Biratnagar. The Genji Movement, which started against good governance, end of corruption and ban on social media, has completed one year.
During the agitation that started on September 23, 2008, there was a huge loss of life and property across the country. Among those who died during this period, only 11 people were from Koshi Province.
The government had declared 45 people who died during the agitation as martyrs through the decision of the Council of Ministers on November 3, 2005. The 11 martyrs are Santosh Bishwakarma and Sar Kumar Rai of Udayapur, Shreyam Chaulagain of Morang, Abhishek Shrestha, Mohan Sardar and Sajan Rai of Sunsari, Chhatraman Kuthumi of Dhankuta, Prabin Kulung of Sankhuwasabha, Gyanindra Sedhai and Dinesh Rajbanshi of Jhapa and Kamal Bhandari of Panchthar.
Even after a year of the movement, the memory of those events has not been erased. Instead, questions about the nature of the incidents that took place during the movement, the use of force by the security personnel, the actual number of deaths and the responsibility for the incidents are still debated.
Sharmila Karki, president of Leo Club of Itahari (Sunsari), says that her heart is heavy even today when she remembers that horrific scene of September 2
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“It is very difficult to forget that day when I saw two people lying in the chest in front of my eyes. But the voice raised by the people and the sacrifices made have kept the hope of change alive,” says Karki.
Bhojraj Rijal of Morang says that the expectation raised by the movement and the political changes that have taken place since then should not be seen only in terms of complete success or failure.
“Bringing the voice of the youth and good governance to the center of the political debate is a great achievement. But employment, education and corruption control are not as fast as expected. People’s faith is sustained not by speeches, but by actions,” Rijal argues.
According to him, although the movement has created pressure on the political leadership and the state machinery on the question of accountability, the pace of change is still not enough for the citizens to feel directly. Rotaract Club of Mechinagar (Jhapa) President Adesh KC said that although the people’s expectations from the new government are high, concrete steps have not been seen yet.
“I feel that I have been more focused on improving my image and face value than my work. To hide my weakness, it is not enough to repeat the commentary of the last 35 years, now the results should be seen,” says KC.
He said that although there is hope for the government, the increasing blind support is a matter of concern for democracy. KC says that the environment of questioning and criticizing the mistakes of the government is an essential aspect of democracy. Sajan Shrestha of Udaipur, on the other hand, says that not even 10 percent of the main issues raised by the Genji movement have been fulfilled in a year’s time. However, he believes that it is not appropriate to evaluate the change in a year. According to him, the natural disasters that the country has faced in recent times have further pushed back the pace of development and change. Therefore, he says that along with the question of how many issues raised by the movement have been completed, the issue of how these issues will be implemented in an institutional and sustainable manner in the coming days should be given equal importance. Sujan Gautam of Tehrathum believes that the country is bigger than the party and the people are bigger than the leaders. Gautam says that the movement has brought a big change in Nepal’s politics, not in favor of or against any party.
“It is a serious question that even after one year today, some injured people have to go to Singha Durbar for justice and rights,” Gautam said.
According to him, although the movement has prepared the basis for political change, the state needs to be more serious about the issues raised during the movement and justice for the victims of the movement.
The names of 11 youths of Koshi are now recorded as martyrs in the government records. But the expectation that their sacrifice should not be limited to the list of names is still alive in the families of those who died during the movement, the injured and the new generation.
The real measure of its achievement will now be to implement the issues raised by the movement and bring about the changes that the citizens will feel.
प्रतिक्रिया दिनुहोस्
