Follow The Money

Stephen Bezruchka sabez@u.washington.edu
King of Nepal's earnings proprtion compared to other country heads
Date: Mon, 12 Dec 2005 09:13:15 -0800 (PST)

When I was in Nepal, people were leaving Bajura because they were starving. But the royal family seems to be OK. Stephen

How much money does Nepali king earn?

Dear Nepali citizens and foreign lovers of Nepal, You might be wondering why Nepal is still poor when its countries of equal economic status has reached the sky with booming economic development. Let me try to answer - this is one of the reason, I have recently found.

Nepal is one of the poorest counries of the world but Nepal's king is the highest paid king of the world.

The income of Nepali king Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev is :
-2,426 times higher than that of Chinese president
-318 times higher than that of Indian president 301 times higher than that of Pakistani president
-173 times higher than that of Russian president
-57 times higher than that of French president
-15 times higher than that of British president 10 times higher than that of American president

-Netherlands queen's income : Rs. 22,32,00,000 (per capita income Rs 17,25,120 )
-American president earns Rs. 3,24,00,000 (1,15,20,000 returns in tax), (per capita income Rs 25,24,320)
-Japanese king earns Rs. 22,23,52,000 (per capita income Rs.24,15,600)
-Chinese president earns Rs. 1,35,000 (per capita income Rs 67,680)
-Indian president earns Rs. 10,11,000 (per capita income Rs 34,560)
-French president earns Rs 57,96,000 (per capita income Rs 15,84,000)
-Pakistani president earns (after the coup) Rs 10,94,000 (per capita income 29,520)
-British Queen does not get any salary from the state. She has a property of Rs 30,24,00,00,000 (the profit of investiment, after paying the tax, is hers) but even her neckless is the property of the country.
-British president earns Rs 2,19,58,000 (per capita income is Rs 18,16,200)
-Russian president earns Rs 19,03,000 (per capita income is Rs 1,54,000)
-Belgean king receives salary as a civil servant (per capita income is Rs 16,74,000)

And, Nepali king earns Rs 61,91,00,000 (per capita income is Rs 16,560=US$ 230) [This means the Nepali king earns Rs. 19,878 times higher than a citizen. Last year it was 37,385 times higher. Thus a citizen can earn as much as the king earns in a year only after working for 19,000 years or in 316 lives. Ho la!]

Appendix

Nepali royal family is involved in various business. A king does not have to pay tax according to Nepal's constitution. The present king has inherited the property of earlier king's family and nobody knows how much it is. This king has taken Rs 1,06,45,00,000 in past three years for his small family.

Courtsey: Surya Thapa, Mulyankan Monthly (Nov-Dec 2005) US dollar 1 = Rs 72 Nepal has a writing system of giving comma after two digits except the last.

REQUEST: PEASE PRINT THIS AND PASTE IT ON THE NOTICE BOARD OF YOUR OFFICE. THIS WILL GIVE ANSWER TO THE QUEST WHY NEPAL IS ALWAYS SO POOR. PLEASE CIRCULATE THIS PAGE TO YOUR FRIEND - YOU WILL NOT GET ANY FORTUNE BUT WILL CERTAINLY OPEN THEIR EYES.

Thanks,
Nepali Janata

In The News

Over 100 arrested in Kathmandu valley, dozens injured in clashes NepalNews The pain of Nagarkot in Nepali media Don’t play with fire Nepali Times .... The massacre at Nagarkot on Wednesday night drives home the point that continued militarisation can have unintended and tragic consequences. This was not just one drunken soldier running amok, it is symptomatic of a deeper malaise in a military-minded political class that believes everything can be resolved with force..... • How many other soldiers were with Sgt Basudeb Thapa when he returned to the temple with the assault rifle? • Why was he carrying a gun while in civvies? • Doesn’t the RNA have a policy on drunkenness of its soldiers while on furlough? • Not that this makes any difference now, but did Basudeb kill himself or was he shot by a fellow-soldier? • Why was he allowed to check out a gun at the barracks when everyone could see he was drunk? • Why was someone with a history of violence-prone drunkenness allowed to keep serving in the army? .... Given the frequency of such behaviour in the past, it is clear Nagarkot was just waiting to happen...... no commission will address the culture of arrogance, violence and hierarchical indiscipline that was tolerated and gave rise to such atrocities...... the militarisation that the country is going through ...... Once more, our myopic political parties frustrated by the lack of public support for their agitation are trying to make hay while the sun shines by trying to jumpstart their anti-king agitation...... This is nothing new, they have been known for political opportunism and irresponsible incitement while in power, they did it on 1 September when they unleashed Nepal’s first ever politically-coordinated communal pogrom. And now they are playing with fire again by unleashing terror on the streets that could easily turn ethnic.......
SC empowers women to sell their property at their own wish
Students, police clash in Nepal strike over killings Reuters AlertNet, UK
Strike over killings hits Nepal capital Aljazeera.net
Nepal parties call general strike against killings Stuff.co.nz
Nepal in ferment over massacre NewKerala.com
Killings spark violent anti-King demonstrations in Nepal Outlook (subscription), India
Nepal soldier kills 12, protest turns anti-King Indian Express, India
Nepal's Opposition Stages Emergency-Rule Protest in Kathmandu Bloomberg

