The Nepalese Non-Resident Association– National Coordination Council of USA–(NRNA NCC USA), an umbrella organization for the Nepalese Diaspora residing in the U.S. (as defined by the NRNA-USA bylaw-2010), is going to hold the election for the term (2021-2023) in its international, national,and state level committees. Correspondingly, there are International Coordination Council (ICC) with its Secretariat based in Kathmandu, the National Coordination Councils (NCC) formed within the U.S, and the NRNA Chapter formed within the states inside the U.S. With the completion of filing of nomination for the candidates and the publication of candidates list on the NRNA-US based election (ICC, NCC and the Chapter) for the term 2021-2023, the election-temperature within the NRNA community in the U.S. has been rising as the vote casting day is approaching soon by the end of May. According to the website of the NRNA, NRNA is established to unite and bring Nepali residing all over the world under one umbrella with the pious purposes of protecting and promoting the interests of NRNs inside and outside Nepal and utilizing their potentials and resources for the welfare of Nepal. However,filing nominations by five aspiring candidates for the president and finally approving the four nominees of the president in the NRNA-NCC-USA election by the National Election Commission (2021) reveals a clear polarization and conflicts among the NRNs in the U.S. Again, we, as audiences and readers, are also aware of the news about the “alignment and inclination of candidates of the NRNA Global Conference towards the Nepalese political parties during the election campaign and voting process”. Even though NRNA is always eager to involve for the economic development of Nepal–transferring knowledge, skills, and resources of the Nepalese diaspora to Nepal—and is also ready to participate in the Nepal’s infrastructure development through establishing funds to generate capital and investment, the NRNs have long been struggling and waiting for the social, economic, and cultural rights of the Nepalese Diaspora. Given these circumstances,it is important to find a team from the U.S. NRNA election that can be a synonymous to unity, integration, inclusiveness, transparency, advocate for the political neutrality, philanthropists, and accountability towards the entire NRNs and all the Nepalese people while participating in the NRNA-USA election for choosing the new executive committee of NRNA for the term 2021-2023.
Initially, even though Nepalese Americans start their migration to the United States from the early 20th century, the number of immigrants from Nepal remains below 100 per year until the effect of globalization is realized in Nepal through the 1st/2nd year of the 1990s decade (Source: Wikipedia). Nevertheless, following the U.S. Immigration Act of 1990 [establishing the current and permanent Diversity Visa (DV) program across the globe], abolishing the absolute monarchy and beginning of the multiparty system with the constitutional monarchy , experiencing the poor political and economic conditions due to the “Nepalese Civil War”, adopting the liberalization policy in Nepal after 1990s have led to the significant growth of immigrants from Nepal to the U.S. and the rest of the world.In this scenario, the Nepalese diaspora across the world realizes the establishment of an organization to create a “networkof Nepali origin” that can unite and bind the “Nepali Diaspora” under one umbrella [Established: October 11, 2003] in addition to preserving the Nepalese culture ( Note that norms and values are the central feature of a culture) outside Nepal, assimilating the first-generation.Nepalese in the new homeland,continuously connecting the future generations of NRNs (the first and the succeeding generations) back to Nepal and raising voices of NRNs in the global forum. As a result, National Coordination Councils (NCCs) in more than 80 countries including the U.S.—as of now, have been established to represent NRNs’ “interests, concerns,and commitments”.Importantly, the campaign is going on expanding its network, scope, and dimensions to express the solidarity of NRNs as an institution to help and to have helped each other amid NRNs in the new homeland country and in the motherland. Most importantly, Harry Bhandari, one of the prominent names in the Nepalese American community, wins the State Delegate race in Maryland in 2018, integrating the NRN US into the mainstream politics of the US. Recently, Tika Paudel is also running for Euless City Council position No. 6 as a Council member in Texas. I wish him the best of luck for his victory in the runoff city council election. Hence, it is our moral and social duties to follow the right paths as directed by the initiatives of NRNs’ movement, such as Harry Bhandari (Maryland State Delegate),Upendra Mahato (a successful businessman), Shesh Ghale (a successful entrepreneur), Dr. Prakash Shrestha (an aspiring candidates for the Board of Director of NCC USA for the term 2021-2023 –a pandemic hero popular in the NRNs’ community across the globe during the COVID-19 pandemic through his volunteering services as a medical doctor) ,and to movements etc.Having said that what I am suggesting is that whatsoever we have done positively as NRNs is praiseworthy but is not enough.Please accept my apologies for not being able to include the names of all exemplary members of the NRNA team, the IT help desk team, and all other selfless helping hands to NRNA as examples. I assume that readers will understand the writers’ limitation while writing articles in the newspaper.Luckily,NRNA USA is the largest international organization so far.Worth to mention as well, NRNA is the only organization registered at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) in Nepal.Thus,NRNA initiative has been expanding its movement through the recognition of the organization in the first decade from the government of Nepal and serving as an institution in the second decade of its inception to invoke the voices of NRNs to the concerned parties.
