Showing posts with label Nepali. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nepali. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

वीपी कोइराला र नेपालमा हिन्दी भाषा


वीपी कोइरालाको शासनकालमा नेपालमा हिन्दी भाषाको जे स्थान थियो मैले अहिले नेपालमा हिन्दी भाषाको त्यही स्थान खोजेको हो। म काँग्रेसी होइन। म कट्टर anti काँग्रेसी हो। मेरो जीवन कालमा मधेसी समुदायको समानताको संघर्षमा प्रमुख स्थानीय र राष्ट्रिय शत्रु नै नेपाली काँग्रेस रहि आएको छ। र लोकतन्त्रको सबक मैले काँग्रेसबाट सिकेको होइन। मैले जाने बुझेको नेपालको काँग्रेस देश, सेना र पार्टीको लोकतांत्रिकरणमा सहायक होइन तगारो हो।

तर वीपी कोइरालाको महानता, मदन भण्डारीको महानता पार्टी राजनीति भन्दा माथि हो। अहिले देशको नम्बर एक प्रतिक्रांतिकारी शक्ति एमाले हो, त्यसको दोष म मदन भण्डारीलाई दिन्न।

वीपी कोइरालाको शासनकालमा नेपालमा हिन्दी भाषाको स्थान नेपाली भाषाको बराबरमा थियो। त्यो झुक्किएर भएको होइन होला। त्यो नेपाली भाषाको विकास नहुन्जेल कायम मुकायम आधारमा होइन होला। महेन्द्रले वीपीलाई तानाशाही तवरमा जेलमा मात्र कोचेनन् देशमा एक भाषा एक भेष एक धर्म पनि स्थापना गरे। (हिन्दी भाषा र नेपाल)

अहिले सम्विधान निर्माणको क्रममा महेंद्र र वीपी मध्ये एकलाई रोज्ने बेला हो। मैले देखे बुझेको काँग्रेसी र एमाले वाला हरु सबै महेन्द्रपथमा कुदिरहेका छन। किन होला? यहाँ भुमिगत गिरोह त सक्रिय भएको होइन? सेनाले चुनावमा धाँधली गर्दिने अनि बदलामा एमाले काँग्रेसले सेनालाई संसदभन्दा माथि मान्दिने वर्तमानको भुमिगत गिरोह हो। देशमा संघीयता मात्र होइन लोकतन्त्र नै खतरामा छ।


Sunday, October 26, 2014

नेपालमा आर्थिक क्रान्ति र न्यु यर्कका नेपाली (2)

English: Nepali sadhu performing a blessing. F...
English: Nepali sadhu performing a blessing. Français : Sadou à Kathmandu Nepal avril 2004 ‪Norsk (nynorsk)‬: Heilag mann i Katmandu i Nepal, med pannemerke, symbolmønstra klede, rosenkrans rundt halsen og handa forma i ein mudra. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Citizenship without political rights is an oxymoron. Dual citizenship without political rights for the Non Resident Nepalis (NRNs) is not an option. Such an arrangement would be crippling.

People complain about brain drain. Oh, the smart Nepalis left the country, what to do! Then why not work on brain gain!? Dual citizenship with full political rights is a brain gain concept. It is the single best policy decision the power brokers in Kathmandu can make for Nepal's rapid economic growth. Why are the smartest Nepalis on the planet pleading with those power brokers as if they were some kind of a persecuted minority!? Why are they not talking like people who have much to contribute? And all they are asking for is vehicles with which to contribute!

Once a Nepali, always a Nepali -- pure and simple.

But once you do have that legal framework in place, the onus shifts to entrepreneurship. I think the best way to make concrete, positive impacts on the Nepal's economy when you are a Nepali living abroad is to first prove your mettle as an entrepreneur.

1K Per Nepali: Crunching Some Numbers

Last week at a Diwali Party a great idea was floated. Nepali professionals in NYC should put 1K each into a pool which would be in the form of a company. There would be a small Executive Committee that would invest in early stage Nepali origin high tech startups following pre-approved guidelines. The company would also invest in startups based in Nepal.

Let's say 100 Nepalis got together and put in 1K each. You can't invest in every tech startup that comes along just because they are Nepali origin. And not all startups in which Nepalis are involved are looking for money, especially small money like this fund might have. At that event there were two Nepalis who were already working for tech startups. But neither were Founders. And both startups were well funded in their own right.

So with this startup you are looking for Nepali Founders.

Money invested in the stock markets grows at an average annual rate of 10%. Money invested in the US Treasury bonds gives you 5% or less. But the first 100K invested in Google became a billion and a half in about eight years. That is tens of thousands of percentage points in growth. That is wild. Never say never but let's assume, statistically speaking, that a Nepali Founder coming up with the next Google is not very likely. Statistically speaking.

The top VC firm in NYC has a success rate of 66%. As in, one third of the companies it invests in tend to fail. The best ones give them a 10X return. As in, every dollar invested becomes 10 dollars. A 10X return is considered excellent in the VC industry. So Google by that standard is out of the ballpark.

Let's say 100K is raised. And it is invested in three startups that have Nepali Founders, two in NYC/USA and one in Kathmandu. Let's say one NYC startup starts at a million dollar valuation and ends up with a billion dollar valuation in five years. Let's say one NYC startup goes bust, and the investment is lost. The Kathmandu startup starts at a million dollar valuation and goes on to a 100 million dollar valuation in five years.

So, it was 35K, 35K and 30K. 35K went bust. And this is an excellent scenario.

35K fetched 3.5% in equity, there was an anti-dilution clause. And so 3.5% of a billion is 35 million dollars. 30K fetched 3% and 3% of 100 million is three million dollars. So the 100K fund became $38 million in five years. And this is an excellent scenario.