20,000 And 100,000 And Clarity

On December 2 the UML held a rally in Baneshwar and 100,000 people or more showed up. Yesterday it was the seven party coalition at the same place with over 20,000 people.

Before that the UML managed to show 100,000 people in a place like Butwal. It was able to mobilize a few districts at once. The UML also had impressive shows in other places.

A few days after the UML rally on December 2, the Nepali Congress had a poor rally in Biratnagar, supposedly a bastion. The crowd size was more like 20,000. It was a much smaller crowd it showed in Bhaktapur.

What is going on? For one, the ground reality is that the Nepali Congress is no longer the largest party in the country after its vertical split.

But then if the UML can get 100,000 people, for the seven parties it should be 100,000 plus. But instead the numbers go down drastically. What's going on?

I think it has everything to do with a fundamental lack of clarity and coordination.

The UML has clarity. It has come out for a democratic republic.

But the seven party coalition has been held hostage by the Nepali Congress. That alliance is not even solidly behind a constituent assembly, let alone a democratic republic. Girija's plan is to revive the House and then revive the 1990 constitution. You don't need a revolution for that. If that be your goal, you are better off participating in the king's elections.

The Nepali Congress has a right to pick and choose its political stances. That is what democracy is. It can pick the leader it wants, it can pick its ideology, it can make its policy choices. But instead of secretly fantasizing about reviving the 1990 constitution, the Congress has the option to pick parts of the 1990 constitution it likes and then fight for those elements in the next constitution. A constituent assembly will allow that.

The seven party alliance does not have to come out for a democratic republic, but it does have to unequivocally come out for a constituent assembly. That it has not. Unless the House revival stance is ditched, the alliance's commitment to the constituent assembly is suspect.

That is not me preaching. That is what the people seem to be saying with their feet. Just look at the numbers.

The people are not afraid of the king, the army, the police or with Tulsi Giri. The people are not afraid. But they need a clarity of vision from the seven party alliance that has so far been missing.

An interim government under an interim constitution that will take the country to a constituent assembly is clarity of vision. The House revival idea is not. This is not a minor issue. This is the key issue. This is what is holding everything back. This is what made the king's misadventures possible. This has been the blunder of the decade.

The House revival idea does not excite people. That idea does not fire their imagination.

Autocracy is wrong, a communist republic would be wrong, but the 1990s were no heaven. The House revival idea is a promise to take the country to the past. The past was not that good. The people want to move towards the future, a bright future. A constituent assembly would be that bright future.

And the seven party alliance needs to have a permanent committee of seven individuals that meets at least once a week. No such thing exists. No wonder there tends to be little coordination.

But then there is a mirror image of the same among the diaspora Nepalis.

For the longest time the prevailing mood was that only moral support was to be extended. Organizations would labor to put out press statements. Those too would be few and far between.

Finally there was this shift of mood. Moral as well as logistical support was to be extended. That was nothing akin to the Maoists moving from a communist republic to a democratic republic. And I feel that more strongly more time that passes.

Then the next big achievement was to identify these five projects that we were going to work on, and we are working on.

I took that one step further. I said:

(1) Join one of the five projects, donate $100: Nepal 5, Nepal 1000.
(2) Critique the Proposed Constitution.

And the house collapsed. I got kicked out of the online forum: NDF Owner, Stop This Nonsense, Reinstate Immediately. I think I have some idea now how Baburam Bhattarai might have felt under "protective custody."

