Is Prachanda For Real?

Is this guy for real?

Some questions raised by this press statement.

1. Does anyone have any idea where this guy is? Is he in Nepal? Is he is Lucknow? Where is his safehouse?
   
2. This guy needs to define the term Constituent Assembly.
   
3. This guy needs to define the term Democratic Republic.
4. Is it even possible to reason with this guy?
   
5. Were the Nepali Maoists involved in some of the recent spectacular attacks in Bihar? Two come to mind.
   
6. Where is Ganapathy? Can he be located?
7. If Baburam Bhattarai wants Nepal to turn into a Democratic Republic just like India, what do the Indian Maoists want India to turn into? By extension, what do the Nepali Maoists really want? What is the shape and form of the state they hope to create?
8. If Baburam Bhattarai is to be trusted, does this mean there is a fundamental ideological rift between him and Prachanda? One that should be exacerbated?
   
9. How come none of the so-called democrats are confronting the Maoists at an ideological plane? Why are they not trying to steal their political and social thunder?
10. If these guys are beyond reproach and up for classic Maoism, the king of Nepal ends up looking more legitimate! These Maoists act like they are on the king's payroll, doing his bidding.
    

Laying The Grounds For A Weak Movement
Comrade Gonzalo Of Peru: A Profile

Maoist parties of Nepal and India vow to fight `imperialism’

Chairman of CPN (Maoist) Prachanda (File Photo)

Chiefs of Maoist parties of Nepal and India have vowed to fight jointly what they call US imperialism and Indian expansionism.

In a rare joint statement issued Thursday, general secretary of Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) Prachanda and general secretary of Communist Party of India (Maoist), Ganapathy, have appealed to the entire oppressed masses, the world over, and Nepal and India in particular, to raise voice against what they called every evil design of imperialism and expansionism to repress the revolutionary cause of the oppressed people in Nepal and India. “We pledge to fight unitedly till the entire conspiracies hatched by the imperialists and reactionaries are crushed and the people’s cause of Socialism and Communism are established in Nepal, India and all over the world,” the joint statement.

The two Maoist leaders alleged that the US imperialism and Indian expansionism were trying to prop up the royal regime in Nepal by providing arms, ammunition, logistics and money in different pretexts.

“A semi-colonial and semi-feudal Nepal-- which was hardly known 10 years before by its name and geographical location in the globe-- has now become a focal point of keen attention the world over. On the one hand, the establishment of people’s power all across the vast countryside of Nepal by way of the people’s war, waged under the leadership of CPN (Maoist) for the last ten years, and one year of strategic offensive in particular, has become a source of inspiration for the oppressed all over the world and, on the other, it has become a deadly ideological and political threat for imperialism, particularly the US imperialism and its puppet regimes, including India,” the statement said.

“In India, the reactionary expansionist ruling classes have stepped up their countrywide coordinated campaign of brutal suppression of the people’s war led by the CPI (Maoist) ever since the merger of the MCCI and CPI (ML)[PW] in September last. They are propagating continuously about the “grave danger” posed by the long Red Corridor of armed struggle stretching from the Base Areas in Nepal up to the guerrilla zones of Andhra Pradesh or the so-called Compact Revolutionary Zone. They have initiated a phenomenal increase in the central repressive forces to tackle the Naxalites, undertaken massive modernization and special training of the forces, and are using helicopters where necessary, along with a package of so-called reforms to wean away the masses from the fold of the Maoists. The democratic voice of the people is suppressed and the fundamental rights guaranteed by the Indian Constitution are trampled underfoot in the vast areas of armed struggle and nationality movements. The ruling classes have also stepped up the attacks against every form of democratic struggle and anti-imperialist movements,” the statement further said.

It was not immediately clear what led the two underground leaders of Maoist outfits to issue a joint statement at this point in time. But analysts say the statement has come at a time when the US government is said to be considering releasing lethal military supplies to the Nepal government in the wake of escalating Maoist violence in the Himalayan kingdom.

The American authorities have, however, made it clear that there must be visible improvement in political situation in the country before the US resumes its military assistance.

US, UK and India had suspended their military assistance to Nepal in the wake of the royal takeover early this year.


Maoists Threaten India's Internal Security
Chennai, January 21, 2004
Rapidly and insidiously, a new internal security threat, posed by Left extremists, popularly referred to as Naxalites, is taking shape in India. Unlike secessionist movements fuelled by communal, ethnic and linguistic identity politics that have severely tested - and continue to test - the resolve of the Indian state, the newly emerging threat will challenge India's democratic polity and rule of law as never before.

.....the threat posed by Naxalites is not contained within a particular area. It casts a sinister shadow from Andhra Pradesh in the south to Bihar in the east. Naxalites have already created a 'Compact Red Zone', a corridor across India where Left extremists run a parallel administration with the help of brute force and terror.

Starting from the Telangana region in Andhra Pradesh, the 'Compact Red Zone' runs through eastern Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa, West Bengal, eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. It links what the Naxalites describe as the "liberated zones" of India with the Maoist-held territories of Nepal; a 'Red Corridor' that has united far-Left comrades in these two neighbouring countries.

...as many as 156 districts in 13 States have been officially listed as "affected by Naxalite violence". In 2003, the threat existed in 55 districts in nine states.

With the geographical spread of the area of their violent political activity expanding by leaps and bounds, Naxalites in India, armed with weaponry and communication systems far more sophisticated than those provided to state police forces (in Andhra Pradesh they are using wireless scanners that can tap into any frequency of police communications), are targeting civil administrators, policemen and politicians with increasing impunity and chilling brutality.

By killing representatives of the state, especially policemen posted in remote rural areas, they are able to instil fear among villagers, most of them impoverished landless farmers, as well as ill-equipped policemen. Thus they are able to establish a parallel system of "administration" of forcibly collecting "taxes" that fund their activities, meting out "justice" through kangaroo courts to eliminate "class enemies", and recruiting fresh cadre through a process of forced and aggressive indoctrination.

In Bihar, seven policemen, including a superintendent of police, were killed in a landmine explosion executed by Naxalites Jan 5. In Uttar Pradesh, a police convoy was ambushed and 17 policemen were shot dead.

The Congress government in Andhra Pradesh that came to power in the summer of 2004 tried to reason peace with Left extremists belonging to the Communist Party of India (Maoist) and Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), the two umbrella organisations under which Naxalites have now organised themselves. It also lifted the ban on these groups. Strategically, that was a disastrous move. The previous Telugu Desam Party government had launched a massive offensive against the Left extremists and was able to bring the situation in many areas under control. That advantage has now been lost.

On the eve of the peace talks in October last year, a senior Naxalite leader was quoted as saying: "By going to the talks, we are not declaring any ceasefire... Talks are a part of our tactical line. Naxalism is not a problem, it is a solution."