Moreover, NRNA members including the NCC USA for the term 2021-2023 should have sound insights upon the currently prevailingas well as the potential challenges and hurdles faced by the NRNs throughout the world.There are several problems,such as the issues of transparency, practice of unhealthy election (use of so called “pen drive”, “hard drive” votes), practice of taking and giving credits to individuals rather than to the NRNA itself, emphasis on promoting own businesses rather than conducting social services through NRNA, issues of empowering and mobilizing youth resources, agenda of women’s participation and empowerment via the NRNA forum, issues of inconsistencies between the National Coordination Committee (NCC) and International CoordinationCommittee (ICC),the issue of dual citizenship ,the problem of double taxation while repatriating the profits of foreign investment by NRNs, the issues of ceilings on the property/land of NRNs in the motherland country, the issues of recognizing the role of current students and their partners in the NRNA, the kind of syndication ,issues of being election-centric works only, the issues of uplifting the economic status of the NRNs in the U.S. etc. Well, it is said that problems come with their solution too. Assuming problems being inevitable in the organization, NRNs are looking for the dynamic, visionary,trustworthy, inspirational, clearly communicative, and insightful leader to tackle the issues faced by the NRNs and to make the NRNA a home for all NRNs.
Furthermore, any creative and productive suggestions to tackle the problems of NRNA should be taken as means to resolve issues through the proper implementation of its regulation and the reports based on the research and practical experiences of beneficiaries in the NRNA community by its leaders in the executive committee, well-wishers, founding members and experts on specific fields.·Obviously, one should be familiar with the root cause of problems to solve them. For example,if problems are of financial kind, the NRNA should identify other alternative possible sources of financing its expenses on top of its membership fees—assuming that the prevailing membership fees should not be /are not burden to members.I know no solution may be ideally perfect.And no problem is/should be permanent. The limit whether to implement a particular suggested solution for addressing a specified problem is to make sure that the benefits should outweigh the costs of a potentially implementing solution.That is all! Again,if the problem lies on the domain of the political polarization,oneshould not introduce a political biasedness in the institution.I know human being is a political entity.However, the leadership and the members in the executive committee should not impose any political conditions in the institution.Importantly, sometimes the problem might arise due to the individual ego and the feelings of taking revenge.In this case,the problems are outside the boundary of the institution; however, we are searching the solution for problems from the institution. Please be aware that finding a solution of the non-institutional problems under the framework of the institutional boundary is like “pouring down water in a pile of sand”.So, our aim as a leader and a member of our community is to unite the society,rather than breaking it because “united we stand, and divided we fall”.Most importantly,all NCCs across the world should be treated as the children from the same parents to harmonize the NRNA and make our voices heard in the targeted forum. Most importantly, the only way which can preserve the Nepalese culture in the new homeland is the Nepali language,I believe.Theleadership and all the well-wishers should come up with the long-term vision of teaching and transferring the Nepali language for our future generations. Yes, the language (Neplai) has a power which can connect our subsequent generation to Nepal forever.I humbly request all the aspiring candidates of the leadership to come up with the clear vision of preserving our culture through a means of language and make our future generation socially, economically, and culturally accountable to Nepal even in the long run.
Similarly,the Nepalese Non-Resident Association (NRNA) can learn from the positive and benevolent initiatives from the non-residents in our neighboring countries, like India and China, that have geared up their countries’ economic growth and development via providing foreign investment funds as well as contributing via diverse pools of knowledge and skills for the betterment and welfare of the people of their motherlands.Obviously, some of the praiseworthy works as performed and going to be performed by the NRNA are:an integrated model settlement in Laprak of Gorkha,establishment of capital of a Rs 10 billion under the NRN Nepal development fund to invest in infrastructure and other crucial productive sectors, the recent announcement of the financial support by the NRNA NCC to Nepal during the period of the second-wave of deadly COVID-19. Many thanks to the present executive committee under the leadership of the NRNA NCC president (2019-2021) — Suneel Sah, and all the helping hands socially intended to make this campaign going to be happened successfully. Most importantly, the NRNA (ICC) across the globe should have common programs and strategies of the NRN to raise shared vision and plans with the government of Nepal so that the goal can be achieved through collaborative efforts.Therefore, the Nepalese Diaspora network headed by the NRNA should be able to act as a robust forum representing Nepalese interests outside Nepal across the globe,treating all NCCs on equitable manners.
