Monday, July 31, 2006

What Is The SPA Report On The Maoists?

In Germany they first came for the Communists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant.

Then they came for me —
and by that time no one was left to speak up.


Maoists are hounding out Indians Times of India, India Death threats, 24-hour deadlines for leaving with bag and baggage have been received by Indian hospitality sector employees and businessmen, creating a sense of deep fear in the community. ..... The frightened community leaders have gone to the Indian embassy in Kathmandu for protection. Although the foreign office here confirmed that chauvinistic Maoists are driving out Indians, it has surprisingly not taken a public position on the issue -- apparently, it will when the threat triggers a deluge. ........ July 26, Maoists forced their way into the Kathmandu home of Rajesh Kataria and Kishore Sagar, employed in one of the numerous casinos in Kathmandu ....... Sagar was out, but Kataria was roundly threatened by his Maoist visitors, who said they belonged to the Maoist All Nepal Hotel and Restaurant Workers Union. He was asked to leave Nepal or he would be physically thrown out within the week. The same message was passed on to Sagar. The union told the casino employees to stop providing them with food and other services at their residence.........
'We were very scared' Times of India, India Rajesh Kataria and Kishore Sagar, employed by Indian businessman and casino owner Rakesh Wadhwa, resigned after being threatened by Maoists. ..... senior employees in other hotels like Everest and Hyatt had also received threats. ...... July 28, Rakesh Wadhwa and his wife Shalini, who run magazines like Boss and Voice of Women, received a set of demands from the Maoist union. The memorandum issued included a clause saying "non-Nepali citizens other than technical ones working in Casino Everest be removed and the seats be replaced by Nepali citizens (sic)". ........ Shalini Wadhwa, who has also received death threats ....... The employees were accompanied by a person who said he was a Maoist. While negotiations were on, he intervened. In a veiled manner he said, 'We (Maoists) have a policy -- we shoot those who don't listen to us'." ........ the brazen campaign over the past few months, particularly after the SPA-Maoist regime took over from the King, to target Indian workers, entrepreneurs in different parts of the country. ........ The basic demand is simple: ask Indians to leave and replace them with Nepalis. ....... Indian ambassador Shiv Shankar Mukherjee is due to visit the home minister on Tuesday to ask for some action. Nobody is particularly hopeful, because, even the political parties.... are scared of the Maoists. ........ not just individual managers and workers who are at the recieving end of a campaign which, stripped of its revolutionary trappings, is little more than plain extortion. ....... In May, Maoists went after Indian industries in Birgunj, with a number of unreasonable demands, including removing Indian workers from the industries there. After protracted negotiations and when it was made clear that the industries couldn't really do without Indian skills, the Maoists backed off.
This is greatly troubling. What is the situation on the ground?

Either the Maoist leaders like Prachanda, Baburam and Mahara condone these acts, or they don't. And they are going to have to say where they stand.

The Hardliner Democrat Approach
The Bombing Of A Bus

There are various possibilities.

(1) Moriarty Is Right

He sees the Maoists for what they really are. These people have not changed at all. They are trying to pull a Lenin. They will use the constituent assembly to impose a totalitarian state.

(2) The Peace Process Has Been Too Slow

Girija Koirala wants the Maoists to disarm and the Nepal Army to remain as it is. That is counter to the 12 point agreement. That can push the Maoists into a corner. Their hardliners gain a upper hand.

(3) Maoist Leadership Is Not In Control

A lot of third rate criminals have infiltrated the Maoist ranks. Joining the party is easy money. Whatever the case, the Maoist leadership has to be confronted.

(4) The SPA Has To Make Its Case

Girija Koirala should be able to address the nation in a televised speech and lay the case. What does he think? Does he fear the worst? The worst case scenario is where you steal the Maoists' political thunder, and go for the military option.


Where Do I Stand

I don't see it in black and white.

The rule of law and multi-party democracy the Maoists have committed themselves to asks that they come into power through the ballot box, and if they can't win a majority they form a coalition, and they pass a law that bars Indian citizens from holding jobs in Nepal. That would be legitimate. This is fascism. This is xenophobia.

India is America. Nepal is Mexico. It is Nepalis that are flooding India. Before the fascist criminals in Nepal do their do, they should check the facts.

This is not an either/or question. The Maoists have to be tackled on many fronts at once.

Arms Management

This has been a stickler. The SPA has to show flexibility in ways that give the ballot box the advantage. I think the Moriarty and Girija model push the country closer to an all out civil war. I think the UN option is much better.

"According to the model proposed by the UN, weapons of scattered barracks of the Nepali Army would be placed in a unified camp with a similar arrangement for the rebels."

Asking the Maoists to disarm now raises their worst fears. They feel cornered. We have to understand that. On the other hand the SPA does have to understand that it is this army that kings have used to rob the country of democracy repeatedly. You can not all of a sudden fall in love with this army, especially with the people in the upper ranks.

Negotiating From A Position Of Strength

Democrats do hold armies. Democrats do fight wars. Liberty does sometimes ask for that ultimate sacrifice. But it is for the political leadership to make the case. And it is for the SPA to bring the army firmly under the parliament.

But for any military action to be successful, the political fight has to be won first. It has to be shown the Maoists were dishonest on the constituent assembly question.

If the SPA were to make the case for a war, there will be a lot of foreign military aid pouring into the country. But war is always a weapon of last resort. And all political options have to be exhausted first.

The SPA is nowhere close to exhausting all the political options.

Girija Koirala has to admit that his stand that the Maoists disarm now is a deviation from the 12 point agreement. So he can go back to the agreement, or he can seek mutually agreed deviation, and what the UN is suggesting is precisely that. That option will also give us an opportunity to reorganize the army, to restructure it to make it look like Nepal.

