Showing posts with label damajama. Show all posts
Showing posts with label damajama. Show all posts

Sunday, January 28, 2007

Need For A Mahila Movement





BBC Nepali: कृष्णप्रसाद सिटौलासंग-24.01.07

All eight parties have robust women's organizations. It is high time all of them came together to launch a Mahila Movement with an explicit goal.

33%, or 68 of the 205 seats to be contested during the constituent assembly elections should be reserved for women. Elections would still be held for those seats, but all candidates must be women.

Rajendra Online: First Nepali Dalit Blog

अन्तर्वार्ता Image वार्ताका लागि तयार छौँ तर गृहमन्त्रीले राजीनामा दिनुपर्छ
दुइसय ३८ वर्षेखि राज्यले आन्तरिक उपनिवेशिकरणको नीतिअनुरूप मधेशीहरूको शोषण, दमन, उत्पीडन र मधेशमाथि जुन लुटको शासन कायम गरेको छ, त्यसको विरुद्ध मधेशी जनताको समानता, स्वतन्त्रता, न्याय, समान अधिकार र राष्ट्रिय पहिचानका लागि गरिएको सङ्र्घर्ष हो ।

Protesters vow Terai unrest will continue

A local weekly Wednesday reported that Yadav has links with India's Rastriya Swayamsevak Sangh and was seen sharing the stage at a recent pro-Hindu programme in Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh.

Hindu nationalist groups in Hindi have been supporters of King Gyanendra, urging Nepal to remain a Hindu state and the king its head by virtue of being the "emperor of Hindus". Yadav denies the allegation.

"We have been raising our voice for a secular state for almost a decade," he said. "I did attend a programme where Indian pro-Hindu leaders were present. But it was a conference where I was asked to speak on the Madhesi issue."

He also refutes reports that well-known royalists are members of his group.

"The Madhesi issue is a national movement," he said. "People are rising above party interests to take up the cause of the diaspora. Not only royalists but legislators from the two biggest parties in the ruling alliance as well as Maoists have taken part in our protest rallies," Yadav emphasised.

नोनाको निधनले शिर्ष बैठक रोकियो काठमाडौं, १४ माघ-तराईको समस्या समाधानका लागि आठ दलको शिर्ष बैठक बस्ने तय भएपनि कांग्रेस नेतृ नोना कोइरालाको निधनका कारण स्थगीत हुन पुगेको छ ।

आधा दर्जन नेता भारत भ्रमणमा काठमाडौं, १४ माघ-स्वायक्त प्रदेशको माग सहित आन्दोलनमा उत्रिएका मधेशीहरुको आन्दोलनकारण तराइ क्षेत्र तनावग्रस्त बनिरहेको बेला सत्तारुढ दलका प्रभावशाली नेताहरु भारत भ्रमणमा गएका छन् ।भारतिय सत्ताधारी दल कांग्रेस आई को निमन्त्रणमा नेपाली कांग्रेसका महामन्त्री रामचन्द्र पौडले र माओवादी नेता चन्द्रप्रकाश गजुरेल शनिवार नै भारत पुगिसकेका छन् भने एमाले नेता झलनाथ खनाल, प्रजातान्त्रिक कांग्रेसका महामन्त्री महन्थ ठाकुर आइतवार भारत गएका छन् ।

प्रजातान्त्रिक कांग्रेस संघिय राज्यमा काठमाडौं, १४ माघ-प्रजातान्त्रिक कांग्रेसले संघिय राज्य प्रणालीमा सर्मथन जनाउंदै जनसंख्याको आधारमा निर्वाचन क्षेत्र तोक्न र समानुपातिक निर्वाचन प्रणालीमा राज्यलाई लैजानुपर्ने निर्णय गरेको छ

कोइराला र प्रचण्डको पुतला जलाइयो गौर १३ माग -मधेस जनअधिकार फोरमका कार्यकर्ताहरुले आज रौतहट जिल्लाका विभिन्न क्षेत्रमा प्रमुख राजनीतिक दलका नेताहरुको पुतला जलाएका छन् ।

सालिक तोड्ने प्रतिष्पर्धा काठमाडौं १३ माघ- संघिय राज्यको मागका साथ शुरु भएको तराइ आन्दोलनले सालिक तोडफोडलाई तिव्रता दिएको छ । उनीहरुले लोकतान्त्रिक आन्दोलन समर्थक राजनीतिक दलका नेताहरुको सालिकका साथै नेपाली भाषासेवीहरुको सालिकमाथि समेत आक्रमण शुरु गरेका छन् ।शनिवार भएको प्रदर्शनमा विरगन्जमा रहेको महाकवि लक्ष्मीप्रसाद देवकोटाको सालिक तोडियो । यसैगरी विरगन्जमै रहेको नेकपा एमालेका अध्यक्ष स्वर्गिय मनमोहन अधिकारको सालिक समेत तोडफोडमा परेको छ । आजै २०४६ सालको आन्दोलनका कमाण्डर गणेशमान िसंहको सालिक समेत क्षतिग्रस्त भएको छ । शुक्रवार बारामा रहेको विपि कोइरालाको सालिकमाथि आक्रमण भएको थियो ।

प्रधानमन्त्रीसमक्ष प्रचण्डका तीन प्रस्ताव Imageकाठमाडौ १२ माघ -माओवादी अध्यक्ष प्रचण्डले तराइका समस्या समधानका लागि प्रधानमन्त्री गिरिजाप्रसाद कोइराला समक्ष गणतन्त्रको घोषणा सहित तीन प्रस्ताव राखेका छन् ।
प्रधानमन्त्री निवास वालुवाटार भेटघाटमा प्रचण्डले तराईका समस्या समाधान गर्न तत्काल पहल नगरे ठूलो दुर्घटना हुने चेतावनी दिए । प्रचण्डले प्रधानमन्त्रीसमक्ष मधेसका जायज मागलाई सम्बोधन गर्दै तत्कालै गणतन्त्र घोषणा गर्नुपर्ने नेपाललाई संघीय राज्य घोषणा गर्नु पर्ने र निर्वाचनमा समानुपातिक प्रतिनिधित्व गराउनु पर्ने प्रस्तावसमक्ष राखेका हुन् । प्रस्तावप्रति मौन रहेपनि प्रधानमन्त्रीले एक दुई दिनमा ठोस कदम चाल्ने आश्वासन दिएको स्रोतले बताएको छ । स्रोतका अनुसार प्रधानमन्त्री कोइरालाले आठ दलको बैठक बोलाई तराईको समस्यालाई तत्काल सम्बोधन गर्ने बताए । नेपाललाई गणतन्त्र घोषणा गरे स्वतः दरवारिया चलखेल; बन्द हुने र मुलुक गणतन्त्रमा प्रवेश गर्ने प्रचण्डको भनाई छ । संघात्मक राज्य अनुसार नेपाल नौ वटा प्रान्तमा बिभाजन गर्न उनले प्रस्ताव गरेका छन् ।

ANTA Press Release: Stop The State Terror

Stop The Shooting, Give The Speech
Feedback, NSU, USA Canada Chapter Press Release
डटे रहो
Sahana Pradhan, Sarita Giri, Chitra Lekha Yadav, Pratibha Rana
Ram Sah, Ratan Jha, Lalit Jha, Pramod Kantha: Madhesi Diaspora, Pahadi Diaspora
Why Are The Pahadis Quiet?
B. K. Rana: Carter, Palestine and Apartheid
Girija, Give A Speech Like Gyane Did In April
Stop Shooting, Give Concession Speech, Calm Down The Streets
Brikhesh Chandra Lal: Who Will Take Responsibility?
Madhesh Is Burning
शान्ित वार्ता क्या, िवजय घोषणा करो
8 Parties Need To Declare 205 Constituencies Of Equal Population
Madhesi Movement Is April Revolution Part 2
Look Who Is Talking
Madhesi Movement: Write To The Media
बराबर जनसंख्याबाला २०५ सीट
मधेश जल रही है
Girija Koirala Is A Crook
205 Constituencies Based On Equal Population, And Reserved Seats
New Jersey Madhesi Gathering: Photos
Anand Jha: Slugging It Out At SEBS
Ram Manohar Sah: Madheshi Murmurings
Mihir Thakur: Paper On Madhesh Samasya 2051
Madhesi Gathering, New Jersey
Prabasi Madhesi Are With The Madhesi Movement In Nepal
My Role In The April Revolution: The Butterfly Effect
Typhoid And Typhoid Victims
Madhesi Alert, Nepalgunj Pahadi Attack On Madhesi, Raw Email, Video Footage

