Democracy For Nepal

Wednesday, February 15, 2006

Organization: Hamro Nepal

This is very much in the discussion phase, and so far the talk has been in a few meetings, a few phone calls, a few emails. I figured why not take it online.

Narayan Singh Pun, I Want Your Number
Your Many Identities
Blogalaxy For Global Democracy

Right to peaceful assembly is a fundamental human right, like free speech. You exercise that right when you join this organization.

Several names came up. One was Alliance For A Democratic Republic Of Nepal, another was Nepal Democracy Network. The name Hamro Nepal has gained currency. It is short, it has a Nepali flavor, it effuses a sense of community.

The primary reason for launching this organization is to send some major logistical support to the democracy movement in Nepal. Most Nepali organizations in the US are social, cultural organizations. The few that are political mostly do event organizing, and press statements. Most organizations claim their charters do not allow for them to extend logistical help. And hence the need for a new organization.

There is much emphasis on making this an organization of those who are for a democratic republic. This has not been decided upon yet. But I wonder if we should stick to the one word, democracy, while being very open to the idea of a democratic republic. That way we will get more people. Even if a democratic republic is what we want, we will only get it if we manage to convince a whole bunch of people to the idea. So we convince them before we let them join us. Or we let them be part of our organization and we convince them. I'd rather we do the work in-house. I am a little wary of political purity that might exclude many.

The organization will not go away once the goal of democracy has been achieved for Nepal. It will stick around to help the process of institution building, and help usher rapid economic growth in the aftermath, for democracy has to deliver. The organization will also be dedicated to the theme of empowering the Nepali diaspora in the host countries. For example, the issue of voting rights for non-citizens in cities like New York.

The methods are of course to be strictly non-violent. But we take it one step further: non-violent militancy: using words like they were bullets. Screen time, face time, phone time. Major, coordinated logistical support to the ongoing movement conducted with a business efficiency and acumen. Membership and work, open as well as clandestine. Outorganize the opponents. Money, message, organization. Creative group dynamics.

Membership fee. $100 per person or equivalent/similar amount in US, Europe, Canada, Japan, Australia. Each country chapter to decide on the amount. The US chapter might do a second $100 round should an emergency situation arise.

Guest members. A country chapter like the US chapter may have guest members from Nepal. These members will have to be sponsored by existing members of the US chapter.

There are to be 10 City Coordinators for each of the major cities in the US. These are people who have the option to meet in person. They are to reflect gender, ethnic and caste diversities. No president, vice president, and so on, to go with the egalitarian theme.

Chapter in India, membership fee more like Rs. 100 or 200.

Membership fees to be revised after the goal of democracy is achieved.

Chapter in Nepal: membership free. But you got to deliver out in the streets. A 10 strong committee of coordinators, one each from the 8 student groups, plus two others.

Members may stay open or stay clandestine: personal choice for the duration of the movement.

Legal details are to be looked into to get the organization registered, for the safe and secure movement of money, to keep the book keeping sound.

There will also be an Executive Committee of the most active members and the leaders of each city chapter. It will have a private Google Group.

Virtual parliament. All members will be invited to join a virtual parliament. Real or assumed names may be used. All members may talk. Anyone may participate in the comments sections. Anyone may read.

Committees will be organized for specific projects. They might have private Google Groups or open spaces like that of the parliament, depending on the need.

For lack of something better, free online polls will be used for voting purposes, to be sent out over email, and not displayed online until after the polls are closed. One IP address will not be able to vote more than once, and there would be a time limit on each such poll. Members could still technically forward around the polls and get sham voters to jack up the results. It is hoped the honor system will be followed. And any poll that has more votes than the size of the voter pool will be automatically invalid.

Maximal use to be made of text, audio and video online.

Those who donate less than $100 are donors. $100 is Member. A Member who finds at least 9 other Members is a Leader. A Leader who finds at least 9 other Leaders is a Senior Leader. The Senior Leaders are members of the Central Committee.

For Kathmandu, the concept is for the decisive street demonstration to surround the Narayanhiti.

Someone willing to go out in the street for the decisive street demonstration is a Member.
If a Member can get at least 9 others to come along, that person is a Leader.
A Leader who can get at least 9 Leaders is a Senior Leader.
A Senior Leader who can get at least 9 Senior Leaders is a Commander.
A Commander who can get at least 9 Commanders is a Senior Commander.

The seven party alliance sits atop this structure.

Method: non-violence. Do not throw bricks. Win over the police. Surround the Narayanhiti with a crowd that is at least 100,000 strong, and do not leave until the goal of a democracy is achieved. The crowd to grow from 100,000 and on. No upper limit. The street demonstration should be the most sophisticated ever carried out in world history. A lot of logistical details will have to be looked into. All possible scenarios will be thought of. To lead to a unilateral declaration of a parallel government of the seven parties and/or House revival.

The first draft. There is too much emphasis on screen time, the online world. There has to be a fundamental shift to face time. To target the 20,000 Nepalis in New York City. We should work on this model, report the work online, and hope to get replicated in the other cities.
Fundraising. Organize house parties. Fundraisers in people's apartments. People come and eat and donate. There is some speech making. There are politial discussions.
Screen time should be secondary to face time. Can we get 500 out of 20,000?
Compile lists of names, phone numbers and email addresses to prepare a mega list for each city starting with New York. Most of the early work could happen over the phone.