Using the ruse of peace talks and the unilateral ceasefire imposed by the Congress government in the state and the placatory attitude of the Congress-led government in New Delhi, the Left extremists have regrouped, re-armed and launched a vicious counter-offensive, forcing the police to respond. The Naxalites, having forced the police to act, are now using it as a convenient excuse to call off the peace process and return to the path of armed violence.

..... they pose a totalitarian challenge to India's democratic polity and rule of law; they pose an ideological threat that questions the legitimacy of the Indian state.

From arms running to narco-terrorism, they are involved in every possible act of subversion.

....what we are seeing now is abusing the barrel of the gun for furthering negative power politics.

In the east, India's Naxalites have teamed up with Nepal's Maoists to create disaffection among people of Nepalese origin who have been living for generations in Darjeeling and Dooars in West Bengal and in lower Sikkim. The purpose is to engineer a movement for 'self-determination' which could unleash violence on a wide scale and much worse than what was witnessed during the Gorkhaland agitation.

India's intelligence agencies have evidence to prove that Naxalites are being used by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) for drug trafficking and pumping fake currency notes. In return, ISI is providing the Naxalites with sophisticated weaponry and the know-how for making and using improvised explosive devices. Seized weapons and ammunition bear witness to this evidence.

..... the very real possibility of the Islamic fundamentalist right and the Marxist-Leninist fundamentalist Left joining hands, united by the purpose of subverting the Indian state. Soon after the arrest of Maulana Naseeruddin, one of the prime accused in the murder of Gujarat's former home minister Haren Pandya, Naxalites in Andhra Pradesh came out in support of the Dasargah-e-Jehad-e-Shahadat's demand for the unconditional release of the accused.

Ironically, most states where Naxalite violence is on the rise are ruled by parties or alliances that are members or supporters of the coalition government in New Delhi. And unlike the Congress government in Andhra Pradesh, which now increasingly appears to be repaying a debt of gratitude for electoral support to the Naxalites, the other state governments are unwilling to seek accommodation with the far Left, but are unable to move in tandem in the absence of any clear central policy.

If left alone, today's Naxalite menace could become no less dangerous than the war the Maoists are waging in Nepal with stunning success.

Girija Koirala Must Be Doing Something Right

He bagged 1215 to Narahari Acharya's 165 votes. Koirala is a brand name. He gets to cash into BP Koirala's lifetime of work as well as his own. And I never doubted his organizational acumen. He can be relentless. The strong setiments he arouses outside the Congress camp might be indicative of his hold inside the party.

Not only that, his entire fleet came along it seems. For all talk of nepotism, Sushil Koirala bagged 939 votes, Dr. Shashank Koirala 880. Shailaja Koirala is in, 617 votes. Sujata Koirala got herself elected, 744 votes. Now she can no longer be dismissed as just Girija Koirala's daughter, if she ever was. That's five close members from one family, but at least they are all elected. The voters decided.

As long as they are democratic, a party's elections are its internal matter. And so I respect the outcome as the Congress' prerogative.

They made a major ideological move though. They as a party are no longer attached to the monarchy. That does not make them republican, but this is a major change nevertheless. They were tied to a constitutional monarchy for 60 years.

Too bad they did not make any moves on the internal democracy front. Girija gave in on ideology but retained his grip on the organization.

Now the focus can move on back to the movement.

Breaking News: Shailaja Walks Out

Wow. What a move.

Gagan Thapa

He is being dragged back in the news again. The regime has moved the Supreme Court to seek permission to go after him.

This hint is further going to energize the September 16 rally in New York City. Possibilities of dialogue with the king - if they were there in the first place - kind of end.

In The News

• SC issues show cause order on ex minister Parajuli’s arrest NepalNews
• Political parties need internal party democracy: US Prof NepalNews ..... At a time when major political parties are facing voices for internal democracy, a visiting American professor of political science, Professor Edward R McMahon, too has advised Nepali politicians for internal party democracy and transparency....... Prof McMahon of University of Vermont urged, among others things, for political parties to use banks to keep track of party finance......
  
• Maoists are against human rights and civilisation: COAS Thapa NepalNews ..... Chief of Army Staff (COAS) of the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA), General Pyar Jung Thapa ....... General Thapa said the RNA was committed to defeat them at any cost ...... Victory on war depends upon leadership. He said the RNA would arm its personnel with professional skills and emphasize on offensive training for night and develop anti-ambush drill training.......
  
• RNA will make public names of detainees: Martin NepalNews
• Maoists Call Off Strike at Unilever Himalayan Times, Nepal ......
  
• Unilever to resume operation Kantipur Online
• Maoists Take Back Unilever Shutdown Call Himalayan Times
• Shailaja Acharya Resigns from NC Central Committee Himalayan Times ....
  
• Shailaja Acharya resigns from NC Central Committee Kantipur Online, Nepal ...... “I resigned because the party is being sponsored by some hidden forces and it has also deviated from its main political ideology that it had been retaining so far.”
• Shailaja Acharya resigns from the NC CWC Nepalnews.com, Nepal .... she would continue her campaign to what she called ‘re-energise’ the six-decade-old party as an ordinary member of the party. ‘I strongly believe that the party can be revived by following the centrist political ideology ...... Sources say Acharya was unhappy at the CWC election results in which her arch rival, Sujata Koirala—daughter of NC president G P Koirala—polled more votes than herself....... Sujata bagged 744 votes while Acharya had to be content with 617 votes.
• Govt Moves SC Over Gagan Thapa’s Release Himalayan Times, Nepal..... The government prosecutor had filed a case against Thapa seeking a three-year jail term or a fine of Rs 3,000, or both, accusing him of chanting objectionable slogans against the King and members of the royal family violating Clause 4(1) of the Offence Against State Act, 1989. A three-member bench of judges of the Special Court Govinda Prasad Parajuli, Rana Bahadur Bam and Bhoopdhoj Adhikary, had ordered Thapa’s release saying there was not sufficient ground to detain him. “He be released as per Clause 7(c) of the Special Court Act, 2002 as there was not sufficient evidence to detain him to forward the process on the case,” the bench had observed.

Protests

Protests Protests Protests Protests Protests Protests
Protests Protests Protests Protests Protests Protests Protests


Nepal's continuing crisis Sep 1st 2005
From The Economist print edition

SEVEN months after he seized power in Nepal, even King Gyanendra's keenest supporters are aghast at what he is up to. At a Katmandu bar last week, a group of middle-ranking army officers, some with close royal connections, aired their opinions of the government; they were not complimentary. Recently returned from long tours in central Nepal, which is ablaze with a Maoist insurgency, the men had a right to feel aggrieved.…

To: Dr. Baburam Bhattarai

Comrade Baburam, Sir.