वार्ताका लागि तयार छौँ तर गृहमन्त्रीले राजीनामा दिनुपर्छ
Imageउपेन्द्र यादव, अध्यक्ष, मधेश जनअधिकार फोरम
- तर्राईमा तीनवटा सङ्गठनहरूले सङ्र्घर्ष चलाइरहेका छन्, वास्तवमा यो सङ्र्घर्ष केको लागि र किन भइरहेको छ -
दुइसय ३८ वर्षेखि राज्यले आन्तरिक उपनिवेशिकरणको नीतिअनुरूप मधेशीहरूको शोषण, दमन, उत्पीडन र मधेशमाथि जुन लुटको शासन कायम गरेको छ, त्यसको विरुद्ध मधेशी जनताको समानता, स्वतन्त्रता, न्याय, समान अधिकार र राष्ट्रिय पहिचानका लागि गरिएको सङ्र्घर्ष हो ।
- तर्राई जनतान्त्रिक मुक्ति मोर्चा र तपाइँहरूको कुरो एउटै हो त ?
विषयवस्तु र समस्याका मूल वस्तुहरू मिल्दा छन् तर आन्दोलनका विधि र साधनहरूमा हाम्रो असहमति छ । हाम्रो शान्तिपूर्ण र अहिंसात्मक आन्दोलन हो ।
- तपाइँहरूको फोरम राजनीतिक दल हो कि सामाजिक संस्था ?
यो मधेशी जनताको राजनीतिक सङ्गठन हो । यो अझै पार्टि वनिसकेको छैन । यसमा अन्य पार्टि सदस्यहरू पनि हुनुहुन्छ र यसको आफ्नै संरचना छ ।
- तपाइँको यो राजनीतिक सङ्गठनको सुरुवात माओवादीले गरेको भनिन्छ नि -
एक समयमा यसमा माओवादी पनि थिए, एमाले, काङ्ग्रेस, सद्भावना पनि थिए । म पनि त्यो बेला एमालेमै थिएँ । सबै पार्टिर्को साझा मधेशी सङ्गठन बनाउने सोचका रुपमा यो फोरम स्थापना भएको थियो । विकासक्रममा अहिले राजनीतिक सङ्गठनको रुपमा बदलिएको छ ।
- सबै राजनीतिक दलका मधेशसँग सम्बन्धित आ-आफ्न मोर्चा र सङ्गठनहरू पनि रहेका छन्, तिनीहरू कसैले पनि मधेशका समस्या सही ढङ्गले सम्बोधन गर्न नसकेर तपाइँले गठन गर्नुभएको कि अलग राजनीतिक दल चलाउन मन लागेर ?
होइन, राजनीतिक दल चलाउन मन लागेको भए त उतिबेलै गठन गरिहाल्थ्यौँ नि । कुनै पनि राजनीतिक दलहरूले मधेशका मूलभूत समस्यालाई समाधान गर्नेतर्फध्यान दिएनन् । एमाले, काङ्ग्रेस, माओवादी कसैले पनि त्यतिबेला मधेशी समस्या बुझेकै थिएनन् । मधेशीहरूलाई राज्यसत्तामा समानरूपले साझेदारी गराउनुपर्छ र मधेशको स्वशासन हुनुपर्छ भन्ने कुरा उठेकै थिएन त्यतिबेला । हामीले फोरम बनाएर विषयलाई नीतिगतरुपमा अगाडि बढायौँ । नेपालमा सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र हुनुपर्छ, मधेश स्वायत्त प्रदेश हुनर्ुपर्छ, जहाँ मधेशीहरूको स्वशासन होस्, समानुपातिक प्रतिनिधित्व प्रणाली हुनुपर्छ, राज्यका हरेक अङ्ग र तहमा मधेशको समान सहभागिता हुनुपर्छ भन्ने हाम्रा माग हुन् । देशको नीति निर्माण र शासन, प्रशासनमा मधेशीहरूलाई जनसङ्ख्याको आधारमा सहभागी र प्रतिनिधित्व गराइनर्ुपर्छ । यी कुरालाई हिजोका दिनमा साम्प्रदायिक भनिन्थ्यो आज यिनै यथार्थलाई र्सवत्र स्वीकार गरिएको छ । हाम्रो आन्दोलनले यो कुरालाई सही प्रमाणित गरिदिएको छ कि मधेशीहरू अब आन्तरिक उपनिवेशवादी नीतिबाट मुक्ति चाहन्छन् ।
- तपाइँहरूले माओवादीले पहिलोचोटी मधेशी राष्ट्रिय मुक्ति मोर्चा गठनसँगै उठाएका मुद्दालाई राजनीतिक मुद्दाको रुपमा उठाउनुभएको भनिन्छ नि ?
यो झुठो बकवास हो । सबभन्दा पहिला मधेश र सङ्घीय प्रणालीको कुरा तर्राई काङ्ग्रेसले २००८ सालमा उठाएको हो । त्यसपछि तर्राई जनक्रान्तिकारी दलको नेतृत्वमा यो विषयले प्रधानता पाएको हो । १९ सालमा तर्राई लिबरेशन प|mन्टले पनि यही कुरा उठाएको थियो । त्यसपछि सद्भावना परिषद् र सद्भावना पार्टि उठाए । माओवादीले त धेरै वर्षछि सङ्घीय प्रणालीको कुरालाई स्वीकार गरेको हो । माओवादीको आधिकारिक दस्ताबेज हेर्नुभयो कहीँ पनि सङ्घीय प्रणाली उल्लेख छैन । माओवादीका यी कुरा सबै भ्रामक हुन् । माओवादी नेताहरू जातीय स्वशासनका कुरा गर्नुहुन्छ, हामी भन्छौँ- मधेशमाथि मधेशी जनताको अधिकार हुनुपर्छ । मधेशको सम्पूर्ण सत्ता मधेशले सञ्चालन गर्न पाउनुपर्छ भन्ने कुरा माओवादीले आत्मसाथ गर्न सकेको छैन । उहाँहरूले अझै जातीय स्वशासनको कुरा गर्नुहुन्छ- कामकुरो एकातिर, कुम्लो बोकी ठिमीतिर भन्ने उखान चरितार्थ भएको छ अहिले ।
- तपाइँको भनाइ, गर्राई र दृष्टिकोणमा फरक छ, तपाइँ हिन्दू कट्टरपन्थीहरूको पक्षमा रहेर नेपालमा धर्म निरपेक्षताको लागि लडिरहेकालाई गाली गर्नुहुन्छ भन्ने माओवादी आरोप छ नि ? -
जुन विषयमा अध्ययन छैन, त्यो विषयमा नबोल्नु नै माओवादीलाई मेरो सुझाव हो । यो आरोप निराधार छ । हामी पहिलेदेखि नै धर्म निरपेक्षताको पक्षमा छौँ । जहाँसम्म मधेशको कुरा छ- माओवादीभित्रै पनि मधेशलाई विभेद गरिएको छ । हेरौँ माओवादीको केन्द्रीय नीति निर्माण तहमा कतिजना छन् - अब राष्ट्रिय समस्या समाधानको बाटोतिर जाने हो भने सङ्घीय प्रणालीअर्न्तर्गत मधेशीहरूलाई अलग्गै राज्य चाहिन्छ । राज्य सञ्चालनको सम्पूर्ण अधिकार मधेशको हुन्छ भनेर प्रचण्डले भन्न सक्नुहुन्छ भने म उहाँहरूलाई स्वागत गर्छ र त्यो साहस उहाँहरूले देखाउन सक्नुपर्छ ।
दोस्रो कुरा मधेशीहरूको नागरिकता, आन्तरिक उपनिवेशीकरण लगायतका प्रशस्तै समस्याहरू छन् । ती समस्यालाई यो बेलामा राज्यले सम्बोधन गर्नुपर्छ । हिजोको सातदल-माओवादीबीचको वार्ता सत्ता साझेदारीतर्फगयो । उहाँहरू निर्वाचित नै नभइकन आफै टीका लगाएर सांसद हुनुभयो । मुलुकको सङ्घीय संरचना, समानुपातिक निर्वाचन प्रणालीद्वारा संविधानसभाको निर्वाचन हुनुपर्छ र यसमा २३८ वर्षेखि विभेदमा पारिएका मधेशी, जनजाति, आदिवासीलाई राज्यमा समानुपातिकरुपले सहभागी गराउनुपर्छ भन्ने मूलभूत कुरालाई वार्तामा त्यत्तिकै छाडियो । उहाँहरूले गणतन्त्रको कुरा गर्नुभो तर राजालाई हटाउने कुरालाई त्यत्तिकै छाड्नुभयो । यो सारा दिल्लीमा सहमति भएको हो । राजा राखनुपर्छ भनेर दिल्लीमा सहमति गरेर उहाँहरू -माओवादी) ले नेपालमा सम्झौता गर्नुभएको हो । हिजोका वार्ता र सहमतिमा जुन कुरा छोडिएका छन्, ती कुरालाई अहिले उठान गर्नुपर्छ; मधेशी, जनजाति, आदिवासी, पिछडिएका समुदायका कुराहरूलाई राज्यले सम्बोधन गर्नुपर्छ भनेर हामी आएका हाँ । मूलभूतरुमा मधेशीहरूलाई सम्झौताले र अन्तरिम संविधानले समेटेनन् । दलहरू पनि यस विषयमा संवेदनशील भएनन् । अब राज्य बढी जिम्मेवार र संवेदनशील भएर हिम्मतका साथ आउनर्ुपर्छ । त्यसमा माओवादी साथीहरूले पनि सकारात्मकरुपले सोचिदिएर र हिजो छुटेका भए पनि अब छुट्नुहुन्न भन्ने भावना लिएर अगाडि बढ्नुपर्छ । यो मेरो आग्रह हो ।
- सरकारले मधेश जनअधिकार फोरम, दुबै तर्राई जनतान्त्रिक मुक्ति मोर्चा, आदिवासी जनजाति महासङ्घलगायत अन्तरिम संविधानप्रति असन्तुष्ट र तर्राईमा सङ्र्घष्रत अन्य समूहहरूलाई वार्तामा बोलाएको छ, तपाइँहरू के भन्नुहुन्छ ?
हामी वार्ताद्वारा समस्या समाधान गर्न तयार छौँ । सरकारले वार्ताको वातावरण बनाओस् तर हामीले औपचारिक चिठ्ठी पाइसकेका छैनौँ । अर्को कुरा के छ भने- राज्य प्रशासनको आडमा खुलेआम मधेशीको हत्या गरियो, लुटियो । यसको जिम्मेवारी गृहमन्त्रालयले लिदै गृहमन्त्रीले राजीनामा दिनर्ुपर्छ । हामी वार्ताका लागि तयार छौँ, हामी मुलुकमा शान्ति र अग्रगमन होस् भन्ने चाहन्छौँ ।
- गृहमन्त्रीले राजीनामा नगरेसम्म तपाइँहरू वार्तामा बस्नुहुन्न ?
नगरेसम्म होइन, किन राजीनामा नगर्ने - गृहमन्त्रीलाई राजीनामा गराउनुपर्यो । उहाँको मातहत रहेको प्रशासनको प्रत्यक्ष निर्देशनमा हत्या हुन्छ भने उहाँसँग कसरी वार्ता हुन्छ -
- प्रधानमन्त्रीले त गृहमन्त्रीको जिम्मा मैले लिन्छु भन्नुभएको छ त...
प्रधानमन्त्रीले त जिम्मा लिनुभयो तर उहाँको गृहमन्त्रीलाई हटाउनुपर्यो । प्रधानमन्त्रीले मधेशप्रति भर्खर सम्बोधन गर्नुभयो, त्यसको म स्वागत गर्छ तर जिम्मेवार व्यक्तिहरूलाई अगाडि बढाउनुपर्यो । गृहमन्त्रीलाई राजीनामा गराउनुपर्छ भन्ने सम्पर्ण मधेशको माग रहेको छ । यो मागलाई प्रधानमन्त्रीले पनि गम्भीरतापूवक लिनुहुनेछ । गृहमन्त्री रहुञ्जेल वार्ता हुँदै हुँदैन भन्ने होइन, वार्ता सफल बनाउनका लागि र समस्या समाधानका लागि गृहमन्त्री बाधक हुन्छन् ।