Check The Facts

Signing agreements is not enough. If you have a ceasefire agreement, there has to be a mechanism in place to make sure both sides are following the letter and spirit of the agreement.

Political Solution

I still think we should focus on the political solution. War has to be avoided. Power flows through the ballot box.

The government's task is not easy at all. There are so many uncertainties. I don't envy them. But we do have to keep our eyes on the ultimate goal: free and fair elections to a constituent assembly.

We are going to have to move beyond our sole stated goal that the Maoists disarm. That stand hurts the peace process.

Sheer Incompetence

The biggest mistake the SPA government has made is to not have set up a Truth And Reconciliation Commission. (Land Reform, Truth And Reconciliation) I can't see how you can move towards a permanent peace without that.

Fire Some Generals
Interim Monarchy, Interim Army, Interim Parliament
Interim Army: You Can Walk And Chew Gum At The Same Time
The Concept Of National Capital And The Maoists
Political Decisions, House Dissolution, Maoist Transformation
Interim Constitution Draft
Two Armies: What To Do
Rubbing The Maoist Nose In The Dust Is Not Smart
International Sanctions On Nepal Army Have To Continue
Bodyguards For Prachanda And Baburam
Abolish The Monarchy, Abolish The Army
Monarchy, Army, Federalism
40 Seats For Maoists, 25 For Others
Nepal As A Cutting Edge Democracy
A New Nepal Has Been Born
Land Reform, Truth And Reconciliation
We Took Care Of The King, Pyar Jung Is Small Fry
Dismantle The Two Armies
Reciprocate The Maoist Ceasefire Immediately
Army Under Parliament, Now
Maoist Reaction To Democratic Victory: Not Right
18 Days Of April Revolution: Victory

In The News

Trouble for Nepalis here? Times of India, India
Maoists threaten Indians working at casinos Hindu, India
Two Indian Nationals ‘Forced’ To Quit Casino Job Himalayan Times, Nepal
Maoists drive away Indians from Nepal casinos DailyIndia.com, NY
Maoists drive away Indians from Nepal casinos India eNews.com, India
Maoists threaten Indian workers in Nepal Chennai Online, India


Transitioning Nepal’s Army

Shobhakar Budhathoki

Nepal’s government faces numerous challenges to restructuring the country’s army that go far beyond the House of Representative’s removal of “royal” from the name, announcing new processes for mobilization and recruitment, and changing the official structure through their political proclamation on May 18, 2006. However, the military has historically played a supportive role in dismantling the democratic system and in the institutionalization of the monarchy’s supremacy, leaving it ingrained with an undemocratic nature. Although the military receives high respect in UN peacekeeping missions, it has maintained an exceedingly distrusted identity domestically due to it’s involvement in suppressing the people’s aspirations for democracy both with its involvement in the 1960 coup and again in 2005, and its systematic abuse of human rights.

During the autocratic panchayat regime (1960- 1990), the military played a primary role to carry out repressive measures against democratic forces. After the restoration of democracy in 1990, the military was, in theory, placed under the National Security Council headed by the Prime Minister. But the King, as the supreme commander of the army, continued to exercise authority over military deployment and the daily business of the army through the military secretariat located inside the palace. The military also directly supported the King’s assumption of all executive powers in October 2002 and the establishment of direct rule in February 2005.

The military has led the ‘unified command,’ which is responsible for numerous brutal acts of suppression that has resulted in the killing of hundreds of innocent civilians in the name of eliminating “terrorists” throughout the country during the King’s 15 months direct rule, and it has systematically committed some of the most egregious human rights abuses. The military came to the streets to suppress the peaceful demonstrations of the April 2006 movement, and indiscriminately fired on crowds in various parts of the country, which killed at least 21 Nepali citizens and injured more than five thousand peaceful agitators, as well as resulted in dozens being permanently disabled. Before the nonviolent demonstrations, and even prior to the 2005 coup, the military was responsible for disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and torture, all on a systematic level, as evident in the recent report of the 49 ‘disappeared’ persons from Bhairabanath military barrack, who had been detained since 2003.

Nepal’s military was not principally created for encounters within the country or for internal affairs. As King Gyanendra took the throne after the still-unexplained royal massacre in June 2001, the military suddenly became enthusiastic to play a proactive role in Nepal’s internal issues and carried out the instructions of the palace, thereby isolating the country’s prime minister. It conducted activities to purposefully spoil the 2001 ceasefire and dialogue period, played a provocative and offensive role aimed at disrupting the peace process in 2003 (Doramba killings), and carried out numerous brutal operations and indiscriminate killings during the 2005/06 Maoist unilateral ceasefire, such as the Nagarkot massacre, and the Palpa and Morang killings.

The structure, system, and methods of the Nepal army are in themselves autocratic and feudal, and have only led to increased distrust from the people because of its authoritarian nature, attitude and actions. The army, in order to serve a democratic nation and terminate the practices that are illegal (torture, disappearances, etc…) must face a transformation and restructuring to transfer loyalty to the people’s institutions such as parliament, and must become an army who respects and abides by the rule of law. Therefore, the government must initiate immediate steps to restructure and democratize the military. Until the process is complete, accountability established, and the recommendations of the recently formed inquiry commission to address the atrocities that occurred during the April 2006 movement are implemented, military aid and recruitment must be suspended. An independent investigation of the army’s systematic human rights abuses, such as rape, torture, disappearances, arbitrary detention in military barracks, and extrajudicial killings, must be undertaken to begin dismantling the previous system of impunity they had while serving the monarchy.

Furthermore, the passports of all military commanders and commanders of other security forces throughout the country who were deployed to suppress the movement or who have committed, ordered, or complied with atrocities carried out during the insurgency should be confiscated until the independent investigation and prosecutions have been completed to prevent them from fleeing. The international community should refuse entry of Nepali human rights abusers, including military officers, and make public the international bank accounts of those perpetrators. The UN Security Council and the Department of Peacekeeping Operations should also set pre-conditions for the resumption of the Nepali army in peacekeeping operations, requiring demonstrated transformation of the army through decreased abuses, carrying out orders from the democratic government, etc.