I read yesterday with great interest your latest article, as I always do when you write something new. This is not the first time you have touched upon the theme of a Democratic Republic, but I think this might be the first time you have elaborated upon it and looked at it from many angles. I think this document is going to prove to be of great historic importance within the communist movement.

I am not a communist, you are, I describe myself a progressive, but I have done my share of readings into communist literature. I have read several biographies of Lenin, and that was in the early 90s.

"Power flows through the barrel of a gun." That is the central dictum of classic Maoism. "Jesus is the son of God." That is the central belief in the Christian worldview. Your ideology falls in the social science sphere, and Christianity is a religion, so the two are apples and oranges, but I just wanted to emphasize how central the gun has been to classic Maoism. You have - like only you could - managed to steer your party away from that dictum ideologically. And you have expressed a commitment also to do the same in practice as long as the other players on the national scene play their accompanying political roles.

This is a huge jump you and your party have taken. I commend you for that. Politically blind people in my own democratic camp refuse to see that. I feel sorry for them.

Madan Bhandari introduced the idea of a multi-party framework for his gang of communists, the UML, and that was a significant leap, but your work is more monumental, I think.

Nepal's poor peasants are more like Mao's peasants were, so I can see how Mao might have inspired you. You have drawn inspiration from the idealism of Marx and Lenin, and you have openly condemned the Stalinist deviations. Communists in practice hijacked political liberty, and so they had to suffer couter revolutions worldwide at the end of the last century. In saying that I think you have brought together communist theory and practice in a rather unique way. That synthesis is truly remarkable.

You have done a very good job of handling the many irrational fears of the parliamentary democrats who plain refuse to do the homework long due. You have articulated fears they have not, merely hinted at. That intellectual lethargy on their part has been hurting the peace process. Your proactive approach will serve you and your party well once peace and democracy are achieved. Jasle maha kadhchha, usle haat chatchha.

And you have beat all the democrats in Kathmandu with your ten points to kickstart talks on a future constitution. You have taken an initiative they have not.

Having commended you for your ideological innovation and political initiative and pragmatism, now I would like to draw your attention to some points that I seek further clarification on, or plain disagree with you. My vision is outlined here: 5 Steps. More particularly, I would like to draw your attention to this document: Proposed Constitution. You have your 10 points, I have an entire draft for a future constitution.

I have said this before. Let the three warring factions and all the component parties take a look at this document. Seek points you all can agree on. Things you can not agree on can be decided upon through a Constituent Assembly. What say you? All you have to do is take a look at the document, pen in hand, check all items you like, cross all items you dislike, and add a list of items you would add and/or modify if you could. How hard can that be? As easy as a multiple choice question test.

This is like every party to the conflict is being given a blank slate and being told, okay so right down all you want. That is what it is. My document just provides a framework so there is some discipline to the process. And such that agreements and disagreements can be aired publicly. The process can stay transparent.

(1) Monarchy. You are an ideological republican. I am not attached to the monarchy, but I am not an ideological republican. I think it is possible to totally defang the monarchy and still keep it. I am not proposing we keep it, but what I am saying is I want to keep that option open so as to have more moving room during the peace process. I know you don't agree with me, and if there is to be a full fledged movement, and especially if there is state repression of that movement, there will be no stopping a republic. But I want to be able to make a few moves before that if the occasion might arise. I just wanted to be upfront and honest. Like you have been upfront and honest. On the other hand, if we end up with a Constituent Assembly, and you have the numbers in that Assembly to declare the state republican, be my guest. The people may take that decision, you and I may not.

(2) Disbanding The State Army. I totally understand it that you have to start with that stand. That is important for your internal consumption among your rank and file. I don't begrudge you for that. And there was at least one occasion back in February when I said the same thing.

Just like Girija lives a contradiction. He has yet to make up his mind on whether the 1990 document is dead or alive. I think you Maoists also live a contradiction. Once you have already made an ideological shift away from the "barrel of a gun," why do you still have a hangover about your armed cadres? Integrating the two armies in a fair way is step 1. Whatever your starting point, I hope you come to the table with an open mind and plenty of room for flexibility. This is what I suggest.

1. There should be only one army in the country and that army should be in the barracks under the command of the Prime Minister of the interim government. That is the precondition for a Constituent Assembly. If you can not come around to that, you are not serious about a Constituent Assembly.
   
2. If the RNA has 83,000 and PLA has 12,000 armed personnel, 3,000 of the PLA personnel get inducted into the army which gets five years to downsize itself to a total strength of 30,000 or less during which the 3,000 from the PLA stay on.
   
3. 56,000 of RNA personnel and 9,000 of PLA personnel get retrained for jobs in the private sector. For that retraining foreign aid is sought.
   

Just like the Proposed Constitution, this is a framework for discussion, not anything written in stone. But the Maoists and the democrats will have to express their agreements and disagreements publicly and in a transparent manner.

(3) Self Rule And Autonomy For Janajatis And Madhesis. How do you like my three states, three languages idea? My demarcations are one person one vote taken to its logical conclusions. I think my proposal is the most scientific. I do not doubt the honesty of your commitment, not at all. Infact my political sympathies for the Maoists have been based on this commitment of yours. On the other hand, I am suspicious of the democrat Bahuns. Many of them are still talking of some kind of a decentralization so as to water down the idea of federalism. They are banging their head against the wall. Federalism is one certainty of the next constitution. On that there is not going to be any compromise.

(4) Education, Health. I could not agree more. Here we will just have to compete to outdo each other. I feel about these two issues as strongly as you feel about land reform.

(5) The Market Mechanism. That is the biggest gaping hole in your document, I think. Democracy is not possible without it. The market is the hen that lays the golden egg that will make our ambitious education and health plans possible. Just like deviated communists have had the tendency to ban other political parties, they have also had the tendency to kill the hen. The state has to be there to uphold the law, but beyond that it is the private sector that does the wealth creation. The details of what I propose are already in the Proposed Constitution.

In your writing there are several contradictions. You talk about guaranteeing employment. I am suspicious. What do you mean? It is not the state but the private sector that creates jobs, for the most part. The state does create jobs to perform its necessary functions. But it is not wise for the state to create jobs just so people can have jobs: that way you end up wasting the taxpayers' hard-earned money. Although there can be room for targeted job creations for some targeted low income groups in specific cases. That I give you.

Instead the focus should be on health, education and micro credit. The poorest of the poor can have ladders they can climb.

"Self- reliant national industrialization, protection of national capital and properties."

I am extremely suspicious of this. First of all, Marwadis are part of the Madhesi community. And they get demonized much on this issue. You have to watch out for that.

You really need to learn from the Chinese on the issue of Foreign Direct Investment. They will tell you, the rule is simple: the more the merrier. That's it.

You can have that, or you can have Nepalis going away thousands of miles to foreign countries, staying away from their families for months and years because jobs are not locally available. FDI is the best way to create good jobs locally, fast.