-स्वतन्त्र समाचार सेवा)

Saturday, January 27, 2007

Sahana Pradhan, Sarita Giri, Chitra Lekha Yadav, Prativa Rana

Top women leaders tell of Nepal’s struggle for peace and democracy


Photo by Jeff Watts

Saji Prelis, SIS, left, introduces Nepali political leaders. Left to right, they are Sahana Pradhan, Sarita Giri, Chitra Lekha Yadav, and Prativa Rana.


RELATED LINK
> School of International Service


The people of Nepal were caught for years between a violent Maoist insurgency and a king who reacted by dissolving the parliament and imposing authoritarian rule.

But over the past year, “something very unique has happened in our country,” said Sarita Giri at a panel of top women politicians from Nepal, “Nepal at the Crossroads: The Path to Peace.”

The panel at the School of International Service included the highest-ranking woman in Nepali politics, Chitra Lekha Yadav, reappointed last week as deputy speaker of the House of Representatives.

After a decade of bloodshed, there is now hope that Nepal can become an example of a country where an insurgency ends peacefully when political parties and guerillas find common ground.

A coalition formed by the Maoists and seven mainstream parties led to an outpouring of popular protest last year against the king’s rule, forcing him to relinquish absolute power. Now a cease-fire is in effect as the country prepares for an election that will lead to rewriting the constitution and could redefine, or even abolish, the role of the king.

In effect, “the political parties embraced a long-term demand of the Maoists,” said Yadav, the deputy speaker, who is also a leader of the large Nepali Congress (Democratic) party. The rebels have called for an end to the monarchy, but say they will abide by the results of the “constituent assembly,” or constitutional convention.

“The Nepali people have struggled both against the authoritarianism of the king and against the politics of violence,” said Giri, a leader of the Sadbhavana Party (Anandi Devi), which advocates for the large madhesi ethnic group. “The Nepali people have come to believe that the solution of the conflict lies in having a new constitution . . . and the Maoists also somehow understood their own limitations. They have a correct reading of the world scenario, and what is possible and not possible.”

“The Maoists realized their armed struggle will not work,” agreed Sahana Pradhan. “Ulti-mately it is the peace movement of the people that will work. They were looking for a chance to come out and lay down their arms and join democracy.”

Pradhan is a founder of UML, which stands for Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist-Leninist) but is a moderate left party.

Nepal became a democracy with a constitutional monarchy in 1990, but the king remained above the law and retained the right to impose direct rule if he chose, which is what King Gyanendra did in the 2005 “royal coup.”

“People now are thinking the trouble has to do with the monarchy,” Pradhan said. “They want this to be the last struggle.”