A dud scenario is, 100K was raised, it was invested in three startups, all three went bust. The consolation was it only cost each person 1K each. A 10X scenario would be the 100K became a million dollars. In the VC industry that is considered to be excellent. As in, 100K becoming 35 million dollars is pretty much a wild case scenario.

When the money comes in, each 1K person would have the option to cash out. What is 1% of 35 million? 350K? Or the people could say, I want to take out 300K, and leave 50K in there. 50K times 100 is 5,000K, that is five million. And the Executive Committee now has five million to play with.

Or the fund could expand. It might start with 100K, and it might bring in 400 more people, or a thousand people, and be a 500K fund or a million dollar fund to start with. It is possible to show your companies are doing well before you actually get to cash out.

So far as I know I am the only Nepali in the city who is both a tech startup founder and is actively looking for round one money. My ask is in the 35K range. And my projection is that my startup should be a billion dollar company in five years.

Another great candidate would be the Amazon/Flipkart/Alibaba for the Nepal market that would also do Bitcoin based money transfer for near zero rates.

So my take would be, raise 100K right away, like today, invest in my startup, and start looking for that Kathmandu team. And then start looking for more 1K people. Maybe you want to come into my round 2 as well, as one of several investors.

In my particular case, I would be happy to offer to the fund what I have offered to some of my friends who have come into my round one at 5K each. I will make it risk free for the fund. Should the venture fail, from the day of the failure, I will have 12 months to return this 35K to the fund, as if it were a personal loan. Should the venture succeed, I will get 5% of the growth this investment might see. So if this 35K becomes seven million dollars in five years, I get 5% of that seven million, namely 350K, and the fund gets the rest.


Saturday, October 25, 2014

नेपालमा आर्थिक क्रान्ति र न्यु यर्कका नेपाली

  • New York City is the capital city of the world. There are talented Nepalis all over the world. But NYC does have a pretty impressive collection of Nepali talent. 
  • Nepal is a very poor country. The most important goal for Nepal for the next 30 years is rapid economic growth. An economic revolution would be double digit growth rates year in year out for 30 years. Any Prime Minister of Nepal who does anything less over the next 30 years is a failure. 
  • A lot of talented Nepalis have left Nepal for educational opportunities and greener pastures abroad. But among them I have felt a universal desire to give back, to contribute. That has to be tapped. 
  • The quality of organization is important. The depth of feeling is important. The nation of Israel is a great example of how a well organized people can make outsize contributions. 
  • Once A Nepali, Always A Nepali is a key concept. Citizenship without political rights makes zero sense. Dual citizenship with full rights would be a brain gain concept, it is the single most important thing the country can do to bring in massive FDI. 
  • There are 30 Nepali millionaires in Moscow. By that count there should be 100 Nepali millionaires in NYC. 
  • High tech entrepreneurship is the best way to get there. 
  • One idea that has been floated is to incorporate a company in which a few hundred Nepalis would invest a thousand dollars each. And that LLC would invest in Nepali origin high tech startups in the early stages. I think that's a great idea. 
  • Unless you can be a successful entrepreneur in an environment like NYC, it would be hard to make concrete contributions to Nepal's economic growth. 

Tuesday, October 14, 2014

हिन्दी भाषा र नेपाल

वीपी कोइरालाको जमानामा नेपालमा हिन्दीको जे स्थान थियो, हामीले अहिले जान खोजेको त्यहीं हो। वीपीका चेला भनाउँदा काँग्रेसीहरु भने महेन्द्रको भाषा बोल्छन् र हिन्दीको कड़ा विरोध गर्छन, मलाई अचम्म लाग्छ। माला लगाउने वीपीको तस्वीरलाई तर नीति मानने महेन्द्रको? अजब देश, गजब नगरी।

मधेसी पहिचानको सबैभन्दा महत्वपुर्ण कड़ी नै हिन्दी भाषा हो। पहाड़ी/पर्वते समुदायको लिंक language नेपाली भए जस्तै, मधेसी समुदायको लिंक language हिन्दी हो। भोलि खड़ा हुने मधेशका राज्यहरुमा सदनको प्रमुख भाषा नै हिन्दी हुनेछ।

मलाई लाग्छ नेपालभरी नेपालीभन्दा हिन्दी बुझ्ने मान्छे बढ़ी छन।

मधेसी पहिचानको केन्द्रमा हिंदी भाषा छ भने सम्पुर्ण नेपालीलाई दक्षिण एशियाली बनाउने हिन्दी भाषा हो। बिश्व मञ्चमा नेपालीले आफ्नो दक्षिण एशियाली पहिचान अंगीकार गर्नै पर्छ। मोदीले संसारमा सबैभन्दा बढ़ी माया गरेको देश नेपाल। त्यस प्रेमबाट नेपालले आर्थिक विकास खोज्नै पर्छ। अहिले नै विश्वमा चीन र अमेरिका पछि भारत नै हो। युरोपका दुइ चार देश बाहेक गुजरात सबैभन्दा अगाडि अहिले छ।

नेपालमा हिन्दी भाषा मधेसीलाई मात्र चाहिएको जस्तो महेन्द्रपथको कुरा गर्न छोडौं। दक्षिण एशियालाई आर्थिक प्रगतिको हिसाबले युरोप बनाउने मोदीको सपनामा सहभागी बन्ने तिर सोचौं र पहल गरौं।

हिन्दी भाषालाई संयुक्त राष्ट्र संघको छैठौं भाषाको रुपमा स्थापित गर्ने भारतको लक्ष्यमा सबैभन्दा बढ़ी साथ दिन सक्ने देश नेपाल हो। त्यसमा कुनै किसिमको कन्जुस्याइँ नगरौं।

हुलाकी राजमार्ग बनाउने हिन्दी भाषाले हो। हिन्दी भाषा अलंकारको कुरा होइन, आर्थिक विकासको कुरो हो।

Human Rights Watch Says Drop Charges Against CK Raut

English: Human Rights logo: "FREE AS A MA...
English: Human Rights logo: "FREE AS A MAN" esp ->svg Français : Logo pour les droits de l'homme : « Free as a man ». Русский: Свободен как человек, победитель в международном конкурсе логотипа, символзириюущего Прав человека, http://humanrightslogo.net/ (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Many Nepalis have recently struggled to break out of feudal structures and ensure democratic rights. Freedom of expression is a cornerstone of a good democracy. But the government is going after an activist expressing concerns about marginalized communities from the Terai.

