www.USNepalOnline.Com: Nepalese News Live from the capital of the world-New York City

News from Nepal & New York

‘Fewer Federal States Is Better for Nepal’- George Anderson

Inside This:
यस भित्रका खुराकहरु:
संपादकीय Editorial
साताको कुराकानी Interview
साप्‍ताहिक झटारो
हाम्रो बोली
अन्‍रांष्‍ट्रीय खबरहरु
International News
न्‍यूयोर्कमा आगामी कायंक्रमहरु
Upcoming Events in NYC & USA
न्‍यूयोर्क शहरमा एक साँझ
An Evening Out in New York
न्‍यूयोर्कका नेपाली संघ-संस्‍थाहरु
Nepalese Orgs in NYC
न्‍यूयोर्कमा नेपाली ब्‍‍यावसायहरु
Nepalese Business in NYC
अमेरिकामा नेपाली संस्‍थाहरु
Nepalese Orgs in USA
अमेरिकामा नेपाली ब्‍‍यावसायहरु
Nepalese Business in USA
समकालिन साहित्य-रचना
Contemporary Writings
कविता Poetry
मनोरन्जन Entertainment
दोहोरी लोक भाकाहरु सुनौं
Nepalese Folk Music & Dance
पाठक प्रतिकृया Readers' Comments
Audio Archive/Video Archive
नेपालका आदिवासी-जनजातिहरु
Indigenous People of Nepal
प्रवासी नेपाली संस्थाह्‍रू
Nepali Diaspora Orgs
Nepali News Media
नेपाली पत्रपत्रिकाहरू
दैनिक Daily
साप्‍ताहिक Weekly
Monthly & Other Media
Nepali Online Portals
Nepali Radio / F.M. / TV

The guest speakers and organizers at the event. Photos: Smita

Kathmandu, September 17, 2008- Nepal is going for federalism and experts say the better approach is to have fewer federal states.

Speaking in a round table discussion jointly organized by Reform Forum and Forum of Federations on ‘Regular series on Federalism in Nepal’, George Anderson, President of Forum of Federations said on Tuesday in the capital that fewer federal states will be better for Nepal.

“I think you should limit the numbers of the federal states in the country. The federal states can range from 7 to 11 in number in a geographically small and ethnically diversified country like Nepal,” said Anderson.

George Anderson, President of Forum of Federations, Canada

Speaking on ‘Dimensions of Federalism’ Anderson said, “Ethnicity is one of the bases of Federalism. There are other important issues which cannot be ignored as well so I don’t think Nepal will have pure ethnic federalism.”

He urged that concerned people think of the nature of the country while talking about federalism in Nepal.

“Nepal’s situation has drastically changed since I was here two years ago. Now the situation seems more optimistic but there are many challenges in this transition period,” he said.

He suggested that first of all, Nepalese people need to make a constitution in which everyone can feel that their voice will be heard somewhere in the new constitution.

He also spoke for the power sharing between the central government and federal government, taxation in the country, management of natural resources etc.

Minister for Law, Justice and Constituent Assembly affairs Dev Gurung.

Minister for Law, Justice and Constituent Assembly affairs Dev Gurung said that federalism in Nepal will be established with consideration given to the social, natural resources and economical suitability of the nation.

Minister Gurung added that suggestions and cooperation from national and international experts in federalism will help them in the Constitution making process as well as deciding on the federal system of the country.

Participants at the event. Photos: Smita

CP Mainali, General Secretary of CPN (MALE) said, “We have to think about viability of the federal state so for equal development we have to include Mountain, Hilly and Terai regions in one federal state. Inside these federal states we should have ethnically autonomous units.”

Another speaker, Mangal Siddhi Manandhar, Constituent Assembly (CA) member from CPN (UML) said the demand for federalism from ethnic communities is for identity, proper representation in decision making and excess.

“No other country’s federal system can fit our country so we have to use our capacity, whatever we have to create our constitutional and federal framework ourselves,” he added.

Atmaram Prasad Shah, CA member (MPRF) urged that the Constitution should equally address demands of Madhesi people. “Madhesi people should have the right of self-rule, development opportunity and recognition with prerogative rights in Madhes federal state.”

CA member (NC) Suprabha Ghimire agreed that ethnicity should not be the only basis of federalism as economic viability is also needed.

Participants in the discussion program included representatives from different political parties, CA members, lawyers, journalists and civil society.

George R.M Anderson has been President and CEO of the Forum of Federations since 2005. He served over thirty years in Canada’s federal public service, where his positions included Deputy Minister of Natural Resources (2002-2005) and Deputy Minister for Intergovernmental Affairs in the Cabinet office (1996-2002). He held assistant deputy minister level positions in the energy, finance and foreign ministries.

He is the author of Federalism: An Introduction (Oxford University Press: 2008) and is a trustee of Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario.

Anderson was on a two day visit to Nepal for round table discussions on federalism in Nepal.

He left Nepal on Wednesday.

-Smita Magar in Kathmandu

तपाईंको भनाइ लेखी छाड्‍न र अरुको भनाइ पढ्न यहाँ क्लिक गर्नुहोस्
Please add yours and view our readers' comments at: Guest Book page»