But then this is policy talk. This can not be part and parcel of a Constituent Assembly. This is for the elections held after the country has a new constitution. At that point, you would be free to disagree with my common sense assertion, if you might so choose.

(6) Land-To-The-Tiller Land Reform. This makes tremendous economic sense to the free marketeer in me. If that could be done, the productivity in the agriculture sector would go up drastically. To that add the micro credit idea, and you are going to end up with a green revolution. I am all for it.

But I would like to suggest we be careful about the political aspects of its implementation. I hope you don't change your stand on this, but I hope you do not make it a precondition before elections to a Constituent Assembly can take place. Let those who disagree do so, just cash on that disagreement politically. If you are the only party that is going to have the land-to-the-tiller slogan, and elections are going to be free and fair, you are going to emerge the largest party. Simple as that. And once you have a governing majority in the parliament, the disagreeing parties can cry hoarse, and they are not going to matter. At that point you implement the reform. So my suggestion, consider it step 2, not step 1.

Another attraction of the land-to-the-tiller slogan is you are not saying collectivization. You are saying right to property. That is key. Right to property is like right to free speech, right to assemble, right to vote: it is basic. Without property rights, there is no market. Without market, there is no democracy.

(7) Political Party Finances. For a party and leader who dream of a classless society, I am utterly surprised you don't even touch on that topic. Is it because the Maoists are the richest of all political parties in Nepal? How would you like this?

The Maoists need to make note of Article 1.8: Political parties may not engage in fund-raising activities. Instead each national party, described as those that garnered at least 5% of the votes in the previous nationwide elections, will get an annual sum that will be directly proportional to the number of votes it earned. That money is to be used for party-building and electioneering activities. Details of expenses are to be posted online in the three languages to the last paisa on at least an annual basis.

The other parties are keen to see you disarm. But noone is talking about your money. The money might hurt them more electorally.

My proposal on campaign finance reform might be what makes my documents stand out, I think. The document envisions a democracy where money is taken out of the system. It is truly one person one vote.

In sum, I would like to commend you for the ideological leap you have taken, thank you for taking the initiative with the ten points, and I look forward to future conversations. I hope we can march towards peace, democracy and progress. And I hope you will compensate for the mental lethargy of the democrat Bahuns by taking further initiatives down the line.

Baburam Bhattarai, Pramod Aryal, Ram Chandra Poudel

(Below are summaries in English of full length articles in Nepali.)

Baburam Bhattarai: The Question Of Understanding A Democratic Republic

The cadres are for a Democratic Republic, but the leaders of the political parties are still not wholeheartedly for it yet. We need to look into why that might be. Monarchy and democracy are opposing ideologies and institutions. Japan and Britain can not be our examples of a ceremonial monarchy because our socio-economic development stage is not the same as theirs. No capitalist revolution has succeeded without uprooting the monarchy. Hence the words "republic" and "democracy" are actually one word. There is no example in world history where au autocrat monarch willingly became a constitutional monarch. There are no examples of constitutional monarchies in the Third World. Temporary alliances with an army or a monarchy either by democrats or external powers is understandable for different reasons, but to present the monarchy as the symbol of unity and stability is utter foolishness. The Sinhanouk example does not apply to us. BP Koirala's "national reconciliation" slogan is date expired. The Radha Krishna Mainalis inside the UML and the Prakash and Shailaja Koiralas inside the Nepali Congress are a major disservice. The parliamentary parties also have to watch out for the pressure from the US, the sole superpower, to make do with the monarchy. Global opinion will follow once the parties achieve clarity on the issue of a Democratic Republic. The monarchy is an elaborate structure that keeps the country down on all fronts. The parliamentary parties have two choices: surrender, or head on for a Democratic Republic. To try and "scare" the king into becoming a constitutional monarch is a foolish attempt. It should not even be made. A tiger that has tasted blood does not willingly go back into the cage. We should head straight on for a Democratic Republic, or we should settle for a Constituent Assembly, nothing less.

After a 10 year revolution, we Maoists have been presenting a Democratic Republic as a common minimum program. We have done it time and again. We started the revolution with the singular goal of a communist republic. For us to shift to the goal of a democratic republic has been a big step for us. The revolutionary leftists look at us with suspicion for that. At the same time, the parliamentary parties refuse to believe us when we say we are now for a democratic republic. So we feel the need to clarify a few things.

Our ultimate goal is communism, preceded by socialism. That is never going to change. But we feel the need to come down from the clouds and face the ground realities and make sound, objective, scientific assessments. That is how we prepare our programs and decide on our strategies. It has been our conclusion, based on the socio-economic conditions in Nepal, that an abolition of the monarchy and an establishment of a democratic republic is what is best for Nepal right now. That is our scientific analysis. We did not cook up the slogan to hoodwink the parliamentary parties. That is why you should believe us when we say we are for a Democratic Republic.

A democratic republic and a socialist democracy are different things. So we understand why you remain suspicious of us. The Stalinist model gets seen for the communist model, and it can be hard to imagine how a Maoist party will work within a multi-party framework. What you have to understand is Marxism-Leninism-Maoism is not religious dogma, fixed forever. It is a science. It is alive and evolving. The goal remains to create a classless society. Marx and Lenin never talked about one party rule in their writings. But it became one party rule due to Stalin. Stalin created a bureaucratic monster that detached itself from the people. And hence we had counter revolutions all over the world at the end of the previous century. And that is why, for the 21st century, we are committed to a multi-party framework where people's participation and oversight is guaranteed. That is what we want. That is our first choice, it is not a choice of an uncomfortable compromise. So believe us when we say it is a democratic republic we want.

The difference between a capitalist democracy and a socialist democracy is in the former democracy is only formal, in name only, in the later it is for real. Socialist experiments might have taken some ugly forms in the past. But periodic elections, multi party competition, adult franchise, rule of law, freedom of press and speech, these all not only exist in our version of a socialist democracy, they also are superior to when they exist in a capitalist democracy. We don't discard the good things about capitalism, we elaborate them so much, socialism spreads into capitalist territories. That is what Lenin suggested. We don't fight capitalism, we refine it, purify it, make it better.

Another suspicion has been that we Maoists will not accept the results of a Constituent Assembly should they not go in our favor. That we might follow the example in Russia. What we have to say on that is free and fair and unconditional elections conducted under international supervision will be acceptable to us. Russia of the 1910s is not Nepal of today. Let that distant past from a distant land not be your measuring rod. We have made it very clear we are for an impartial and effective management of the two armies for such elections.

A democratic republic is our ideological stand. Now try us in action. Because we are very clear on our vision and stand.

We are not headed into a traditional parliamentary arrangement or a communist arrangement. We are headed towards something new. It will be a new kind of a transitional democratic system. We are not trying to imitate Europe. But whatever it is, it will be reflective of the power distribution as thrown up by an Assembly.