Brad Adams, Asia director
Human Rights Watch: Nepal: Drop Sedition Charges against Madhesi Activist
The Nepal authorities should immediately withdraw sedition charges and unconditionally release rights campaigner Chandra Kant Raut, who was arrested for his expression of peaceful political opinions. Nepal should amend its practices to comply with international and domestic standards to protect freedom of expression. ......... Raut was arrested on September 14, 2014, for allegedly advocating that the southern plains of Nepal, known as the Terai, be allowed to secede from the rest of the country as part of a long-standing debate on state restructuring. On October 8 he was charged with sedition, presumably under the Crime against State and Punishment Act 1989, which forbids any “attempts to cause any disorder with an intention to jeopardise sovereignty, integrity or national unity of Nepal.” It carries a penalty of life imprisonment. Police also said that Raut has written articles and books advocating secession by Madhesis, the Terai community. There is no evidence that Raut advocated the use of violence, or that his actions led to violence. ......... Nepali politicians have long been drawn largely from the upper-caste hill tribes. Following the ceasefire agreement of 2006 after a 10-year civil war, the country embarked on a constitution-writing process which promised inclusion for traditionally marginalized communities, including from the Terai. Central to the promise of inclusion was the pledge to re-draw the state to create provinces or regions without giving dominance to the upper-caste hill tribes. However, the constitution remains in limbo as political parties have failed to come to a consensus. ............ The debate has been filled with anxiety that the Terai, which runs east to west along Nepal’s porous border with India and is a critical transit for trade in the land-locked country, will seek greater autonomy. Raut, formerly a US resident, returned to Nepal in 2011, and leads a group that seeks to establish an independent Madhesh in the area. ........ “Raut’s call for an independent Terai has to be understood in the historical and political context in which the discussion on state restructuring is occurring,” said Adams.

“His arrest threatens the chances of a robust debate on federalism, and undermines the promise of inclusion. Raut’s arrest shows that minority voices can and will be easily sidelined.”

........... Nepal is a state party signatory to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which guarantees the right to free expression. Any limits placed on free expression must be set out clearly in domestic law, be nondiscriminatory in impact and must be strictly necessary for national security or public order. The authorities have not produced any evidence that Raut’s peaceful call for an independent Terai was a threat to national security or public order that could justify his arrest. ........

“Instead of releasing Raut for lack of a genuine threat, the authorities decided to justify their arrest by slapping sedition laws against him, nearly a month later,” said Adams. “Such laws are typically used by repressive regimes to control critical speech, and it appears that Nepal has decided to go down this unseemly route.”

Drop sedition charges against activist, Nepal told
The Nepal authorities should immediately withdraw sedition charges and unconditionally release rights campaigner Chandra Kant Raut, Human Rights Watch said Tuesday.
Asian Human Rights Commission: NEPAL: Fair trial possible for Dr. Raut?
The right to a fair trial is a universally recognized human right, enshrined in international law in both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (the “UDHR”) and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (the “ICCPR”). Fair trial rights are also guaranteed in Article 24 of the Interim Constitution of Nepal. ....... The right to a fair trial is made up of a number of more specific individual rights, including pre-trial rights, which, when recognized and provided for, together ensure that a person charged with a criminal offense is treated fairly while the justice system determines their guilt or innocence. ....... Fair trials are essential to protect the rights of the accused, to have all evidence tested thoroughly by an independent and impartial court, and to ensure the proper administration of justice. Recognition and provision for fair trial rights and due process prevents arbitrary and unjust interference with the lives of citizens, the misuse of political or state power, or the application of “summary justice”. As a general principle, regardless of the nature of the alleged offense, all accused persons must be given a genuine opportunity to answer charges, present and challenge evidence, examine and cross-examine witnesses, and do so in a neutral and dignified setting. ........ Fair trial rights apply to those accused of all criminal offences, no matter how shocking or abhorrent the alleged offense, and no matter how strong the evidence available to the prosecution appears to be. This principle has to be respected........

However, in the case of Dr. C.K. Raut, all these principles have been circumvented. He was first arrested on one charge (public offence) and later charged with another (subversion) after political negotiations among cabinet members and public prosecutor as reported in the Nepali media. This shows that the decision on the charge against him was not made independently.

....... There is a domination by one hill community through the judicial system which sees the demand for the right to secession from a patriotic and “traditional nationalism” point of view and do not support the idea. In contrast, Dr. Raut advocates for the right to secession to be included in the new constitution currently being drafted by the Constituent Assembly which is what he had told the Constitutional–Political Dialogue and Consensus Committee (CPDCC) on August 21 when CPDCC Chair Baburam Bhattarai invited him for a discussion on co .............

Dr. C.K. Raut, a Madhesi activist, was arrested on September 13 by almost two dozen police personnel

deployed by the District Police Office; Morang, while returning home from a mass meeting organized by the Santhal tribe. Dr Raut, who holds a PhD degree from Cambridge and has written a book on History of Madhes, had addressed the meeting as the chief guest. Dr. Raut says he was invited to the programme as a historian. He was arrested along with his associate, Satya Narayan Mandal, but Mandal was released within a few hours. ................