For transformation of the army, incentives programs must be implemented for the military’s pro-democratic officials, those who have demonstrated honor, and those who actively support the investigation process. Democratizing the military must include establishing an equitable promotion process that provides opportunity to any enlisted soldier despite their family status and connections, ethnicity, gender, etc. Similarly, the government can increase army loyalty by establishing mechanisms for even lower-ranking soldiers to receive incentives such as education, home loans, technical training, and professional opportunities. Of course this will require significant financing, and the process of transferring loyalties will not occur quickly, but this government can begin the process.

Restructuring the military is an essential component to institutionalizing the democratic system and to holding a free and fair constituent assembly election, whereby respecting the people’s aspirations during the movement. By making only legal changes, the genuine conversion of loyalty from the monarchy to the citizens of Nepal will not be achieved, and as long as the army remains under the command of the King, legally or not, democracy and its institutions in Nepal continue to be under threat.

Steering committee member of the Defend Human Rights Movement- Nepal, Budhathoki holds a Masters Degree in Peace and Justice Studies from the University of San Diego, USA.

at 2 comments:

Fire Some Generals


The people have to take firm command of the army no matter what. It is because the people own the army. It is the people who pay the salaries of the soldiers of the Nepal Army. The people are boss. The people exercise that authority through the parliament. The parliament exercises that authority through the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is boss on behalf of the people.

The army is not an autonomous institution. The army is a subset of the Defense Ministry. The army is an organ of the Defense Ministry. The Prime Minister appoints the Denfese Minister.

The Prime Minister can order any soldier in the Nepal Army directly. He does not have to go through the Army Chief.

The Prime Minister is boss. He can fire, promote, demote any soldier in the army. Any such fired soldier will have the option to go to the courts if they feel they have been unduly fired. If the grievance be valid, the fired soldier will be duly reinstated. In that the army is just another bureaucracy.

There are those who say the seven party alliance might have to fight a war with the Maoists, and so it is not a good idea to make the army unhappy in any way. To them I say if there is a possibility the seven party alliance might have to fight a war with the Maoists down the line, that is a huge big reason why the seven party alliance has to bring the Nepal Army under its firm control. On the other hand, if it is not war we are looking at but a peace process, that is another big reason to bring the Nepal Army under firm control of the parliament. Or if war is not there down the line, and the peace process will be smooth and painless, that is still a big reason to bring the Nepal Army under firm control of the parliament. It is because the people own the palirament. It is a sovereignty issue.

"According to the model proposed by the UN, weapons of scattered barracks of the Nepali Army would be placed in a unified camp with a similar arrangement for the rebels."

The best option for the peace process is that the two armies be confined to barracks and all their weapons be collected at one barrack each. This government is going to have to order the Nepal Army to do so. And for that it is important the parliament has firm control of the army. And one way to show that you do is by firing some generals.

Some people say one has to be careful. One has to treat the army generals like they were wounded tigers. They say we should not tease them too much or they might stage a coup.

Anyone who might make the slightest attempt at a coup goes to jail for life. It is because the people took over the country in April. If you want to rule, get elected by the people. That ground rule is now irreversible in Nepal.

Any attempt at a coup will fail. It will be worse than the Russian attempted coup in 1991. The associated generals are going to turn themselves into one big joke. And then they are going to go to jail, for life.

I don't know what is up in the cards for them right now. Quite a few should lose their jobs. None might. I don't know. They might lose more than their jobs. I don't know. They might lose the money they have looted over the years. The army finances of the past years have to be audited big time. They will certainly lose their sense that the army top ranks are reserved for a few interconnected families.

I don't know what they will lose. For that we have rule of law. We have the Raymajhi Commission. I am not about to second guess the commission. Frankly, I don't know enough to be able to say what exactly it is that the commission will do. But they do have a people to answer to. The commission is on the people's payroll. They have a mandate from the people. They should act professional, as they have. And they should plain do their work.

I do agree with the MPs that their work of interrogation has to be nationally televised. The people want to know. They have a right to know.

If I were the guilty generals, I would own up to all I did, and simply resign. That "guilty plea" option is their best option. That is what you do to reduce your sentencing. Every other option looks worse.

On the other hand, if the generals engage in clever talk of deception and denial, the commission has the authority to summon any soldier in the army regardless of rank to cross-examine and corroborate.

It is because in April the people decided that they own the country.

Interim Monarchy, Interim Army, Interim Parliament

The Law And Order Situation

The Home Minister similarly has to have a firm control of the Home Ministry and the Nepal Police. He can fire people who might disobey. He can penetrate the bureaucracy and go directly to the sources of problems and acts of disobeyance.

But the best way to enhance the law and order situation is to have a clean, fast peace process. As soon as there will be eight party parliament, interim government, and local governments, I expect the law and order situation to improve dramatically.

