अन्तर व्यवस्थापिका संघ (आइपियु) को १४३ औं सभालाई सभामुख सापकोटाको सम्बोधन
नेपालको संघीय संसद, प्रतिनिधि सभाका सम्माननीय सभामुख अग्निप्रसाद सापकोटाले यही नोभेम्बर २६ देखि स्पेनको म्याड्रीडमा जारी अन्तर व्यवस्थापिका संघ (आइपियु) को १४३ औं सभालाई आज (२८ नोभेम्बर २०२१ आइतबार ) ‘लोकतन्त्रको समकालिन चूनौति : विभाजनमाथि विजय र समुदाय निर्माण’ शीर्षकमा सम्बोधन गर्नु भएको छ।
उहाँले गर्नु भएको सम्बोधनको पूर्ण पाठको नेपाली भावानुवाद :
...................
"आई पी यू सभाको यस सत्रका महामहिम अध्यक्ष,
संसदका सभामुखहरु,
अन्तर व्यबस्थापिका संघका अध्यक्ष,
संसदका सदस्यहरु,
प्रतिष्ठित सहभागी र पर्यवेक्षकहरू,
सबैभन्दा पहिले मलाई यो सभामा सहभागी हुन आमन्त्रण गर्नु भएकोमा नेपालको संघीय संसदको प्रतिनिधिमण्डलको तर्फबाट म स्पेनको संसद र आई पी यूलाई धन्यवाद दिन चाहन्छु । हाम्रो आगमनदेखि नै मलाई र मेरो प्रतिनिधिमण्डलप्रति गरिएको न्यानो आतिथ्यताका लागि म सरकार, संसद र स्पेनका जनताप्रति हार्दिक आभार प्रकट गर्दछु ।
आजको बहसको लागि छनोट गरिएको विषय, ‘लोकतन्त्रको समकालिन चुनौती : विभाजनमाथि विजय र समुदाय निर्माण’ समय सापेक्ष छ र यसले समकालिन विश्वका उदीयमान मुद्दाहरूको वास्तविकता झल्काउँछ । अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय समुदायलाई सुदृढ बनाउन विभाजनलाई जित्नका लागि हुने छलफलले राष्ट्रिय, क्षेत्रीय र विश्वव्यापी समस्यालाई सबैको हितमा सम्बोधन सफल हुने छ ।
इतिहास देखिनै मानिसहरूले निर्णय प्रक्रियामा सहभागिताको लागि प्रयास गरेका छन् । यसले बताउँछ कि लोकतन्त्र किन शासनको अन्तिम स्वरूपको रूपमा विकसित भएको छ किनभने यसले व्यावहारिक रूपमा सम्भव भएसम्म राष्ट्रिय नीति निर्माणमा मानिसहरूलाई धेरै भूमिका दिन्छ । शासनको सबैभन्दा मनपर्ने स्वरूपको रूपमा प्रचलित भए पनि लोकतन्त्र चुनौती रहित छैन ।
सूचना पहिले भन्दा आज धेरै सजिलो र व्यापक रूपमा पहुँचयोग्य छ । सामाजिक सञ्जालको अत्याधिक फैलावटको अर्थ हो कि जो कोहीले पनि आफूले भन्न चाहेको कुरा सजिलैसँग भन्न सक्छन् र उनीहरूले के भनेका छन् भन्ने कुरा ठूलो जनसंख्याले सुनेको छ । तर सूचना फैलाउन के प्रयोग गर्न सकिन्छ, गलत सूचना फैलाउन सजिलै प्रयोग गर्न सकिन्छ । तातो आदान प्रदान, गलत तथ्यांक, भ्रामक तथ्यांक, क्रोध र निराशा सबै कुरा छिटो र चाँडो फैलिन्छ । यसले राजनीतिक संस्थाहरूप्रति जनताको विश्वासलाई कमजोर बनाइदिएको छ ।
यी चुनौतिहरूको प्रकाशमा, जनताको विश्वास पुनः प्राप्त गर्न राजनीतिक संस्थाहरूले प्रभावकारी रूपमा जवाफ दिन आवश्यक छ । विभाजन लोकतन्त्रका लागि राम्रो होइन, यसले रिस र घृणा निम्त्याउँछ । विभाजनको मूल कारण केही समूहहरूले आफूलाई छाडिएको महसुस गर्नु हो । ती समूहहरू किन यस्तो महसुस गर्छन् भनेर पहिचान गर्नु महत्वपूर्ण हुन्छ । तिनीहरूलाई निर्णय प्रक्रियामा समावेश गर्नु महत्वपूर्ण छ । सीमान्तकृत वर्गलाई राष्ट्रिय जीवनको मूलधारमा ल्याउन जरुरी छ ।
संसद लोकतन्त्रको जीवित स्वरुप हो जहाँ जनताले शान्तिपूर्ण तरिकाले आफ्ना शासकहरू परिवर्तन गर्न सक्छन् । जहाँ जनप्रतिनिधिहरूले कमजोर वर्गलाई न्याय र निष्पक्षता सुनिश्चित गरेर विश्वास र सम्मान कमाउँछन् । त्यसको अभावमा जनताल यो लोकतान्त्रिक प्रणालीले पनि काम गर्छ कि गर्दैन भन्ने प्रश्ने उठाउँछन् ।
लोकतन्त्रले काम गर्छ र यसले गर्नुपर्छ । त्यसो भएन भने केही हुँदैन । यसले काम गर्छ भन्ने जनतालाई विश्वास दिलाउने कार्यभार हामीमा छ । हामीले लोकतान्त्रिक प्रक्रियामा उनीहरूको संलग्नता बढाउनै पर्छ । विभाजन हटाउन र समुदाय निर्माण गर्न, हामीले कोही पनि पछाडि नछोडिने सुनिश्चितता गर्नु पर्दछ ।
महामहिमहरु,
