Jeevan Baniya
Why do you want to be an NGO activist? Why do you like to demonstrate, campaign and protest against something? These are the questions that an NGO student may encounter in his studies It is natural for people to presume that an NGO Studies course deals with the areas that the NGOs are supposed to cast their eyes on. Even so-called educated and intellectuals ask those kinds of questions to me. Students generally have some misunderstandings about the scope and the meaning of this course and its usefulness in their future career; hence they are pre-occupied with the conception that their career development opportunities will be limited within NGO sectors. Consequently, students are not so eager to pursue their higher education in that area.
The crystal clear example can be seen if you compare the number of students in IB or IT to that of NGO Studies. But, considering the courses the NGO Studies students take in GSIS, I can conclude and affirm that NGO Studies is the study of an
open, dynamic, global, socio-political, cultural and economical world. In a sentence, it is the study of everything that is related to human affairs. The NGO studies courses empower their students with the profound knowledge of social development strategies and theories, diplomacy and international relations, international cooperation, governance and government, and so on.
Besides, students can have the great opportunities to experience different activities that Korean Civil Society Organizations may undertake. There is no doubt that civil society is not a mechanism that can be turned off and on at will. Neither is it a convenient delivery mechanism for donor agencies or governments. It is generally viewed as a body which evolves out of genuine local needs and actions. Civil society in one sense is the complex networks of autonomous institutions sustained by a civil code of conduct that is distinct from, yet maintains effective ties with, the State. What constitutes effective ties with the State is a dilemma.
Because of the diversity of NGO constituencies, sizes, strategies, structure, ideologies, specialization, sources of funding, agenda and power, it is not possible to describe an average civil society organization in Korea as in any other countries. Some of them are religious, some are secular or affiliated with political and social groups, and some are funded by businesses, foundations, private citizens and governments, and so on. In Korea it is generally understood that civil society is a kind of ideal state where every individual strives to achieve a free, just and developed society through democratic actions.
Transparency, accountability, and independence of NGOs and their influences in relations with government and donors are generally the bases that help people to judge any organization. Nevertheless, there are some people who have negative attitudes towards NGOs and their activities. There are also many people in Korea who are unhappy with the rapid growth of NGOs around the country; that has really undermined the role and attitudes of NGOs in the societies. However, there is a lot that we can learn from Korean Civil Society Organizations and NGOs if you make a deep and critical study.
Most of the Korean CSOs and NGOs have written their glorious history as they struggled against the dictatorship regimes and paved the way to democratize their country. They were actually born out of continuous suffering, torture, fears, regret and political persecution. Since their establishment, they have been passing through constant tensions and contradictions. To my knowledge, they have been always on the side of the people’s solidarity. Even though the issues of human rights, poverty, sociopolitical gap, and cultural and economic inequalities remain as the great challenges ahead of them, most intellectuals and experts are found to have accepted the outstanding role of CSOs and NGOs in democratization, human rights, peace, justice and rule of law in the country, which has overwhelmed the Korean people.
As foreigners, people will be fascinated by the key roles played by some organizations to the consolidation of the democracy by checking the abuses of state power, preventing the role of undemocratic forces from resuming the state power and encouraging wider citizen participation. By challenging the autonomy of the state at
both national and local levels, the organizations are found to have been able to pressure the government for change and development of alternative sets of policies.
It is remarkable that the organizations have succeeded to great extent in influencing political parties of Korea to make reform on party structure, democratization, decentralization, elimination of gender discrimination within party, formulation of democratic ideology and policies, and so on. There are some NGOs that have received great public support for playing a critical role to reform the corporate governance, peace and environment. There are many success stories of the organizations, which we can help to transform our social, economical, cultural and political structure so as to create a relatively democratic and equal society. Furthermore, as GSIS has been encompassing the students from different parts of the world in the NGO Studies program, students can extend their understanding of the global social problems and different strategies and policies to tackle them.
International students also can have first hand experiences of different NGO activities in Korea through participation, though the proficiency in Korean language
may pose some limit. However, there are many international students doing some internship in some NGOs, through which they have succeeded to develop their networks. I have realized that GSIS should create that kind of internship opportunity by officially approaching the organizations so that it can attract students taking NGO studies. I hope that GSIS will consider this suggestion of seeking internship opportunities for NGO students.
* This piece of article was originally published in Gazette of GSIS Ajou University in 2006 Fall. It was to express my experience while doing internship in PSPD Korea.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Are We Hypocrite?: A Prospective from an Asian
Jeevan Baniya
Before making a very strong decision to come to South Korea as an international student from Nepal to pursue my Masters Degree in NGO Studies, there was a crucial dialogue going inside mind. Certainly, making the decision was not so easy for me at that time as very few students long to come to Korea for their higher studies. However, my big eagerness to understand the charisma of Korea’s rapid economic growth within short spans of time, the social, cultural and political development in the country guided me to Korea.
While heading with my education, I decided to critically understand and evaluate the Korean Civil Society closely. Working with some civil society organizations provided me lots of eye-opening experiences in my life. I am really fascinated and overwhelmed by their contributions to Korean democracy, economic equality, human rights, peace, justice and the rule of law. I wish civil society in Nepal were like that of here!!
