Sunday, March 25, 2007

Banning MPRF: Not An Option


A cooloff period is understantable. Gaur happened, and if we were to allow scenarios where the MPRF and the Maoists end up clashing, we might see more violent incidents, and that will not be in the best interests of the country. So I am not getting too worked up that the Home Ministry has prevented the planned mass meets of the MPRF following Gaur. These were planned before Gaur happened. The Maoists had planned condolence meetings to coincide with each of those. That was a recipe for further confrontation.

But this has to be a cooloff period at most. This should not be an excuse to do the undemocratic thing of preventing the MPRF from doing its political work. Peaceful protests are a democratic right. Besides what the MPRF has been spearheading is a Madhesi civil rights movement.

There is intense speculation the constituent assembly elections will have to be postponed due to the poor law and order situation in the country and the continued Maoists excesses. The Maoists have continued with their extortions and abductions. They have continued with their climate of fear. They have formed a parallel police force. They continue to see themselves as some kind of a parallel state. Worse, they act like a criminal gang. This Maoist misbehavior has been the single biggest reason why the law and order situation in the country is so poor. If the constituent assembly elections will be postponed, the Maoists will be the reason why.

The seven party alliance seems to be sleepwalking. They have been appeasing the Maoists. The SPA has not felt the need to ask Prachanda as to why he has not complied by the peace agreements. There has been no political counter action to the Maoist excesses.

The Madhesi Movement has filled that void. The Madhesi Movement has done what the seven parties should have done, but have not, and that is to confront the Maoists politically head on. The seven parties have failed to stand up even for their own cadres.

The SPA needs to see an ally in the Madhesi Movement. Banning the MPRF is out of question.

Gaur: Prachanda's Reichstag Fire?

Homework For Om Gurung
Survey: Nepalis In New York City
Sarita Giri: Madheshi Movement In Defense Of Democracy And Madhesi Nationalism
Hamro Nepal, ANTA Press Releases On Gaur Incident
Om Gurung
Gaur: Prachanda's Reichstag Fire?
Gaur: The Madhesi Gongabu
PM, Defense, Finance: Congress, DPM, Home: UML, DPM: Maoist
Magar Event
Mainstreaming Maoist Tendencies In The Madhesh
Lawoti: Ethnic Or Administrative Federalism
Mainstreaming The Maoists: Various Scenarios
Madhesi, Janajati, Business Community
Three Parties: Congress, Communist, Sadbhavana
ANONYM: Association Of Nepali Organizations In New York Metro

In The News

Railway line to ease Nepal`s cargo woes Business Standard, India the proposed 174-km rail route between Birgunj (in Nepal) and Kathmandu. ..... Also, China had, a long time ago, offered to provide Nepal rail connectivity through Tibet.
Nepal bans rallies in south Aljazeera.net, Qatar
New security measures imposed in Nepal's southeast Radio Australia
US warns Nepal peace process endangered by ethnic violence Zee News
Nepal prepares for election amid unrest Hamilton Spectator
Nepal Urges Govt not to Defer CA Polls
Himalayan Times, Nepal
A small, shrinking centre Nepali Times The UML and the NC have considerable influence in Gaur. ...... But both parties appear paralysed on their very home turf. Like other central tarai border towns, Gaur has become the battleground for collisions between the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum and the CPN-M. ...... The Maoists were the victims this time. But there is no telling which way the wind will blow if the situation deteriorates further—the Maoists have over a decade of experience running an effective armed insurgency. ...... the loyal royalists of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the Chamber of Nepalese Industries, and the Nepal Chamber of Commerce ..... During the insurgency, banks deserted the countryside citing security concerns. This week they closed their ledgers in cities. ...... Conspiracy theories are attractive during uncertain times. It’s convenient to blame the disturbances in the tarai, the disruptions in the Valley, and the murmurs of dissatisfaction in the midhills on palace strategists, as Pushpa Kamal Dahal does publicly. It’s also tempting to see ghosts all around Baluwatar, as Baburam Bhattarai does in his newspaper columns. But if the monarchists were that smart, the Maoists’ Bahun Brigade would probably still be in the jungles. Palace strategists are the beneficiaries, rather than the instigators, of anti-democracy eruptions all over the country. .... The Maoist politburo will have to come down heavily upon cadres who create avoidable confrontations such as the one in Gaur. Maoist MP Prabhu Sah did not have to announce a rally at the same time and place as Upendra Yadav’s appearance. No hotel owner in Kathmandu needed to be roughed up. Hisila Yami helps no one by condoning such acts in parliament. ...... The UML and the NC must reassert themselves. There may not be an apparent collusion between the regressive right and extreme left, but the middle ground is shrinking rapidly. Civil society must rally behind political parties again, despite their deficiencies. Weakened parties are an open invitation to extremists. .... Meanwhile, Mr Prime Minister, could we please have some governance?
50 Maoist cadres missing since clash in Nepal Zee News, India The missing Maoists might have fled the incident site in Gaur district to save their lives, the national news agency (RSS) said quoting Maoist local commander Vindheshwor Ray Yadav.
MPRF Grieves Over The Killing Of 28 People In Rautahat In Nepal All Headline News