In addition, candidates in the election should focus predominantly on relevant issues,their own views and ideas,experiences, and virtues without attacking their opponents to gain votes. On the other hand, candidates should not make any negative comments and rhetoric deliberately to the alternative opponents.Importantly, while losing the election candidates should not feel like they have disappointed their voters who believe,contribute and vote for them.That is,oneshould concede the result of the election.On the contrary, the winner of the election should also have a wide and open heart to offer for healing –the pain of the opponents due to losing the election,unity,and cooperation to respect the sentiments and aspirations of both sides’ voters. In one sentence, winning or losing an election is a natural phenomenon in the democratic process because it is the rule of the game.
However,with the course of development and expansion of the NRNA,there have been some challenges that might potentially impact the NRNs adversely.Importantly,the leadership in the NCC and ICC should be aware of the conflict of interest between the local organizations and the national (e.g.,NCC) and international level organizations (e.g.,ICC).Since the strategic goal of the national and international organizations (e.g.,adopting the right policy approach such as raising voices for the rights and welfare of the NRNs,channeling financial resources to the appropriate investment sectors as well as philanthropic initiatives in the education and health sectors ,strengthening the NRNA movement through a vibrant and dynamic leader,invoking the issue of dual citizenship for the future generation or continuation of Nepali citizenship for the first generation emigrants etc.) and the objectives of the local organizations (such as preservation of the Nepalese festivals, cultures amid NRNs). Citing such examples on the previously stated arguments,I am not demarking the working area of any institutions because different institutions have different goals,and hence the existence of the ICC,NCC and the Chapter are feasible within the NRNA of the U.S.Rather,I just want to give emphasis on the value of the “division of work” to get efficient,cost effective and timely mannered outcomes,addressing the need of the targeted beneficiaries within the Nepalese diaspora and the Nepalese citizens back in the motherland.Crucially speaking,immigrating to a new homeland is not without its challenges.Most importantly,there is a greater challenge of integrating the second generation of the Nepalese Americans to Nepal due to the cross-cultural differences,like languages,social norms,different attitudes towards conflicts,difference in decision making styles, handling negotiations etc.Please note that while stating above mentioned examples,I am neither underestimating the cultural values of the motherland nor the new homeland.Rather,I am invoking to adapt the positive aspects of the cultural norms and values of both the countries as a learner in the cross-cultural community.So,we need such a team and the leadership who can rationally and cautiously address the problems of NRNAs.Going forward,the problem in the NRNA lies in the local level through the state level and through the international level.In essence,the solution lies on the consensus and coordination.On top of this,I want to go much beyond to think about potential problems and the better and best solutions for the issues in the NRNA entirely and the NRNA US.At this point of time,let us believe in the National Election Commission (2021) and hope for the conduct of the free and fair NRNA US election as per the election guidelines,NRNA-USA by-laws and the great spirit and tradition of the organization.I, along with all the candidates of the NRNA US election, would greatly appreciate the active participation, coordination,and cooperation of the all the NRNA members and the voters in the election process.
In this election, I, myself, appear as the candidate of the Chapter Board Member for the NRNA NCC USA -Texas Chapter (2021-2023), representing our community from Texas. In this regard,I am grateful to the Nepalese Society of Lubbock (NSL),its entire families including the founding members and its advisors for believing in me as a representative of our community. So, myself as a youth capital resource, being aware of prevailing issues in the NRNA to large extent (I am always learning…), being familiar with the US and the Nepali culture,values, and norms to a greater extent, being involved in the NSL as a member, I want to serve the NRNA community in a larger area. In this regard, I humbly and respectfully urge to all theNRNA members, friends in social media, relatives,journalists, and all the well- wishers to vote for me. For me, the results of the election cannot/ will not stop to serve the NRNA society and engage in social services because I believe in the collectivistic societies–rather than on individualism. Finally, as Nepal is suffering from the COVID-19 recently, let us first help the motherland –offering some financial as well as physical assistances (e.g., the cylinders of oxygen,some medicines, vaccines for the COVID-19 in collaboration with the US governments and other institutions, and other goods and services as demanded by the victims of the COVID-19 in Nepal).That is, in fact, the true respect of the motto of the NRNA, and the real love of NRNAs to motherland from the new homeland. The last but not the least point is that showing my immense respect and honor to all the founding members, senior members and all the well-wishers of NRNA to bring the organization at this level—assuring to cooperate and coordinate with the youths and the student forum as well–I would like to say the best of luck to all the candidates of the NRNA US election for the term 2021-2023. At last,I am eagerly willing and enthusiastically committed to serve the NRNA society as an elected member of the Texas Chapter.
Narendra Raj Tiwari([email protected])
PhD student(Economics) at TexasTech University
Executive member at NSL
Candidates for the position of the Board of Director at NRNA NCC USA Texas Chapter (2021-2023)
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