म यस अवसरमा उल्लेखित चुनौतिहरूलाई सम्बोधन गर्दै लोकतान्त्रिक संस्थाहरूलाई सुदृढ गर्नेतर्फ नेपालले गरेका पहलहरू पेश चाहन्छु । धेरै समुदायको सीमान्तीकरणको लामो इतिहासले सिर्जना गरेको निराशाले समावेशी संविधान सभाको गठन गर्यो । संविधान सभाले सहभागितामूलक र समावेशी लोकतन्त्रका आधारभूत कुराहरूलाई समेट्ने अधिकारमा आधारित संविधान २०७२ सालमा जारी गरेको थियो ।
नेपालले समानुपातिक, समावेशी र सहभागितामूलक सिद्धान्तमा आधारित समाज स्थापना गर्न पूर्ण प्रतिबद्धता जनाएको छ । अहिलेसम्मको नतिजाले समावेशी र एकतावद्ध समाज निर्माण गर्ने प्रतिज्ञा गरेको छ । तीनै तहको शासन व्यवस्थामा समावेशी लोकतन्त्रको दर्शनलाई आत्मसात् गरिएको छ । अहिले संघीय संसदमा एक तिहाइ र प्रदेश र स्थानीय तहमा झण्डै ४१ प्रतिशत महिला छन् । यी सकारात्मक कार्यले सीमान्तकृत समुदायहरूलाई साथमा लिएर प्रतिनिधित्व गर्ने शासन संरचना सिर्जना गरेको छ ।
आई पी यू सभा मार्फत हाम्रा एकीकृत प्रयासहरूले शान्ति र सुरक्षा प्रवद्र्धन गर्न र न्यायपूर्ण समाज निर्माण गर्न राजनीतिक नेतृत्वको काममा सहयोग पुग्नेमा म पूर्ण विश्वस्त छु । विश्व शान्तिका लागि सामाजिक विभाजनका नयाँ चुनौतीहरू सामना गर्न नवीन समाधानका लागि ठोस कार्यहरू आवश्यक छन् ।
आई पी यू सभा एक असाधारण मञ्च हो, जसले समकालिन मुद्दाहरूमा छलफल गर्न विश्वभरका विधायकहरू र नीति निर्माताहरूलाई एकसाथ ल्याउँछ । पछिल्ला दुई वर्षमा आई पी यूका गतिविधिहरु विश्वव्यापी महामारीका कारण प्रभावित भएका छन् । यस्तो कठिन समयमा पनि आई पी यूलाई सक्रिय राख्न आई पी यू सचिवालयको समर्पण र प्रयासको म उच्च प्रशंसा गर्दछु । म स्पेनको संसदलाई पनि सफलतापूर्वक यो सभा आयोजना गरेकोमा बधाई दिन्छु, जुन अहिलेसम्मको सबैभन्दा चुनौतीपूर्ण आई पी यू सम्मेलनहरू मध्ये एक भएको छ ।
म विश्वस्त छु कि यस विश्वव्यापी सम्मेलनमार्फत विचारको रचनात्मक आदानप्रदान र सृजनात्मक संकल्पहरू अवलम्बन गरी हामी आगामी दिनहरूमा सँगै काम गर्न सक्षम हुने छौं । यस सभाबाट सफल नजिताका लागि म र मेरो प्रतिनिधिमण्डलको तर्फबाट सहयोग र ऐक्यबद्धता रहने छ ।
सबैमा धन्यवाद ।"
२०७।०८।१२
Statement by
Rt. Hon'ble Agni Prasad Sapkota, Speaker
House of Representatives of the Federal Parliament of Nepal
On
Contemporary challenge to democracy: Overcoming division
and building community
at
Speakers of the Parliaments,
President of the Inter Parliamentary Union,
Members of the Parliaments,
Distinguished Participants and Observers,
First of all, on behalf of the delegation of the Federal Parliament of Nepal, I thank the Parliament of Spain and the IPU for inviting me to participate in this Assembly. I extend sincere appreciations to the Government, Parliament, and people of Spain for the warm hospitality accorded to me and my delegation since our arrival.
The theme chosen for general debate today, "Contemporary challenge to democracy: Overcoming division and building community", is timely and reflects the realities of emerging issues of contemporary world. Discussions on overcoming division to strengthening international community will go a long way in addressing national, regional and global issues in the interest of all.
Throughout the history, people have strived for participation in decision making. This explains why democracy has evolved to be the ultimate form of governance as it gives people as much role in the national policy making as practically possible. While prevalent as the most preferred form of rule, democracy is not without challenges.