On my way of studying them, one day I encountered to seriously think over the dream of some Korean civil society activists to formulate “Asian Civil Society”; Woo, very good news for Asians!!
But my happiness was very soon overshadowed by the glimpse of skepticism when I started to explore the possibilities to materialize that dream. I saw many big clouds ahead to be penetrated. Of course, I also saw some lights in the darkness and some rays of hope in despair.
My realizations sprung up from my personal realization of the hypocrisy that exists not only in the activists but also in Korean people’s way of understanding and interpreting Asian Solidarity.
May be for Koreans, my viewpoints will be irrational, but I think it will add an advantage at least for Korean civil society activists. To my eyes, the culture of analyzing and looking at other Asian countries from the eyes of their past entities is the great enemy to kiss this goal. I know that it is sensitive to state at this point {though it is a fact} that – many Koreans are massively Americanized, Japanized and Chinatized politically as well as culturally. The point that I want to make here is that if some we advocate for the Asian Solidarity, we should have some independent, original and humanistic ideology to extend our solidarity among Asian people.
Likewise, it is a must for us to broaden our map of Asia and include the other countries out of East Asian counties as well. Because, many people in East Asian region, in practice think that only the countries in the region exist in Asia.
Many people have been advocating for providing higher Official Development Assistance, Unofficial Development Assistance and employments to the people from poor Asian countries to extend their solidarity. Leaving behind the national interests and strategies of Korea in the region for another issue to discuss over, I opine that it will be better to struggle in changing the attitudes and prospective of our people inside our country to look at other people who are simply different. Just raising the voice for Asian Solidarity in some conferences or meetings is not enough.
I myself have undergone several such situations in Korea in which I have realized the smell of discriminations and racism. Whenever I travel by public transportations like subways and buses, Koreans people don’t want to travel sitting next to me; rather they long to stand in the bus no matter how far they have to travel. It is a kind of humiliating kind of treatment, we generally assume.
Adding on it, I with some hesitations want to share my bitter experience with some of my professors while studying in my university. I have taken several classes with some of the fellows from western countries in my university. What really pinched me is that some of the professors {who are also considered to be the most intellectuals in this country} instruct the class focusing only to the students from western countries as if there are no Asian students; many of the students from the Asia have the same realization and complain. It is ridiculous that the very professors are found to have often talked about Asian solidarity and cooperation.
Since the intellectual circle itself is the victimized by the vicious tendency of hypocrisy, building the Asian civil society and sharing the solidarity in the region is like living in a “Never Never Land”. As many Asian people working as migrant workers have been badly exploited, ill-treated, and denied to entertain their labor rights in many Korean industries, it is better to fight to make them realize that Koreans have really been great to them.
It is request to the Koreans advocators who want to initiate for establishing the “Asian Civil Society”: before reaching out to other countries with the mission of, elimination of the discriminating manners of the people, discouragement to ill-intentioned minds behind the our plan, ending of the growing hostility among countries and finding of the common enemy and thereby formulating effective strategies to tackle with the enemy will be a benchmark to march ahead. On top of these, it is an urgent tasks for us to make our citizens realize that they belong to Asia not the West. As Korean civil society activists advocated, creating Asian Civil Society is not impossible though many challenges to combat with.
Therefore, let’s try to embrace the people from different countries regardless of nationality, region, culture, race and language!! Let’s try not to be discriminating!! Let’s share our unconditional love for humankind in this region!! Let’s mobilize the region against Racism, Casteism, Exclusions, state of impunity and corruption!! Let’s not only export Koreans cars, electric goods, mobile phones and TVs to other Asian countries but also export our helpful hands and creative minds for the harmonious, peaceful and democratic Asia; only then it will be formal inauguration of Asian Civil Society!! At last but not the least let’s uproot our deeply rooted hypocritical instincts from our life for Asian Solidarity!!
*This article was originally published in www.peoplepower21.org in 2007. I had written on the issue of migrant workers and foreigners who were discriminated in South Korea on the basis of race, region, color and so on. Later one of my friends, Bonojit Hussain's case geared up the issue, which is good both for Korean societies and migrants in Korea.
Before making a very strong decision to come to South Korea as an international student from Nepal to pursue my Masters Degree in NGO Studies, there was a crucial dialogue going inside mind. Certainly, making the decision was not so easy for me at that time as very few students long to come to Korea for their higher studies. However, my big eagerness to understand the charisma of Korea’s rapid economic growth within short spans of time, the social, cultural and political development in the country guided me to Korea.
While heading with my education, I decided to critically understand and evaluate the Korean Civil Society closely. Working with some civil society organizations provided me lots of eye-opening experiences in my life. I am really fascinated and overwhelmed by their contributions to Korean democracy, economic equality, human rights, peace, justice and the rule of law. I wish civil society in Nepal were like that of here!!
On my way of studying them, one day I encountered to seriously think over the dream of some Korean civil society activists to formulate “Asian Civil Society”; Woo, very good news for Asians!!