It is necessary to discuss the shape and form of the proposed Democratic Republic right away, even before we go into a Constituent Assembly. That itself can be a trust-building measure. Let's have a public debate. There is nothing to hide.

On our part, this is what we see. First, the monarchy is abolished, and the sovereignty goes to the people. Two thirds of the Assembly or a referendum may decide on any matter except the country's territorial integrity. Second, the royal army is to be disbanded, and a new army is to be raised, to be under the parliament. Three, the national parliament will be supreme. Fourth, a full guarantee for periodic elections, multi party competition, adult franchise, rule of law, freedom of press and speech. Fifth, all oppressed groups - Janajatis and Madhesis - will have self rule and autonomy. Sixth, secular state. Seven, education, health and employment will be considered basic rights, and basic education and health will be free and guaranteed. Eighth, revolutionary land reform, land to the tiller. Self- reliant national industrialization, protection of national capital and properties. Ninth, dissolve the unequal 1950 treaty and other similar treaties. An independent, non-aligned foreign policy. Tenth, make room for other democratic forces in the Assembly to shape other political, economic and cultural details.

Democracy itself is alive. It grows, it changes.

Unless we - Maoists and parliamentary parties - make common cause and stand shoulder to shoulder, people are not going to come out into the streets in hundreds of thousands, and unless that happens, the king is not going to get out of the picture. We should make our conversations official and really get down to the business of talking things out in an authoritative way. Let's not waster this opportunity we have. The world looks upon us. Delays hurt the revolution.

Pramod Aryal: A Koirala Family Gone Mad On Leadership

The country is going through rough times, democracy is at stake. It has become imperative for the Nepali Congress to get clear on the issue of a Democratic Republic. Girija is extremely unclear and vacillating on the issue. The Koirala family's contributions to democracy get publicized, but their disservice to the same cause all through history is not that well known. Go look at the details. BP Koirala made major political blunders costing the country dearly just to retain the party presidency to himself. Ganeshman had written to Kisunji to oust Girija from the party during the movement, fearing his tendency to get weak with the palace. Girija sidelined Kisunji and Ganeshman, he disbanded a parliament, he forced Deuba to break away. All to keep the leadership to himself. Shashanka Koirala is a test tube baby being groomed. The Nepali Congress might get to the size of Praja Parishad. Democracy in Nepal does not depend on the Nepali Congress. Congress forgets its martyrs, its leadership instead listens to the nobodies like Govinda Raj Joshi, Arjun Narsingha KC, Laxman Ghimire, Ram Krishna Tamrakar. The party needs new leadership. Girija's poison words againt Gagan Thapa and Narahari Acharya are indicative. Nepal stands for change, Girija is not for change. Ram Chandra Poudel should run for party president. We have got to break the vicious circle of the Koirala family's hold on the party.

Ram Chandra Poudel: A Constituent Assembly Has Become Necessary

The Congress itself has to change before it can change society. There is no need for a monarchy in the 21st century. The state has to be restructuted bo provide equality for the Janajatis and the Madhesis. The Maoists need to renounce violence. A Constituent Assembly is our meeting point, that we are for with or without the Maoists. Globalization and liberalization trends have to be cashed upon. But socialism is still what we stand for. Prime Ministers have lead the army in the past. It has not always been with the king. There should be reservations for women, dalit, and janajatis. The Congress has to be unified. Internal democracy has to be introduced and institutionalized in the Congress.

Supreme Court, Revive House, Save Country, Hurry

That might be the best way out.

The seven democratic parties are the legitimate political forces in the country, and their 4-point agenda is a sound one. Sound enough that it will end the civil war.

1. Revive House.
2. Form An All Party Government.
3. Hold Unconditional Peace Talks With The Maoists.
4. Organize Elections To A Constituent Assembly.
   

But the 4-point program starts at step one. And that step can only be taken by the Supreme Court. The parties can not do it themselves. The king has said he does not have the constitutional authority to do it. So that puts the ball in the Supreme Court.

These 11 individuals are uniquely positioned to literally save the country: Dilip Kumar Poudel, Kedar Prasad Giri, Min Bahadur Rayamajhi, Ram Nagina Singh, Anup Raj Sharma, Ram Prasad Shrestha, Khil Raj Regmi, Sharada Prasad Pundit, Sharada Shrestha, Arjun Prasad Singh and Hari Jung Sijapati.

I think they should go ahead and do it.

Otherwise it might end up a long, cold winter of relentless protests, and a further decaying civil war with all the associated human rights abuses and violations of internatinoal law, the mayhem, not to say the economic loss, both direct and in terms of lost opportunities.

It is that or it is (1) the three warring factions come to a respectful political dialogue and start making political sense, which they show no signs of, have not in years, during the beginning, middle, and thenon, or (2) the democrats wage a decisive movement for months - a democratic republic through a revolution - and get the king to bend, which can add complications: some Monarchists might go for the military option, which would be suicidal for the monarchy, but then they might go for it anyways.

I don't think the Supreme Court has ever faced a more important decision in its entire history, and might not ever again. This is momentous. This is a historic opportunity.

Of the three scenarios, only the Supreme Court option is safest for the three political factions. That might be the only way a constitutional monarchy might be retained by the people through a popular verdict. That might be the best way the worst fears about the Maoists do not come true. I am one of those who is not paranoid about the Maoists, but others have democratic rights to be so.

The 4-point agenda might also be the smoothest way to move from the 1990 constitution to a 2006 constitution.

In The News

Supreme Court starts studying House revival case NepalNews .... the court would decide whether to deliberate on the case only after consensus of all justices of the apex court. A majority of the 11 justices must agree ...... chief justice Dilip Kumar Poudel and justices Kedar Prasad Giri, Min Bahadur Rayamajhi, Ram Nagina Singh, Anup Raj Sharma, Ram Prasad Shrestha, Khil Raj Regmi, Sharada Prasad Pundit, Sharada Shrestha, Arjun Prasad Singh and Hari Jung Sijapati...... Thursday’s discussion was adjourned, ordering the bench assistant to make a list of differences and similarities between the three SC precedents on house dissolution in 1994, 1995 and 2002. The apex court had reversed late prime minister Man Mohan Adhikari’s decision to dissolve the house in 1995 while it had upheld ex-prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s decision to dissolve the house in 1994.

