Limbuwan लिम्बुवान Nepal

IDENTIFYING PROBLEM

To identify the roots of problem, we need to overview the glimpses of the history of Nepal . The problems, now emerging in Nepal , have also own cause and consequences. As being each problem has its own historical roots and developments, we need here to search those roots and root causes for the issue of Limbuwan Ethnic Autonomy in the context of political awareness, impact and conflict in multicultural societies.  
The formation of Nepal as a hegemonic state out of congeries of tribal territories in mid eighteenth century had a theocratic basis. Society was organized on the basis of a hierarchical caste system whose distinctive feature was exclusiveness based on ritual status with reference to marriage and diet (Gurung, Hark, 2005:143).
Federalism is a tool that can provide cultural and political autonomy to various groups in a multicultural society. It divides lawmaking, judiciary and administrative power between a central government and a number of constituent regional governments (Elazar, 1987). Autonomy facilitates equality among different groups by promoting the development of respective groups (Lawoti, Mahendra, 2005:230). It means, to be LEA is an inclusion to the mainstream politics for all, who are staying in Limbuwan region. This autonomy is not possible in unitary system. And so, it needs federalism. But, federalism doesn’t occur without, specially, ethnic people’s movement. Though, most of ethnic rural people(s) are not still aware about this issue.Whenever, people remain unaware about their civil and political rights and responsibilities with the lack of political knowledge or information, there occurs negative impact of even good things. Then, there exist a socio-political conflict in multicultural societies.
In this way, the political exclusion of traditionally excluded groups in Nepal continued after the restoration of democracy in 1990 (Lawoti, 2005:19). Historically, Nepal gained its freedom in 1951 from the autocratic 104 years Rana rule. From 1951-59, various governments mostly appointed by the king, ruled the country in an open but election less environment. There, governments were followed by an elected parliamentary one from 1959-60. Thereafter from 1960, an active king, under the pretext of Panchayat democracy, ruled the country until the restoration of democracy in 1990.
Nepal , being a multi-religion country, religious tolerance and humanity is required for maintaining peace and attaining development. For this, the Nepalese Hindu should change their negative attitude and dominating behavior against non-Hindus (Bhattachan, 2005:60). Nepalese people have just crossed a fearful Maoist conflict created by so many things. Here, an oppressive structure of caste and gender and ethnic, religious, linguistic and regionalist dominance have also frequently been marked as constituting the structural causes of Maoist struggle. Ethnic, religion, linguistic and regionalist dominance have more recently come to be regards as particularly salient causes of Maoist struggle (Mishra, 2004:26).
The indigenous organizations, existing now, are also needed to be restructured to make and bring away the movement based on their right (Mabuhang, B. 2004). In federal democratic system, there comes the issue of autonomy or autonomous regions within the state with the right to self determinations. More than dozen of ethnic regions like Limbuwan, which had remained as own type of autonomous state before the so-called unification of Nepal by Prithvi Narayan Shah. With the emerging issue of federal republic and ethnic or administrative autonomy, there has been started to come discourses for and against of it, specially, in urban areas of Nepal . Some people with little understanding and some with over understanding, there has been started to occur its negative impact and conflict, specially, in rural multicultural societies. So many things are responsible for this situation and if we can’t find the way and solve this conflict in time, then it may cause great social problems.
ETHNIC AUTONOMY
Self-governance is democracy and autonomy is needed for self-governance. Whenever, there is not autonomy with the people then they can’t do self-decision for their sake. As being different norms, values, cultures and lifestyles of different groups of people there is needed a group/ethnic autonomy (Lawoti, Mahendra. 2005:230). Thus, Dr. Lawoti has taken this autonomy as the basic element of democracy.
Similarly, Dr. K.B. Bhattachan takes this issue as the combating tool of globalization. According to him, participation of national political parties and the politics, devolution of power and authority, pursuit of people community based development strategy and transformation of people into public, are some of the preconditions for combating the adverse impacts of globalization on Nepalese society and culture(Bhattachan, K.B.,1999:35).
An anthropologist Dr. Dor Bdr. Bista argues that Nepal ’s strengths have always been in the indigenous qualities of its various groups. But, it has been under the influence of other culture which has suppressed its own strengths. Nepal ’s future hope lies in its ethnic culture whose simplicity provides a greater flexibility and thus a greater possibility to develop and change. In this way, this study also shows the possibility of ethnic movement for their autonomous right.         
In the case of Nepal , to be changed into federal structure should be in ethnic base. Ethnic federal structure also addresses the linguistic, religious and cultural norms and values. The ethnic groups to be brought into federal structures are Rai, limbu, Gurung, Magar, Tamang, Newar, Tharu and Khas. Such type of state structure is also just in the context of Nepal (Baral, Bhawani, 2004:37).
Some people talk about only the decentralization of the unitary state structure. But, According to Harka Gurung, decentralization and devolutions are different issues. Decentralization is delegation of right, and devolution is the equalization of power (Gurung, Harka, 2005:439).
Kirat historian Iman Singh Chemjong in his book ‘Kirat Itihas’, 1948, talks about the republican system of Kirat government in Limbuwan. He explains about the administrative policy that no chief is liable to take any initiatives in the matter of external affairs of the federal government without the consultation of the Ten Limbus.
According to Narayan Prasad Sangraula in his Ph. D. Dessertation about ‘Pallo Kiratko Kipat Byabastha‘ in 2000, the Kipat was in use for a long time in Pallo Kirat regions as an important part of economic history of Nepal . By studying the Kipat system, which was traditionally used as their own norms and values has own historical importance to understand Limbu people’s local administration. This is the core theme of the dissertation done by Sangraula. It also shows that Limbu people used their own local administration in Limbuwan in the near past.
One of anthropological study through conflict approaches done in Limbuwan is “Land and Social Change in East Nepal “ by western anthropologist Lionel Caplan. It is a study of Hindu-tribal relations done through field research which was conducted in 1964-65. This book examines the changing relations between members of indigenous tribal population in the Himalaya and the Hindu who have entered their region during the past two centuries, following its incorporation into the kingdom of Nepal .
According to Caplan, the cleavage between the Limbus and their Hindu neighbors arise not only or primarily out of racial and cultural differences between them. Rather, this aspect of their relationship can best be understood in the context of a confrontation over land.
FINAL SOLUTION
The issue of ethnic autonomy has become a great discourse in multicultural country Nepal . Specially, in government, in political parties, and in administrations; most of policy makers and bureaucrats are only from so-called high caste groups. They do not want to share the power into other ethnic and oppressed people. So, the ethnic groups like Limbu and provinces like Limbuwan are upraising their movements for autonomous regions with the right to self determination.
Most of ethnic people, some of political parties and social organizations have understood that the final way of being inclusion is having autonomy. But, the professionally and genealogically stakeholders of political power as their own inborn right of ruling other people, are not willing to leave or share the opportunities to other excluded people.
Now, understanding this fact, most of ethnic people are upraising their movements in united ways, specially, in urban areas. But the people, who live in rural areas, are still in lack of political awareness. This is causing negative impact and conflict in multicultural rural societies. Most regions of the countries are in rural areas and maximum people are living there. So, the awareness, impact and conflict created by such political issues like LEA should be understood by all people with every aspect of its causes and consequences.
email: dbangbung@yahoo.com
From: YUKPHO Monthly Issue 9,  Aug./Sep. 2007. A Monthly bulletin of  Limbu Students’ Forum
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