But my happiness was very soon overshadowed by the glimpse of skepticism when I started to explore the possibilities to materialize that dream. I saw many big clouds ahead to be penetrated. Of course, I also saw some lights in the darkness and some rays of hope in despair.
My realizations sprung up from my personal realization of the hypocrisy that exists not only in the activists but also in Korean people’s way of understanding and interpreting Asian Solidarity.
May be for Koreans, my viewpoints will be irrational, but I think it will add an advantage at least for Korean civil society activists. To my eyes, the culture of analyzing and looking at other Asian countries from the eyes of their past entities is the great enemy to kiss this goal. I know that it is sensitive to state at this point {though it is a fact} that – many Koreans are massively Americanized, Japanized and Chinatized politically as well as culturally. The point that I want to make here is that if some we advocate for the Asian Solidarity, we should have some independent, original and humanistic ideology to extend our solidarity among Asian people.
Likewise, it is a must for us to broaden our map of Asia and include the other countries out of East Asian counties as well. Because, many people in East Asian region, in practice think that only the countries in the region exist in Asia.
Many people have been advocating for providing higher Official Development Assistance, Unofficial Development Assistance and employments to the people from poor Asian countries to extend their solidarity. Leaving behind the national interests and strategies of Korea in the region for another issue to discuss over, I opine that it will be better to struggle in changing the attitudes and prospective of our people inside our country to look at other people who are simply different. Just raising the voice for Asian Solidarity in some conferences or meetings is not enough.
I myself have undergone several such situations in Korea in which I have realized the smell of discriminations and racism. Whenever I travel by public transportations like subways and buses, Koreans people don’t want to travel sitting next to me; rather they long to stand in the bus no matter how far they have to travel. It is a kind of humiliating kind of treatment, we generally assume.
Adding on it, I with some hesitations want to share my bitter experience with some of my professors while studying in my university. I have taken several classes with some of the fellows from western countries in my university. What really pinched me is that some of the professors {who are also considered to be the most intellectuals in this country} instruct the class focusing only to the students from western countries as if there are no Asian students; many of the students from the Asia have the same realization and complain. It is ridiculous that the very professors are found to have often talked about Asian solidarity and cooperation.
Since the intellectual circle itself is the victimized by the vicious tendency of hypocrisy, building the Asian civil society and sharing the solidarity in the region is like living in a “Never Never Land”. As many Asian people working as migrant workers have been badly exploited, ill-treated, and denied to entertain their labor rights in many Korean industries, it is better to fight to make them realize that Koreans have really been great to them.
It is request to the Koreans advocators who want to initiate for establishing the “Asian Civil Society”: before reaching out to other countries with the mission of, elimination of the discriminating manners of the people, discouragement to ill-intentioned minds behind the our plan, ending of the growing hostility among countries and finding of the common enemy and thereby formulating effective strategies to tackle with the enemy will be a benchmark to march ahead. On top of these, it is an urgent tasks for us to make our citizens realize that they belong to Asia not the West. As Korean civil society activists advocated, creating Asian Civil Society is not impossible though many challenges to combat with.
Therefore, let’s try to embrace the people from different countries regardless of nationality, region, culture, race and language!! Let’s try not to be discriminating!! Let’s share our unconditional love for humankind in this region!! Let’s mobilize the region against Racism, Casteism, Exclusions, state of impunity and corruption!! Let’s not only export Koreans cars, electric goods, mobile phones and TVs to other Asian countries but also export our helpful hands and creative minds for the harmonious, peaceful and democratic Asia; only then it will be formal inauguration of Asian Civil Society!! At last but not the least let’s uproot our deeply rooted hypocritical instincts from our life for Asian Solidarity!!
*This article was originally published in www.peoplepower21.org in 2007. I had written on the issue of migrant workers and foreigners who were discriminated in South Korea on the basis of race, region, color and so on. Later one of my friends, Bonojit Hussain's case geared up the issue, which is good both for Korean societies and migrants in Korea.
The road to New Nepal: Opportunities and Challenges
Jeevan Baniya
King Gyanendra sacked the country’s prime minister and parliament in Feb. 1, 2005, then started direct rule in Nepal. The king declared emergency rule, banned all political activity and fully centralized state power in him. But from that time on, there were several demonstrations against his step. On April 21 2006, protests continued in the following days, with crowds increasing to sizes estimated at 100,000to 200,000 in Kathmandu, the capital city. King Gyanendra reinstated the old sacked House of Parliament on April 24, 2006 and called on SPA to nominate a new prime minister of the country on a state-owned television station, saying, "We return the executive power of the country to the people. We request the seven-party alliance to recommend a name for the post of prime minister who will have the responsibility to run the government." It is the historic moment for people of Nepal.