Narayan Singh Pun, I Want Your Number

U.S. EMBASSY READY TO EVACUATION AS NEPAL'S KING PLANS FOR EXILE
February 15, 2006

KATHMANDU, NEPAL remains tense as the 7-Party agitation against the Monarchy gains strength and the Maoist continue to have success on the battle-field. Sources within the Palace report the King and his family are preparing for exile.

The recent Municipal elections proved to be a rebuff to the Nepalese King and have been denounced by the 7-Party Alliance, the Maoist, the UN and the International Community as un-democratic.

US Ambassador James Moriarty in a "Town Hall Meeting" for the American Community stressed, "the need for maps to everyone's homes", and promised GPS readings for all homes of US Citizens by February 20th.

"Things are going to get worse in the coming months so please have your "go-bag" ready so that you can evacuate in a minutes notice", the Ambassador warned and described the situation in Nepal as , "a mess and getting worse".

"The Maoist may take advantage of there being no government, and come in and take it over", cautioned the US Ambassador.

The Ambassador said the Maoist are threatening Nepalese employees of the US Gov., as well as Nepalese in US funded projects.

On February-1, 2005, King Gyanendra suspended all civil and democratic rights in Nepal and has ruled with an Iron-Fist from the throne. Journalist, peace and trade union activist, representatives of civil-society, and members and supporters of the 7-Party Alliance have been beaten, arrested, brutalized on a daily basis.

Human-Rights Organizations and the UN have condemned the Nepalese King and the RNA ( Royal Nepalese Army) for Crimes Against Humanity and demanded a return to Constitutional Democracy .

The US, a major arms supplier, and trainer of the RNA has steadfastly condemned any peace-talks between the Maoist insurgents and the 7-Party Alliance, while paying lip-service to peace.

A Senior US Military advisor, retired Army Lieutenant General Edwin P. Smith, President of the Honolulu-based Asian Pacific Center for Security Studies was rushed to Kathmandu last month to access the deteriorating situation. Without US arms and aid the Kingdom would be bankrupt. Economist estimate that after June there will be no possibility of paying civil-servants and the 150,000 strong RNA and police.

The Maoist have threatened the King with execution for, "crimes against the Nepali people".

It is not if, but when King Bir Bikhram Shah will leave the Himalayan Kingdom for exile. The major question is, will the Rana controlled RNA support the New Republic and allow the Maoist to lay down their arms and join the 7-Party Alliance in democratic elections, or will the RNA continue to suppress the democratic aspirations of the Napali people?

...........................................................................
D.MICHAEL VANDEVEER Freelance Journalist (SAJA), contributor to Pacifica's Free Speech Radio News & United We Blog (Voice of Democratic Nepal) Host OUT OF THE BOX KKCR-FM www.kkcr.org , P.O. Box:21218 Thamel, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Possible Framework For A Negotiated Resolution (February 5, 2006)
King's Peace Overture To Maoists: Fake Or Real? (December 14, 2005)
The Lake Freezes At 32 Degrees Fahrenheit Like Magic (May 26, 2005)

Minister Pun for dialogue with parties

Minister for Land Reforms and Management and president of Nepal Samata Party, Narayan Singh Pun, has said dialogue with mainstream political parties is essential for initiating peace talks with Maoist rebels.

Speaking at a face-to-face programme organised by the Reporters Club on Wednesday, Pun said, “Parliamentarian parties are the closest political forces to the government. They must support the government's roadmap to restore peace and initiate dialogue with the Maoists.”

He said he would not compromise with anybody at the cost of the multi-party democracy.

Pun, a member of government’s talks team during the last round of peace talks with the Maoists, called on the agitating political parties to join hands with the government to find a solution to the crisis facing the country.

He further said that Maoist activities were like that of a terrorist group.

Meanwhile, a meeting of the central working committee of the Nepali Congress held on Tuesday concluded that the reinstatement of parliament was only the way out of the present crisis.

A statement released after the meeting stated that all must work for re--establishment of people's sovereignty and human rights.

The party has also welcomed the decision of the Supreme Court to dissolve the Royal Commission for Corruption Control (RCCC), saying that it was a victory of people and rule of law.

Issuing a landmark verdict three days earlier, the apex court dissolved the controversial Royal Commission, declaring it as an unconstitutional body. nepalnews.com ia Feb 15 06

I am all for dialogue. The gravity of the situation demands that. I looked up the guy's phone number online. The closest I was able to get was to his ministry's barebones homepage that lists two numbers for the entire ministry. I doubt those would take you to him.

There are two things worth noting.

He does intend to hold talks with the Maoists. But those have to happen second. The first round of talks will have to be with the parties. I could not agree more.
He says multi-party democracy is sacrosanct. The rest is fair game. This is as open as open gets.

We have to talk to this guy. He has given ample opening. And he is in government.