• Former Nepalese minister released BBC News, UK
• Jailed ex-PM in Nepal court plea BBC News
• RCCC Frees Rawal After SC Order Himalayan Times
• NEPAL: King, politicians and rebels no nearer to talks Reuters AlertNet, UK
• Sri Lankan Supreme Court orders new presidential elections World Socialist Web Site, MI
• SC Orders RCCC Not to Arrest Rawal Himalayan Times
• Rawal defies RCCC summons, moves SC Himalayan Times
• Deuba, Singh move Supreme Court Kantipur Online, Nepal
• SC Fiat on Petro Price Hike Himalayan Times
• Nepal court hearing on parliament BBC News, UK
• Apex court to mull revival of Nepal parliament:- Webindia123, India
• SC orders Nepal FM to be present before court Kantipur Online, Nepal
• SC studies review of house dissolution case Kathmandu Post, Nepal
• SC Warns Foreign Ministry of Contempt of Court Action Himalayan Times, Nepal
• Nepal's Supreme Court Halts Radio Station Shutdown Voice of America
• Supreme Court orders government to halt cancellation of radio ... IFEX, Canada
• NEPAL: Court issues interim order in favour of Nepal FM Asia Pacific Media Network, CA
• CPJ welcomes court decision in favor of FM station CPJ Press Freedom Online, NY
• Govt Moves SC Against its Order on FM Stations Himalayan Times, Nepal
• SC Asked to Let Telecom Launch Phone Service Himalayan Times, Nepal
• Govt Moves SC to Re-gag FM Radio Stations Himalayan Times, Nepal
• Nepal’s FM can now air news United We Blog, Nepal
• SC stalls govt action against Nepal FM Kathmandu Post, Nepal
• Private radios defy Nepal govt ban on broadcasting news Khaleej Times, United Arab Emirates
• Nepal SC issues stay order against Govt ban on FM radio Hindustan Times, India
• Nepal FM moves SC against govt order Himalayan Times, Nepal

Somnath Ghimire: King G Is Pinochet

King Gyanendra's Character resembles Augusto Pinochet --Somnath Ghimire

Since the Royal Nepal Army and Police are under the direct and undisputed control of Black King "G", and since there is no evidence whatsoever that action has been taken to correct the abuses or hold the perpetrators responsible, this places the king in league with such lovely characters as Hitler, Saddam Hussain, Augusto Pinochet, Ferdinand Marcos, Mohammad Reza Pahlevi and others.

It should be noted that, like King Gyanendra, all but Hitler were also supported and armed by the US. The US’s agreement to shield Nepali officials from the International Criminal Court has given a green light to atrocities, and the transfer of more of M16A2 rifles even as the savage treatment of pro-democracy protestors was ongoing raises questions of the violation of the spirit, if not the letter, of US law by the Bush administration. The US’s refusal to condemn atrocities in Nepal and unconvincing stance that human rights training for new soldiers will cure the abuses that are widespread, systematic and under the supervision of senior officers is obviously sending an ambiguous message designed to give it political cover. The media, under army death threat for “insulting the king,” cannot criticize him, while the pro-monarchist writers have free reign without fear of rebuttal of their ludicrous and illogical assertions.

Nepal is one of the poorest countries in the world, yet it spends 65 crore rupees (US$ 8.8 million; adjusted for purchasing power, over $50 million) on the royal family annually, a six fold increase since the dramatic decrease in the family’s numbers in the wake of the palace massacre. Thus, spending so lavishly on this very rich family deprives huge numbers of Nepalis, most of whom are illiterate and who suffer from appalling maternal, infant and child mortality, and whose life expectancy is as little as 37 years in some districts, of services they badly need and whose lack contributed in large part to the success of the Maoist revolution; the monarchists believe that it is more important to support the royal family in high style than to save the poor from death, disease and illiteracy, but most of the rural poor people would disagree. Nepal cannot afford both.

The phony, staged, highly secured “felicitations,” in which BKG greet and will be worshipped by the lowly people living in the country of oldest democracy, do not obscure the fact that the vast majority of Nepalis intensely dislike the king and, indeed, the very institution of Monarchy. The majority of Nepalis continue to support republican democracy; a recent poll indicates that 11% support the monarchy, 9% the Maoists, and 80% republican democracy. And also the Nepal's largest Democratic Party, Nepali Congress has decided to opt out Constitutional Monarchy from it's statute. The king could have made inroads into Nepal’s problems with corruption, poor heath care and lack of adequate educational facilities, but chose to accept continued deterioration in these sectors and to rely on repression and arrogant refusal to communicate honestly with the people. KG lied to the world and who believes him- only his followers and ass lickers.

Although they cleverly soft-pedal their alleged divinity when dealing with foreigners, the Shahs manipulate the uneducated, simple-minded people by claiming to be gods and thus making whatever crimes they may wish to commit acceptable and making dissent against them sinful. Although there is no way to disprove this notion of divinity, a logical person would find nothing in the intelligence, appearance, achievements or conduct of the royalty to indicate superiority or superhuman traits. Oddly, only the simplest villagers and the well-connected elite accept the notion of royal divinity. Without the king, the parties and the Maoists would far more easily come to terms and bring about an end to the civil war; both would likely accept free, fair, internationally supervised elections for a constituent assembly to rewrite the constitution, but the king stands in the way because he knows that he has little popular support.

I do not believe that any argument marshaled by pro-monarchists, whether Nepali, Indian or American, can in any way outweigh the objections I have raised here to the continuance of this feudal, exploitative and undemocratic institution. Most of our people are illiterate but we are not stupid. We know bad things happening in our country under the chairmanship of BKG=Black King Gyanendra. We must awake now not tomorrow, to tell the world about the character of BKG.

Supreme Court, Revive The House And Get The Country Back On Track, Hurry

That might be the best way out.

In The News

• From the general convention of Nepal’s largest political party ... United We Blog, Nepal Arjunnarsingh KC mobilized his supporters to distribute printed pamphlets in support of his candidacy for the CWC member........ One convention representative from Sarlahi told me that “a huge debate in favor republicanism was going on” inside the hall. “Hya…gantantra ko pakchhya ma sab sathiharu le boli rakheka chhan,” he said. “All friends are speaking in favor of republicanism.” Sitasaran Raya, 56, from Sarlahi-1, who appeared to be coming out of the hall to buy four sticks of ciggerates (he didn’t reveal the brand despite my repeated attempts to know. Surya? I wanted know. He, in dhoti and kurta, just said this: Hami jasto sarbasadharan le kaha testo khane. (How come common people like myself afford such brand?] Before puffing, he expressed his hope that the party would pass a concrete resolution in favor of Gantantra......... Manamohan Park ...... “NC and CPN UML commanded 70 % members in the parliament,” I overheard a man, in dhaka topi and kurta suruwal with ‘Kangressi’ waistcoat. “They could have amended the constitution as per their wish. But they kept fighting with each other. And ministers from the parties ran after their own personal interests.” ......... Almost every one outside the office (those who were not representatives) expressed opinions in favor of democratic republicanism. But at the same time many of them thought it was next to impossible to see Girija Prasad Koirala defeated in the contest for presidency of the party with Narahari Acharya. One Nepali Student’s Union, sister organization of NC, wanted to know my opinion after I asked him a couple of questions. “I would love to see Naharari as the new president of the party. Is that possible?” He, who was giving lectures about the need of republicanism, became pale and visibly shocked and took out his long and partly red tongue. “Oh..my god. What are you talking about?” ...... despite of all the debates going on in the party and despite of overwhelming majority supporting the democratic republicanism, Koirala will no doubt win the election ....... Koirala is a “necessary evil.” ....... . And then it will be like “Nepali Congress Jindabad, Bhag Shanti Jay Nepal, Siddhanta jati tokari ma Faal.”
• Nepal king renews talks offer BBC News Gyanendra likened the dispute between the monarchy and political parties to the relationship between a husband and wife, saying that the closer they are the more they quarrel........ He said that if the government had addressed some of the demands the Maoists had put to the authorities nine years ago, Nepal would not have plunged into a 'ditch'....... The king said that his administration was now addressing some of these issues, such as the uplift of lower castes and women.......
  