Raut was served neither an arrest warrant at the time of his arrest nor a search and seizure warrant before being searched by the police.

His brother Surya Kant Raut filed a habeas corpus writ at the Supreme Court the next day saying that Dr. C.K. Raut’s arrest was illegal and he should be released from custody. ............. The Morang Police first charged Dr. Raut under the Public Offences Act and produced him before the Morang Chief District Officer who remanded him to six days in custody. In response to the habeas corpus petition, the Supreme Court ordered the government to produce Raut in person. At this point, the police filed a sedition charge against Raut at Special Court. The police state in the charge sheet that Raut has written some books including Madhes Swaraj (Madhes autonomy) and the Manifesto of Alliance for Indpendent Madhesh, advocating for a separate Madhes land and therefore he should be punished under the Crimes Against the State and Punishment Act 1989 with treason........... The Supreme Court denied issuing a writ of habeas corpus as demanded by Raut’s brother, on the basis that he had already been produced in court and charged. The court also ordered the government to allow him to seek medical treatment from the medical centre of his choice at his own expense. The court issued this order after

Raut told the Apex Court that the police had denied him medical treatment. Dr. Raut, alleged that the police inflicted mental torture and denied him the facilities normally granted to a political prisoner. Two dozen human rights activists of Nepal condemned Dr. Raut’s illegal arrest. The Asian Human Rights Commission and Amnesty International condemned his arrest and demanded his unconditional release. Nepal’s principal opposition party – the Unified CPN-Maoist and other opposition parties, including Madhesi parties, also condemned Dr. Raut’s arrest and urged the government to unconditionally release him.

.......................... Rights activists are surprised to know why Dr. Raut who was called by the CPDCC to record his views on constitutional issues was then arrested for expressing his political views, in fact the same views recorded by the CPDCC. ........ Dr. Raut believes in a peaceful movement and says what he has been advocating is protected under the right to freedom of speech and expression as guaranteed by Interim Constitution of Nepal and many international treaties that Nepal is party to. ........ The day the Supreme Court began its hearing on the habeas corpus writ,

Raut told the apex court that if the state believed that he was the only one to have such views, then the state could hold a referendum on the right of secession. .... Dr. Raut also told the Supreme Court that his deposition before the Morang police was taken under duress and the police did not record all his statements. It was also not recorded in the presence of the public prosecutor, in violation of the provisions in the State Cases Act.

............ Dr. Raut now faces two cases - one under the Public Offences Act and another under the Crime against the State and Punishment Act 1989. Many were surprised by

the subversion (Rajya Viplab) case was filed against Dr. Raut one day after Prime Minister Sushil Koirala told some rights activists and Raut’s family that in a democracy one should not be detained just because he/she has differing views. When Ministers Minendra Rijal and Hari Prasad Parajuli signed an understanding with Dr. Raut in his custody, following which he broke his 11 days hunger strike, the ministers had pledged to respect Dr Raut’s freedom of speech and expression.

Raut’s case is sub judice and the merits of the case cannot be discussed, but the fairness of trial can certainly be discussed. ........... The right to fair trial requires that a public prosecutor must make decisions independently. In Nepal’s context, a public prosecutor charge criminal case depending on a phone call or a conversation with a politician. Immediately after Dr. Raut was arrested, some of the daily newspapers quoted Morang police as saying that the doctor could be implicated under treason law but that would depend on the government’s decision. ........ The criminal prosecution should be based on fairness, judgment, evidence, public interest, and common sense. In this case,

Dr. Raut was first charged under the Public Offence Act and when the Supreme Court ordered the government to produce him, the police charged him under the subversion law. The police appeared to have acted with the intent of detaining Raut as long as possible.

............. What was the reason of charging Dr. C.K Raut under subversion law, an outdated law enacted during the monarchy, and needs court intervention to be repealed? Most democratic countries has already repealed such laws. Take the case of The Philippines. The Anti-Subversion Law was repealed in September 1992, when then President Fidel Ramos signed into law the Republic Act 7636. ...... Lawyers and human rights activists in Nepal failed to take timely steps to repeal Rastra Viplab law (Crime against State and Punishment Act, 1989) that says in Section 3 (1) (subversion) that if someone causes or attempts to cause any disorder with an intention to jeopardize sovereignty, integrity or national unity of Nepal, he/she shall be liable to life imprisonment. .... Banning the expression of political ideology using this law in a democratic society like Nepal is unfair. Any piece of legislation, which imprisons people for holdAHRC-ART-082-2014-01.jpging differing views and opinions, should be repealed.
The Hindu: Rights group demand release of Madhesi activist
Mr. Raut is a former employee with Raytheon, a contractor with the US Department of Defence. He returned to Nepal in 2011 and since then has been campaigning for independent Madhes. Until his arrest, not many people in the country knew abut him or his activities.