After the historical movement and political change in 2006, Nepal has been pursuing lots of initiatives to achieve peace leading to building New Nepal in the near future. The historical movement {Jana Andolon} last year has given people lots of hopes for long lasting peace in the country. The country has realized the several achievements including vivid picture of democratization process in the country. Some of the great achievements of course are eight point agreement between Seven Parties and Maoist, Code of Conduct agreed between Seven Parties and Maoists; Seven Party-Maoist historical agreement, Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the government and the CPN (Maoist); arms and army management monitoring agreement between the government and the CPN (Maoist), interim constitution, amendment in interim constitution and formation of interim government including Maoists.
These historical achievements are symptoms of Nepal heading towards brighter future. The political parties also seem to have been committed to paving the way to New Nepal. However, the failure of conducting the election for constituent assembly in last mid-June aroused lots of frustrations disappointments in people. Compared to the history of conflict resolutions in the world, progress and pace of conflict resolution is moving faster. However, the recent movements and growing tendencies of disintegrations and instability in the eastern region {Tarai} of Nepal stand as the greatest challenges for the government. Though election of the constituent assembly is the major agenda of the government as well as Maoist, without addressing the demands of Madhesi, dalits and indigenous and women and other various communities, holding the election will not be fruitful anymore. The CA election has been a hot issue in the political arena of Nepal following the establishment of democracy. But the appropriate modality and the election system has yet to be decided for the CA polls.
The growing instability and havocs in eastern region have posed the great challenges ahead. Considering the overall developments in the country, everybody needs to realize that in 21st century power exists in groups of people not just in a party or a group; there are many communities as the stakeholders of the country. The country has been experiencing various social, economical and political inequalities for long. There are many communities who were oppressed, marginalized and neglected all across the country. The deeply rooted class, gender, lingual, and regional inequalities are the main problems of the country that have been obstructing the government from realizing their goals -“Building New Nepal”. In this context, this is the opportunity for the country because the country can address the problems of many people through CA election. On the other hand, there are many challenges to better address each and every community’s demands.
What should be done?
First:- On top of everything there needs the unity among political parties. There are many regressive and reactionary elements that are trying to play on to destabilize the present progress of building New Nepal; hence every political party should be very aware of those elements, which are creating big conspiracies to divide them. If they are trapped in the cruel net of their conspiracies, it is sure that the country will turn into a battlefield from where, no one will be able to escape, and even the country might be disintegrated. Hence, the political parties should find the common ground where they can better work together and make common consensus for establishing the bases for New Nepal.
Second:- So as to better address the aspirations of people and institutionalize achievements of popular movement, government, political parties and civil society organizations need to work together. And, they immediately do a comprehensive exercises to better address the demands of Madhesi people {people from eastern Nepal}, indigenous, dalits and other agitating communities. Hence, it is a must to review the election system to ensure representation, especially of those people who are excluded, marginalized, and deprived for centuries. If they could not represent their communities in the forthcoming CA assembly, the constitution drafting process would not be inclusive, democratic, and representative as the expectations of people. If not addressed this problems seriously, there might be further anarchy and conflicts ultimately leading towards civil war.
Third:- Most of the political parties have voiced loudly for the establishment of republic system through CA election in the country. But unfortunately, no single party does have any clear modality of republic system; neither does CPN Maoist though the party is told to have been fighting for the establishment of republic system in the country. Therefore, all the political parties should go to the people with crystal clear framework of republic state along with their concept on development paradigm and its time frame.
Fourth:- In recent days, Nepal is experience over interference from intentional forces, which has negatively affected in the peace and democratization process in the country. At this point, I don’t mean to say that we don’t need any assistance of international communities for the social, economical and political transformation. Of course, we are desperately in need of them; but Nepal has realized that their over intervention in Nepali political arena has badly affected in our peace process. What Nepal needs at present from international communities are their kind hearts and their solidarity. Therefore, international forces should respect the Nepali people’s aspirations and thereby give them the chance to decide their future themselves through upcoming CA election in coming November. If any international community is interested in helping Nepal, they can help the government in conducting the election in a free, fair and credible manner; every Nepali will appreciate their help.
These are not the enough measures needed for building New Nepal; rather they will build the constructive environment for successful CA election in the country upon which the future of Nepal depends.
* This article was originally published in www.peoplepower21.org in 2007.
King Gyanendra sacked the country’s prime minister and parliament in Feb. 1, 2005, then started direct rule in Nepal. The king declared emergency rule, banned all political activity and fully centralized state power in him. But from that time on, there were several demonstrations against his step. On April 21 2006, protests continued in the following days, with crowds increasing to sizes estimated at 100,000to 200,000 in Kathmandu, the capital city. King Gyanendra reinstated the old sacked House of Parliament on April 24, 2006 and called on SPA to nominate a new prime minister of the country on a state-owned television station, saying, "We return the executive power of the country to the people. We request the seven-party alliance to recommend a name for the post of prime minister who will have the responsibility to run the government." It is the historic moment for people of Nepal.
After the historical movement and political change in 2006, Nepal has been pursuing lots of initiatives to achieve peace leading to building New Nepal in the near future. The historical movement {Jana Andolon} last year has given people lots of hopes for long lasting peace in the country. The country has realized the several achievements including vivid picture of democratization process in the country. Some of the great achievements of course are eight point agreement between Seven Parties and Maoist, Code of Conduct agreed between Seven Parties and Maoists; Seven Party-Maoist historical agreement, Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the government and the CPN (Maoist); arms and army management monitoring agreement between the government and the CPN (Maoist), interim constitution, amendment in interim constitution and formation of interim government including Maoists.