In The News

Govt. amends law on heir to the throne NepalNews has provision to make the first child- irrespective of the sex - of the King as heir to the throne. Earlier, only the eldest son of the King would be entitled to the throne. ...... also decided to scrap the allowances given to the relatives of the King ...... Now on, allowances will be provided only to the king, queen, crown prince, crown princess and queen mother. ..... The government in the annual budget downsized the yearly expenditure of the royal palace by 45.8 percent, limiting it to Rs 219.6 million from Rs 405 million last year.
Senior army officials defy probe commission’s summon orders Lt Gen Rukmangad Katuwal, who is the second in command of the Nepali Army, and former chief of the Valley Division, Major Gen Deepak Birakm Rana - who were summoned for interrogation today [Monday] in connection with their alleged role in suppressing the people’s movement - failed appear before the commission..... they will record their statement at the commission only after the interrogation of the Chief of the Army Staff (CoAS) Pyar Jung Thapa. CoAS Thapa deferred his interrogation scheduled on Sunday, citing his prescheduled visit to the western region....... Major Gen Kul Bahadur Khadka, Major Gen Kiran Shumsher Thapa, Major Gen Gajendra Limbu and Colonel Suresh Kumar Karki were summoned for interrogation on Tuesday....... then Home Minister Kamal Thapa used to give directions to security officials from the army headquarters to suppress the movement.
Maoists to join interim govt. only after `decommissioning of arms': PM Koirala the UN assistance to Nepal after getting clear view from both the sides. ..... The UN team had asked the government and the Maoists to reach a consensus on the issue of arms management.
UN mission gives deadline to government, Maoist to find consensus on arms management we have only three-and-a-half days left ...... de Mistura added that the “eight-point agreement” between the SPA and Maoists could be the “starting point” to reach a consensus on any issue, including arms management. ..... According to the model proposed by the UN, weapons of scattered barracks of the Nepali Army would be placed in a unified camp with a similar arrangement for the rebels. .......
Govt. appoints chief secy., chiefs of corporations Bhojraj Ghimire as the chief secretary of the government of Nepal...... government is yet to take any decision to fill the vacant posts of 11 secretaries. ..... appointed editor of Himal Khabarpatrika, senior journalist Rajendra Dahal, as chairman of the Nepal Press Council. ....... Benju Sharma as chairman of state run Nepal Television and Sailesh Ghimire as a chairman of Film Development Board. Additionally, Babu Raja Joshi has been appointed as a chairman of Law Reform Commission.......
Maoists threaten to stop office work in Nawalparasi Locals quoted Maoists as saying that they have banned transferring land ownership from one person to another, as per the new rule of the people’s government. ..... when asked if they are breaking the 12-point and 8-point understanding, the Maoist leader said that it applies only in Kathmandu, not in Nawalparasi....... quoted the Maoist leader as saying, everyone including Nepal government employees, should follow their directives irrespective of the existing laws of the country. ...... Chief at the Nawalparasi Land Revenue Office Mukund Dhakal told Nepalnews that though Maoists had asked them to stop office work, they are continuing it..... they are not forcing us to comply with their orders .....
Government serious to resolve citizenship issue: Home Minister the government is ready to adopt all necessary measures with consensus among all political parties to ensure citizenship for every Nepali. ..... Sitaula was responding to concerns raised by MPs about citizenship problems in the Terai belt of the country. A Nepali Congress MP had tabled a motion of urgent public importance, drawing the government's attention to the need to settle the problem before the nation opts for constituent assembly elections. ...... Dozens of lawmakers, mostly from Terai region, suggested that the government base its decision on past reports of Dhanapati Upadhyay Commission and Mahantha Thakur Commission.... They also demanded that the government set up teams to distribute citizenship papers in villages.
Maoists to launch campaign for republican set up from Chitwan Chitwan district committee of the Maoists has decided to launch a two-month-long republican campaign in the district from August 5 to create public support for the constituent assembly polls. ...... from August 5 to 15 in Madi, from August 17 to September 5 in western Chitwan, from September 6 to 15 in city areas and from September 17 to October 6 in eastern Chitwan and will conclude in Narayangarh. ...... The Maoists have decided to launch the campaign from Madi, where 39 people, including security personnel, were killed when Maoists detonated a bomb in a passenger bus a year ago...... Maoists are going to that area with different programmes, including job opportunities for the relatives of the deceased and treatment facilities of the injured
CoAS Thapa visits security agencies of western Nepal Thapa visited the western divisional headquarters of the Nepal Army, Kandre army post, Syanjha barracks and Gorkha barracks on Sunday. ..... also went to Dangsingh to observe the two-week old landslide that had killed 21 people. .....