High-level intl body must head Gaur killings investigation: MPRF Kantipur the MPRF further accused the Maoists and the police of joining forces to disrupt its mass meeting today. ..... the loss of lives in the gaur incident was a result of the home minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula's "incapability".
Conspiracies to prevent interim govt formation underway: Prachanda
Madhesi Student Front severs ties with MPRF The agitating Madhesi People's Rights Forum's (MPRF) wing Nepal Madhesi Student's Front (NMSF) has announced its split from MPRF. ..... A two-day meeting of the font's central committee at Saptari's Rajbiraj on Friday decided to sever ties with the forum stating that its activities were non-political. .... front chairperson Keshav Kumar Jha slammed the forum's Madhesi agitation as "heading astray" and accused forum chairman Upendra Yadav of conspiring against the Constituent Assembly (CA) elections in cahoots with royalists. ...... Jha has further accused Yadav of sacking individuals with "political character" and replacing them with royalists in the MPRF's central committee, of engaging in games to "protect the king" in the name of religion and vandalizing statues of litterateurs and democratic leaders under the palace's directions during the Madhesi movement. ..... Concluding that the MPRF could not liberate Terai in the real sense since it had directed the Madhesi agitation into a personal vendetta, and engaged in manslaughters and unnecessary clashes with the Maoists, NMSF released announced a formal severance of all its ties with the forum.
Launching action against MPRF unjust: Chitralekha Yadav Deputy Speaker and leader of Nepali Congress Democratic (NC-D) Chitralekha Yadav Saturday said that actions should not be taken against both the leaders and cadres of MPRF. .... Yadav stressed that the government should take steps towards fulfilling the demands put forward by MPRF adding that it is not just to take actions against people protesting with genuine demands. ...... Yadav further blamed the government, claiming that violence had risen in the country due to the “conspiracy” hatched by the government to suppress the Terai movement. ...... She also maintained that the home minister’s resignation was essential in order to resolve this problem.
India to help nab Gaur assailants As speculations of an impending Maoist retaliation against the bloody attack spread in the area, locals in and around the district headquarters are terrified. Terror-stricken pepole fear even to come outside their houses. The situation is Gaur is yet to see normalcy.
Internet subscriber growth unimpressive the number of Internet and e-mail subscribers had reached 49,887 in the first half of the current fiscal year compared to 48,000 of similar period last year, meaning only 1,887 new customers had subscribed to the service in the period of last one year. ....... Almost all of the 31 ISPs operating in the country are providing services to customers of urban centers, mostly Kathmandu ...... Internet, which not only contains a huge reservoir of information, but also bridges the gap between the outer world and our society and is instrumental in helping small business