What offended people? People made no secret of the fact that I was looking like a leader, and they were offended. (Time For Madhesi Militancy Is Now)

I had been incorporating all suggestions that were being brought forth. I suggested raising money online and I created a webpage. There was this major hue and cry. I incorporated literally every single alternate idea that came along. Why? Money is good no matter how you raise it. All money raising ideas are good as long as money gets raised and book keeping is transparent, some at the level of all peoples, some only at the committee level.

People complained I seemed to be getting a lot of publicity and was looking like the leader. I suggested a cloud model of group dynamics, not because I am publicity shy, but because I concluded that would be the most efficient, effective way. Your "glow" in the galaxy is directly proportional to your activity level. And there was to be no barrier to entry at any level of involvement for anyone.

Level 1: You are committed to the democracy cause. (90%)
Level 2: You are for democracy, but the democracy movement is a spectator sport for you. You will watch, or you will watch and whine. (70%)
Level 3: You are for it, and you would like to actively contribute. (20%)
Level 4: Show up for your local Every Sunday 11 AM solidarity meeting. (5%)
Level 5: Donate $100, and then sit back and watch how that money goes into one of the 5 projects. (2%)
Level 6: Join one of the 5 teams. (0.1%)
Level 7: Become a Project Manager of one of the 5 teams. (0.01%)
Level 8: Be part of more than one project.
Level 9: Be part of all projects.
Level 10: Be part of all levels and all projects, and constantly be looking at the big picture.

I guess this would be put me at level 10. But that is still not a pyramid. Why? Because there is no barrier to entry for anyone at any level. Nothing prevents anyone else from also getting involved at Level 10. You will have access to the same news sources, the same discussions, the same data, the same numbers, many of the same people, many of the same phone numbers. The more the merrier. It truly is.

But then there are hitherto unnamed people who secretly believe they are the chairpersons of the whole thing. That would not be as offensive if they were actually putting in some work. But to them it is a status thing. Work or no work, they are at the top. And they don't even have names, many of them.

The work has been slightly disrupted, temporarily, but it has not been stopped.

I am going to keep working the underground to try and get me reinstated to the Nepal Democracy Forum. But I already have had people call me and suggest the comments sections of this very blog would be a better forum. For one, it would be open. I dig the idea, kind of. There are less than five active people at that forum in the first place. This blog has a much wider readership than that forum.

But I do want to be reinstated.

Another thing that came up is quite a few people at that forum are leery of attaching their names to the work being done. It is perfectly okay for them to work anonymously or to not work at all. But they go one step further: they stop the work! They get in the way! They will not do it themselves, and they will not let others do it. And these are people with sound democratic credentials. Speed of execution of plans is not an issue to some of these revolutionaries.

I believe I have given sound answers to every single criticism that got heaped my way. And if there are more, I would be more than happy to take them in the comments section right here. Criticisms on fundraising methods, criticisms on hiearchies within the movement work, I have dealt with them all. If you want to glow brighter than me, put in the hours. Don't begrudge that I am glowing. As far as I am concerned, publicity is the biggest chunk of the work. The more noise we make, the better for the freedom fighters in Nepal. So don't be complaining that we are partly succeeding.

And there is to be no compromise on free speech. It is weird that so many Nepalis with such advanced degrees from major American institutions do not get free speech. Free speech does not come with ifs and buts. I have heard some really weird excuses. "Oh, but we are family." "We are just a group of friends." "What you are saying is right, what is not right is the way you are saying it." "Such and such has such and such degree from such and such place." It is okay to say all those things and more, but it is not okay to say that or anything else and go ahead and curb free speech. If you disagree, you express your disagreement, you don't proceed to shut up the other person.

Maybe the seven party alliance and the diaspora Nepalis are not that different from each other.

Write A Thank You Email To Congressman Walsh

rep.james.walsh@mail.house.gov

Thank you for your support for Nepal

Congressman Walsh.

I just read in news your explicit support for the democracy loving people of Nepal. I also learned you did a Peace Corps stint in Nepal.

Please keep up your staunch support to the democracy movement, and please get others on Capitol Hill to join you in a big way. All your colleagues should make five minutes of time for Nepal. They can't afford not to. Spreading democracy is and always has been a security issue for America.

I thank you, Sir.

