Wednesday, June 07, 2006

Monarchy, Army, Federalism


All eight parties are going to have to take a clear stand on these three burning issues and then go to the people, and let the people decide what is what. The seven parties and the Maoists are going to have to let the people have the final say. Free and fair elections have to be organized, and the people's verdict has to be final.

Interim Arrangement

The UML wants the Maoists to dissolve their local governments. I can see why. At the ballot box, these two parties will be competing for some of the same votes. That is why. And the Maoists want the House to be dissolved. They are not represented in the House, that is why.

A compromise has to be sought. The parties are talking about it like the interim government is to last for a few years. That should not be the case.

Constituent Assembly Elections Before Dashain

My proposal has been to form eight party governments at all levels. You start with the House. Expand it so as to increase its size from 205 to 270. Give 40 seats to the Maoists, and invite them into the cabinet.

40 Seats For Maoists, 25 For Others

At the local levels - village, town, city, district - form eight party governments as well. But if there are places where all eight parties don't exist, only parties that are around will get represented. There are districts where only the Koirala Congress, the UML, the Maoists and the Deuba Congress exist. Such will have four party governments.

Such an arrangement will also cement the eight party unity. That unity is still needed. There still might be regression. There might be anarchy. We already have experienced some of it.

The eight parties have to stick together for democracy. If they could do it in April when it was much tougher, they can do it today.

Those who fear the Maoists on the democracy issue, this will be their chance to "educate" the Maoists on the fundamentals of democratic decision making.

Monarchy

The Maoists, the UML and the Jana Morcha are for a republic. Girija Koirala is for a ceremonial monarchy. I wish all eight parties came out for a republic. But if that not be coming, each party has to follow the democratic process inside their respective parties to let their cadres decide on the party's formal stand. The party president may not impose himself on his cadres like Girija is trying to do.

Say a few parties opt for a ceremonial monarchy, and the rest go for a republic. In the constituent assembly, the camp that has the majority vote will win. If the majority might be for a republic, the country becomes one.

And if this issue gets contentious, we can always hold a referendum on this topic. The constituent assembly could pass a resolution to that effect.

Let the people decide.

Federalism

The Maoists and the Sadbhavana are for federalism. The two Congress parties, the UML and the Jana Morcha have not yet formally endorsed federalism.

Girija Koirala is not in tune with the April Revolution. Or he would not be talking in terms of a ceremonial monarchy and decentralization, code word for being against federalism. If there was one chorus during the April Revolution, it was that of a republic. Girija obviously did not hear it. He was indoors.

Not only do the parties have to take a stand for or against federalism, those who come out for federalism also have to spell out what form of federalism they have in mind.

My personal proposal is not ethnic but economic. I am for three states, Kosi, Gandaki, Karnali. And with strong districts. The Sadbhavana is for five states, Eastern Terai, Western Terai, Eastern Hills, Western Hills, and Kathmandu Valley. The Maoists have eight states in mind.

The Bahuns in the leadership positions in the large parties want decentralization along the lines of the five development regions.

My position is a compromise position between the Maoists and the Sadbhavana at one end, and the Bahuns at the other.

Proposed Republican Constitution 2006

But it is for the people to decide.

Army

This is tricky.

I started out by saying we should dismantle both the armies and be done with it.

Dismantle The Two Armies

I still think that would be a good idea. Or we could have a small army, raise it from scratch. I think the army as an issue has to be treated just like the monarchy and federalism issues. Each party has to take a clear stand, and then go to the people.

How big do you think the army should be? 30,000? 50,000? 100,000? What should its ethnic and gender compositions be?

I would go for an army that is 30,000 strong, or 0.1% of the national population. And it should be an army raised from scratch, and it should look like Nepal. As in, it should be 50% women. It should be 40-50% Madhesi, it should be 20% Dalit, it should be 37% Janajati, it should be 20% Bahun Chhetri.

How do you get there?

You separate the soldiers from the two armies from their guns. All such guns will become the property of the future Nepal Army. And then pass a law to make it illegal for anyone to own such guns who might not be in the army.

Keep both the armies in barracks. Keep them occupied, perhaps with physical training, perhaps with language clases, classes in human rights, classes in vocational skills.

Hold constituent assembly elections. Then raise an army from scratch according to the winning formula, the one that the people voted for.

According to my formula, the most qualified 30,000 would get selected. But people not in the two armies will also be eligible to compete, and especially to help engineer the desired gender and ethnic and caste compositions.