Maoist atrocities unabated, double ‘road tax’ in Sarlahi Kantipur Publications Maoists on Sunday abducted a CPN-UML cadre in Morang while they have kept an elderly in their labor camp. The rebels also doubled the "road tax" that they have been illegally collecting from vehicles plying along the East-West highway in Sarlahi, since last week....... abducted Jageshwor Mandal, member of UML village committee, from his house at Aamgachhi-9 in Morang, on Sunday afternoon. Denouncing the abduction, CPN-UML Morang, urged the Maoists to release him promptly......... abducted Rajendra Karki, resident of Hoklabari-2 in Morang, from Ghoghapul in Biratnagar ..... Karki was on his way to Bolbam pilgrimage. "The Maoists didn't leave him even as we requested them to let him make the pilgrimage and promised to come to them after it" ....... Maoists seized Ram Bahadur Tamang of Khanar-7 in Sunsari, and kept him in their "labor detention camp" for the last nine days. ..... Tamang is made to work in the field of a Maoist cadre Manohar Chaudhary for eight hours a day, as punishment for being involved in a "cultural crime" (illicit affair). ...... "I have been exploited here," said Tamang. ..... The rebels had been charging 10 rupees per vehicle a week ago, as looting of vehicles along the highway was continuing the past few weeks. The Maoists also claimed to have begun such highway patrols to provide security to vehicles as security forces failed to do so. ...... "We increased the tax as we have to deploy over 50 militias for the purpose." ..... The rebels have also put up a check post in Laxminiya since Sunday while they had already established one at Ranigunj Chowk.
APF firing kills 1 in Tatopani A woman was killed and some two dozen others were injured when Armed Police Force (APF) men indiscriminately opened fire at a group of locals who protested claiming the Nepalese police had allowed the driver of a Chinese vehicle, who had hit two Nepalis, to go free without taking any action...... Police have arrested three dozen demonstrators...... The locals brought vehicular movement to a complete halt burning tires at Miteri Bridge...... According to police, the Chinese vehicle was released after police chief of Lhasha police office agreed to provide 200,000 rupees to each victim for treatment..... Police also claimed they resorted to firing to "take control of the situation" after locals "attacked" customs office, police post and other government establishments.
Girl spending childhood in prison She had not committed any crime, but staying with her convicted mother, as there is no one back home to look after her. ..... Ram Kumari Pariyar, 12, of Kajeri VDC - 9 is spending her childhood in the prison for the past seven years along with her mother, who was imprisoned on charge of murder. .... is allowed to come out of the prison only for her school hours. .... "We even tried to rescue her through child rights organization in a bid to send her out of the jail but her mother didn't allow"
Govt committee, Military Court to investigate Durbarmarg incident a five-member committee headed by a joint secretary at the Defense Ministry ......
सेनाद्वारा छानबिन छल्ने प्रयास बयानका लागि बोलाएकै दिन आइतबार प्रधानसेनापति प्यारजंग थापा आयोगमा अनुपस्थित रहे । छानबिन दायरामा परेका अन्य वरिष्ठ सैन्य अधिकृतहरू प्रधानसेनापतिले बयान नदिई नजाने भएका छन् । आयोग अध्यक्ष्ा कृष्णजंग रायमाझीले भने छानबिनमा असहयोग भए त्यसको जिम्मेवारी सरकारले लिनुपर्ने बताएका छन् । सेना बयानका लागि नआए आफूहरू चुप लागेर नबस्ने चेतावनी पनि उनले दिए । 'हामीलाई मुकाबिला गर्न बाध्य नपारियोस्,' उनले कान्तिपुरसँग भने- 'हामी चुप लागेर बस्दैनौं । आत्मसमर्पण गर्दैनौं ।' 'सरकारकै मिलेमतोमा आयोगलाई असहयोग भयो भने,' निडर स्वभावका पूर्वन्यायाधीश रायमाझीले भने- 'हामी सबै कुरा सार्वजनिक गर्छाैं र जनतासँग जान्छौं ।' थापामाथि जनआन्दोलन दमन र नागरिक अधिकारविरुद्घ सेना परिचालन तथा राजालाई सक्रिय हुन उक्साएको आरोप छ । ..... पोखरा, १४ साउन -कास)- प्रधानसेनापति प्यारजंग थापा आइतबार पोखरा आउने पूर्वनिर्धारित कार्यक्रम नभएको सुरक्षा स्रोतले जनाएको छ । यहाँस्थित सैनिक स्रोतले उनको भ्रमण अचानक भएको बतायो । ...... स्रोतका अनुसार उनले करिब सात मिनेटको सम्बोधन गरेका थिए । 'हामी पनि नेपाली जनताकै सेना हौं, हामीलाई कुनै पनि सरकारले परिचालन गरेमा परिचालित हुनुपर्छ,' उनको सम्बोधन उद्धृत गर्दै स्रोतले भन्यो- 'त्यसबाहेक महत्त्वपूर्ण अन्य कुनै निर्देशन जारी भएन ।' .... थापाले सम्बोधनको अन्त्यमा राजारानीको जयजयकार गरेपछि सबैले त्यसैको अनुकरण गरेका थिए । पृतनाको प्रवेशद्वारमा राजारानीको जयजयकार अंकित बोर्ड सजाइएको थियो । सेनापतिले प्रधानमन्त्री एवं रक्षामन्त्रीको सन्देश पनि सुनाएका थिए । प्रधानमन्त्रीले 'हौसला र मनोबललाई उच्च राख्दै आफ्नो कार्यक्षेत्रमा प्रतिबद्ध रहन निर्देशन' दिएको उनले सुनाए । ...... थापा काठमाडौं र्फकने क्रममा गोरखा पृथ्वीनारायण नगरपालिका- ८ स्थित दि फेमोस महेन्द्र दल गणमा तीन बजे पुगेका थिए । गोरखास्थित कान्तिपुर समाचारदाताका अनुसार करिब एक घन्टा बसेपछि उनी काठमाडौं फर्किए । 'काठमाडौं जाने क्रममा बाटोमा परेकाले पसेको हुँ,' प्रधानसेनापतिलाई उद्धृत गर्दै स्रोतले भन्यो- 'खासै केही भएन, सुरक्ष्ाास्थितिबारे 'बि्रफिङ' मात्रै भयो ।' थापाको पोखरा भ्रमणबारे स्थानीय प्रशासन र प्रहरीमा जानकारी गराइएको थिएन ।
 पुनर्संरचनाको खाँचो
अन्तरिम संविधानमा एमाले
संविधानसभा चुनावका चुनौती

