Sajha Sawal, Nepal’s ground-breaking debate radio show, marks its landmark 100th episode in a special edition with prime minister Madhav Kumar Nepal. The programme editor Ben Williams reports from Kathmandu.
In the 100th episode of Sajha Sawal, Majhi, a young man from a rural village asked Nepal’s Prime Minister, Madhav Kumar Nepal, whether he believed the constitution would be written by next year’s May deadline. The PM said he was confident political parties would pull together to ensure there was no delay. Majhi, who is from one of Nepal’s many marginalized communities, was not convinced and said so.
It is just one example of the hundreds of frank face-to-face conversations between ordinary citizens and Nepal’s leaders that have taken place on Sajha Sawal.
The programme, which is best translated as ‘Our Questions’, broke new ground when it was launched in October 2007. Never before had the country’s top politicians taken questions from the public for the entire population to see and hear on TV and radio.
In the two years it has been on air, all of the countries key figures have appeared at least once. Recordings have taken place across the country to reflect the ethnic, cultural and caste differences that are at the root of so many of Nepal’s problems.
For the overwhelming majority of the invited audience Sajha Sawal is the first time they have been given the chance to air their views in public and to directly challenge their leaders.
Questioning the constitution
The 100th edition programme focussed mainly on the new constitution, which is due to be written by the end of May 2010. This was a cornerstone of the peace agreement which brought the ten year insurgency to an end, and the public’s expectation that it will herald the advent of a new, equal society has given way to a sense of frustration as political parties bicker over issues and have fallen behind schedule.
The deadline looks increasingly likely to be missed, with the fear that if momentum is lost the constitution may take years to be completed.
Which is why people like Majhi are so keen to question leaders directly and keep the pressure on.
He was among a large audience of about 140 people who travelled from all over Nepal - Majhi himself travelled from his village which is about 50km from Kathmandu. Nepal is still an overwhelmingly agrarian society and getting views from rural areas is very important because there are often complaints that once in politics, leaders never look outside the urban elites of the Kathmandu Valley.
So for communities which have been overlooked, ignored and discriminated against for generations, the constitution is a vital step to a better life. Sajha Sawal provides an important platform for them to speak directly to those in power.
The programme is broadcast on a national TV station, on over 100 FM stations and now has a regular audience of over 5 million adults. Majhi and others may not have been happy with the answer the Prime Minister gave, but they are going to keep on asking the questions.