Friday, September 23, 2005

What's Going On In Nepal


Nepal has 27 million people, so you should think of it as California. It is big. It is the second poorest country on the planet with much of the wealth concentrated in the capital city Kathmandu. It has the gorgeous Himalayas in the north, but more than half its people live in the southern plains of the Terai. I am from the south. I went to school in Kathmandu though, a few years junior to the prince who massacred most of his family in 2001, and classmate to the current prince.

Nepal had a democratically elected government in 1959. In 1960 the current king's father brushed it aside in a military coup promising to restore democracy in six years. It was not until 1990 that the people were able to earn back democracy through a mass movement.

In 1996 the Maoists started their insurgency. It grew over the years, and grew even more after the Shakespearean palace massacre of 2001, and several rounds of peace talks, each of which failed because the government refused to come around to the Maoist middle ground demand of a roundtable conference, interim government and a Constituent Assembly. Mind you, it is a Constituent Assembly that the US brought forth in Iraq.

The current king is the middle brother. The oldest and the youngest died in the massacre.

Democratic prime minister Deuba dissolved the parliament in 2002. But he was not able to hold elections within six months as required by the constitution because the Maoist insurgency was too strong in most parts of the country. The king dismissed him using emergency powers. After that he appointed a succession of prime ministers. On February 1, 2005, he went overboard. He totally took over. Ever since the Deuba dismissal, the royal palace and the army budgets have been increased like crazy. Nepal has one of the worst human rights records on the planet, bad enough that some in the ruling clique might as well end up at the Hague.

As of now, this is a triangular conflict: the Monarchists, the Maoists and the democrats.

On 2/1, the king proclaimed he will rule for three years, that he will hold municipal elections within a year, and parliamentary elections within three. And once the country has a parliament, democracy will be back on track. He has interpreted the emergency articles in the 1990 constitution to basically revive his father's brand of autocracy and people, but has refused to use the same to revive the 1999 House that got dismissed early and unwisely by Deuba. The Supreme Court is now looking into the issue, but whether or not it will revive the House is anyone's guess.

The Deputy Prime Minister who got deposed and arrested on 2/1 was recently in New York City and I got to show him around. I also have been in direct contact with many leaders in the democratic camp. Recently I received an email from Madhav Nepal who leads the largest party in Nepal and might as well emerge the commander of the movement.

The Maoists launched their insurgency with the goal of establishing a communist republic. But now they claim their goal is a Democratic Republic, like in America or India, democracy but no king. Curiously the parliamentarty democratic parties have also gone impatient on the king and have turned republican.

Only a few weeks back the Maoists declared a unilateral ceasefire and totally threw the regime off balance. The king had to cancel his trip to Europe and America after that. But the king and his coterie have not reciprocated. I think that shows they need a low intensity insurgency to continue in power.

My efforts are geared towards leaving the king a respectful opening with a limited time frame, and if he does not come around to it, to forge a strong alliance of the Maoists and the democrats to herald a democratic republic into the country. More important, I have also proposed a constitution that might establish a real cutting edge democracy in Nepal. One that is as classless as it gets. A total, transparent democracy. It is the same concept that I have been trying to apply to Democracy For America. So in a way, Nepal is also a human laboratory for the American progressives.

My emphasis has been to realize there is no military solution to the insurgency and to engage the Maoists in a respectful dialogue, something no Nepali government has done to date, and instead they blame the Maoists for the breakdowns in the prior peace talks. I have gone so far as to synthesize their emphasis on classlessness and the democrats' need for a peaceful, multi-party democracy. There are some very smart people in the Maoist leadership, and I do feel they are capable of reason. I mean, I am for an interim government and a Constituent Assembly with or without the Maoists. So of course I think the country should come around to their just demands.

I expect this winter to really heat up. I expect there to be a major mass movement for democracy in the country. And I would like to extend all moral and logistical support I can. But so far my fellow democrats have not even come up with a political program or a leader. They are working on it. I think once there is a clear, concise political program of the seven democratic parties, hundreds of thousands of people will flow into the streets.