These historical achievements are symptoms of Nepal heading towards brighter future. The political parties also seem to have been committed to paving the way to New Nepal. However, the failure of conducting the election for constituent assembly in last mid-June aroused lots of frustrations disappointments in people. Compared to the history of conflict resolutions in the world, progress and pace of conflict resolution is moving faster. However, the recent movements and growing tendencies of disintegrations and instability in the eastern region {Tarai} of Nepal stand as the greatest challenges for the government. Though election of the constituent assembly is the major agenda of the government as well as Maoist, without addressing the demands of Madhesi, dalits and indigenous and women and other various communities, holding the election will not be fruitful anymore. The CA election has been a hot issue in the political arena of Nepal following the establishment of democracy. But the appropriate modality and the election system has yet to be decided for the CA polls.
The growing instability and havocs in eastern region have posed the great challenges ahead. Considering the overall developments in the country, everybody needs to realize that in 21st century power exists in groups of people not just in a party or a group; there are many communities as the stakeholders of the country. The country has been experiencing various social, economical and political inequalities for long. There are many communities who were oppressed, marginalized and neglected all across the country. The deeply rooted class, gender, lingual, and regional inequalities are the main problems of the country that have been obstructing the government from realizing their goals -“Building New Nepal”. In this context, this is the opportunity for the country because the country can address the problems of many people through CA election. On the other hand, there are many challenges to better address each and every community’s demands.
What should be done?
First:- On top of everything there needs the unity among political parties. There are many regressive and reactionary elements that are trying to play on to destabilize the present progress of building New Nepal; hence every political party should be very aware of those elements, which are creating big conspiracies to divide them. If they are trapped in the cruel net of their conspiracies, it is sure that the country will turn into a battlefield from where, no one will be able to escape, and even the country might be disintegrated. Hence, the political parties should find the common ground where they can better work together and make common consensus for establishing the bases for New Nepal.
Second:- So as to better address the aspirations of people and institutionalize achievements of popular movement, government, political parties and civil society organizations need to work together. And, they immediately do a comprehensive exercises to better address the demands of Madhesi people {people from eastern Nepal}, indigenous, dalits and other agitating communities. Hence, it is a must to review the election system to ensure representation, especially of those people who are excluded, marginalized, and deprived for centuries. If they could not represent their communities in the forthcoming CA assembly, the constitution drafting process would not be inclusive, democratic, and representative as the expectations of people. If not addressed this problems seriously, there might be further anarchy and conflicts ultimately leading towards civil war.
Third:- Most of the political parties have voiced loudly for the establishment of republic system through CA election in the country. But unfortunately, no single party does have any clear modality of republic system; neither does CPN Maoist though the party is told to have been fighting for the establishment of republic system in the country. Therefore, all the political parties should go to the people with crystal clear framework of republic state along with their concept on development paradigm and its time frame.
Fourth:- In recent days, Nepal is experience over interference from intentional forces, which has negatively affected in the peace and democratization process in the country. At this point, I don’t mean to say that we don’t need any assistance of international communities for the social, economical and political transformation. Of course, we are desperately in need of them; but Nepal has realized that their over intervention in Nepali political arena has badly affected in our peace process. What Nepal needs at present from international communities are their kind hearts and their solidarity. Therefore, international forces should respect the Nepali people’s aspirations and thereby give them the chance to decide their future themselves through upcoming CA election in coming November. If any international community is interested in helping Nepal, they can help the government in conducting the election in a free, fair and credible manner; every Nepali will appreciate their help.
These are not the enough measures needed for building New Nepal; rather they will build the constructive environment for successful CA election in the country upon which the future of Nepal depends.
* This article was originally published in www.peoplepower21.org in 2007.
Attracting International Students for Global Korea
By Jeevan Baniya
Alongside the mobility of capital and goods, knowledge has also been moving from one country to another. Many Western countries have adopted the policy of attracting international students not only as their strategies for globalization but also to benefit from the best uses of students’ skills and expertise. Many countries have been trying to liberalize their government and educational policies so as to provide opportunities to international students.
At times, their policies have created some barriers to students who wish to pursue their higher studies abroad. Such barriers were experienced after 9/11 terror in the United States. However, the number of international students enrolled in colleges and universities in America increased by 3 percent to a total of 582,984 in the 2006/07 academic year, according to the Open Doors report, published annually by the Institute of International Education (IIE). Korea sends the third largest number of students after India and China respectively.
Governments and institutions of higher education worldwide have pursued various policies and programs to draw the very brightest international students. Tony Blair, for example, announced in 2006 that he was putting in place a package of incentives to make Britain an even more attractive destination for international students.