Monday, October 13, 2014

राज्यका भाषाहरु



मेरो यो नक्शामा राज्य स्तरका भाषाहरु यस किसिमका हुने भए।

पुर्व तराई: हिन्दी, नेपाली, मैथिलि, भोजपुरी, थारु, उर्दु।
पश्चिम तराई: हिन्दी, नेपाली, अवधि, भोजपुरी, थारु, उर्दु।
कोशी/किराँत: नेपाली, लिम्बु, राइ, शेर्पा।
गण्डकी: नेपाली, तामांग, नेवारी, गुरूंग, मगर, थकाली।
कर्णाली: नेपाली, मगर, भोटिया, (शेर बहादुरले बोल्ने भाषा)।

(एक मधेस एक प्रदेश किन भन्दा रैछन्, अब थाहा भो। भाषा मिल्दो रैछ।)

नेपाली र हिन्दी देशका दुई प्रमुख भाषा हुने भए।

कनकमणि दीक्षित र बाहुनवाद

पहाडिया–मधेशी नागरिक सभाको खाँचो by कनकमणि दीक्षित

मधेशले संघीयता पाए मधेशलाई आर्थिक घाटा लाग्ने कनकजीको तर्क छ। त्यसो हो भने त अहिलेको मधेश सम्पन्न हुनुपर्ने। किनभने अहिलेसम्म मधेश संघीयता बिना नै रहेको छ। पहाड़ मधेश मिश्रित प्रदेशले मधेशलाई सम्पन्न बनाउने हो भने खोइ त बनाएको? अहिलेसम्म त्यही मिश्रण त हो रहि आएको।

"के, यस फर्मूलाले तराई–मधेशका विपन्न र सीमान्तकृतहरूको पहिचानको साथै सुशासन र आर्थिक वृद्धिको चाहनाको परिपूर्ति गर्छ ? तराई–मधेशका बहुसंख्यक गरीब समूह आवाजविहीनताको कारण कदापि दण्डित हुनुहुँदैन, र समाजशास्त्रीय सोच र अध्ययन विदा यस्तो महत्वपूर्ण कार्य अगाडि बढाउनुहुँदैन ।"

"मैदानी भागको मात्र प्रान्त वा प्रदेश" प्रति कनकजीको आपत्ति छ। किन होला? मधेसी क्रान्तिले पैदा गरेका नेताहरुले मधेसीको हित सोंचेको छैन, मधेसीको हित कनक दिक्षितले सोंचेको छ भन्ने हास्यास्पद तर्क सार्नु हुँदैछ।

झापा, मोरंग, सुनसरी, चितवन, मकवानपुर, कैलाली, कन्चनपुर मधेशबाट खोसेर कांग्रेसले प्रस्तुत गरेको नक्शालाई कनकजीले "संविधान सभाका दुई प्रमुख दल अन्ततः मैदान विशेषको संघीय इकाई बनाउन राजी देखिएका छन्" भन्दै छन र चिन्ता व्यक्त गर्दै छन।

हामीलाई चाहीं किन खोसेको जस्तो भइराखेको छ।

सिगमंड फ्रायडले हाम्रो दिमागका विभिन्न गहिराइका बारेमा भनेका छन। सतहमा conscious mind हुन्छ। त्योभन्दा गहिरो subconscious mind हो। त्योभन्दा पनि गहिरो अर्को एउटा layer छ। कनकमणि दीक्षितको बाहुनवाद त्यो गहिराइमा छ कता कता। त्यो बाहुनवादी ideology सँग कनकजी जस्ताहरुको यस्तो गहिरो सम्बन्ध छ कि त्यस बिनाको identity को वहाँले कल्पना पनि गर्न सक्नु हुन्न।

भारतमा वी पी सिंघले मण्डल लागु गर्दा भारतका थुप्रै बाहुनहरु देशै छोड़ी विदेशिएका थिए। बाहुनहरुको एकाधिकारलाई चुनौती दिइदा त्यति डिस्टर्ब भए तिनीहरु।

नेपालमा ४० लाख बाहुन होलान। तिन मध्ये नेपालभित्रको विभेदले २ लाखलाई फाइदा भएको छ। ३८ लाख बाहुनहरुलाई पनि त्यसै विभेदले च्यापेको छ। नेपालको unitary state समाप्त गरेर power devolution गरेमा ती ३८ लाख बाहुनलाई पनि फाइदा हुने हो।

भने पछि कनकजीको बाहुनवाद हो के? कुन जन्तु हो यो? बहुमत बाहुनलाई नै घाटा पुर्याउने यो कस्तो ideology हो?

"२०६२/६३ को जनआन्दोलनमा संघीय शासन प्रणालीको माग भएको थिएन । त्यसको एक वर्षपछि मधेश आन्दोलनले संघीयतालाई राष्ट्रिय अजेण्डा बनाएको हो ।" सही कुरो हो।

"मधेशी जनता दोहोरो हिसाबले पीडित रहँदै आएका छन्, अर्थ–सामाजिक हिसाबले बहिष्कृत हुँदाहुँदै मध्यपहाडी पहिचानमा आधारित राष्ट्रवादबाट समेत विभेदित हुँदा ।" सही कुरा।

"अन्य समुदायका जुझारुहरूलाई जस्तै मधेशीलाई पनि पहाडे बाहुन वर्चस्वको राष्ट्रिय राजनीति, नोकरशाही, एकेडेमिया र मिडिया लगायतले आधुनिक युगमा सदैव हियाइरह्यो ।" सही कुरा।

"समथर भूभागलाई पहाडबाट प्रान्तीय रूपमा अलग पार्दै मधेशी जनताको नेतृत्व गर्न चाहनेहरूले यही अवस्थालाई प्रस्थानबिन्दु बनाउन खोजेका हुन् ।" गलत। पंचायत कालमै पनि कति मधेसी सांसद र मंत्री हुन्थे। काँग्रेसमा छन मधेसी सांसद छन। एमालेले पाएको छ उठभन्दा उठ र बसभन्दा बस गर्ने मधेसी सांसदहरु।

मधेशीलाई हो संघीयता चाहिएको, आम जनतालाई हो संघीयता चाहिएको।

"यस क्रममा संघीयताको मागलाई विखण्डनको सुझवसम्म पु-याएका देखिएका सीके राउत अहिले राष्ट्रद्रोहको अभियोग खेपिरहेका छन् । मधेश उन्नति सम्बन्धी उनको विश्लेषण र ‘रोडम्याप’ दुवै गैरतार्किक र कमजोर देखिन्छन् ।"