Hopes for the future are high. Success, though, will depend on the effectiveness of democratic leaders, who are known for squabbling and “passing the buck,” warned Prativa Rana, a leader of the pro-monarchy Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), which views the tradition of royalty as a unifying force in Nepal. Rana raised concern about the tendency of politicians to blame past rulers for current failures, which, she said, is an easier path than taking responsibility for success in the present.

“There was much bickering among political parties,” agreed Pradhan. “Democracy did not work as people expected. People would say, ‘what type of democracy is this?’”

The panelists agreed that one key to success will be greater political power for women. Political parties have now pledged to give a third of their tickets to women, who came out in large numbers to demand a restoration of democracy and call for a constitutional assembly.

“Evidence from all over the world shows women are less corrupt,” Giri said. “We firmly believe that promoting women in political power will definitely lead us to a position of peace and more sustainable democracy.”

The talk was cosponsored by the Peacebuilding and Development Institute at the School of International Service and the Initiative for Inclusive Security at Hunt Alternatives Fund, a foundation that supports leaders of social movements and promotes peace processes. The women have been in the United States for a two-week policy forum in Cambridge, Mass., and Washington, D.C.






In The News

India asks Nepal's warring sides to begin talks RxPG NEWS, CA
ANALYSIS-Nepal fears wider conflict if Terai unrest continues Reuters
Curfews, ethnic protests hit Nepal's plains China Post
Terai unrest will hit Nepal polls: UN
RxPG NEWS, CA
Tension in Terai continues Madhav Nepal's house torched / Attempt ... Gorkhapatra
Nepal:Curfew re-imposed in Birgunj, Lahan PeaceJournalism.com
Terai unrest will hit Nepal polls: UN India eNews.com
UN to expand Nepal arms monitoring next week
Reuters AlertNet, UK
Prachanda included in Nepal voters' list NDTV.com
Process to disarm Nepal's ex-communist guerrillas resumes International Herald Tribune
Nepal`s Maoists urge US to wipe them off `terrorist` list Zee News
PM meets with Nepal to discuss Terai unrest
Nepalnews.com, Nepal the two agreed to call the meeting of eight parties to address the genuine demands of the Madhesi people. ...... the two discussed the possibility of infiltration by reactionaries and the need to address demands like electoral system based on proportional representation, delimitation of electoral constituencies based on population and federal restructuring of state. ...... The date of the meeting of the eight party leaders to discuss Terai agenda and possibly announce changes in the interim constitution to address Madhesi people's demands have, however, not been fixed yet.
Nepal: Peudo-Constitution, Autocratic Government Scoop.co.nz (press release)
PM Koirala, Nepal agree to take political measures to pacify Terai ... Kantipur Online
Situala urgesTerai groups for restraint Gorkhapatra
Violence escalates in Nepal
PeaceJournalism.com, Nepal
Nepal towns under curfew Gulf Daily News
Nepal:Rautahat tense; Madhav Nepal’s house vandalised PeaceJournalism.com
Curfews on in south Nepal NDTV.com
Indian ambassador meets Nepal Prime Minister
Zee News, India
India calls for resolving southern Nepal unrest via talks PeaceJournalism.com
India advocates dialogue to solve unrest in eastern Nepal Islamic Republic News Agency
India urges steps to solve problems of Terai region Gorkhapatra
Police open fire on protesters in southern Nepal, killing 1 ... International Herald Tribune, France
One killed in fresh Nepal clashes Reuters AlertNet
New war erupts in Nepal as UN peace mission gets nod
Financial Express.bd, Bangladesh
New War Erupts as UN Peace Mission Gets Nod Inter Press Service (subscription)
Nepal : SAWTEE arranges seminar to improve trade & investment Fibre2fashion.com, India
Govt Plans New Industry, Investment, Trade Policies Himalayan Times
Nepal:Protestor killed in Bara PeaceJournalism.com, Nepal

Friday, January 26, 2007

B. K. Rana: Carter, Palestine and Apartheid





Carter, Palestine and Apartheid

B. K. Rana

Email: rana1616@yahoo.com

Today, January 23, 2007, President Jimmy Carter is on a visit to Brandeis University in Waltham, a suburban campus in Boston. He is scheduled to discuss his recently published controversial book: Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid. The book has drawn harsh criticism from a Harvard Law professor Alan Dershowitz.

Earlier, President Carter was invited to debate on the book with the professor. But the President turned down the invitation which sparked an outcry from some students and faculty. They urged President Carter should be invited to campus without conditions. The Brandeis was founded by the American Jewish community. About half of whose students are Jewish origins.

Somehow or the other, the university could convince President Carter to speak on the book saying that there will be no prior conditions. President Carter is set to speak to a closed session of the university faculty this evening. Obviously, no public would have any access to listen to his lecture. Hopefully, his lecture will be available in print media tomorrow morning ! I will read most of the materials on his lecture.

Prior to the program, President Carter was here in Harvard Cooperative Society - in short ‘Harvard Coop’- to sign the book. I had bought one sometime ago and already had a cursory look onto it. The book, by the 39th President of United States of America, appeared to me a bit different than his other books including The New York Times bestsellers ‘Our Endangered Values’.

I stood in line, waited my turn to pass through the ‘security checks’ in the first floor. Actually, it was not any ‘tight’ security. There were a number of desciplined buyers in line up the stairs to the second floor and third floor also. Of course, there were some polite security personnel in civil dress watching or directing everyone in the line. Some police were also seen standing or walking past us – the enthustic ‘book-buyers’ or Jimmy Carter fans.

In the meantime, from my shoulder behind sounded a masculine voice saying that he ‘was born in Lebanon, grew-up in Palestine and living currently in USA’. He was talking to one of his acquaitances behind. Understandably, he was a pro-Palestine fellow. I didn’t think it would be of any use to turn around to see him and say ‘Hi, I am from Nepal’ or ‘the conflict ravaged Himalayan country of Nepal as yours in the middle-east’. An avarage Nepalese like myself may not have any particular concern either over Lebanon, Palestine or Isreal, however, Nepal does send ‘Shanti Senas’ or ‘troops for peace’ in Lebanon at the call of United Nations.

I think Nepal began sending such ‘Shanti Senas’ after [or later] the signing of Camp David Accords[1] on September 17, 1978 by Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin. To successfully finalize these two accords, they had twelve days of secret negotiations at Camp David - a presidential retreat outside the White House in Maryland. The two agreements were signed at the White House, and were witnessed by President Carter. Sadat seemed to be willing to call the accords ‘the Carter Accords’. Later Sadat was assissanated on October 6, 1981 apparently for signing the accords. Carter termed Sadat as one of the bold and couragious leraders he had ever met.

I was a student when Carter had been able to persuade Sadat and Begin to sign the accords. A ever smiling face Mr. Carter could bring peace in between Egypt and Isreal but the middle-east still remains burning. My country, Nepal is also burning now. A faint hope is that peace will prevail in the land of Buddha – the prince of peace.

I have great respect for President Carter as he spoke of human rights for peace and justice in the world. He was awarded Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 "for his decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights, and to promote economic and social development”.

The Carter Center is deeply concerned over Nepals’s socio-economic conditions and current peace processess also. In the meantime, we can hope President Carter would also speak in support of the larger mass of drisadvantaged communities across South Asia including Nepal for their basic human rights for peace and prosperity in the region.

*******
[1] The Camp David Accords http://www.jimmycarterlibrary.org/documents/campdavid/accords.phtml

Langhali Association: Govind Thapa Magar
Janajati Angst
Nepal Janajati Statement From NYC
Adivasi Janajati Talk At Harvard: Photos
Janajati Sammelan At The New School

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Madhesi Movement Is April Revolution Part 2





(Sent to Kathmandu Post)

The wave of largely nonviolent street protests that have engulfed the Terai this past week has to be seen as the second act of the April Revolution itself. The April Revolution was for basic democracy and human rights, this has to be seen as one for social justice.