Paramendra Bhagat
Brooklyn, NY


I just sent this and I think you should too.


Let people decide what they want: US Congressman Nepalnews.com, Nepal Interacting with the journalists through video conferencing at the US Centre in Kathmandu on Thursday, Walsh said, “Let the people decide whether to adopt a new constitution or retain the existing one” ...... Expressing dissatisfaction over the king’s moves, Walsh further said, “We are deeply disappointed over his actions like attack on civil liberties, press freedoms and others,” adding, “The political consultation we provide to the king is to restore such rights.” ...... the congressman said that bringing Maoists to mainstream politics was urgent ...... restoration of civil liberties, works towards restoration of democratic process still are the US conditions for arms supply to Nepal...... Speaking on the occasion, Director for the South Asian Affairs at the US state Department, Steve J Blake, said that US has no problem with the idea of inviting foreign mediation in Nepal's peace process if the King and parties agree to do so....... questioned the credibility of proposed polls in the absence of broader public liberties and freedom to express their views.....
Nepalis should decide their destiny: US Congressman Kantipur Online
Walsh is known as money man here Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, NY After nearly 17 years in office, the genial Republican from Onondaga, Onondaga County, has become one of the most powerful money men in the House...... New York state Democrats acknowledge that Walsh — who won with 91 percent of the vote in 2004 and 72 percent in 2002 — will be tough to beat as he seeks a 10th term next year...... Democrats who work with Walsh on the Appropriations Committee said he is seen as bipartisan. "He puts the interests of veterans above partisan politics," said Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Texas, the senior Democrat on Walsh's subcommittee..... Walsh, a moderate, said he tries to avoid the ideological battles that divide many of his colleagues. The 58-year-old former social worker and Peace Corps volunteer spends his spare time on the Hill trying to promote democracy in Nepal and peace in Northern Ireland.... . "I don't particularly like to fight with people," Walsh said. "Maybe it comes from being a middle child and trying to get along with everybody."...... "I've learned that with enough patience and perseverance, you can usually get what you want." ...... US: Talks possible only if rebels give up arms Gorkhapatra, Nepal Congressman James Walsh (R), another speaker in the discussion on “Congress, US Foreign Policy and Nepal” organised by the American Center at the American Library this evening, said that the Maoist revolution in Nepal is a bad thing as there can be no private army in democracy, adding that dialogues with the Maoists would be possible only if they lay down their weapons..... Walsh was a Peace Corps volunteer from 1970-72 and visited Nepal many other times later and Blake served as a consular officer at the US Embassy in Kathmandu from 1994-1996...... he wanted to see a democratic and peaceful Nepal. “But we can’t force for that to happen.” ..... Blake suggested to first solve the current political problem that would give constitutional forces strength to deal with the Maoists......

Walsh, Jim - 25th District An avid sportsman who hunts, fishes, and skis on a regular basis, Mr. Walsh and his wife live in the Town of Onondaga, a suburb of Syracuse. They have three adult children, Jed, Ben and Maureen, and are parishioners of Most Holy Rosary Church. Mr. Walsh's father, William F. Walsh, served as Mayor of Syracuse from 1961-69, and as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Central New York and the Finger Lakes region from 1973-78.
Jim Walsh For US Congress
New York in the 109th Congress (1st Session)
Peace Corps Online | March 31, 2002 - US Congress: Biography of ...

In The News

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SC empowers women to sell their property at their own wish
Journos defy government order
Let people decide what they want: US Congressman
Oppn parties to protest Nagarkot killings on Friday; NHRC starts probe
Nepal parties call general strike against killings Stuff.co.nz, New Zealand
Nepal's Opposition Stages Emergency-Rule Protest in KathmanduBloomberg
Thousands march in Nepal to protest killing of 11 civilians Outlook (subscription)
Nepal army fires on villagers MSNBC
Armymen shoot dead 13 civilians in central Nepal People's Daily Online, China
Monarchy fountainhead of all problems: political leaders Webindia123
Seven Party Show in New Baneshwor United We Blog, Nepal
Let people decide what they want: US Congressman Kathmandu Post, Nepal
Strike over civilian killings paralyses Kathmandu Reuters
Strike over civilian killings paralyses Kathmandu Khaleej Times, United Arab Emirates
Mandal launches book on Royal step Gorkhapatra, Nepal
SC allows daughters to sell property Gorkhapatra, Nepal