जसरी २००६ को लोकतान्त्रिक क्रान्तिले लोकतंत्र र मानव अधिकार स्थापना गर्यो, तर संघीयता स्थापना गरेन, त्यसरी नै मधेसी क्रान्ति (१) र मधेसी क्रांति (२) ले संघीयता स्थापना गर्यो, तर आत्म निर्णयको अधिकार सहितको संघीयता मधेसी क्रांति (३) ले स्थापना गर्नु पर्ने भयो। लोकतंत्र एउटै क्रांतिले स्थापना हुने तर मधेसी हरुले समानताकालागि तीन तीन पटक क्रांति गर्नुपर्ने? कनकजी, त्यसैबाट अनुमान लगाउनुस् मधेसी प्रतिको विभेद कति जटिल मुद्दा हो भनेर।

"यद्यपि, पहिचानको सवालको ‘उग्र–लोकरिझ्याईं’ को चपेटामा परेको यो समयमा उनको मागलाई सार्वजनिक बहसद्वारा प्रश्न गरिनुपर्ने थियो, अदालती प्रक्रियाद्वारा होइन ।"

यो चाहिं कनकजीले सीकेको वाक् स्वतन्त्रताको हनन ठीक ठीकै हो भनेको। कनकजी, २००५-०६ मा तपाई र मैले मानव अधिकारकालागि सँगै लडेको तपाइँलाई याद होला। तर मैले बुझेको मानव अधिकार र तपाईंले बुझेको मानव अधिकार फरक रै छ त! तपाइँको मानव अधिकारको परिभाषाले वाक् स्वतन्त्रता नसमेट्ने देखियो।

"यति ढीलो भइसक्दा पनि के मैदान केन्द्रित प्रान्तबाट बृहत् र गहन गरीबीको वास्तविकतामा अल्झिएको मधेशका अधिकतम बासिन्दाको आर्थिक मुक्ति सहज हुन्छ ?"

ब्रिटिशले मधेश नेपाललाई सुम्पिए देखि अहिलेसम्म मधेशलाई काठमाण्डुले उपनिवेश बनाएर राखेको छ छ। त्यो गुलामी समाप्त नभएसम्म मधेश सम्पन्न बन्नै सक्दैन। किनभने गुलामहरु सम्पन्न बनेको विश्व इतिहासमा कतै पनि छैन। संघीयता भनेको मधेशमा पुलिस प्रशासन मधेशकै हुनु हो। सीकेले भनेको स्वराज त्यही हो। त्यो स्वराजलाई तपाइँ विखण्डन भन्दै हुनुहुन्छ। मधेशमा पुलिस प्रशासन मधेशकै हुनुले तपाइँको शरीरको कुन चाहिं हड्डी भाँचिन्छ र तपाइँ त्यसलाई विखण्डन भन्दै हुनुहुन्छ, कनकजी?

"‘उत्तर–दक्षिण’ प्रदेशले स्वतः पहाडे एलिटहरूको वर्चस्व कायम गर्छ भन्ने आफ्नो आशंकालाई मधेशी जुझरुहरू कसरी पुष्टि गर्छन् ?"

पहाड़ी इलीटको हामीलाई मतलब भएन। पहाड़ी आम जनताकोलागि पनि पावर devolution नै चाहिएको हो।

"यो त्यस्तो समय हो, जब नेपाली पहाडको आर्थिक संभावना चम्किलो देखिएको छ– जलविद्युत्, उत्तर सिमानासँगको व्यापार र वनपैदावार, सेवा उद्योग, जडीबुटी प्रशोधनमा ‘भ्यालू एड’, पर्यटन/तीर्थाटन आदिका खुल्दो ढोकाहरूका कारण । तराई–मधेशमा पनि स्रोतहरूको प्रचुरता छ, तर ठूलो जनसंख्या मार्फत गरीबी थेगेको यो क्षेत्रको संरचनागत सम्बन्ध पहाडसँग टुट्नु कदापि हुँदैन, र प्रान्त विभाजन हुँदा नसोचेका शक्ति र प्रभाव अगाडि नआउलान् भन्न सकिन्न ।...... जब पहाडमा जलविद्युत् परियोजनाहरू दशकौंको ढिलाइपछि बल्ल अगाडि बढ्दै छन्, पर्यटनले शान्तिकालीन पुनर्जीवन लिंदैछ र ढिलै सही, सडकहरूले धमाधम पहाड र तराई–मधेशलाई लाभदायी सञ्जालमा बाँध्दैछ । आर्थिक एकीकरण र साझ समृद्धिको वास्तविकता बन्न लागेको यो समयमा संघीयताको विषयलाई संविधानसभामा राम्रै बहस चलाउन हिम्मत कसैले राखेको देखिंदैन ।..... पहाडका कतिपयले त सीमा कोरिएर पहाड–समथर छुट्टिन गए आफूले भूटानको जस्तै समृद्धि भेट्टाइएला कि भनेर सोच्न थालेको भान हुन्छ । भूटान नेपाल जस्तो नभई समथर/तराईविहीन मुुलुक हो । पहाडको प्राकृतिक स्रोत त्यहाँका पहाड/हिमालवासीले मात्र उपभोग गर्छन् । र आज भूटान दक्षिण एशियाको सबैभन्दा ज्यादा ‘प्रतिव्यक्ति आम्दानी’ भएको मुलुक बन्न पुगेको छ ।..... तराई–मधेशमा छुट्टै प्रदेशहरू बन्ने निश्चित हुनगए तत्कालै पहाड र मधेशबीच पूँजी साझेदारीको फर्मूला अगाडि ल्याउनुपर्छ ताकि प्रतिव्यक्ति आम्दानीका हिसाबले सम्पन्न प्रदेशले प्रतिव्यक्ति आम्दानीका हिसाबले विपन्न प्रदेशलाई सघाउने विधिको तय होस्, संविधानमा लिपिबद्ध होस् ।"