Interestingly, the Maoists are the ones who have come out agreeing with the idea of separating the soldiers from their guns. The seven parties and the Nepal Army have not even taken a look at the idea.

In The News

PM Koirala meets Indian President NepalNews
India ‘ready’ to announce special aid package for Nepal
NFDN demands equal opportunity for persons with disabilities
Govt forms committee to amend educational policies; provides scholarship to martyrs' offspring
Women, Conflict and UN Resolution 1325
Mahara warns of talks breakdown if parliament is not dissolved He assured that even if the talks failed, his party would not return to jungle but would launch a peaceful agitation.
US hints on removal of terrorist tag on Maoists
Indian PM Singh breaks tradition, receives Koirala at Delhi airport

Intellectuals shocked over govt reluctance Kantipur Publications
Dissolving House meaningless: Nemwang
US ready to help create conducive atmosphere
Maoists take away 150 students
Maoists ask contractors to share revenue
Nakkhu jail inmates take jailer under control
NC cadre's son meets mysterious death
Nepal to seek Rs 75b for five years
प्रधानमन्त्रीको भव्य स्वागत
सेनालाई नागरिक नियन्त्रणमा ल्याउने प्रक्रिया पारदर्शी हुनुपर्छ'
वार्ता स्थगित हुनसक्छ ः महरा
भावी नेपालबारे नागरिक सम्मेलन
एकताकेन्द्रमा विवाद मोहनविक्रमद्वारा बहुमत अस्वीकार
स्थानीयमा जनप्रतिनिधि
प्रतिनिधिसभा पुनःस्थापनाको प्रयोजन
INTERVIEW WITH BIDHYA BHANDARI
Interview with Krishna Bahadur Mahara
Interview with Ashok Sharma
INTERVIEW WITH PRADIP NEPAL
INTERVIEW WITH TSRING RHITAR SHERPA
INTERVIEW WITH MADHAV KUMAR NEPAL
Interview with Girija Prasad Koirala
INTERVIEW WITH KANISHKA CHAUGAIN
Interview with Lily Thapa
INTERVIEW WITH NARA HARI ACHARYA

Nepal parliament could rein in Crown Prince India eNews.com, India

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Monday, June 05, 2006

MaDaMaJa



Audio

Madhesi Rights 1

Madhesi Rights 2
Madhesi Rights 3

Sajha: Madhesi Rights

The House curtailed the powers of the king, and brought the army under the parliament. That was for democracy.

The House declared Nepal a secular state. That was for the Janajati.

The House reserved 33% of the seats at all levels of government for women.

The House has now declared Nepal untouchability free. This has been for the Dalit.

Madhesi, Dalit, Mahila, Janajati.

What has this revolutionary House done for the Madhesi? Nothing.

This House needs to bring forth a proclamation that will declare all those on the voters list of 2036 as citizens to be duly awarded citizenship certificates. The very fact no such thing has been done yet goes on to prove my point that the Madhesi rights issue is the number one social issue in Nepal. And that cancer spreads all the way to the Nepali diaspora. The lack of political power for the Madhesi has major social implications. Every Madhesi is aware of the humiliation one feels when some Pahadi utters the hate word "madisey." That is but the tip of the iceberg.

Audio

Aitabare Mela 7
Somnath Ghimire 4 (00:41:29)
Democracy Diwali 10

My Role In The April Revolution

I got myself elected student government president at the number one liberal arts college in the US South within six months of landing in the country. I have not heard of another Nepali, or Indian, or Chinese, or African, or Hispanic, or European, or Australian who did that. That is the quality of my offer. Also I don't know of another Nepali involved in local New York City politics. And, by the way, Howard Dean knows me. As does his brother. Dean and Leahy are from the same state.

As for quantity, I don't know of another Nepali in America or in Europe or in Australia, who has been doing full time Nepal work, more than full time, overtime, for a year now.

As for those who talk dismissive of my blog, Howard Dean organized his presidential campaign in 2004 around a blog. A blog is a powerful political tool. It has helped me penetrate the seven party alliance leadership and the Maoist leadership without being intrusive. My most famous reader is Madhav Nepal.

I am the founding president of Hamro Nepal, the "world's first digital democracy organization."

My involvement has not abated after April.

I am part of the Top 10.