I am giving this picture just in reference to the present Korean government’s dream of making the country a ``Global Korea.’’ It is appreciable that Korea has attracted more students over the recent years and longs to see more coming in the days ahead. Despite some complaints regarding professors’ reluctance and inability to instruct in English, there is still a brighter side about Korea that can lure many international students in Korea.
Based on my observation about the infrastructure for higher education and potential Korean human resources, I am assured that within 10 years from now, 20 percent of Korean colleges and universities’ students will be from overseas if some measurers are carried out soon. To my eyes, the present Korean government, if it wants to seriously realize the dream of globalizing the country, besides expanding their programs in English, should liberalize and clarify its immigration and educational policies soon.
I have had a very strange experience with Korean immigration. Immediately after my graduation from one of the universities in Suwon, I had an opportunity to do an internship in a research institute in Seoul. When visited immigration to apply for a Research Visa, an immigration officer with poor English proficiency was not sure whether he could issue one to me since I was a social science graduate; the gentleman however approached his co-workers to consult them. To silent my curiosity about the possibility to attaining the requested visa, the gentleman asked me to queue up for receiving the visa. Actually, I myself was not sure about what kind of visa to apply for, as such a visa category wasn’t shown on the immigration information site. I was just there to try out with an ambivalent hope.
After 20 minutes of waiting, I was surprised that my student visa (D-2) was extended rather than granting me a different visa, which was not part of Korean immigration policy. Many social science students have been undergoing such difficulties in the past that also limits the globalization dream. If the students pursuing their higher studies in Korea can openly and proudly recommend their friends to come to Korea for further education, Global Korea may be realized.
I hope the Korean government will pay its attention in the near future to such difficulties that students have to undergo because of unclear and insufficient policies for students, and thereby ease its policies on international students in the days to come.
Jeevan Baniya is research fellow at Sungkonghoe University in Seoul. He can be reached at baniyajeevan@hotmail.com.
This article was originally published in www.koreatimes.co.kr
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/special/2010/01/181_26115.html
Alongside the mobility of capital and goods, knowledge has also been moving from one country to another. Many Western countries have adopted the policy of attracting international students not only as their strategies for globalization but also to benefit from the best uses of students’ skills and expertise. Many countries have been trying to liberalize their government and educational policies so as to provide opportunities to international students.
At times, their policies have created some barriers to students who wish to pursue their higher studies abroad. Such barriers were experienced after 9/11 terror in the United States. However, the number of international students enrolled in colleges and universities in America increased by 3 percent to a total of 582,984 in the 2006/07 academic year, according to the Open Doors report, published annually by the Institute of International Education (IIE). Korea sends the third largest number of students after India and China respectively.
Governments and institutions of higher education worldwide have pursued various policies and programs to draw the very brightest international students. Tony Blair, for example, announced in 2006 that he was putting in place a package of incentives to make Britain an even more attractive destination for international students.
I am giving this picture just in reference to the present Korean government’s dream of making the country a ``Global Korea.’’ It is appreciable that Korea has attracted more students over the recent years and longs to see more coming in the days ahead. Despite some complaints regarding professors’ reluctance and inability to instruct in English, there is still a brighter side about Korea that can lure many international students in Korea.
Based on my observation about the infrastructure for higher education and potential Korean human resources, I am assured that within 10 years from now, 20 percent of Korean colleges and universities’ students will be from overseas if some measurers are carried out soon. To my eyes, the present Korean government, if it wants to seriously realize the dream of globalizing the country, besides expanding their programs in English, should liberalize and clarify its immigration and educational policies soon.
I have had a very strange experience with Korean immigration. Immediately after my graduation from one of the universities in Suwon, I had an opportunity to do an internship in a research institute in Seoul. When visited immigration to apply for a Research Visa, an immigration officer with poor English proficiency was not sure whether he could issue one to me since I was a social science graduate; the gentleman however approached his co-workers to consult them. To silent my curiosity about the possibility to attaining the requested visa, the gentleman asked me to queue up for receiving the visa. Actually, I myself was not sure about what kind of visa to apply for, as such a visa category wasn’t shown on the immigration information site. I was just there to try out with an ambivalent hope.
After 20 minutes of waiting, I was surprised that my student visa (D-2) was extended rather than granting me a different visa, which was not part of Korean immigration policy. Many social science students have been undergoing such difficulties in the past that also limits the globalization dream. If the students pursuing their higher studies in Korea can openly and proudly recommend their friends to come to Korea for further education, Global Korea may be realized.
I hope the Korean government will pay its attention in the near future to such difficulties that students have to undergo because of unclear and insufficient policies for students, and thereby ease its policies on international students in the days to come.
Jeevan Baniya is research fellow at Sungkonghoe University in Seoul. He can be reached at baniyajeevan@hotmail.com.
This article was originally published in www.koreatimes.co.kr
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/special/2010/01/181_26115.html
Friday, March 26, 2010
Restoration of Hindu Kingdom?
By Jeevan Baniya
When the country was mourning on the death of the senior leader Girija Prasad Koirala and I was obviously a part of like millions of Nepalis in Nepal and abroad.
For me, the most worrisome thing about his death was that his absence will further threaten and complicate the peace process and the constitution writing process as many have shared the same feeling.