• King Gyanendra has to 'wake up': Mulford Chennai Online In strong comments on the developments in Nepal, US Ambassador David Mulford today said King Gyanendra has to "wake up" to the long term effect of the "deteriorating" situation on the Himalayan Kingdom and have a "rethink" on the Maoist problem...... Neither India nor the US is in a position to intervene directly ..... the deteriorating circumstances, deteriorating economy and frightening away of investments ....... he is going have increasing difficulty keeping his position vis-a-vis the Maoists unless he rethinks on it ....... Mulford said the US was opposed to Maoists "in all shapes and forms.
• NEPAL: King, politicians and rebels no nearer to talks Reuters AlertNet, UK ...... "I too am accountable to the people. If they [the parties] go to the people and speak clearly, then there is room for talks," said the king. ....... The seven political parties responded to the suggestion from the king by rejecting any possibility that they might participate in any discussions........ "We have already had several talks with the king in the past but none of them had any positive results," said Amik Sherchan ....... "There is no meaning to his offer until he gives up his power and hands over the government to the people's representatives," added Sherchan........ The seven parties said that they are not even willing to consider the royal restoration of parliament, if such an offer is made by the king....... "We don't want it to be restored by the king. Such a move can only be made constitutionally and that would be through the Supreme Court," explained Sherchan........ The Supreme Court has already begun a hearing on a petition to reinstate the country's parliament which was dissolved three years ago........ The political groups say they want an all-party interim government which would then negotiate with Maoists rebels....... some political leaders disagree saying that the turning down of the king's offer of talks is a counterproductive act...... Maoist insurgents to be responsible for the killing of civilians and that they had violated international obligations under humanitarian law. The investigation also found that the state authorities were in breach of their own responsibilities under international humanitarian law through their failure to take precautions to protect the civilian population.......... News reports currently suggest that Maoist forces have shown no commitment to confidence-building measures by abstaining from launching attacks against politicians, journalists, unarmed government officials or rural NGO staff.
• Indian leaders denied meeting with jailed Nepali ex-PM:- Webindia123, India ...... prevented three visiting Indian politicians from meeting deposed prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba .... Basudev Acharya of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) ...... Ramesh Dixit of the Congress and D.P. Tiwari, secretary of Nepal Democracy Solidarity Committee.... The three leaders were accompanied by Deuba's wife Dr Arju Deuba, acting head of the deposed leader's Nepali Congress (Democratic) party Gopal Man Shrestha, former ministers from Deuba's party Homnath Dahal and Bimalendra Nidhi and the wife of Prakash Man Singh..... The Indian leaders were part of a delegation from India that came here to attend the general convention of the kingdom's largest party, the Nepali Congress...."It is strange that the Nepal government did not allow us to meet Deuba and Singh, both of whom are political prisoners," Dixit told the media...... The Indian leaders said the Royal Commission for Corruption Control...was unconstitutional and should be disbanded immediately..... Both Deuba and Singh have challenged the verdict in the Supreme Court.
• UML constitutes "Movement Secretariat" Kantipur Online, Nepal a 14-member "People's Movement Secretariat" ... another 5-member committee headed by leader Bam Dev Gautam to facilitate coordination and cooperation with other political parties.
• NC convention endorses CWC proposal Kantipur Online, Nepal ... unanimously endorsed its Central Working Committee's (CWC) proposal to omit "constitutional monarchy" from the party statute. overwhelming support form the representatives to the party's decision ....Ram Chandra Poudel, said the policy changes in the party has driven the party towards a golden age...... One of the major changes in the party statute is that it made it obligatory for party cadres to renew their active member every year instead of once in five years...... Present members Ram Chandra Poudel, Shailaja Acharya, Sushil Koirala, Mahesh Acharya, Khum Bahadur Khadka, Gobinda Raj Joshi, Arjun Narsingh KC, Mahanta Thakur, Krishna Sitoula, Bal Bahadur Rai and Baldev Majgaiya are contesting for the next term. ...... Dr Ram Sharan Mahat, Chakra Bastola, Laxman Ghimire, Gopal Pahadi, Ram Krishna Tamtrakar, Binay Dhoj Chand, Dr Ram Baran Yadav, Sunil Bhandari, Farmullah Mansoor and Lila Koirala are other to run for the next term...... Invitee member in the CWC Bhim Bahadur tamang has also filed candidacy for CWC membership....... There are half a dozen candidates from Koirala family alone. GP, Sushil, Shailaja, Dr Sashank, Ashok and Lila Koirala are from Koirala family..... 3 p.m was the deadline for withdrawing the nomination, but nobody withdrew their candidacy.
• NBA calls Maoists for immediate release of Pili captives PeaceJournalism.com, Nepal .... Nepal Bar Association (NBA) today called upon the Maoist insurgents to immediately release the 52 security men taken hostage by them during a clash in Pili, Kalikot district, last month
• 986 people still missing: NHRC Kantipur
  