Dr. Binay Shah
Nepal Janajati Statement From NYC
Nepal As A Cutting Edge Democracy
Bidya Bhandari: Power Woman
Hamro Nepal Has Three Goals
Adivasi Janajati Talk At Harvard: Photos
Hindus, Chill
What's Wrong With The ANA Convention
Janajati Sammelan At The New School
Dixit, Lawoti, Tamrat At Asia Society
A New Nepal Has Been Born
Dr. Ram Krishna Shah
One Central Committee Member For Every Million Nepali
Top Dangi
मधेशीसँग संख्या छ, शिक्त छैन
Prakash Bom For Strong Districts
Internalized Racism Among Nepalis In NYC
The April Revolution Asks For A New Political Party
No Short Cuts: Madhesis Will Have To March
To: The Kathmandu Media
Chitralekha Yadav: Speaker
Madhesi Rights: Total Equality
18 Days Of April Revolution: Victory
My Most Controversial Blog Post To Date: On Madhesi Issue
Solidarity Rally DC
Why The International Community Needs To Get Behind This Revolution
April 20: March Onto The Palace, End The Monarchy
Aire Gaire Natthu Khaire Pahadis
First ANTA NYC Event, Times Square Marriott
Malaria, Polio, Monarchy
ये तो क्रान्ित है
Constituent Assembly: 300 Seats Of Roughly Equal Population
Hridayesh Tripathy Released
Dinesh Tripathi, Your Worst Nightmare
Democracy Spreading Mechanism
Dinesh Tripathi Raising Dust
हृदयेश त्रिपाठी: मधेसी समस्या र राज्यको पुनर्संरचना
Govind Shah: Social Inclusion Of Madheshi Community In Nation Building
संघीय गणतन्त्र
"Robin Hood Im Internet"
German Journalist Lena Brochhagen Inquires
Leahy, Lion
Not Journalism But Politics At The Speed Of Thought
मधेशी अधिकारको कुरामा पहाडीहरुको सहभागीता
Hridayesh Tripathi Arrested
मधेशी पहचान
अइ आन्दोलनमें मधेशी अधिकारके बात
Dinesh Tripathi, "Arthur Kinoy Of Nepal"
Janakpur Rally, Biggest In Nepal Since 1990
Dinesh Tripathi In New York
Nepal Needs To Be Hitting The World Headlines: Write To The Media (January 8, 2006)
Dinesh Tripathi: In Person
PCP: Pahadi Chauvinist Pig