But the issue here is something different. The very next day of Koirals’s death, one was very much drawn by the statement from a Bharitiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Raj Nath Singh, who was insisting on the reinstatement of Hindu Kingdom in Nepal and also extended his support and commitment to the mission. His articulation matched with that of the Hindu extremist organisation called ‘Bhisma Ekata Parishad’ who called a strike on the very day demanding for restoration of Hindu Kingdom in Nepal. This is a dangerous sign for Nepal.
It seems all these development along with Khum Bahadur Khadka’s recent visit to Kali Baba and ex-king Gyanendra's recent remarks and Kamal Thapa’s insistence over the demand for referendum on whether the country to remain Hindu Kingdom or secular one, indicate a potential danger of communal and religious violence in the country.
Not surprisingly, no one has questioned on what ground Raj Nath Singh advocated against secularism in Nepal when the CA has already declared the state as a secular state. Moreover, this is an internal business of Nepal and his statement amounts to interference in the internal affairs of Nepal. I wonder how Raj Nath will react if any one of Nepal's leaders speaking that way on India's internal matters. It's a matter of consolation for us that BJP did not win the general election– good for Nepal’s peace process and restructuring process.
Before articulating any views and argument for or against Hindu or secular state, one has to study the historical relation between religion and citizens.
It is crystal clear that Hindu religion provided most power to certain castes in the hierarchy i.e. Brahmins and Chhetris, who remained most privileged and they dominated the political, economic and social order in Nepal. This started especially with the introduction of the Muluki Ain or Country Code.
The hegemony these groups created by using all social, political and economic opportunities has widely contributed to dominance, marginalization, oppression, discrimination of other minority groups. It is worth acknowledging here that Nepal as a Hindu State remained highly exclusionary and discriminatory to languages and cultures of non-Hindu and indigenous groups. It can be better understood if we can analyze it from the perspectives of minority and excluded groups.
If we visit the history and see how the state was structured in the past, how it maintained its power in relation to its people and how it legitimized its power relations, it becomes evident that various groups and communities, who have been demanding their rights, were largely excluded and marginalized from social, political, economic and cultural spheres. Hence their demand for their rights is natural and necessary in this particular juncture of history.
Of course, the problem, as Hachhethu Krishna once pointed out, lies in the history, but unfortunately history can not be corrected now. But it is high time we have to rewrite that history in which no Bahun-Chhetri or no group will be exploiters, oppressors and internal colonizer.
Therefore, nation-building process should move ahead on the basis of multicultural and multi-religions, but not on the basis of one particular religion. There is nothing wrong with Nepal being a secular country. Rather, it can contribute to overall development in Nepal. There will remain no chance for the dominance of certain group/s standing as obstacle, as Dor Bahadur Bista once described ‘Bahunbad’ as a major obstacle for development of Nepal.
Although some people even argue that weaker groups and powers have always been overrun by stronger powers and groups, it will be highly biased and irrational, however, to advocate for the continuation of such tradition, which leaves other groups still marginalized, excluded and discriminated even in this modern world. Hence, it is the time when we need to be more sensitive towards the issue of ethnicity and their identity, and pre-empt the danger of potential communal violence.
One the one hand, it is necessary to address these issues wisely and carefully; on the other hand, the country also needs to combat extremist forces that have been active to destabilize the country in one way or the other. Emergence of ‘Chhetri ethnicity’ and ‘Bahun ethnicity’ is an indication of possibility of sheer disability and growing tension. The problem behind this is either because of the lack of proper communication from political parties on the imagined structure of federalism and the rights of various groups within such state or because of exclusionary tendencies on the part of some ethnic groups who have demanded separate states on their ethnic line. Thus, challenge for our leaders is to address the issue of ethnicity, exclusion, discrimination and to maintain peace and stability in the country.
The country that has entered into a new zone with the aim of establishing federal democratic republic, in which the significant task of overall restructuring of the state is underway, needs to be inclusive so that people will have equitable representation and participation, equal access to and control over resources, equal rights of historically excluded and marginalized groups and communities. So, emerging demands for ending inequality and emancipating poor and disadvantaged sections of society who lacked adequate resources to attain acceptable standards of wellbeing and the equal participation in the activities of society, in itself should be considered as conducive to the healthy and prosperous Nepal.
Any attempt to resort to re-establishing Hindu Kingdom should be strongly discouraged. The most powerful weapon to fight against any destabilizing force in the name of religion or any other issue, at this time will be, to put in GPK’s words, ‘Sahamati, Saha Karya and Sambad’ (consensus, co-operation and dialogue). Otherwise, the country is doomed to fail in no time.
(Baniya is a PhD candidate at the University of Oslo, Norway. He can be reached at: baniyajeevan@hotmail.com)
(This article was originally published in www.nepalnews.com)
http://www.nepalnews.com/main/index.php/component/content/article/13-top-column/4987-restoration-of-hindu-kingdom.html
When the country was mourning on the death of the senior leader Girija Prasad Koirala and I was obviously a part of like millions of Nepalis in Nepal and abroad.