Information is more easily and comprehensively accessible today than it has ever been. The overwhelming spread of social media means that anyone can easily say what they want to say, and what they say is heard by a large demographic. But what can be used to spread information, can just as easily be used to spread misinformation. Heated exchanges, false data, misleading statistics, anger and frustrations, everything spreads fast and wide. This has weakened the trust of people towards political institutions.
In light of these challenges, it is imperative that the political institutions respond effectively to regain public trust. Division is not good for the democracy; it leads to resentment and hatred. The root cause of the division is when some groups feel that they have been left out. It is important to identify why those groups feel so. It is important to include them in decision making. Marginalized groups should be brought in to the mainstream of national life.
Parliament is the living embodiment of democracy; it is where people can change their rulers in a peaceful manner. It is where people's representatives earn trust and respect by ensuring justice and fairness to the weaker section, in absence of which people question whether this democratic system even works at all.
Democracy works; and it has to. If it doesn't then nothing will. It is upon us to make the people believe it works. We have to raise their engagement in the democratic processes. In order to overcoming division and building community, we have to ensure that no one is left behind.
Your Excellencies,
I take this opportunity to share Nepal’s initiatives towards strengthening democratic institutions by addressing these challenges. The frustration built up by a long history of marginalisation of several communities led to the formation of an inclusive Constituent Assembly. The Constituent Assembly promulgated a rights-based Constitution in 2015 that embodies the fundamentals of participatory and inclusive democracy.
Nepal has made full commitment to establish a society founded on the proportional inclusive and participatory principles. The result so far has been promising towards building of a cohesive and inclusive society. The philosophy of inclusive democracy has been internalized in all three tiers of governance. Women now make up one third in the Federal Parliament and about 41 percent at the provincial and local levels. Affirmative action has created an increasingly representative governance structure, taking on board the marginalised communities.
I am fully confident that our consolidated efforts through IPU Assembly will complement the work of political leaderships towards promoting peace and security and ensuring just society. Concrete actions, backed by innovative solutions to emerging challenges of social division, are required for world peace.
The IPU Assembly is an extraordinary forum that brings together the legislators and policy makers from across the globe to discuss the contemporary issues. In the last couple of years, IPU's activities have been affected by the global pandemic. I highly commend the dedication and efforts of the IPU Secretariat to keep the IPU active even in such difficult times. I also congratulate the Parliament of Spain for successfully hosting what has been one of the most challenging IPU Assemblies ever.