Googlebombing An Autocrat King
Robert Kaplan Is An American Cowboy
Isolating The Monarchy
Phone Talk With Girija Koirala: Meeting History Itself
Write A Thank You Email To Congressman Walsh
January 12 Janakpur, January 20 Kathmandu
December 11 Sunday 11 AM Union Square
Umesh, Turn It Into A Business (December 5, 2005)
200 Brown Shirts
Lilamani Pokharel For Continuous Movement
Phone Talk With Madhav Nepal, Hridayesh Tripathy (November 28, 2005)
Prachanda Audio Interview, A First
198 Methods Of Non Violent Action
Logistics To Bring Down The Regime
To: ND Group, c/o Puru Subedi
Every Sunday 11 AM Union Square
Nepalese Americas Council Welcomes Maoist-Democrat Accord
This Movement Also Against Rana Rule: Satchit Is So Much B.S.
Nepal Democracy Google Group Does Not Believe In Free Speech
Fast Developments
Movement Taken To Online Video
Senator Patrick Leahy, Democrat, Vermont
40 Royalists Write To Bush
Roadmap
Moriarty's Irresponsible Mainstream
The Ball Might Finally Be Rolling In
Indian Support For Democrat-Maoist Alliance A Must (November 13, 2005)
A Plant Looking At An Animal
3 Scenarios
Rajeev Goyal Talks Up Caste
Krishna Pahadi At New York University
Krishna Pahadi November 6 Sunday 5 PM
Seven Party Forum In Jackson Heights
Democratic Options
To: NAC
A Day In The Life Of Gagan Thapa
Sage Radachowsky Interviews Anil Jha
The Army Rank And File Need To Be For The People And Democracy (October 21, 2005)
A Day In The Life Of Charlie Szrom
The Maoists Need To Come Clean Or They Go Down With The King
Homework For Another Round Of Civil War
Militarists Attempting A Doramba Repeat To End Ceasefire
Anil Jha, Bimal Nidhi US Tour Logistics
100,000 Unarmed Maoist Cadres
The Maoists Could Do More
The RNA Could Be Disbanded
Pyar Jung's Jumbo Size Love For The King
The Foreign Powers Need To Come Clean On The Constituent Assembly Question
Sadbhavana Meets In Janakpur
Bimalendra Nidhi US Tour
Gagan Thapa US Tour
For The First Time In A Decade, Permanent Peace Feels Possible (September 21, 2005)
Email From Madhav Kumar Nepal
Options For The Maoists And The Democrats (September 18, 2005)
To: DFNYC
September 16 Protest Rally
The King In Janakpur
Sharad Chandra Shaha Is A Dazzling Person
Bharat Mohan Adhikari Is In Town
Alliance Of Steel (September 10, 2005)
Prachanda, Do Not Break The Ceasefire
King Cancels UN Visit
To: Dr. Baburam Bhattarai
Baburam Bhattarai, Pramod Aryal, Ram Chandra Poudel
Supreme Court, Revive House, Save Country, Hurry
Messenger Chat With Purandar Ghimire
Major Fermentations In The NC And The UML
NC, UML And A Democratic Republic
Prachanda, Order Your Cadres To Live
Hridayesh Tripathy
The Kathmandu Media Ignores The Sadbhavana
Email From Charlie Szrom
Gagan Thapa Released
Chargesheeting Gagan: This Regime Has Gone Berserk
Alliance Gathering At Queens Bridge Park
To: ADHRN
No, Ambassador, Municipality Polls Are Not An Option
Senator Leahy To US Congress On Nepal
2005 Young Republican National Convention (US) Resolution 1 On Nepal
Possible Framework For A Maoist-Democrat Alliance (July 24, 2005)
Political And Military Stalemate: Democrats Stand To Tip The Balance (July 17, 2005)
Seize The Moment: Match The Maoists
Loktantra: A Magazine In The Offing
INSN And Samudaya Blocked In Nepal
Op-Ed Piece Sent To The New York Times
CPI (M), CPN (M)
Sangram Morcha: A New Political Party (1993)
Activist Judges Could Save The Day
Seeking Common Ground (June 17, 2005)
The Hardliner Democrat Approach
Power Does Not Necessarily Flow Through The Barrel Of A Gun: Maoists
Prachanda Press Statement
Common Minimum Program: Constituent Assembly (May 29, 2005)
Baburam Bhattarai Press Statement
The Lake Freezes At 32 Degrees Fahrenheit Like Magic (May 26, 2005)
Phone Talk With Hridayesh Tripathy
The Maoists Have Been Reading My Emails, Blog Entries
Baburam: Prachanda's Best Bet, Litmust Test, And Only Option (May 12, 2005)
Prachanda's Letter Bomb Of 5/1
Email From Arzu Rana Deuba
This Is Huge: Emergency Over (April 30, 2005)
The King Will Only Respond To Internal Pressure (April 22, 2005)
"Urgent: Disappearance Of My Father" by Sarahana Shrestha (April 21, 2005)
Prachanda: A Profile (April 20, 2005)
How To Move Towards A Common Minimum Program? (April 20, 2005)
Phone Marathon II (April 2, 2005)
Phone Marathon: Called Up Delhi (Apirl 2, 2005)
Doing Business With Baburam Bhattarai (March 20, 2005)
Baburam Bhattarai On A Democratic Republic (March 19, 2005)
Time For The Nepali Congress To Take A Stand On The Constituent Assembly Question (March 19, 2005)
If The Basic Rights Were Restored (March 10, 2005)
Human Rights ----> Political Platform ----> Full-Fledged Movement (March 3, 2005)
Ideological Overture To The Nepali Maoists (February 27, 2005)
Sought eDialogue with Dr. Baburam Bhattarai (February 25, 2005)
Towards a Democratic Republic of Nepal (February 21, 2005)

In The News

Ex-ministers Thapa, Dhakal move SC for release NepalNews
NRNs demand right to vote in Constituent Assembly elections
HOR declares Nepal “untouchability free” country
Dissolve people's government: Pandey
UML-PFN cadres scuffle
Cabinet rejects proposal to reinstate local bodies
Govt releases three ex-ministers after court order
Second round of govt-Maoist talks next week
PLA ready to obey orders of PM Koirala: Prabhaker
Nepali peacekeepers released in Congo
Rights activists, civil society leaders ask for UN role