The Madhesis of Nepal are unique in that although we are half the country and contribute almost 70% of the state revenues, we have been by and large kept out of state power. The 1990 democracy movement did not much change that. The decade long civil war did not change that. The lesson has been that basic democracy is not enough. Power elites morph to take over the new design as well.

It all started in Nepalgunj where a Pahadi mob was given explicit police protection to go on a rampage and burn much Madhesi property. Then it headed to Kathmandu. The Madhesi People's Rights Forum (MPRF) burned copies of the interim constitution, and its leaders got jailed. The very act of jailing makes a mockery of the democracy in the country. Burning a constitution is an act of free speech. It is no crime.

I am glad for the nonviolent ways of the Madhesi People's Rights Forum (MPRF), because it is between that or the violent ways of the Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM), both the Goit and the Jwala Singh factions. For some reason the Madhesis in the eight party coalition simply are not doing it. They are leaving a vacuum that the Madhesi People's Rights Forum (MPRF) is having to fill.

It has been offensive to see the likes of Girija Koirala and Prachanda come out suggesting the royalists have been behind the protests. There has been a suggestion these protests might hurt the republican cause. It has been obnoxious of the eight party leaders to suggest that the lone gunshot that killed the 16-year old Ramesh Kumar Mahato is the sole cause of the tumult in the Terai. They forget Nepalgunj, they forget Kathmandu. They forget the hundreds of years of grievances of the Madhesis.

The Madhesi People's Rights Forum (MPRF) leaders know what a constituent assembly is all about. It is through that assembly that the country will get a new constitution that will hopefully have federalism. But the way the eight party leaders have ruled, and made appointments since April, the way they have come up with the interim constitution gives a lot of ground for suspicion. They are the same old, same old. There has been little good news for the DaMaJaMa, namely the Dalit, Madhesi, Janajati, Mahila. The Bahun men are going to continue to rule.

The street action of the April Revolution kind that is being repeated in the Terai is a powerful tool of non-violence. And it reaches its climax when it achieves a clear goal. In this case that means free, fair and inclusive elections to the constituent assembly. The arrangement in the interim constitution is not offering that. The interim constitution has been an insult to the DaMaJaMa. The fundamentals of the electoral process are flawed.

What were and are the options? One proposal floated by the UML and a few others was to have the entire country as one constituency, and have people vote for the party of their choice. Then the parties would get seats based on how many votes they earn. This would have been wrong. The party leaders would have ended up with too much power, for it is they who would have decided who would end up on their lists.

The parties came up with a mixed system. About half the seats would be directly elected. Another half would be proportionate. This sounds relatively better. But it has major flaws. A big flaw is that you end up with a legislature that is almost the size of the legislatures in India and America. India is over a billion people, Nepal is 27 million. I think this is reflective of the reluctance on the part of the entrenched party leaders to think in terms of power devolution and genuine federalism. If they will give you enough MPs in Kathmandu, why would you want separate states? That seems to be the thinking. Big parties like the Congress, UML and the Congress (D) have yet to come up with their proposed maps for federalism. That makes the Madhesi and the Janajati very suspicious. Are they postponing it as much as they can? Do they actually dislike the idea?

Another big mistake has been to retain the 205 seats as demarcated according to the 1990 constitution. It is interesting that everything else was ditched, but the 205 seat demarcation was retained as if that was the jewel of the 1990 constitution. This is a huge problem. You have to draw up 205 constituencies based on equal population. Democracy means one person one vote. The 205 constituency arrangement of the 1990 constitution is a conspiracy against the Madhesi. Only 80 of the 205 are in the Terai that has half the national population. And even those are perpendicular rectangles going north to south. That is designed to dilute the Madhesi influence.

Peace talks between the agitating Terai and the eight party government necessarily has to be about redrawing the 205 constituencies. Without that, there will be no peace.

That brings in the question of reserved constituencies. It is a very done thing. Ram Vilas Paswan of India launched his career through a Dalit reserved constituency. 33% of the 205 seats should be reserved for women, of those two thirds should be for Dalit, Madhesi and Janajati women. There will still be elections in those constituencies but there can only be women candidates. And we should have additional reservations for the Dalit, Madhesi and Janajati such that 50% of the total seats are reserved seats. Only such popularly elected DaMaJaMa leaders will truly speak for their respective groups. You have to be a little suspicious of those who get appointed. The appointed ones owe their primary allegiance to the party leaders, not to their people.

The idea of reserved constituencies will also provide a soft landing for the Janajati Movement that has engulfed the Eastern Hills in the wake of the movement in the Terai.

And then there is the central question of citizenship papers. 10 years ago a Congress government said 42 lakh Nepalis have been deprived the papers. Today the Girija Koirala government has come out saying they will give out the papers to 33 lakh Nepalis. That creates a huge deficit of people who will still be without the papers going into the constituent assembly elections. That is a fundamental human rights violation. These leaders in power could be taken to the international courts.

This uprising in the Terai has reminded the eight party leaders that it was the same way in April. They did not lead it. The people led them. Or they would not be acting so surprised today. And if they are democrats at heart, they should be happy. The people have spoken. Now it is for them to deliver and lead the country to free, fair, inclusive constituent assembly elections.

In The News

Cabinet meet decides to call two Terai rebel groups for dialogue Gorkhapatra, Nepal decided to call the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum and Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha for talks. ..... decided to provide Rs. 1 million each to those who died in the Lahan clashes. ..... the government has decided to bear the cost of treatment for those injured in the clash. ..... Madhesh Janadhikar Forum would consider the government's call at its party meeting. Upendra Yadav ...... Ramesh Mahato .... Pramod Sada and Bijay Sahani died ..... 11 injured persons, three attendants, two injured Armed Police Force personnel and a police .... Bechan Yadav, 32 died on the way to hospital while Mohamud Mudasin, 18, died while undergoing treatment. ..... Manoj Kumar Shah, 28, Appu Gupta, 24, Nandan Kumar Khetan, 21, Shekh Jam Ludhin, 31, Manoj Kumar Shah, 13, Kishan Shah, 27, Mohammud Bablu, 18, Bishnudev Raya, 40 and Mohammud Mumtaz, 18.

PM, Prachanda differ on talks offer to terai groups Kathmandu Post
Buddha to feature on Rs 500, Rs 1000 notes
CMDP for addressing Madhesi issue Citizens' Movement for Democracy and Peace (CMDP) said it had taken the ongoing Madhesi movement as a consequence of their being confined and suffocated for 238 years. .... CK Lal opined that non-madhesi people had never thought of Madhesi's problems as the problems of the nation till now
Locals without citizenship duped easily However, the locals are now jubilant following the arrival of citizenship distribution teams in their villages.
LAHAN UNREST Human Rights Organization-Nepal, Nepal Teachers' Union, Professional Alliance-Siraha, among others, urged MPRF to accept the government's call for talks. ...... Madhesi Lawyers' Society has requested the eight parties and the government to positively respond to MPRF's demands. Federation of Nepalese Journalists and NGOs Federation, Saptari districts too have made similar appeals.
Maoists hold on to guthi land, collect tax
Promote FDI

