Social Inclusion

By: Prem Prasad Sigdel

Having equal opportunity in the society where we live can be one of the aspects of social inclusion. It aims at coordination, cooperation, mutuality, self-help among the members of the society which ensures peaceful living. The concept of inclusion indicates political matter in this era where the marginal have come to the mainstream of the society. In spite of its social nature the politics has played dominant role in our country these days. Certainly, it leads towards social harmony where all the members live happily helping one another.

I want to start it mentioning example of monkeys and dogs. When I went jogging I, had seen monkeys and dogs playing together. At first I felt odd when I saw monkeys and dogs sitting, lazing, running and playing together. It seems they have been living in mutuality or in coordination which surprises me a lot. The dogs would chase monkeys in my village or we tamed dogs only to fear monkeys. When the monkeys came to our area we would call dogs or set the dog free so that it would chase monkeys. We tried to tame dog three times for the purpose of chasing monkeys but we weren’t successful as they had taken away by tigers, may be leopards, but we used to call them tigers in our common understanding; we didn’t tame dogs then after.

In our neighboring village still they tame dogs and they have been used to chase monkeys. Monkeys would come to my village frequently it is much frequent than in the past; they are so fearless that we can’t chase them easily. They would climb to the top of the tree and teased us. No dogs could chase monkeys these days unless humans go together; rather dogs remain silent or ignorant to the monkeys. Monkeys eat everything in our village and its quite difficult for us to stay in village. They destroy all the crops even the seeds at the time of farming and all the fields remain barren these days. People could save nothing except gourd, bitter gourd and so on; or we do farming which the monkeys’ don’t take only.  Rather they would start to take the things which they didn’t take in the past due to the lack of production.

I go jogging to the Swoyambhu; and often visit the Pashupati area; I have seen monkeys playing with dogs. The dogs have no reaction at all rather they are lazing here and there. Monkeys are much active in comparison to dogs whereas in our village the dogs would be active more than monkeys. They live life in their own style in these areas where no party harms to other.  We can feel the mutuality between two races of animals; whereas the troop of monkeys and dogs can fight but monkeys and dogs don’t have any enmity.

It reminds me the Nepalese context of inclusion or they have been practicing the inclusive state like in Nepal. Social inclusion is a haunting matter for us which monkeys and dogs have agreed. It seems that they have some agreement not to be enemy of one another or they have been living in perfect coordination. There is no conflict at all where no dogs would chase monkeys and vice-versa. Moreover, we can even see some photos on facebook that the monkeys and dogs would help one another like human beings.

They have agreed not to hurt one another or build consensus between the races whereas we humans have the problem of untouchability, caste conflict, sense of superiority and inferiority, and so on. The inclusive state has looked after all the castes or class from equal eyes which seems always lack from the eyes of the oppressed group. I feel charm with the coordination and inclusion of monkeys and dogs which can be seen in our parliament also. In government offices also we can find such mixing of all castes like the monkeys and dogs. However, we experience some sorts of hatred among the castes in our country unlike in the agreement of dogs and monkeys. Being inclusive state, the people of different castes and status stay together irrespective of their qualifications.

Sometimes I feel like the condition of some village dogs which have still authority to chase monkeys. They chase monkeys so there is still some problem in village area. We have popular belief that the discrimination still exists in traditional village areas like the dogs of village. The dogs which don’t chase monkeys seem intelligent, cooperative, and coordinating. It means they have the power to accept the changing norms of the society. The dogs which chase monkeys are still fanatics, traditional, conventional and so on.  These dogs would prefer the traditional norms of caste system. They still prefer social discrimination and are opposite of inclusion. They are illiterate and conventional which can’t accept the change according to the demand of time. They seem like villain in the context of inclusive state.

On the other hand, the lazing dogs have no work at all; or they are lazing here and there. They don’t chase monkeys rather they are chased when they see monkeys. The monkeys would also chase such dogs which are feeble. The strong would fight against monkeys so that they would flee away; if weak monkeys would make them run. However, the coordination, cooperation, mutuality, amity, amicability, and etc. seem perfect these days which extends a good message to the society.

In my village nothing is saved in our farmland when there is agreement between dogs and monkeys or the monkeys could defeat dogs. We think to shift the place time and again. The news from Ramechhap and Sindhuli is also same like in our village. Monkeys destroy the crops what the farmers save. These people have even filed case in District Administrative Office (DEO) to control monkeys. However, the government has made rules to save monkeys and dogs or the government seems positive towards them as they are the representative of Lord Hanuman. Some of the animal right activists still clamor if the government tried to control them which makes the condition of farmers too bad.

Saving monkeys is thought as an important aspect by the government rather than dogs. On the other hand, dogs have been ignored as they have been living with the humans since time immemorial. They have been caught and castrated but no monkeys. The dogs do no harm to people except some stray dogs which would spread rabies to humans and the government think it necessary to control them. However, the government doesn’t think necessary to control monkeys though they have destroyed crops.

I come to realize that the state is being inclusive of monkeys and dogs in which monkeys are marginal to dogs. As the state has given rights to marginal so it has been applicable to monkeys. It seems that monkeys are in priority in inclusion policy rather than dogs. However, we can find perfect coordination and cooperation between these creatures. Let the inclusive state be alive and all should have equal rights!