Nepal declared untouchability, discrimination free country People's Daily Online, China
Nepal decleared untouchability, discrimination free country Kantipur Online
HOR declares Nepal “untouchability free” country Nepalnews.com
House okays proposal against untouchabiliGorkhapatra

New Delhi all set to red-carpet new premier Koirala Kantipur Publications
PM Koirala's India visit to focus on economic agenda
Dacoits loot again in capital, Suspicious death in Teku
All Nabil Bank robbers identified: Police
Nepal decleared untouchability, discrimination free country
Govt declares 21 people killed during movement as martyrs
Ex-VDC chairman shot dead in Saptari
Koirala to seek special economic assistance
Maoists ‘patrol’ district HQ
Maoists invite bid from contractors
छुवाछूत मुक्त राष्ट्र घोषणा
विद्युतीय रेलमार्गमा शाही नातेदारलाई अनुमति
क्षेत्रीय र अञ्चल प्रशासकका निर्णयहरू खारेज
मुक्ति खोज्दै राजधानीमा हलिया
माओवादीले पनि जनसरकार भंग गर्नुपर्छ’
जनआन्दोलन दबाउनेमाथि कारबाही माग
जिल्ला अदालत भवनमा सेना
मारिएकाले अझै क्षतिपूर्ति पाएनन्
आधुनिक आरनमा व्यस्त छन् पुराना दलित
बृहत्तर चक्रपथ निर्माण अवरुद्ध
संक्रमणकालीन व्यवस्थापन
जलस्रोत सम्झौताको डर

संविधानसभाको निर्वाचनमा मधेशीहरुको समानुपातिक सहभागिता नभए जनविद्रोह गर्ने चेतावनी मधेशी राजनीतिज्ञ तथा बुद्धिजीवीहरुले दिएका छन्।

लोकतन्त्र, शान्ति र मानवअधिकार सञ्जाल धनुषाद्वारा बुधबार जनकपुरमा आयोजित कार्यशाला गोष्ठीका सहभागीहरुले मधेशी समस्या समाधानका लागि राज्यले अझै ठोस पहल नगरे मुलुक अर्को भीषण युद्धको चपेटामा पर्ने चेतावनी पनि दिए।

गोष्ठीमा कार्यपत्र प्रस्तुत गर्दै नेपाल पत्रकार महासंघ धनुषाका सचिव राजशेकुमार कर्णले मुलुकमा रहेका २ सय ५ संसदीय क्षेत्रलाई संविधानसभाको लागि बढाएर ५ सय पुर्‍याउनु पर्ने तर्क दिंदै ५० हजारको जनसंख्यामा १ जना सदस्यको व्यवस्था हुनुपर्ने धारणा व्यक्त गर्नुभयो। उहाँले सेना, प्रहरी, सशस्त्र प्रहरी, निजामती क्षेत्र लगायतमा मधेशीहरुको संख्या न्यून रहेको उल्लेख गर्दै ४० लाख मधेसीलाई नागरिकताबाट वञ्चित गरेको आरोप लगाउनुभयो।

माओवादीका धनुषा सेक्रेटरी राजेशले शोसक र सामन्तविरुद्ध सशक्तरुपमा आन्दोलन नभएसम्म मधेशी, दलित तथा अन्य पिछडिएका जनजातिहरुले अधिकार नपाउने धारणा व्यक्त गर्नुभयो।

चिकित्सक डा. विजयकुमार सिंहले मधेशीले लोकतन्त्रको पक्षमा निर्णायक भूमिका निर्वाह गर्दै आए पनि अहिलेसम्मका सरकारले उपेक्षा गर्दै आइरहेको आरोप लगाउनुभयो।

नेकपा एमाले जनकपुर अञ्चल समन्वय समितिका सदस्य शीतल झाले मधेशको बाहुल्यताबाट मधेशी मात्र निर्वाचित हुने वातावरण बनाउनुपर्नेमा जोड दिनुभयो।

गोष्ठीमा नेपाली कांग्रेस धनुषाका उपसभापति केशव ढुङ्गेल, नेपाल सदभावना पार्टी (आनन्दीदेवी) धनुषाका अध्यक्ष रामगोविन्द यादव, जनमोर्चा नेपालका गौतम ढुङ्गेल, अधिवक्ता जयकिशोर लाभ लगायतले बोल्नुभएको स्वतन्त्र समाचार सेवाले जनाएको छ। www.parewa.com 7 June 2006 (1750 NST)