Saturday ‘Anarchy’ Boosts Call For Reforms In Army Himalayan Times "There is a need to rewrite military laws so that the institution can be democratised and fundamental rights of army personnel secured," Chitra Bahadur Gurung, a retired Lt Gen of the Nepali Army said. Gurung said it was too early to judge the role of the Nepali Army in protecting the constitution, public freedom and nationality in the changed context. ....... Shambhu Thapa, chairman of the Nepal Bar Association, termed the off-duty captain's act of cordoning off a police station an act of "sedition" since the Nepali Army doesn't have the right to arrest people or interrogate them. Thapa opined that provisions should be made in such a way that crimes by military personnel could also be dealt under Civil Courts....... Indrajit Rai questioned whether a commander of any company or battalion could use his team for vested interests. "There is a need to change overall culture of the army, especially its treatment of and behaviour with people," he added....... "This is the permanent character of those army personnel who joined Nepali Army on the quota of the royal palace," he said. He warned that the constituent assembly would not materialise if the situation persists in the country.
Goons in army won’t be tolerated: Sitaula The incident in which the drunk armymen from the Bhairavnath battalion whisked away policemen on duty in gangster-style is a serious offence .... The probe team comprises joint-secretary at the Ministry of Defence Kashi Nath Sharma, joint-secretary at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Baman Prasad Neupane, joint government’s Attorney General, Raj Narayan Pathak, Colonel Nirendra Aryal and SSP Krishna Shrestha........ “The Nepali Army is under parliament and action would be taken against any indisciplined army officer or soldiers,” Sitaula said....... Mother of army personnel Bikendra Singh Bista, aide of the army captain Robin Bikram Rana, reached the KDPO to file a complaint demanding action against the police men, alleging that her son was beaten up. However, police didn’t register the complaint and sent her back. “We asked her to bring her son to the police office and we will register the complaint,” a police official said. ..... Sitaula’s assurance of punishing the guilty did not pacify the MPs. They asked the Defence Minister, ‘not the Home Minister’ to answer on matters of the Army. ....... MP Mahendra Pandey said only the name of the Army has changed. “If the Army can treat fellow policemen that way, what would happen to civilians?” asked Pandey. He asked the Defence Minister to respond to the incident in which 49 people were disappeared in the infamous Bhairavnath battalion. MP Aanand Prasad Dhungana said that not only civilians but the police also are not safe from the army. MP Hom Nath Dahal asked the Chief of the Army Staff to take responsibility.

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Sunday, July 30, 2006

Micro Investment


Micro Investment

Small sums of $100, $500 and $1000 can be collected by locally registered, privately held funds in places like New York City. But then such funds can also have large donors. Somebody might pump in $100,000 or more in one go.

Authority will rest in the shareholders and in the Board Of Directors. There would be a top dog that answers to both.

There can be more than one fund, of course. It is for an aspiring entrepreneur, or group of entrepreneurs to take initiative.

The challenge is to sell the idea that it is better for people to invest in these funds than to send money directly to their families in Nepal, that it is better to invest in these funds than to build houses in the towns of Nepal. Real estate can feel like a secure form of investment, but other forms of investments should be able to offer higher annual returns.

Free Money Transfer

Standard Chartered Bank
Standard Chartered Bank - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I learned from Ananta Risal yesterday that there is a Standard Chartered Bank that does for NRNs that Citi does for NRIs. If you have bank accounts in their New York and Kathmandu chapters, you can move dollars from here to there for free. You collect rupees at the other end. I guess the business model is to resell those dollars in Kathmandu.

At The Receiving End

I am not too knowledgeable about the policy framework at the other end. Other than the usual sluggish bureaucracy, I think there are gaping wholes. One obvious one is there is no provision for dual citizenship for the NRNs. That is a mistake. And it should be corrected right away.

Use Of The Internet

I think there should be maximum possible transparency for the investors. I should be able to track my money all the way. If I want to, I should be able to track down as to which 10 farmers are getting micro loans from my particular investment. I should be able to go visit them in Nepal if I might so desire.

Micro Credit Entrepreneurship

I have known of banks investing in big projects, usually buildings, etc. We have been trained to value physical capital. The idea about micro credit is to value human capital. You do it for money. The profit motive works. The amount of individual loans might be small, but the rate of return can be high.

And as with all loans, you have to be willing to write off a certain percentage of loans. In electricity distribution they call it chuhawat.

Policy

I think that is the real challenge. People in the diaspora at the forefront of the idea should be able to write entire policy papers with the help of locally hired legal help. So the legislators, when they are not themselves proactive, are forced to vote yes or no, one way or the other. And the work on those policy papers have to be transparent from the get-go.

It is sad that lack of policy framework is hampering the infusion of massive amounts of capital into Nepal.

Entrepreneurial Culture

That is sorely lacking among the Nepalis in New York City.

I offer a few options myself. There is network marketing. There is my technology company idea. There is a Desi fast food idea that I am also working on. The least people can do is pick up the phone to announce they are interested. Entrepreneurship is about taking initiative. Do you have what it takes?

Growing rich is glorious. Who said that? Den Xiaoping.

On The Web

[PDF] Micro Investment Development Agency Limited
Micro-investment: Building community ownership of the arts ...
Micro Loans, Solid Returns
Startups -- the micro approach
June 2006: Micro-Investment: The Last Sermon: To Someone After Me ...
dollarDEX: Micro investment conversion

Microcredit Summit Campaign
International Year of Microcredit 2005
Virtual Library on Microcredit
So, what is "microcredit" ??
Grameen - Home page of Microcredit
Microcredit - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Experts Question Wisdom of Micro-Credit for Women
International Year of Microcredit 2005

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An Event With Ananta Risal At The Nepali Mandir





Date: 30th July, 2006

I would like to thank everyone who came for the Collaborative Network Initiative. Thank you for giving your valuable time and suggestion. Special thanks to Madhurji for sharing this involvement in the Children Foundation and elaborating the outsourcing possibilities in Nepal. We were able present available brochures from the various IT companies in Nepal. Thanks to Knowledge Interface for the pizza and soda. We can't thank enough to the Chairman of the NepaliMandir Mr. Chandra Prakash Sharma to let use the venue within a short notice.

We agreed to meet within 2 weeks time and accomplish the following agenda.

Please assemble your thoughts as we need to move forward with much focused mindset.

1. Name: Suitable Name this for-profit organization

2. Purpose: The purpose of this public company is to take initiation on marketing Nepal as a service sector for Information Technology and more. Work as a show case to provide Nepal as a visibility market to the International community with trust and capacity building approach to NRN.

3. Board of Project Directors and Managers

4. Venue: will be announced later, most probably in New Jersey, 12th Aug 6-8:00 PM

5. Initial Investment: We will discuss about how to execute the company with minimum investment in the earlier stage. We will also discuss about it. We need to decide on the seed money and the number of initial directors.