Maoist army registration process in Chitwan comes to halt Kantipur
Civil society urges all to exercise restraint
Let's talk, says PM; Prachanda sees hindu extremists behind unrest
8 hour curfew imposed in Lahan, tensions down a notch
Human Rights organizations in Lahan appeal to seek solution through dialogues
Transport strike cripples life in Sarlahi
Parties differ on electoral system, ballot paper
Indians trying for Nepali citizenship
NT to distribute 3.5m mobile lines by 2010
सरकारद्वारा वार्ता आह्वान सरकारले मधेसी जनअधिकार फोरम र आदिवासी/जनजाति महासंघ लगायतलाई शान्ति वार्तामा आउन मंगलबार आह्वान गरेको छ । 'संविधानसभाले राजनीतिक, आर्थिक, सामाजिक समस्या समाधान गर्न सक्छ भन्ने सरकारको विश्वास छ,' मन्त्रिपरिषद् बैठकपछि प्रवक्ता सूचना तथा सञ्चार राज्यमन्त्री दिलेन्द्र बडुले भने- 'संविधानसभा चुनावपहिले समाधान गर्नुपर्ने केही विषय छन् भने त्यसका लागि शान्तिपर्ूण्ा संवादमा आउन सरकारले मधेसी, आदिवासी/ जनजातिलाई आह्वान गरेको छ ।' ....... लहान घटनामा मारिएका पा“च जनाको परिवारलाई १०/१० लाख रुपैया“ प्रदान गर्न ..... सरकारको आह्वानपछि फोरमले भने वार्ताको वातावरण नबनेको टिप्पणी गरेको छ । फोरमद्वारा जारी विज्ञप्तिमा सरकारी दमन, गिरफ्तारी र हिंसाले वार्ताको न्यूनतम वातावरण बन्न नसकेको जिकिर छ । ..... आफ्नो आन्दोलन शान्तिपर्ूण्ा रहेको दाबी गर्दै फोरमले अन्तरिम संविधानमा मधेस, लोकतन्त्र, मानव अधिकार, आदिवासी/जनजाति र दलितविरोधी प्रावधान संशोधन हुनुपर्ने मागमा आन्दोलन जारी रहेको उल्लेख छ । ...... फोरमले जनसंख्या आधारमा समानुपातिक निर्वाचन प्रणाली माग गरेको छ । '२ सय ३८ वर्षेखि मधेसी आदिवासी/जनजातिमाथि कायम आन्तरिक औपनिवेशीकरणको अन्त गरी जातीय एवं क्षेत्रीय स्वायत्त शासन, आत्मनिर्ण्र्ााो अधिकारसहितको संघीय प्रणालीतर्फअन्तरिम संविधान उन्मुख हुनर्ुपर्छ ........ फोरमले प्रधानमन्त्री र माओवादी अध्यक्षले राष्ट्र र मधेसी समुदायसामु माफी माग्नुपर्ने र गृहमन्त्री कृष्णप्रसाद सिटौलाले पदबाट राजीनामा दिनुपर्ने माग गरेको छ । उसले सरकारद्वारा गठित उच्चस्तरीय न्यायिक छानबिन आयोग मधेसीको नेतृत्वमा गठन हुनुपर्ने माग गरेको छ । फोरमले आठ दलको सोमबारको निर्ण्र्ाा' अप्रजातान्त्रिक र न्यूनतम मानव अधिकारविरुद्घ भएको' आरोप ....... प्रधानमन्त्रीले शान्तिसुरक्षा कायम गर्ने नाममा उग्रता पर््रदर्शन नगर्न गृहमन्त्री कृष्णप्रसाद सिटौलालाई आग्रह गरे । ...... 'कुुनै बेला राज्यद्वारा आतंककारी घोषित माओवादी चार दिन राजधानी छाड्दा तर्राईमा यत्रो बबन्डर मच्चियो,' उनले भने । मधेसमा दंगा बढेपछि प्रधानमन्त्री निवास बालुुवाटारबाट आफूलाई पटक-पटक फोन आएको उल्लेख गर्दै उनले प्रतिउत्तरमा आफूले 'सामन्तवादी चलबलाइरहे गणतन्त्रका लागि आजभोलि नै तयार रहन' खबर पठाएको बताए । अध्यक्ष प्रचण्ड, नेताहरू बाबुुराम भट्टर्राई र रामबहादुुर थापा 'बादल' मंगलबार सा“झ गाडीबाट काठमाडौं फर्किएका छन् ।
समानुपातिक प्रणालीमा दलहरूबीच मतभेद समानान्तर पद्धतिमा मतदाताले सीधै पार्टर्ीीलाई मत दिन्छन् र त्यसैका आधारमा २ सय ४ सिट निर्धारण हुन्छ । मिश्रति सदस्यीयमा भौगोलिक क्षेत्रअनुसारको २ सय ५ र समानुपातिक अनुसारको २ सय ४ दुवैमा खसेको कुल मत जोडेर अनुपातका आधारमा सिटहरू निर्धारण गरिन्छन् । ..... कांग्रेस, माओवादी र मजदुर किसान पार्टर्ीी 'समानान्तर पद्घति' अपनाउनुपर्ने अडान राखे भने एमाले, विभाजित तीनवटै जनमोर्चा, वाममोर्चा, राप्रपा, जनशक्तिलगायत आठ दलले भने 'मिश्रति सदस्यीय' पद्घति हुनुपर्ने बताए । समानान्तर पद्घति अपनाउ“दा ठूला पार्टर्ीीई बढी सिट प्राप्त हुन्छ । मुलुकभर या धेरै ठाउ“मा मत पाउने तर प्रत्यक्ष सिट कम जित्ने साना पार्टर्ीी लागि मिश्रति सदस्यीय पद्घतिबाट बढी सिट आउने सम्भावना हुन्छ । दुवै कांग्रेस, राप्रपा एउटा मतपत्रको पक्षमा छन् भने एमाले, माओवादी, विभाजित तीनवटै जनमोर्चा, वाममोर्चा दर्ुइवटा मतपत्र हुनुपर्ने अडानमा छन् । उम्मेदवारको समावेशीकरण भए/नभएको पहिचान, समावेशीकरणको संयन्त्र कसरी तय गर्ने भन्नेमा पनि दलहरू निष्कर्षा पुगेका छ्रैनन् । अन्तरिम संविधानमा उम्मेदवारको चयन गर्दा समावेशी सिद्घान्तलाई दलहरूले ध्यान दिनुपर्ने र समानुपातिक प्रतिनिधित्वअर्न्तर्गतको सूची तयार गर्दा महिला, दलित, उत्पीडित जाति, आदिवासी/जनजाति, पिछडिएको क्षेत्र मधेसी लगायतको प्रतिनिधित्व गर्नुपर्ने र दुवै निर्वाचनमा गरी कम्तीमा एक तिहाइ महिला उम्मेदवार हुनुपर्ने व्यवस्था छ
गोलीले घाइते भएकामा रमिते र र्सवसाधारण बढी
र्सवसाधारणको गाडी नरोकी राजाको सवारी
जनतान्त्रिकद्वारा अपहरण
लहान घटनामा थप दर्ुइको मृत्यु
माओवादीलाई मानव अधिकार तालिम’
लहान घटनाको विरोधमा पर््रदर्शन
सात वर्षछि 'दलित' भन्दै पत्नी निकाला
तर्राईवासीको असहमति नारा जुलुस गरेर अन्तरिम संविधान जलाएकै कारण थुन्ने र मुद्दा चलाउने अधिकार सरकारले पाएको छैन । ....... नेपालगन्जमा केही दिन पहिले सत्ताधारी पार्टर्ीीद्भावनाले बजार बन्दको आयोजना गर्दा त्यहा“को एउटा सानो पहाडे मूलको समूहले अराजकता मच्चाउ“दै मधेसवासीको घर लुट्ने, जलाउने र यातयातका साधनमाथि भीषण प्रहार गर्ने वितण्डा मच्चाएको धेरै भएको छैन । त्यसबेला मूकदर्शक बन्ने सरकारले अहिले मधेसवासीले संविधान जलाउ“दा किन पुलिस उतारेर कारबाही गर्‍यो ....... अहिले मधेसवासी जनतामा देखापरेको आक्रोश केवल प्रायोजित मात्र हो भनेर वक्तव्यबाजी गर्नुभन्दा पहिले नेपालगन्ज र काठमाडौंमा उत्तेजनाको बीउ रोप्ने शक्ति र व्यक्ति खोजी गरेर अराजकताको किलकिले अ“ठ्याउनु उचित होला । ....... माओवादीले सम्पर्ूण्ा अवरोध पार गर्दै संसद्मा अहिले जुन हैसियत प्राप्त गरेको छ भोलि संविधानसभा चुनावमा बहुमत नै पायो भने सायद राजाको सम्पत्ति खोज्नेमात्र होइन नेताहरूको सम्पत्तिको पनि खोजबिन होला । ....... आफूलाई अपरिहार्य शक्ति ठानेर जनताको विमतिको अधिकारमाथि प्रहार गर्नमै लिप्त रहने हो भने माओवादीको पनि एमाले र कांग्रेसकै हालत हुने देखिन्छ । माओवादीस“ग गरिब जनताले ठूलो अपेक्षा राखेका छन् । आम जनताले यो नया“ शक्तिले सामाजिक न्यायको नीति निर्माण गरोस् भन्ने कामना पनि गरेका छन् ।
अन्तरिम व्यवस्थापिका-संसद्को औचित्य
राजनीतिका चार दृश्य