• RCCC orders to release Parajuli on bail Kantipur ..... stated in the charge sheet against him that the former minister earned Rs. 15,380,000 through illegal means while holding public posts between 2051 BS to 2056 BS...... the Commission also today took statement from Bamdev Deep Adhikari, Survey Officer at the Land Management Training Centre, Dhulikhel...... charge of amassing approximately Rs. 5,900,000 through illegal means
• Narayan Wagle gets Madan Puraskar Kantipur .... Palpasa Café, the debut novel by Wagle, had created a new "fastest selling" record in the Nepali book publication history. The second edition of the novel has already hit bookstores after 5,000 copies were sold out in the first month of its release in the end of July..... award carries a purse of Rs. 200,000.
• Kantipur Report On Saptari Mass Rape Is False INSN ..... On August 23, Kantipuronline and Kantipur daily reported that a group of Maoist raped 25 Dalit women in Saptari district. Believing in this report, world media and human rights activists and Dalit activists in Nepal and around the world well publicized it. Janadesh weekly, referring to district leadership of CPN (Maoist) reported that the crime was committed by government backed vigilantes. Between August 28, 2005 and today we got several reports on this crime and learned that Maoists killed one of the culprits and apprehended five of them....... The local citizens had told to the investigation team that the real victim of this case was a Shyam Devi Khatwe, Dalit women, from Jagatpur-4- Saptari.On the basis of this informatation provided by local inhabitants, the team had reached the victim’s home. The investigation team had met to Mr. Rupesh Khatwe, husband of victim, and inquired about incident of what happening. It was reported by him to the investigation team that he was in Kathmandu when the incident took place and returned to home immediately after knowing the incident. He had accepted in the presence of the investigation team that his wife had been raped. He also told the investigation team that other people who had been raped are not ready to speak something on this case due to fear and threat........ his mother was scolding members of the investigation team while it was taking information on the spot........ the numbers of rape victims was not 25 as reported in Kantipur...... According to victims, a group of 5 people had told to prepare food on the day of the incident and come here in between 10:00 PM to 2:00 PM when incident took place. The persons in that group were Dinsesh Sardar (local), Pradip Gupta, Devkant Yadav, Lalit Chaudhary and Shambhu Chaudhary as reported by locals to this team...... local Maoist area no 1 had killed Shambhu Chaudhary on 25 August 2005........ feeling insecurity, social pressure, and economic crisis from all around due to their miserable condition after this incident
  

Redesigning The Monarchy

I think this might be the best way out of the political paralysis. Start here: Proposed Constitution. And replace Article 5 with the one from an earlier version of the same document:

Article 5: The Monarchy

1. The monarch is the guardian of the constitution and the one who formally invites formations of governments from the parliaments and formally inducts governments.
2. The first born, son or daughter, is heir to the throne.
3. The monarch's immediate family - defined as parent(s), wife, children, and grandchildren, and others in direct lineage, the monarch's siblings and their children, and above the law - is to get annual allowances from the state at the 1991 levels. The amount may not be reduced by the parliament. The monarch may request the parliament increases to the allowance through the Prime Minister at any time. Such allowances are not to be taxed, although businesses owned by members of the said family will be subject to taxation and the law.
4. The monarch may decide to retire at an age of his or her choosing, or not.
5. It is a state goal to open up enough holdings of the royal family with consent from the monarch to tourists so as to offset the state expenditure on the monarchy through revenue from tourism. Rituals may also be designed and included.
   
6. The monarch may opt to appoint a Prince/Princess for each state, to be called Prince/Princess of Purbanchal/Madhyamanchal/Paschimanchal from among the members of the royal family, or not. The monarch may also choose to appoint members that might have married into the family. Such appointments may be rescinded by the monarch at any time. The title comes with extra allowances from the state and a state-funded residence in the state capital. The spouse of the appointed royal family member gets the accompanying title.
7. Members of the royal family may marry individuals of their choice, not necessarily from certain families, or from within the country.
8. The monarch will give the annual State Of The Kingdom address, the speech to be crafted by the Prime Minister summarizing the achievements in the public and the private sectors over the past year and outlining a vision for the future years.
9. It is for the monarch to decide as to who in the political arena or the media to meet for private or public audiences. The monarch may also send political directives of advisory nature to the parliament throught the Prime Minister at any time, none of which is to be binding.
   
10. The monarchy may be abolished with a 75% vote in the national parliament.

The seven parties and the Maoists will have to come around to Articles 1,2,3,4,6 and 7. And in turn the king agrees to Article 5.

I am presenting a monarchy in a form that does not exist anywhere. This is not imitating Japan or Britain. And I am also presenting a democracy that does not exist anywhere, not in America, not in India.

The Maoists need to make note of Article 1.8: Political parties may not engage in fund-raising activities. Instead each national party, described as those that garnered at least 5% of the votes in the previous nationwide elections, will get an annual sum that will be directly proportional to the number of votes it earned. That money is to be used for party-building and electioneering activities. Details of expenses are to be posted online in the three languages to the last paisa on at least an annual basis.

Also Articles 6.10, 6.11, 6.12, and 6.13.

Prachanda might particularly like Article 7.1: The national capital is to be shifted from Kathmandu to the Chitwan valley within 10 years of this constitution getting promulgated.

The monarchy I have designed is in several ways better than a republic anyone else could.

1. It has zero political power: Article 2.4. And the monarch still gets seen and heard: Article 5.8.
2. It does not cost the country a dime: Article 5.5. You end up with a monarchy that is cheaper than a president and governors might be.
   

I consider it my democratic responsibility to work to preserve the monarchy in a ceremonial form, because that is what the people want.

I have said this before. Let the three warring factions and all the component parties take a look at this document. Seek points you all can agree on. Things you can not agree on can be decided upon through a Constituent Assembly. What say you? All you have to do is take a look at the document, pen in hand, check all items you like, cross all items you dislike, and add a list of items you would add if you could. How hard can that be? As easy as a multiple choice question test.

This is like every party to the conflict is being given a blank slate and being told, okay so right down all you want. That is what it is. My document just provides a framework so there is some discipline to the process. And such that agreements and disagreements can be aired publicly. The process can stay transparent.

Katrina

I was reading through the Cindy Sheehan coverage: many think parallels can be drawn with the Vietnam protests by now, the early stages. My personal views on the Iraq War are a little more nuanced and it is not pro or anti war. I am for spreading democracy the progressive way. And that is where Nepal comes in. Tomorrow evening I will be attending a DFNYC meeting to put forth the same case. DFNYC, Democracy For New York City, is the largest Howard Dean group in the country.

But Cindy Sheehan has a definite message for the Nepali democrats in terms of what peaceful protests can do. The message is of hope. Infact there is nothing more powerful.

And while I was going about that, there is no escaping Katrina, the hurricane that devastated New Orleans and the larger area. There also I see a message, here for the three warring factions in Nepal, especially the two armed ones. It takes a major natural catastrophe sometimes to give people perspective.

I have driven along those sections of Interstate 10 numerous times. Bridges I have crossed many times have been ripped apart. Like they were made of cardboard. Nature is powerful. We are merely passing by. If we were to approach the peace process with that humility, we could make quicker progress.

Once, it was the Arkansas River in Oklahoma. I was about five hours late. The bridge on the river collapsed, and cars and trucks kept driving into the abyss: it was the dark of night. Early morning.

Life is fleeting.

So we have to make do with what we have got.

Artificial catastrophes like civil wars look extra tragic when we compare them to the helplessness we might feel towards, say, Katrina. 80% of New Orleans, the big city Bill Clinton is most emotionally attached to, is under water. The guy must be devastated.

On another note, I once drove overnight through a hurricane. The rainfall is horizontal. It was not the strongest kind, but it was still officially a hurricane. The road was mostly deserted.