I am confident that this global Assembly will result in constructive exchange of ideas and in adoption of creative resolutions to enable us work together in the days ahead. I assure you all support and solidarity of my delegation for the successful outcome of this Assembly.
I thank you.
Statement by
Rt. Hon'ble Agni Prasad Sapkota, Speaker
House of Representatives of the Federal Parliament of Nepal
On
Contemporary challenge to democracy: Overcoming division
and building community
at
143rd IPU Assembly, (Madrid, Spain 26-30 November 2021)
Your Excellency President of this Session of the IPU Assembly,Speakers of the Parliaments,
President of the Inter Parliamentary Union,
Members of the Parliaments,
Distinguished Participants and Observers,
First of all, on behalf of the delegation of the Federal Parliament of Nepal, I thank the Parliament of Spain and the IPU for inviting me to participate in this Assembly. I extend sincere appreciations to the Government, Parliament, and people of Spain for the warm hospitality accorded to me and my delegation since our arrival.
The theme chosen for general debate today, "Contemporary challenge to democracy: Overcoming division and building community", is timely and reflects the realities of emerging issues of contemporary world. Discussions on overcoming division to strengthening international community will go a long way in addressing national, regional and global issues in the interest of all.
Throughout the history, people have strived for participation in decision making. This explains why democracy has evolved to be the ultimate form of governance as it gives people as much role in the national policy making as practically possible. While prevalent as the most preferred form of rule, democracy is not without challenges.
Information is more easily and comprehensively accessible today than it has ever been. The overwhelming spread of social media means that anyone can easily say what they want to say, and what they say is heard by a large demographic. But what can be used to spread information, can just as easily be used to spread misinformation. Heated exchanges, false data, misleading statistics, anger and frustrations, everything spreads fast and wide. This has weakened the trust of people towards political institutions.
In light of these challenges, it is imperative that the political institutions respond effectively to regain public trust. Division is not good for the democracy; it leads to resentment and hatred. The root cause of the division is when some groups feel that they have been left out. It is important to identify why those groups feel so. It is important to include them in decision making. Marginalized groups should be brought in to the mainstream of national life.
Parliament is the living embodiment of democracy; it is where people can change their rulers in a peaceful manner. It is where people's representatives earn trust and respect by ensuring justice and fairness to the weaker section, in absence of which people question whether this democratic system even works at all.
Democracy works; and it has to. If it doesn't then nothing will. It is upon us to make the people believe it works. We have to raise their engagement in the democratic processes. In order to overcoming division and building community, we have to ensure that no one is left behind.
Your Excellencies,
I take this opportunity to share Nepal’s initiatives towards strengthening democratic institutions by addressing these challenges. The frustration built up by a long history of marginalisation of several communities led to the formation of an inclusive Constituent Assembly. The Constituent Assembly promulgated a rights-based Constitution in 2015 that embodies the fundamentals of participatory and inclusive democracy.
Nepal has made full commitment to establish a society founded on the proportional inclusive and participatory principles. The result so far has been promising towards building of a cohesive and inclusive society. The philosophy of inclusive democracy has been internalized in all three tiers of governance. Women now make up one third in the Federal Parliament and about 41 percent at the provincial and local levels. Affirmative action has created an increasingly representative governance structure, taking on board the marginalised communities.
I am fully confident that our consolidated efforts through IPU Assembly will complement the work of political leaderships towards promoting peace and security and ensuring just society. Concrete actions, backed by innovative solutions to emerging challenges of social division, are required for world peace.
The IPU Assembly is an extraordinary forum that brings together the legislators and policy makers from across the globe to discuss the contemporary issues. In the last couple of years, IPU's activities have been affected by the global pandemic. I highly commend the dedication and efforts of the IPU Secretariat to keep the IPU active even in such difficult times. I also congratulate the Parliament of Spain for successfully hosting what has been one of the most challenging IPU Assemblies ever.
I am confident that this global Assembly will result in constructive exchange of ideas and in adoption of creative resolutions to enable us work together in the days ahead. I assure you all support and solidarity of my delegation for the successful outcome of this Assembly.
I thank you.