Please send your valuable suggestion, feedback or any professional methods to initiate this historic business movement.

I will collect all of the ideas and float among all of collectively.

Thanks.

Attendees:

Suraj Mathema
Chandra Kalu
Gopal Shrestha
Menaka Parajuli
Ankit Parajuli
Paramendra Bhagat
Mohit Khetan
Bibhu Poudyal
Binita Poudyal
Parbati Sharma
Chandra Prakash Sharma
Bidur P. Poudyal
Mr. And Mrs. Ujjal Bhattarai
Nitya Bhattarai
Manish Sharma

Coordinator: Ananta Risal

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April Convention: Emerging Picture



Website

Ujjwal Bhattarai of The Nepal Digest fame will be working on the website. It will be simple and attractive.

He lives in the New York City metro area. That is a plus. Meetings can be held.

Plus, it is a business deal. The site will have a column on the right for ads. One third of that real estate will be his, and there will be no direct payments made to him.

I will be a co-administrator. Chandra Prakash has put some wonderful ideas. One is that the PayPal button for registration should be the most eye-catching item on every page of the site, hanging in the top left corner.

The site will be NepaliConvention.com, of course. But it is not there yet.

Management Team

Chandra Prakash and I are on it. We are looking for 10 others to be part of the core team. And we will need about 100 volunteers. The term volunteer is misleading since everyone who puts in work will be compensated, only the compensation will be after the convention. Openings will be posted on the site.

You have to be living in the city to be part of the core team. But volunteers can be based anywhere, and can be telecommuting.

The site will feature detailed descriptions for all the openings. Or you can email me and/or Chandra Prakash right away if interested.

There will be an attempt to seek ethnic and gender diversity on the team, but competence and enthusiasm come first in consideration. We are hoping the core team will shape up by the end of August.

Venues

Again, the goal is to get decided on the venues by the end of August. And we are actively seeking suggestions from all sorts of people. Please get in touch with us if you have any ideas on this one.

Not all venues will be at one place. We are expecting guests from outside might like the idea of using the subway. But all venues will be in Queens, and as close to each other as possible.

Registration Fees

First we thought $20, and then charge separate for concerts. Then we thought of a flat fee of $25. Then a registration fee of $25 and $10 each for the three evening events. Finally we have decided on a flat fee of $35. That takes you into all events at the convention, concert, cultural program, everything.

The thing is that this registration is compulsory. We will have security guards posted at the main entrance of each venue. Unless you have the convention button displayed on you, you will not be allowed in. And the security guards will not be anyone you might know.

Right now we are looking at a 5,000 capacity, first come, first serve. So hurry, register as soon as you can. We have to have that kind of a ceilig for the more popular of the events and the fire marshall guidelines in the city.

Media Partners

Nepali Aawaz and this blog are the official media partners of the convention. This blog will help you be part of the discussions as we shape up the convention. Our idea is that a lot of people should get together to shape up the details.

Program Schedule

This is not final, but this is what it looks like for now.

Friday 7 PM - 11 PM Inauguration Ceremony

Saturday 8 AM - 11 AM NYC Sight Seeing For The Interested Guests From Outside The City
Saturday 11 AM - 7 PM Sports Events, Forums, Mini Conventions, Displays
Saturday 7 PM - 11 PM Cultural Program To Exhibit Nepal's Diversity
Saturday 11 PM - 2 AM DJ On The Dance Floor

Sunday 8 AM - 11 AM NYC Sight Seeing For The Interested Guests From Outside The City
Sunday 11 AM - 7 PM Forums, Gatherings, Sports
Sunday 7 PM - 11 PM Concert

The detailed breakdown has not happened yet, and we are open to suggestions. The sight seeing part: we will collaborate with outside companies to provide the transportation. That will be an extra charge for you, but it should be minimal. It will be a crash course, as in see the top 10 spots in three hours.

The 11 PM cut off time is because the subway in the city slows down considerabley after midnight.

ंMoonlight

This convention is being brought to you by Moonlight. It is a private enterprise. The idea is to lower the price and enhance the experience. The management team for the most part just provides the platform. It is for the organizations to decide what to do. They have the power.

One great example is Anand Bist's planned convention. He is Nepali Cogress' point person in America. He has launched a Nepali People's Coordination Committee that is affiliated with the Congress. He hopes to organize a convention for the same within a year. I offered him our convention as the platform, so he does not have to worry about any of the logistics.

People affiliated with the other parties are encouraged to do similar stuff. The Nepali Convention is non partisan.

We are hoping organizations in the city and elsewhere in the country might want to use our event to host their own mini conventions.

Core 200

There will be a dozen people on the core team, and about 100 volunteers. And when you put together the Chieft Guest, the Chief Host, the Special Guests, the VVIPs and the VIPs, you are looking at another 100 people.

All these people will still have to pay $35 for registration, Chandra Prakash and me included. But these 200 get special, bigger buttons.

Organizations

There will be three categories.
  • Participating Organizations.
  • Star Organizations. Members elected its president directly some time during the past year. Number of members is public.
  • Superstar Organization. The best organization based on membership size, transparency, vibrancy, impact, internal democracy.
These organizations are the ones that will collectively decide on the awards.

Awards

There are six big awards for people in Nepal. And there will be awards for the Nepalis in America.
  • Politics.
  • Entrepreneurship.
  • NGO Sector.
  • Social Justice: DaMaJaMa.
  • Media.
  • Entertainment.
At least one officer with an organization has to register with the convention before that organization may participate.

Each organization will nominate one person each for the six categories and write a brief paragraph supporting their case. A participating organization has one vote, a star organization has two votes, a superstar organization has three votes. All nominations will be tallied, all nominations will be made public. There will be five finalists in each category. Then all organizations will vote again. And the award recipients will be decided by the end of February 2007. The entire process will stay transparent.