I have explained how turning Nepal into the Ukraine for 2005 is key for DFA. I need your help. I need us to tap on the existing nationwide DFA network in all 50 states to call up as many people on Capitol Hill as possible to extend moral support to the movement for democracy in Nepal. Nepal has to emerge on our MeetUp/LinkUp agenda nationwide. Help!

CIA - The World Factbook -- Nepal
Nepal News
Nepal : Country Studies - Federal Research Division, Library of ...
Nepal - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nepal WWW Virtual Library

DFNYC
DFA

CC: "Tracey Denton"
From: "Heather Woodfield/DFNYC"
Subject: Re: To: DFNYC
Date: Wed, 21 Sep 2005 08:21:11 -0400
To: "Paramendra Kumar Bhagat"

Paramendra,

I love that you are championing this issue. I'm not entirely sure where to begin, but I'm open to your suggestions or rather "Advocacy Plan." Do you want to write a piece for the website on the progress of Democracy for Nepal? Keep it to 500 words or be sure to explain it for an audience that knows nothing about Nepal, I would conjecture that most of our members do not.

-h

On Sep 17, 2005, at 11:14 PM, Paramendra Kumar Bhagat wrote:

http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2005/09/to-dfnyc.html 1

Date: Sun, 18 Sep 2005 12:43:13 -0400
From: "Tracey Denton/DFNYC"
To: "Paramendra Kumar Bhagat"
Subject: Re: [Alerts] Rally Today for a Democratic Nepal

hey PKB,

Sorry I couldn't make it to the rally - couldn't get out of work.

........

As for DFN - I am so excited. This is what I think we need to add to the efforts you've already done. First, a page on the DFNYC site, democracy for Nepal. We should put the link to your blog on that site, but I also think we need (1) a clear concise explanation of what's happening over there, (2) a list of any groups that you think are doing a decent job of promoting democracy the progresive way, including the absence and/or limitations of such groups. And we should consider at some point adding pictures and action items, for example, call your senators/congressperson and tell them ___________ about Nepal.

Once we get that up there, we should start telling our people to email you if they are interested in this "democracy the progressive way" committee, and then we go from there. have you bought the domain name democracyfornepal? If not, I can, and I would set up forwarding. No need to build a new webspace when we have plenty of web real estate.

The beginning, wait no, the MIDDLE, of something inspiring!

-Tracey

Tracey Denton
www.DemocracyforNYC.org - local DFA group
www.DemocracyforNewYork.org - state coalition of DFA groups
Email: tdenton@dfnyc.org

Date: Fri, 16 Sep 2005 00:51:27 -0400
From: "Tracey Denton/DFNYC"
To: info@dfnyc.org
CC:
Subject: [Alerts] Rally Today for a Democratic Nepal

Paramendra Kumar Bhagat, who recently transferred here from the DFA group in Indiana, would like DFNYC members to join in a rally for a Democratic Nepal at noon today (Friday).

What: Rally for a democratic Nepal
When: Today, Friday, Sept. 16, noon-4pm
Where: Dag Hammarskjold Park near the UN
Why: To mark Nepal's participation at the UN Assembly and raise awareness of the struggle for democracy in Nepal.

Letter to the UN Assembly regarding King Gyanendra Shah's abuses, from Alliance for Democracy and Human Rights in Nepal
http://samudaya.org/dissent/archives/2005/08/on_the_kings_ar.php

A message from Paramendra:

Nepalis and friends of Nepal wish to express solidarity with the peaceful demonstrators who have been braving police batons and tear gas shells in the streets of Nepal.

A rally for a democratic Nepal will meet at Dag Hammarskjold Park on September 16th, 2005, to mark Nepal's participation at the UN assembly. The king was to show up, but he chickened out. Now the rally is to help shape world opinion.

Where does DFNYC come in? It is about spreading democracy the progressive way.

Date: September 16, 2005, Friday.
Time: 12-4 PM.
Where: Near the UN building. Get off at the 42nd street station. And walk over to the Dag Hammarskjold Park.