Nepal:MJF protesters shut down Biratnagar PeaceJournalism.com, Nepal
Nepal:Eight-hour curfew imposed in Lahan PeaceJournalism.com
Nepal:Curfew clamped in Janakpur PeaceJournalism.com
CPN to apologize for cadre-villager clash in Nepal: CPN chairman People's Daily Online
Probe ordered as five die in Nepal violence
Gulf Times, Qatar
Fresh curfew in Nepal towns The Brunei Times violent protests by ethnic Madhesis ..... protesters from Nepal's southern plains who say they have been sidelined by a deal to bring former Maoist rebels into the political mainstream.
Balkanization Threatens Nepal OhmyNews International
Curfews in Nepal as unrest clouds peace process China Post
UN urges Nepal war crimes trials
BBC News, UK In her BBC interview, the UN high commissioner for human rights accused the country's political players of acting insultingly to victims of rights abuses committed during nearly 11 years of conflict. .... it would be catastrophic to grant amnesties on either side before the commission did its work. .... "The UN totally rejects any amnesties for very serious offences - genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity - and certainly war crimes here would be clearly applicable" .... people on both sides should be punished ..... "There should be prosecutions of those most responsible for these levels of gross violations of human rights, disappearances, killings, and torture" ..... post-conflict political environments are very fragile but "justice should not be held hostage" to that. .... many a times information provided by the government to human rights monitors were found not credible, while the Maoists were reluctant to cooperate. .... "Now we see what the conflict was hiding - which is much more chronic violations such as discrimination on a very large scale of all kinds of minority groups."
Nepal : The State/System Transformation PeaceJournalism.com, Nepal
Hindu extremists spreading anarchy in Nepal: Prachanda
Hindu, India
Nepal's new source of unrest BBC News What unites them most is the belief that they are marginalised in a country whose rulers, both royal and political, have always come from the hills. ..... The Madheshis say they feel internally colonised and that even simple matters, such as the way they dress, are looked down on. ..... Although one-third of Nepalis are Madheshis, they make up only one-tenth of those working in government and in the army they have near zero representation. .... many have been denied Nepalese citizenship, despite living in the country for decades. ..... Ethnically-based violence is new to Nepal.

Parties differ on electoral system, ballot paper NepalNews CPN-UML, three factions of People's Front Nepal, Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Anandi-devi), Rastriya Prajatantra Party favoured MMPR electoral system, while Nepali Congress, NC (Democratic), CPN (Maoists) and Nepal Workers and Peasant Party stood in favour of PS electoral system. ...... In the MMPR electoral system, total valid votes is divided by 409 seats. Each party's seat garnered in the first past-the-post system will be subtracted from the quotient to arrive at the final number of seats to be allotted to the party in question. ...... Whereas, in PS electoral system, 204 seats will be divided among political parties according to votes received in the election. ...... parties were also divided over whether to use single or double ballot paper for two different electoral systems; first past-the-post and second proportional electoral system. ...... UML, PFN, Maoists and Sadbhavana party favoured double ballot paper during the CA polls, while other political parties preferred two votes (each for the party and candidate) in a single ballot paper.

17 January 2007, Wednesday191

18 January 2007, Thursday320

19 January 2007, Friday242

20 January 2007, Saturday32

21 January 2007, Sunday269

22 January 2007, Monday343

23 January 2007, Tuesday332

24 January 2007, Wednesday476

Look Who Is Talking


Prachanda: "Negotiation is done with political forces, not with criminals and gangsters."
प्रस्तािवत संिवधान

I have never agreed with violent political methods. But I have admired some of the social issues the Maoists have raised. The Maoists have tried to give voice to the Dalits and the Janajatis and the women. They have also promised federalism for the Madhesi.

But it is a little too self-important of Prachanda to think that the gunshot that killed a 16-year old in Lahan is the reason why there is chaos in the Terai right now. That was but a spark. The gunpowder was already there. The gunpowder is the Madhesi grievance that has been festering for centuries.

I have disapproved of the Maoist army, but I have admired that 40% of it is female. I have liked it that the Maoists have sent DaMaJaMa into the interim parliament. They have beat all other parties to the game, and will benefit from it tremendously at the polls.

But I keep getting the impression Prachanda is just another Bahun. He is prejudiced. He is casteist at his core. He sure is just another Pahadi.

प्रस्तािवत संिवधान

For the longest time Prachanda and Girija tried to take credit for the April Revolution. That revolution is now exhibiting its second act. And the second act is showing they had very little to do with the first act itself. They rode the waves. They did not create it. And so they are offended.

What is the solution? The solution is simple. The solution is political.

Nepalgunj happened before Lahan happened. No amount of inquiry into that lone gunshot in Lahan will calm things down. Offering a million rupees to each martyr is a good gesture, but it was also tried by the king during the April Revolution to calm things down. It did not work then, it is not going to work now. Because this is not a law and order problem. This is a social justice revolution. There is only a political outlet. History is being fast-forwarded in Nepal.

प्रस्तािवत संिवधान

For The Madhesi
  • Provide citizenship papers to all Madhesis. That figure is not 33 lakh, it is more like 60 lakh.
  • The 205 constituencies are going to be based on equal population. Or say goodbye to the constituent assembly elections.
  • Reserved constituencies during the constituent assembly elections.
For The Janajati
  • Reserved constituencies during the constituent assembly elections.
For The Women
  • Foreign women who marry Nepali women get citizenship papes. Foreign men who marry Nepali women should get the same.
  • 33% of the 205 constituencies should be reserved for women. Elections will still be held, but all candidates in those 68 constituencies will be women. Two thirds of the 68 will have to be for Dalit, Madhesi, Janajati women.
  • Women's organizations attached with all eight parties need to come together and launch a Mahila Movement to that effect. Until the reserved constituencies are achieved, the movement should go on.
For The Dalit
  • Organize mass conversions to Buddhism. The Janajati should help the Dalits with the technical details of such a mass conversion.
  • Reserved constituencies during the constituent assembly elections.
Madhesi Movement: Write To The Media
बराबर जनसंख्याबाला २०५ सीट
मधेश जल रही है
Girija Koirala Is A Crook
205 Constituencies Based On Equal Population, And Reserved Seats
New Jersey Madhesi Gathering: Photos
Anand Jha: Slugging It Out At SEBS
Ram Manohar Sah: Madheshi Murmurings
Mihir Thakur: Paper On Madhesh Samasya 2051
Madhesi Gathering, New Jersey
Prabasi Madhesi Are With The Madhesi Movement In Nepal
My Role In The April Revolution: The Butterfly Effect
Typhoid And Typhoid Victims

