the intellectuals in the developing countries. In order to promote democracy and political tolerance, donor nations must recognize the independence of the work of the developing countries.

In the name of democracy, democracy messiahs are making serious mistakes. They believe that the political forces that follow them unquestioningly are genuine democratic forces. Because of this belief, democracy messiahs are mismobilizing their funds to suppress the working class movement seeking to transform their society. Why do they intentionally support and strengthen corrupt parties in the developing countries is a serious question to be considered on the International Day of Democracy.

International Day of Democracy and the Peace Process of Nepal

More armed gangs, specializing in murdering and looting, were created with political tags in the plains of Nepal after Nepal’s Maoist insurgents entered the mainstream peace process by depositing their People’s Liberation Army (PLA) men and arms in the UN-monitored cantonments. The emergence of dozens of armed gangs when the peace process actually began in 2006 in the country indicates that arms smugglers and corrupt feudals still exercise their influence in Nepal’s politics.

After the former Maoist rebels emerged as the largest political force through 10-April Constituent Assembly elections in 2008, the Nepalis became extremely happy because they believed that the Maoists’ successful entry into the country’s mainstream politics meant greatly for change and long-term peace. However, the political forces, who ruled Nepal previously with the backforce of feudal monarchy and foreign donors, could not tolerate the fact that the former insurgents have stood as the largest political force. Especially after monarchy was abolished with a view to creating a more inclusive and diversity-represented Nepal, the Nepali Congress (NC), the UML, and other monarchist and pro-Indian political parties took a different path geared at reversing the peace process.

One piece of evidence can be found in the Presidential coup directed at creating a failure in the republican system of democracy. The NC, the UML and monarchist and pro-Indian parties advocated that the Army Chief in a democracy need not follow the order of the elected government. They also advocated that a ceremonial head of the state with no executive power, could even re-appoint the army chief though it is an act beyond the country’s Interim Constitution. This is a blatant mockery of democracy. What do the donor nations think about it? How do democracy messiahs judge this case of Nepal?

More surprisingly, the NC and the UML, the most ardent advocates of parliamentary democracy, did not allow Maoists’ resolution to enter the parliamentary debate. Maoists, who are still believed to have distrusted the parliamentary model of democracy, have sought a place for wide discussions on the presidential coup within the parliament, while parliamentary democrats, who promise to die for the sake of parliamentary supremacy, have vowed to bar Maoists from discussing the issue in the House. This is a big irony in Nepal’s parliamentary democracy.

The Nepalis, in the main, do not believe in the traditional model of parliamentary democracy. They want the parliamentary system to be changed into the grassroots public sphere where people’s agenda can be discussed and refined. At present, the parliament in Nepal has been a centre of lethargic gathering. The systems used in the parliament are designed to serve the smugglers and black marketers, though a few public-oriented bills, never to be implemented at people’s level, are passed occasionally.

One has to visit Nepal’s markets to see the real face of democracy. Business forces are the ones above the nation’s constitution. They can set their prices at their will. There is no state in this context. Dealers exorbitantly hike prices about which the state mechanisms express their helplessness. Business leaders say they expect to blockbusterprofit because they have enslaved political leaders in general. Amidst such anarchy and bankruptcy of ethics, the ongoing peace process, people fear, may be threatened.

Addicts of Power and Corruption

However, may the International Day of Democracy be the occasion for the addicts of power and corruption in all the countries to realize that they need to go off as soon as possible for the sake of future generations.

ENDS

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