You don't have to stay the entire time.

Want to learn more about the movement in Nepal?
Go to: http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com

- Paramendra Kumar Bhagat, paramendra@yahoo.com

--
Tracey Denton
www.DemocracyforNYC.org - local DFA group
www.DemocracyforNewYork.org - state coalition of DFA groups
Email: tdenton@dfnyc.org

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Wednesday, September 21, 2005

For The First Time In A Decade, Permanent Peace Feels Possible




I really feel that. Permanent peace feels within reach. And it is for the democrats, the seven party coalition to not mess things up.

One fear I have is that the three large components of the coalition, the UML, the Koirala Congress and the Deuba Congress, might get in a hurry to compete with the Maoists politically. It is very important to understand the step 1, step 2, step 3 thing.

After the Maoists have disarmed and become part of the interim government, then all parties compete openly. Each party will have anywhere between six and 12 months to compete. That is plenty of time to expand, and if you can't expand then, perhaps you don't deserve to.

But now is not the time. As long as the ceasefire is maintained, the parties should encourage the Maoists to set up their village committees and organize peaceful protest programs.

Step 1: Maintain ceasefire. That is key. If we democrats can engage the Maoists in a respectful way, they might even consider extending the ceasefire beyond the three months, if they feel that will help the goal of a constituent assembly.

Step 2: Organize an effective movement for democracy that culminates in an interim government. Even at this point you are not competing with the Maoists for political space. Don't get paranoid.

Step 3: Interim government of the seven parties. Even here you are not yet competing with the Maoists politically.

Step 4: Respectful peace talks with the Maoists that might or might not involve the UN, culminating with a Maoist disarmament, and their participation in the interim government.

Step 5: Run up to the elections for a Constituent Assembly. At this point you compete. But do not compete before this point. Trust the Nepali people. If you can offer them the best political program, they will vote for you.

This is not to suggest the parties should stay out of the villages, not at all. The reverse is true. Go in, organize, reenergize your rural bases. But encourage the Maoists also to do the same.

If they maintain the ceasefire, and come forth in peaceful protest programs, as they have said they will, all the glory to them. That is what we want, that is what we need. That is the best they are in a position to do at this point in time.

Remember, it is step 1, step 2, step 3. The conflict has to be resolved in stages.

I am very pleased with the ongoing talks between the two camps. That is how you do it. You talk, back and forth and back and forth, until you have hammered things out.

The chips are all falling in place. Don't mess things up.

In The News
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The Mutual Attraction: King G And Tulsi Giri


This king's fundamental inclinations are ultra-right. His actions speak lound and clear. The kind of people you feel comfortable with says a lot about who you are, what your priorities are, the segment of the political spectrum you occupy.

His top choice was Tulsi Giri, the person who helped Mahendra dismantle democracy in 1960. This is not even a monarchist. This is an ultra-right ideologue. If he were a monarchist, he would have stomached the limited liberalization of the Panchayat by Birendra. But instead this joker left the country, he got so offended.

Giri's allegiance is not to the crown, but to an isolated segment of far right ideology. Perhaps it is that same segment that King G occupies. And hence the meeting ground between the two.

King G is not that innocent. He is for an activist monarchy, and militarization. Democrats offend him. That is his track record.

I am for Tulsi Giri speaking his mind. I don't expect him to change his thought patterns, but I do want him to reveal the same as much as possible. This is necessary to wake up the lethargic democrats. Before you can make your counter moves, you have to know what it is you are dealing with.