Madhesi Alert, Nepalgunj Pahadi Attack On Madhesi, Raw Email, Video Footage

िफर से कह दो एक बार इन्िकलाब
पहाडी मधेशी दंगा, मधेशी जनजाित गठबंधन, र िनर्णायक, अिहंसात्मक अन्ितम अान्दोलनको खाँचो
सद्भावना रोडम्याप
नेपालमा दमजम अान्दोलनको अावश्यकता
नेपालमा संसारको नम्बर एक लोकतन्त्रको स्थापना हुन सक्छ
Hisila Yami For President
राजतन्त्र, बाहुनवाद र भर्ष्टाचार समाप्त पारौं
राजतन्त्र, बाहुनवाद र भर्ष्टाचार समाप्त पारौं
Transparent Party Finances: A Must In Interim Constitution
Interim Speaker: Chitra Lekha Yadav
Tackling Bahunbaad
प्रस्तािवत संिवधान

The Virus Of The April Revolution

Madhesi Movement: Online Resources
50-50, 30-30-30-10
िगिरजा, माधव, प्रचण्ड सब एक जैसे हैं
UML Regression On The Madhesi Question
Email To All Madhesis From Rajendra Mahto
DaMaJaMa Coalition: The Morcha Concept
Madhesi Rights
Three Emerging Poles
Janajati, Madhesi: Too Vague, Dalit: Not Assertive Enough
Hands Off The Madhesi Activists
ANTA NYC Gathering In Prospect Park
Bindeshwar Prasad Yadav: Prachanda On Madhesi
All Members To The Constituent Assembly Must Be Directly Elected
Dalit Diaspora Calls For 20 Percent Reservation
Madhesi Self Hate
Hari Bansh Jha: Inclusion Of The Excluded Madhesis
Interim Parliament: 101 Members Total
My Work In The Ideas Department Is Complete
Bindeshwar Prasad Yadav: Is Madhes A Colony?
Language Policy
Alliance, GFIPN: Audio, Video
The Next Revolution Will Be At The Ballot Box
Janakpur Gherao
Indigenous People Kathmandu Declaration
Mainstream Jay Krishna Goit Also
Dr. Ram Prakash Yadav: Facts And Figures On Madhesi Marginalization
Madhesi Caucus In Interim Parliament Needed
Hindi Is At The Core Of The Madhesi Identity

In The News


PM Koirala renews talks offer to Madhesi groups; Prachanda miffed NepalNews Members of interim parliament, leaders of the ruling seven-party alliance, CPN (Maoist) and other parliamentary parties were present at the reception. Maoist chairman Prachanda, senior Maoist leader Dr Baburam Bhattarai, CPN (UML) general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, Rastriya Prajatantra Party chairman Pashupati Shumsher Rana and Rastriya Janashakti Party Surya Bahadur Thapa were also present at the tea reception. ..... Maoist supremo Prachanda has ruled out talks with the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF) and the armed factions of Terai Janatantrik Mukti Morcha (JTMM). ...... “Negotiation is done with political forces, not with criminals and gangsters. The Janadhikar Forum and the likes are being given undue importance. They are people who ran away from our party. We know who they are and who are dictating them,” an agitated Prachanda said talking to reporters at the Prime Minister’s tea reception. ...... Prachanda, however, said the demands of Madhesi people should be addressed and stressed that the Nepal should be declared a republic at the earliest. ..... At least five people have died and dozens others wounded in violent clashes in Siraha over the last few days during demonstrations called by the MJF to protest the interim constitution, which it says, failed to address the demands of Madhesi people.
Curfew clamped in Janakpur Following the violent incident in Lahan, Janakpur, too, has been witnessing demonstrations. .... Biratnagar remained paralysed on Wednesday after the Madhesi People's Rights Forum (MPRF) imposed indefinite strike there demanding changes in the interim constitution. .... Kirat Workers Party – another splinter of the Maoists – has imposed bandh in eastern hilly districts like Udayapur, Khotang and Okhaldhunga on Wednesday. It has demanded ethnic regional autonomy.
Eight-hour curfew imposed in Lahan
MJF protesters shut down Biratnagar Normal life was thrown out of gear in Biratnagar, the main town in eastern Nepal, due to the bandh (shutdown strike) called by the activists of Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF) .... Marketplaces, industries and educational institutions were closed down in the afternoon while very few vehicles could be seen on the road, reports said. The protesters also forced some government offices to closure. ..... Long-route transport from Biratnagar was also affected due to the bandh as the MJF activists blocked the main highway by felling trees on the road. ...... Meanwhile, the MJF also organised protest rallies in Janakpur today. The protests affected businesses and public transport ..... The Forum has been carrying out protests in parts of Terai region against the newly promulgated interim constitution, which, it says, failed to address the demands of Madhesi people including proportional electoral system in the upcoming constituent assembly and delimitation of election constituencies on the basis of population ratio.
Road to Fair Representation I noticed that many of our intellectual ‘Bidhatas’ of the parties appear to be throwing an aura that they had embraced the greatest democracy in 1990 itself but what happened this time was that they were able to “teach” Maoists the lessons of democracy! ....... what was done in 1990 was a mockery of 21st century democracy ...... Parties with 35% popular vote gained 60+% seats and thought that they were elected by the “majority” of the people. ...... Excluding democratic participation based on political views is no different than American or South African democracies of a few short years ago where black people could not vote. ...... Maoists have shattered some elite-centric values that were practiced by "democratic" parties in Nepal as traditions, which were not the inventions of Nepalese political parties but the diseases inherited by them when copying an old democracy from the USA and India. This old philosophy seeks to provide representation for all spectrums of population - from the poor, oppressed and “untouchables” to the wealthy and elites - by a few benevolent-and-educated millionaires. ....... A parliament, which should be a microcosm of the society in itself ...... How many Hispanics, Blacks and Asians become congressmen in the US? Disgracefully few!
we received madhesi message and sharing all madhesi group . we are commitment this issues and madhesi community discusses.
thanks

Rammani chaudhari
Kailali

A Comment for you

Maoists to suppress Madheshis

Dr. Prabhat Ranjan

Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, the next to Maoist supremo, today called eight political parties to fight against Madheshis jointly and suppress them. This is the disclosure of the inner part of Maoists and HM KP Sitaula’s agreement. Mr. Sitaula has a separate confidential agreement with Maoists. They are waiting the death of PM G.P. Koirala. Maoists will propose Sitaula for the post of premiership. Maoists have committed to accept none other than Sitaula from Nepali Congress as PM.

Three months ago, when they were talking about the scene of Nepal after the death of PM G. P. Koirala, Sitaula told them about Madhesh providing important information. He said that Madhesh would come as a great obstacle and would not accept their rule. He also concluded that India would be forced by Indian general people in the support of madheshis. Therefore, they decided to suppress Madheshis before they get organized. Mr. Sitaula said that Madheshis were preparing for their decisive struggle for equity or independence. Maoists asuured Sitaula to face Madheshis if some arms allowed to keep with. They also demanded police deployment behind their armed groups which was committed. The agreement was fixed.

The unpleasant incident of Nepalganj was their first attempt. Maoists looted Madheshis shops under the active and open protection of police officers. Next day curfew was imposed when Madheshis prepared themselves for defense. Two days after the incident Maoists came again pretending as good-wishers of Madheshis.

Siraha became the second spot. Maoists arrived in mini Buses with their commander in jeep and attacked Madheshis. Police escorted them. PM G. P. Koirala, in Nepali Congress parliamentary party meeting, mentioned that Maoists did so and were apologizing too.

Janakpur has become their third battlefield. Maoists in a group attacked Madheshis with Khukhuris first and then with guns. Police also fired against Madheshis simultaneously. Police is working under Maoist command. The attack was done under the banner of eight party’s peace rally. The plan hatched after a meeting of CDO and district Maoist Leaders. 500 armed Maoists have entered Janakpur. And Mr. Baburam is calling political parties to suppress Madheshis jointly.

Let us think on these facts – especially genuine Nepalese, Madheshis and international community.


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