मान्छेले हाइड्रो हाइड्रो भन्दैछन। त्यो पनि त्यस्तै हो। तराई र पहाड़ नमिसाएर राज्यहरु बनाउने हो भने हाइड्रो त सब पहाड़ले पाउने भो भन्ने तर्क सार्नेहरु देखिएका छन। त्यो तर्क बेबुनियाद हो। जस्तै भर्खर एउटा सन्धि भयो ९०० मेगावाट बाला एउटा प्रोजेक्ट को। त्यसको श्रेय मोदीलाई जान्छ। त्यसमा नेपाल सरकारले २७% स्वामित्व पाउने कुरा छ। १२% बिजुली मुफ्तमा पाउने। बाँकी १५% को निर्यात गरेको पैसा पाउने। त्यो पैसा खप्तड या खसान राज्यले पाउने होइन, केन्द्र सरकारले पाउने हो। र त्यो केंद्र सरकारले पाएको पैसा के हुने, कसो हुने भन्ने कुरा तराईका सांसदहरुले पनि तय गर्ने हो।

"केन्द्र–प्रदेश, प्रदेश–प्रदेश अधिकार तथा दायित्व बाँडफाँड लगायतका संघीयताको आधारभूत अवधारणामा ध्यान नदिइकन नै समथर प्रान्तको लागि वकालत गरिंदैछ ।"

नक्शा र नाम पछिको कुरा हो संघीयता भनेको प्रमुख रुपमा पावर devolution हो। केन्द्र सरकारको बजटको एक तिहाई ५ राज्यलाई जनसंख्याको आधारमा समानुपातिक दिने। त्यस्तै राज्य सरकारले जिल्ला सरकारलाई, जिल्ला सरकारले गाऊँ र शहर सरकारलाई।

"प्राचीनकालमा हिमालयदेखि दक्षिण विन्ध्याचलबीच समथर भूभाग जनाउन प्रयोग भएको भनिएको ‘मध्यदेश’ शब्द आधुनिक नेपालमा ‘मधेश’ हुन पुगेको बुझ्न्छि– मुख्यतः मधेशवासी र पहाडवासी छुट्याउने सांस्कृतिक तथा राजनीतिक अर्थ बोक्ने गरी ।"

सही कुरा हो। नेपाल देश स्थापना गरेकै गोपालवंशीहरुले हो। गोपालवंशी भनेको अहिलेका यादवहरु हुन। राम वरण त्यसै राष्ट्रपति भएको होइन। त्यो reclaim गरेको।

"११ भदौ २०६८ मा बाबुराम भट्टराई नेतृत्वको सरकार निर्माणका लागि मधेशवादी दलका नेताहरूले एमाओवादी नेतृत्वसँग गरेको ‘चारबुँदे सहमति’ मा नै ‘मधेशी’ का साथसाथै ‘मुस्लिम’, ‘थारू’ र (तराईका) ‘दलित’ लाई अलग राख्न खोजेको छ, जुन एक ‘फ्राइडियन स्लिप’ जस्तो देखिन्छ ।"

तराईमा पर्वते र मधेसी गरी दुई प्रमुख समुह छन। पहाड़ी मुलका बाहुन, क्षेत्री, जनजाति पर्बते भए। तराई मुलका थारु, दलित, मुस्लमान, मारवाड़ी, राजवंशी, सिंथल सब मधेसी भए। तर थारुले आफूलाई मधेसी पनि भन्छ र जनजाति पनि। त्यसमा कुनै समस्या भएन। जनजाति भनेर पहाडका जनजातिसँग अलायन्स बनाउनु राम्रै हो।

मैले आफुलाई मधेसी पनि भन्छु र मैथिल पनि। मेरो मैथिल पहिचानले मलाई बिहारका करोड़ोंसँग जोडेको छ।

"पहाडमा पाँचदेखि सात तथा तराईमा भोजपुरा–मैथिली र अवधी–थारू (कोशी पूर्व र मध्य तराई–चितवन क्षेत्र बाहेक) प्रदेश निर्माणको सुरसार हुन लागेको नयाँबानेश्वरबाट चुहिएका सूचना बताउँछन् ।"

कोशी, गण्डकी र कर्णालीलाई मधेसीको पकड़बाट १००% बाहिर राख्न खोज्ने प्रयत्न भइराखेको छ। त्यो प्रयास सफल हुँदैन। नेपालको प्रमुख सम्पदा नै ती तीन नदी हुन। त्यसलाई मधेशमा सुध्दा छून नदिने इच्छा जुन व्यक्त गरिएको छ त्यसले नियत देखाउँछ। बेइमानी ज्युँका त्यूँ छ।

"यो बेला नागरिकहरूको सहभागितामा तुरुन्तै एक ‘पहाडिया–मधेशी सभा’ को दरकार परेको छ । र, छलफललाई जीवन्त/अर्थपूर्ण बनाउन यस्तो सभा मधेशी भावनाको केन्द्रबिन्दुमा रहेको नगरी जनकपुरमा आह्वान हुनुपर्छ, जहाँबाट आँखा खोलेर हितकारी संघीयताको मार्ग पहिल्याउन सकियोस् ।"

यो एउटा लोकतान्त्रिक विचार नै हो। यसको विरोध मैले किन गरौं?



Saturday, October 04, 2014

India Skipped Landlines

English: Mobile phone evolution Русский: Эволю...
English: Mobile phone evolution Русский: Эволюция мобильных телефонов (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Not long back, your average Indian did not have a phone number. Today most Indians have mobile phones. They did not go from no phone, to a landline to a mobile phone. They seem to have skipped the landline.