There will be non cash prize awards to the Nepalis in America. The categories have not been decided yet. We are open to suggestions. The awards will be decided in a similar manner as above.

Nepali Block Party: September 29

This is to be our dress rehearsal. There will be no entry fee. Food and non alcoholic drinks will be sold through vendors. There will be music, and mini speeches. And other stuff. Come in large numbers. Venue to be decided.

Why New York, Why Queens

New York City is the Kathmandu of the world. It is the most diverse city on the planet. Queens is the most diverse borough in the city. Jackson Heights is the most diverse locality in Queens.

There are 100,000-120,000 Nepalis in America. Of those close to 30,000-40,000 live in the city. Of the rest, most live in the Boston-DC corridor. New York City is the geographical center of that corridor.

There is public transportation in that corridor, unlike the rest of America. New York City has the best public transportation of any place in the country.

There are three airports.

This convention will be held in Queens, year after year after year.

April Revolution, April Convention

In The News

UML presents 23-point suggestion to ICDC; ‘fate of monarchy be decided by referendum’ NepalNews the interim constitution include provision to hold referendum to decide the fate of monarchy....... The three-member Interim Constitution Advisory Committee headed by UML standing committee member Bharat Mohan Adhikari ...... the party had suggested the drafting committee to include the mandate of the people’s movement-II, democratic republic, peace and inclusive restructuring of the state as the ‘directive principles of the state’...... referendum, which can be held in tandem with the constituent assembly elections ..... “There is no guarantee that the constituent assembly will have 2/3rd majority in favour of abolishment of monarchy from the country.” He said the UML believed that the country could easily do away with monarchy through a referendum....... Italy and Bolivia where constituent assembly polls and referendum were held together ...... a cost-effective and practical method ...... the Nepali Army.. the UML has suggested that it “should be national in nature”, inclusive and democratic and should be under the cabinet. The party has also suggested that the interim constitution make provisions to resolve the problems regarding the distribution of citizenship..... made no specific mention about the interim parliament ..... The UML’s suggestion came a day after the end of the second deadline given to the drafting committee to finalise the interim statute...... Other constituents of the SPA are yet to present their suggestions to the ICDC
CoAS Thapa defers summon of Rayamajhi commission informed that he could not attend the commission to file statement at the Commission, as he has to go Pokhara for some important work......
Prachanda, Nepal discuss upcoming high-level talks
UN team continues parleys
Armymen including Captain suspended for torturing policemen
Two Maoist cadres shot at in Siraha Reports quoted Yadav as saying that nine armed activists of the Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha dragged him out of bed and shot at him.

UN asks Nepal for common stand on arms India eNews.com, India
Soldiers go on rampage in Kathmandu India eNews.com
Nepal orders probe into army mayhem DailyIndia.com
Three Dozen Army Men Suspended in Nepal Associated Content, CO
Nepal army chief to be questioned BBC News
Army Gundagardi. Nepal Army Becoming Rascals Club United We Blog, Nepal
Hooligans burn copies of Kantipur daily Kantipur Online
Armymen including Captain suspended for torturing policemen Nepalnews.com
China, Nepal agree to push economic, technical cooperation People's Daily Online
Nepal’s little prince turns five India eNews.com, India
Exit permit process for US resettlement initiated : Nepal Phayul, Tibet

 ICDC giving 'final touch' to drafts today Kantipur Publications According to family sources, the members have been away from home since last Thursday.
मोर्चालाई सरकारले सम्बोधन गर्ने
नयाँ राष्ट्रगानको अर्थ
बहिरालाई क्याम्पस
युनियन गठन नगर्न अन्तरिम आदेश

Dishanirdesh

Krishna Sitaula, CK Lal Part 1, Part 2, Part 3
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Pitambar Sharma's Federalism


Since July 12, Israel has dropped the equivalent of a Hiroshima bomb on Lebanon. The number of dead is around 400 in Lebanon, the majority of them civilians. Forty people have been killed in Israel by Hezbollah rockets. Four United Nations peacekeepers were killed recently in what the U.N. secretary-general called "a deliberate Israeli attack."


















Federalism: Competing Maps

Pitambar Sharma embraces federalism. That is the good news. The bad news is that his suggested map looks like a vast conspiracy against the Madhesi community. And there is also a Hindu prejudice to some of the names he has chosen. You can not have religious names for provinces.

I prefer the Maoist map to the Pitambar map, even though the Maoist map is my second choice map.

In The News

Nepal Army, PLA Can’t Be Dealt Similarly: Japanese Minister Himalayan Times
Don't Include Maoists in Interim Govt Till They Disarm: Moriarty
MPs Want Livecast Of Panel Interrogation
Rights Violations On: NHRC
Maoist Hand In City Robbery Incident On July 18, a gang of seven looted cash around Rs 6 lakhs from Sindhu Housing Company owned by Bhupendra Raj Giri and Prajawal Kumar Bajracharya at Koteshwor. Police began probing after arresting Kishor Paudel, against whom the company owners had filed a complaint. During interrogation, Paudel revealed that he had asked Maoists to help him recover money that he had loaned the Housing Company. Police subsequently detained Lahanu Chaudhary, central member of pro-Maoist Valley Tharuwang Muktimorcha and his wife Bimala BK, also a Maoist cadre, said SP of the Valley Crime Branch Keshav Adhikari. Chaudhary and Bimala admitted to their crime and said that they did it because the housing company owners were "feudal". Police released both of them at the request of the company owners themselves. Now they are trying to arrest them again as the company owners returned to the police office and demanded action against Chaudhary and his wife. It has been revealed that Chaudhary and Bimala had rented a room in a house owned by Priya Gurung at Dahachowk. The two were posing as professors at TU and PK college respectively. Both have absconded.
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