Don't mistake our leniency for weakness, caution Maoist lawmakers the Maoist legislators demanded the government declare those killed in Gaur incident national martyrs. ..... Maoist leader in parliament Krishna Bahadur Mahara demanded that the open border with India should be sealed and the government confiscate the arms distributed by the government to retaliate against the Maoists. ....... Mahara warned the seven parties not to perceive the Maoist leniency as a weakness and accused the Nepal Army of being involved in a "conspiracy". .... Stating that Nepal cannot move ahead unless the alliance between the seven parties, king and Nepal Army is broken, Mahara accused the 'international forces' of intervening in the seven-party alliance.
दिल्लीमा विरोधसभा करिब पा“च सय उपस्थित सभामा समितिका वक्ताहरूले दरबार, भारत र अमेरिकाद्वारा पालित मधेसी जनअधिकार फोरमका कार्यकर्ताबाट आफ्ना साथीहरूको हत्या भएको भन्दै फोरमलाई प्रतिबन्ध गर्न माग गरे ।
रौतहटमा मारिएका १८ को अन्त्येष्टि
ँचुनाव हुन सक्दैन’ राष्ट्रिय प्रजातन्त्र पार्टर्ीीे शुक्रबार बसेको केन्द्रीय समितिको बैठक .... बैठकले माओवादीको व्यवहारमा परिवर्तन नआएको भन्दै अध्यक्ष्ँ पशुपतिशमशेर राणालाई गृहजिल्ला जा“दा रोकेकामा आपत्ति जनाएको छ ।
दामनको गोरेटोमा
वर्गवादी पुष्पलाल र जातिवादी पुष्पकमल मोदनाथ प्रश्रति ...... म नेवारबाट नेपालीमा परिणत भई मार्क्सवादतिर लागेको व्यक्त ..... चैत २ गते नेवा मुक्तिमोर्चाको दोस्रँे सम्मेलनमा प्रचण्डले भने- पृथ्वीनारायण शाहले काठमाडौंमा हमला गरी सुसंस्कृत र समृद्ध नेवार समुदायलाई विस्थापित गरी एकात्मक सामन्ती राज्य चलाए । त्यसैले राजसंस्थाको अन्त्यका लागि यहा“को नेवार समुदाय नै जाग्नर्ुपर्छ । यो अरूले ढालेर ढल्दैन, उपत्यकाको नेवार समुदायले नै निर्ण्ाायक प्रहार गर्नर्ुपर्छ । ..... अहिले उनकै शिक्षाबाट जन्मेका सन्तान माओवादीका लागि ग“गटाका बच्चाजस्तै भएका छन् । ...... प्रचण्ड भन्दै थिए- तर्राईका यस्ता फुटपरस्त सशस्त्र गुटहरूलाई म टुप्पीमा समाएर घुमाउन सक्छु । तर त्यहा“को असन्तोषको डढेलो माओवादीको बलबुताभन्दा बाहिर त गयो गयो, सिंगै राष्ट्रका लागि गम्भीर समस्या बन्दै गयो । आफैंले दीक्ष्ँित गरेको अवर्गीय युद्धकौशल आफ्नै लागि यदुवंशी संग्रँमको रूपमा देखा पर्दा माओवादी नेताका तालु सुक्न थालेका छन् । ....... बन्दुकले तर्सर्ााका गाउ“हरूमा व्यक्ति व्यक्ति पक्डेर, चुटेर लाखौंलाख झार्न र नदिए मार्न सहज थियो । देशभरिका दर्ुदान्त घटनाहरूमा पनि चुइ“क्क नबोल्ने उद्योग व्यवसायी वर्ग आफ्नो अंगमा आक्रमण हु“दा एकताबद्ध अरिंगालको गोलोझैं खनियो । ..... अब कति दिन चल्ला बन्दुके हुल गएर धम्काइ र चुटाइले चन्दाको नाममा लाखौं करोडौंको लुट गर्ने जंगली राज ...... माओवादी नेताहरू देशभरि मनपरि कुट्ने, काट्ने, लुट्ने, मार्ने धन्दा चलाएर अहिले संसद्मा लस्कर लाएर आएका छन् । उनीहरू अहिले जंगलको राज सहरमा पनि एकछत्र चलाउन चाहन्छन् । नेताहरू संसद्भित्रै हतियारका धम्की दिन्छन् । प्रचण्डले हजारौं हतियार र ठूलो युद्ध चलाउने जनशक्ति बाहिरै भएको धमास दिन्छन् । सम्झौताअनुसार शिविरमा पसेका तिनका सैनिकहरू जङ चल्नासाथ राष्ट्रसंघका स्टिकर टा“सेका बन्दुक बोकेर सडकमा निस्कन्छन् । कसैलाई मार्नु र प्रचण्डका मुखबाट दर्ुइ अक्ष्ँरको 'माफी' शब्द चुहाउनु दाल-भातजस्तै भएको छ । आफ्नो निम्ति कुनै नियम, कानुन चाहि“दैन । तर आफूले समेत निहु“ खोज्ने र हेप्ने गरेको 'मधेसी जनअधिकार फोरम' या 'गोइत', 'ज्वाला' आदि समूहलाई प्रतिबन्धित र दण्डित गर्नर्ुपर्ने कुरा हुकुमी शैलीमा उकेल्छन् उनीहरू । आफ्नो गल्ती र उग्र प्रवृत्तिले जहा“जहा“ गडबडी, झडप या हत्या हुन्छ, त्यहा“ दरबारी षड्यन्त्रको आक्ष्ँेप फ्या“केर बरी हुन चाहन्छन् उनीहरू । मार्क्सवादी दृष्टि र वर्गीय नीति त्यागेर बल र बन्दुकको आडमा जातिवादी राजनीति खेल्नुको परिणाम के कस्तो हुन्छ भन्ने कुरा माओवादी नेताहरूले जति चा“डो बुझ्यो त्यति चा“डो समाधानतिर लम्कन सक्छ देश ।