For me, the most worrisome thing about his death was that his absence will further threaten and complicate the peace process and the constitution writing process as many have shared the same feeling.
But the issue here is something different. The very next day of Koirals’s death, one was very much drawn by the statement from a Bharitiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Raj Nath Singh, who was insisting on the reinstatement of Hindu Kingdom in Nepal and also extended his support and commitment to the mission. His articulation matched with that of the Hindu extremist organisation called ‘Bhisma Ekata Parishad’ who called a strike on the very day demanding for restoration of Hindu Kingdom in Nepal. This is a dangerous sign for Nepal.
It seems all these development along with Khum Bahadur Khadka’s recent visit to Kali Baba and ex-king Gyanendra's recent remarks and Kamal Thapa’s insistence over the demand for referendum on whether the country to remain Hindu Kingdom or secular one, indicate a potential danger of communal and religious violence in the country.
Not surprisingly, no one has questioned on what ground Raj Nath Singh advocated against secularism in Nepal when the CA has already declared the state as a secular state. Moreover, this is an internal business of Nepal and his statement amounts to interference in the internal affairs of Nepal. I wonder how Raj Nath will react if any one of Nepal's leaders speaking that way on India's internal matters. It's a matter of consolation for us that BJP did not win the general election– good for Nepal’s peace process and restructuring process.
Before articulating any views and argument for or against Hindu or secular state, one has to study the historical relation between religion and citizens.
It is crystal clear that Hindu religion provided most power to certain castes in the hierarchy i.e. Brahmins and Chhetris, who remained most privileged and they dominated the political, economic and social order in Nepal. This started especially with the introduction of the Muluki Ain or Country Code.
The hegemony these groups created by using all social, political and economic opportunities has widely contributed to dominance, marginalization, oppression, discrimination of other minority groups. It is worth acknowledging here that Nepal as a Hindu State remained highly exclusionary and discriminatory to languages and cultures of non-Hindu and indigenous groups. It can be better understood if we can analyze it from the perspectives of minority and excluded groups.
If we visit the history and see how the state was structured in the past, how it maintained its power in relation to its people and how it legitimized its power relations, it becomes evident that various groups and communities, who have been demanding their rights, were largely excluded and marginalized from social, political, economic and cultural spheres. Hence their demand for their rights is natural and necessary in this particular juncture of history.
Of course, the problem, as Hachhethu Krishna once pointed out, lies in the history, but unfortunately history can not be corrected now. But it is high time we have to rewrite that history in which no Bahun-Chhetri or no group will be exploiters, oppressors and internal colonizer.
Therefore, nation-building process should move ahead on the basis of multicultural and multi-religions, but not on the basis of one particular religion. There is nothing wrong with Nepal being a secular country. Rather, it can contribute to overall development in Nepal. There will remain no chance for the dominance of certain group/s standing as obstacle, as Dor Bahadur Bista once described ‘Bahunbad’ as a major obstacle for development of Nepal.
Although some people even argue that weaker groups and powers have always been overrun by stronger powers and groups, it will be highly biased and irrational, however, to advocate for the continuation of such tradition, which leaves other groups still marginalized, excluded and discriminated even in this modern world. Hence, it is the time when we need to be more sensitive towards the issue of ethnicity and their identity, and pre-empt the danger of potential communal violence.
One the one hand, it is necessary to address these issues wisely and carefully; on the other hand, the country also needs to combat extremist forces that have been active to destabilize the country in one way or the other. Emergence of ‘Chhetri ethnicity’ and ‘Bahun ethnicity’ is an indication of possibility of sheer disability and growing tension. The problem behind this is either because of the lack of proper communication from political parties on the imagined structure of federalism and the rights of various groups within such state or because of exclusionary tendencies on the part of some ethnic groups who have demanded separate states on their ethnic line. Thus, challenge for our leaders is to address the issue of ethnicity, exclusion, discrimination and to maintain peace and stability in the country.
The country that has entered into a new zone with the aim of establishing federal democratic republic, in which the significant task of overall restructuring of the state is underway, needs to be inclusive so that people will have equitable representation and participation, equal access to and control over resources, equal rights of historically excluded and marginalized groups and communities. So, emerging demands for ending inequality and emancipating poor and disadvantaged sections of society who lacked adequate resources to attain acceptable standards of wellbeing and the equal participation in the activities of society, in itself should be considered as conducive to the healthy and prosperous Nepal.
Any attempt to resort to re-establishing Hindu Kingdom should be strongly discouraged. The most powerful weapon to fight against any destabilizing force in the name of religion or any other issue, at this time will be, to put in GPK’s words, ‘Sahamati, Saha Karya and Sambad’ (consensus, co-operation and dialogue). Otherwise, the country is doomed to fail in no time.
(Baniya is a PhD candidate at the University of Oslo, Norway. He can be reached at: baniyajeevan@hotmail.com)
(This article was originally published in www.nepalnews.com)
http://www.nepalnews.com/main/index.php/component/content/article/13-top-column/4987-restoration-of-hindu-kingdom.html
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