Nepal is writing a new constitution. And because it is writing a constitution in 2014, and not 1950 or 1777, this constitution should be cutting edge. It should be an attempt to build a better democracy than anywhere else. We might fail in that attempt. We might end up not creating something better than anywhere else. But we should try. One easy way is by not making obvious mistakes.

I talk of partyless democracy as a concept, because politicians in Nepal understand the concept. The current political class in Nepal fought against that concept for decades. They know in their bones what that is.

This new constitution should be designed in a way that the Nepali diaspora is not a loss to the country, because right now it is. Messing up the concept of dual citizenship is a very bad sign. And it is not too late to rectify.

The idea should be to rope in the entire Nepali diaspora. Most Nepalis in the diaspora are still Nepali citizens. There should be a provision to help them vote online in Nepal's national elections. Some Nepalis have become citizens of other countries. This is a tiny minority. Make it possible for them to have dual citizenship. Their Nepali citizenship should be a full citizenship. Why not? That is a brain gain idea. Nepal could use more brains, especially Nepali brains who might know a thing or two about Nepal, who might be emotionally attached to the country.

The right to self determination is a similar thing. That has to be an integral part of Nepal's federalism. That is not a tool for breaking up the country. I don't think so. That would strengthen the country. That would lead to power devolution to the state and local levels and make for a much more efficient government. That would be a good thing.

The entire debate on federalism has been about the map and the names of states. The real debate should be about power devolution. In the new Nepal how much power will the states have? How much power will the local governments have?

A good formula would be that one third of the central government budget should be handed directly to the state governments in proportion to their populations. And one third of a state's budget should be handed directly to the districts in a similar formula. And one third of the district budget should be handed over to towns and villages and cities in direct proportion to a village/town/city's population.

This formula would be simple, fair, and right. It would lead to meaningful power devolution.

Friday, October 03, 2014

Dual Citizenship: A Boon To The Home Country


Only steam leaves the pot. For a country like Nepal, some of the most educated, some of the most enterprising people have left the country over decades. But the love for country is intact, it is strong. And the homeland could benefit hugely from that crowd.

In this era of the Internet and globalization, the phrase "brain drain" is old fashioned, it is passe. I personally think the best I can do for Nepal is by planting one foot in NYC and another in Nepal.

And the dual citizenship concept is key. It has so far been thwarted by the sick people who form the current political class in Nepal. These people have a vested interest in keeping the country poor. These people are untouched by the daily arrivals of body bags from the Gulf states. This political class feels threatened by the Nepali diaspora. They dragged their feet on the dual citizenship issue for as long as they could, for close to a decade. And now they have offered a citizenship without political rights to the NRNs. It would be a grave mistake to accept it. I am less concerned about the NRNs. For me this arrangement would be the biggest hindrance to Nepal's rapid economic growth anyone could put in place.

Why would people who are supposed to lead Nepal to prosperity are so hellbent on getting in the way of the country's rapid economic growth? Obviously we have a democracy in name only in Nepal right now. The political leaders don't feel the need to act in the best interests of the people.

They will do what they will do. But it is shameful the most educated, the most accomplished Nepalis on the planet would be so eager to accept this deal. No deal would be better than this bad deal.

Multiple Citizenship
How to Obtain Dual Citizenship
Dual Citizenship in the Age of Mobility
In the past, including the recent past, policymakers considered dual citizenship a problem. Leading politicians of previous centuries saw it as an abhorrence of the natural order, the equivalent of bigamy. Citizenship and political loyalty to the state were considered inseparable. Policymakers worried that dual citizens would not integrate into the country to which they had emigrated but rather would maintain exclusive loyalty to the country of original citizenship. And, in times of war in the 19th and early 20th centuries, they feared “foreign” interference by citizens belonging to the enemy......... Moreover, democratic legitimacy was at stake. Policymakers feared that dual citizenship would violate the principle “one person, one vote.” Also, diplomats were worried that they could not protect their citizens in the country whose citizenship the newly naturalized citizen also held........... Yet, over the last few decades, an astonishing change has taken place: an increasing number of policymakers regard dual citizenship not as a problem for integration, legitimacy, foreign policy, and diplomatic protection, but rather as a possibility that needs to be negotiated from various standpoints, ranging from simple pragmatic tolerance to active encouragement. Certainly, dual citizenship is not a completely new phenomenon, but we have witnessed its rapid spread only recently. More than half of all the states in the world, countries of immigration as well as emigration, now tolerate some form or element of dual citizenship.

Thursday, September 11, 2014

NRN Dollars

Word "Nepali" in Devanagari Script.
Word "Nepali" in Devanagari Script. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
NRNA Experience by Ambika Adhikari
The economic muscle of the Nepali Diaspora is growing rapidly. In North America alone, the combined yearly income of the Nepali community, estimated to be around 300,000 strong, is about US $ 20 billion (2014 estimates), equivalent to the total annual GDP of Nepal. It is also estimated that the combined annual income of the Nepali Diaspora in the world (outside SAARC) is about 2.5-3 times the size of national annual GDP of Nepal. If we calculate the pension funds that the person of Nepali origin hold in their adopted lands, it perhaps amounts to more than five times Nepal’s annual GDP, signifying that even if a small percentage of these funds are invested in Nepal, it will be significant in Nepal’s context. Also, remittances from NRNs constitute 26 percent of Nepal’s GDP (2014 estimate)...... if the Nepali Diaspora is well organized and wishes to invest part of its economic resources in Nepal’s development, it can become a formidable partner for Nepal, and perhaps transform Nepali economy, in the manner Chinese, Indian, Korean and Irish Diaspora have transformed the economies of their native lands.