Top leaders resume discussion on interim govt, CA polls NepalNews Koirala held a meeting with Prachanda for an hour
Police arrest six suspects of Gaur incident Ram Janam Das, Raghunath Mahato, Babloo Raut, Oyanath Raut, Lalbabu Paswan and Binod Raut ... Gaur is yet return to normal life. Shops remain shut, industries are closed and education institutions have not been opened. Very few vehicles, especially smaller ones, are seen plying in the streets.
UML Gen Secy doubtful about timely CA polls Koirala and the Maoists have, however, been stressing that CA election should be held within mid-June.
MJF programmes banned in some Terai districts; curfew in Siraha The Home Ministry is learnt to have instructed local administrations in some Terai districts to prohibit Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF) from holding any programme. ..... the Ministry has instructed local administrations in Rautahat, Siraha, Jhapa and Morang districts to prohibit any MJF programme ...... In Siraha, the Chief District Officer Shashi Shekhar Shrestha has ordered curfew in Golbazaar area in Asanpur VDC between 10 am and 6 pm on Saturday. ..... The curfew has been imposed coinciding with MJF's scheduled mass meet in Golbazaar on Saturday..... In Morang, the district administration has clamped prohibitory orders for four days beginning Saturday. The orders ban any kind of gathering, protest or sit-ins. The MJF planned to hold a mass meeting in Biratnagar on Saturday. ..... On Friday, the administration did not allow MJF to hold its mass gathering in Jhapa district. ..... the Ministry has ordered to keep a close watch on the activities of MJF
Gatherings banned in Biratnagar; Rautahat CDO recalled The MJF had planned a mass gathering and the Maoists had planned memorial service for those killed in Gaur in the city for Saturday.
OHCHR asks police for further investigation into Maina case
Abducted Tharu leader resurfaces, says he was enticed to incite unrest Roshan revealed after he resurfaced that the abductors said they will organise riots till Hindu state was restored in Nepal. He said they also threatened to kill leaders of seven parties and Maoists. ..... He said that he fled from the clutches of his abductors – who he said included both Nepalis and Indians – by luring two guards who were posted to held him captive with huge cash offerings. He said he was kept in a house somewhere in Indian border village of Paliya. ........ Roshan is said to be the highest-ranking Tharu leader within the Maoist organisation
Kalimpong logs on to the world the Kalimpong residents are crazy about IT facilities through which they can remain updated about the world events. ..... more than eighteen cyber cafes are operate here ..... "Especially the youths of the age-group 15-30 years are found at the Internet Cafes where they seem to be lost in the cyber world of entertainment." ...... Each of these cafes see around 40-50 visitors per day ...... These visitors, mostly students, basically use the Internet for receiving and sending mails. Chatting is most popular, casual or serious. Besides, they also search for e-books, look for current news, download and play games. ...... "I find the Internet really amazing, interesting, informative entertaining and is easier and better than traditional communication media like newspapers or radio." As interest towards Internet grows, young people are casting aside papers, magazines, radio, and even television. ....... The cafes charge around IRs 40 to 50 (NRs 64 – 80) per hour ...... less than 25 percent of the people in Kalimpong can afford to subscribe to Internet connections at home. ..... E-mail has become the key part of communication for all offices and schools, big or small.
Bones suspected to be that of Maina Sunuwar exhumed

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