The Nepali society has been suffering from innumerable corruption scandals worth almost US$6 billion a year. Annual reports published by the country's Office of the Auditor-General provide an excellent clue to systematic and structurally designed political corruption metastasizing across the country. Political and socio-economic critics advise that Nepal had better look into the US$6 billion being annually embezzled by corrupt forces at home instead of being bound to America's global strategy in a confused manner, inviting a geopolitical danger beyond imagination. Upon survey, it wouldn't be difficult to discover that an overwhelming majority of the Nepalis, irrespective of their party affiliation and ideological stance, are not in favor of the MCC because they have a strong opinion on the geopolitical sensitivity as regards Nepal's strategic location between China and India Nepal's natural neighbors with deep-rooted hostilities against each other.
Although anti-working class political parties disguised as "communist" or "Marxist-Leninist" number higher in Nepal, they have never done a single thing that is expected from a communist party. Instead, they have done just the opposite while in power, e.g., they have ultra-commercialized education and health the most fundamental human rights without which people are never empowered politically, economically and socially. Their actions and consequences have entirely proved their addiction to neoliberalism and money-mongering nature despite their success in applying their cunning tactics through rhetoric, depending on money, muscle and media.
Oxfam International and HAMI's report entitled Fighting Inequality in Nepal (2019) refers to Nepal's economic system as being based on an outdated ideology and neoliberal policies imposed by the structural adjustment programs of the IMF and World Bank in the 1980s. The report clearly points out how the state in Nepal has evaded its primary obligations from guaranteeing education, health, food and housing as human rights for people since its investment has been replaced by free market forces competing for profit. Examining the ground reality that 8.1 million Nepalis live in poverty, the Oxfam report recommends policies that benefit not only the richest few but prevent the continuous exclusion of the most marginalized sections of population. The report essentially implies that the state must not merely serve as facilitators or brokers for private forces but also act as the guardians of people. If the state loses its natural identity and begins to act as mere servers of profiteers, it is natural for people to take necessary steps to create a favorable atmosphere for themselves.
As far as the ongoing anti-MCC street protests are concerned, independent critical forces are at the forefront. Their logic is that Nepal is not compelled to enter an MCC circle without having a morally sound political leadership. Leaders of leading parties are accustomed to doing almost everything with a cunning and mischievous mindset due to which distrust results. In US context, such phrases would sound awkward while Nepalis' acute experiences of sufferings caused by political leaderships for long have generated distinctively expressive linguistic terms. A mere reading of the 78-page signatureless agreement paper available in the MCC website and dreaming fabulously is not adequate to apply democracy to grassroots. Critical voices vital in genuine democracy emphasize on the need to democratize politics at home, creating a healthy environment for good governance and self-transforming development strategies while cooperating with international partners on a needs-based and non-aligned basis. But individual leaders, most influential within parties, have always ignored this idea of independent critical forces. It would be beneficial for domestic decision makers to listen to independent voices that Nepalis are entirely capable of spending 500 million dollars by themselves on constructing road and transmission lines. 'Why do Nepali leaders want to undermine Nepalis' sovereign decision making power and hand over everything to international forces and increase poverty at home?' is the major essence of the ongoing anti-MCC protest. Let it be heeded wisely. Let Nepal be a peace zone!Ã ? ²
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