Ahobhagya Shaubhagya: Confusion InThe Monarchist Camp
Physical Abuse Of Peaceful Protestors
Tulsi Giri Is Beyond Redemption

In The News
  • Giri’s attack on constitution is part of a conspiracy: RJP chief NepalNews “There should have been immediate clarification from the chairperson of the cabinet [His Majesty King chairs the cabinet] over Giri’s attack on the constitution of 1990. It’s surprising that there hasn’t been a word yet .... There is conspiracy behind this. This indicates that the state itself is actively working to destroy the constitution. What keeps the chairperson of the cabinet mum when a responsible member of the cabinets goes on attacking the constitution?” ..... the government’s silence on the issue could ‘invite disaster’, leading the people and the political forces to choose their own path...... Dr Giri’s Biratnagar address left no room for confusion as to who is leading the ultra-rightist political coterie in Nepal. “This makes clear who is behind the ultra-rightist movement in the country.”
  • US ambassador meets Koirala the first meeting of the US ambassador with an opposition political leader in the context of the Maoist truce and the intensified agitations of the seven-party alliance
  • NBA files contempt of court case against Dr Giri accused Giri of speaking against the apex court and its Justices ...... contemptuous as he accused the honourable Justices of being influenced by the political parties
  • Thousands take part in peace rally
  • Consumers’ body flays intervention in community forests The “people’s governments” of the Maoists in districts have been pressuring for donations and while the government side is also charging extra ‘revenue’ and has even set up security camps in community forests ..... the directives, which are yet to be implemented fully, the provisions of sharing benefits of ‘mutual forest’ - 25 percent revenue to forest management committee and 75 percent to the government fund whereas it is the other way round in the case of community forests – is unfair. “This is a ploy of the government to make people slaves”..... there are more than 14,000 ‘community forestry committees’ in Nepal and 113,991 hectors of forest area is managed by these committees. In this movement, around 854077 people from 1574029 households have participation.
  • Leaders rap Dr Giri's statement "This is an anti-constitutional, irresponsible and outrageous statement from an unconstitutional official" ...... "It is the grumbling of foolish autocrats." ...... 'a blatant attack on the constitution, press freedom and people's sovereignty'. .....
  • Govt. attorney pleads against incumbent ministers an interesting development, government attorneys have demanded that the Supreme Court (SC) name two ministers in the cabinet, Home Minister Dan Bahadur Shahi and Assistant Minister for Education and Sports Senate Shrestha, as convicts on charges of corruption..... anti-graft constitutional body claimed that Shahi, along with the then minister for agriculture Padma Sundar Lawati, had direct involvement in the smuggling of chemical fertiliser from India, causing revenue losses worth billions of rupees...... The CIAA has claimed that the accused were involved in an embezzlement worth more than Rs. 40 billion.
  • NBA Files Case Against Tulsi Giri Himalayan Times, Nepal
  • Contempt of court case against Giri Kantipur Online
  • Thapa Flays Giri's Remarks Himalayan Times
  • Tulsi Giri’s Firm Finally Clears 20-yr-old Loan Himalayan Times, Nepal
  • Nepal lawyers take king's deputy to court:- Webindia123, India
  • Resurrect constitution Kathmandu Post, Nepal
  • Parties making noise for republic on foreigners’ instigation Gorkhapatra, Nepal
  • Maoist violence still on; villagers, students abducted
  • King planning autocratic constitution: Nepal Kantipur ..... accused the King of planning to draft a new constitution to ban the political parties. ...... the King, after being isolated from the national and international communities, was trying to establish an “autocratic constitution” to restrict the activities of the political parties...... the recent remark made by Cabinet Vice-Chairman Dr. Tulsi Giri was a deliberate expression of the King’s opinion, Nepal warned that the institution of monarchy would come to an end if efforts were made to bring in such a constitution...... “Giri has exposed what’s going on in the King’s mind...... Giri is the King’s puppet, he dances to the King’s tune.” ..... the Maoist problem could be resolved only through a constituent assembly, Nepal, however, argued that the United Nations, not the King, should take initiatives for the same..... the seven-party alliance was doing serious homework on holding talks with the Maoists, Nepal said, “We have been holding frequent talks with them [Maoists].”..... the recent remarks made by Dr Tulsi Giri on the country's constitution are a bad omen for the country's future politics....... had criticized the commission for welcoming the three-month unilateral truce announced by the Maoists...... the government should at least call back the security personnel in the army barracks if it cannot reciprocate the Maoist truce, Giri said in Biratnagar, "How appropriate is it for the government appointed commission member to speak like that?"
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