I am so sick and tired of the political paralysis, I am ready for some song and dance. If the king will come around to a constituent assembly, but not to House revival, and the Koirala Congress will not budge beyond House revival, I am open to the possibility of breaking up the seven party alliance to form a six party alliance. A six party interim government will do just fine.

I am willing to go one step further. Take a conditional constituent assembly. Divorce the monarchy from politics and the army, but keep it around, the guarantee resting with the Supreme Court, while the country goes into a constituent assembly to decide on everything else, with the next paliament having the option to abolish the monarchy with 75% of the vote. Right to property is a fundamental human right, just like free speech, so he would lose the crown, but keep all his property. And if the Maoists will not come around to this idea of a conditional constituent assembly, I am open to the idea of breaking up the rather loose Maoist-Democrat alliance.

A six party interim government commanding the army that will march on to a conditional constituent assembly will be militarily stronger than the Maoists, with none of the king's utter global isolation, and with all the political capital it might need from the Nepali people. The Koirala Congress will be forced to come along and participate. If the Maoists do not do the same, they will face both national and international isolation, only this time permanently.

The 75% clause is as good as a republic. If the seven parties and the Maoists were to gang up in the next parliament, they could abolish the monarchy, if that is what they want. So anyone may be as republican as he might want to be. Just don't blame me for vacillations and your indecisions. If you can't make up your mind on if you are for a republic or what, that is your problem, not mine. I have plenty of my own.

We Want To Stop Bloodshed: Prachanda (February 6, 2005) We are talking of multiparty democracy in a specific sense, within a specific constitutional framework. We are not talking about bourgeois parliamentary democracy. This multiparty democracy will be anti-imperialist and anti-feudal. In other words, only within an anti-feudal, anti-imperialist constitutional framework is multiparty democracy possible. That is why armed struggle is also necessary, and unity in action with the other political parties against the monarchy is also a necessity. The socio-economic change we are fighting for is against feudalism and imperialism and it is within the context of that struggle that we are talking of multiparty democracy.

If it is between a conditional multi-party democracy, and a conditional constituent assembly, I'd rather have a conditional constituent assembly. What about you?

The Titanic Be Sinking, And Girija Wants To Revive The House

House revival is be all and end all to Girija and his clique. If it is between a constituent assembly and House revival, Girija would rather have House revival. If it is between peace and House revival, Girija would rather have House revival. If it is between democracy and House revival, Girija would rather have House revival. If it is between a communist republic and House revival, Girija would rather have a communist republic.

Girija has mentally not yet shifted to the constituent assembly idea, or he would not be so hung up on the House revival idea. He is in Janakpur. He says he is willing to go to Birgunj, but he would rather go to Biratnagar first. And if he can't go to Biratnagar, it does not matter to him that he might not be able to go to Birgunj. Maybe that is his way of saying he does not want to go to Birgunj. The bus needs to move without him. We can't wait forever.

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

संघीय गणतन्त्र

गणतन्त्र भनेकै स्वाभाविक रुपले लोकतान्त्रिक हुन्छ। बरफलाई चीसो बरफ भनिरहनु पर्दैन। त्यसैले अब लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र भन्न छाडेर यस आन्दोलनले संघीय गणतन्त्रको नारा अंगीकार गर्ने बेला आएको छ। नेपाल जस्तो सांस्कृतिक विविधता भएको देशलाई एकतावद्ध बनाउने एक मात्र उपाय संघीय सरकार हो। अहिले संघीय गणतन्त्रको नारा अंगीकार गर्न नसक्ने पार्टीले दुई अथवा चार अथवा छ महिनापछि अंगीकार गर्ला भन्ने मलाई विश्वास छैन। जनताको अधिकारकालागि लड्न तयार छु भन्नेहरुले यदि संघीय सरकारको महत्वलाई बुझ्न सक्दैनन् भने कुन जनताकालागि लडेको भनेर सोध्नुपर्ने हुन्छ।

राजाको शक्ति लुछेर २०४६ सालमा जस्तै आफुले लिने भन्ने दिवास्वप्न बोकेका उपल्ला जात भनाउँदाका पहाडीहरुले चिन्तन मनन गर्ने बेला यही हो। त्यो जमाना गयो, अब नया नेपालको निर्माण हुन लागेको छ, त्यसमा सामाजिक न्याय हुनेछ, मधेशीहरु दोस्रो दर्जाका नागरिक भएर बस्ने जमाना गयो, एउटा नया पुस्ताको जन्म भएको छ भनेर थाहा पाउने बेला आएको छ।

संघीय सरकारको अवधारणा अंगीकार नगर्ने कुनै पनि पार्टीले आफुलाई राष्ट्रिय पार्टी नभने पनि हुन्छ। २०४६ सालको आन्दोलनको पहिलो शहीद धनुषाको यदुकुहा गाउँमा भएको हो। नेपालको इतिहासकै सबैभन्दा ठूलो आमसभा हालै जनकपुरमा भयो। त्यस अनुसार त नेपालको राजधानी सारेर काठमाण्डुबाट जनकपुर पुर्याइनुपर्ने हो आन्दोलनपछि।

सत्तामा एकक्षत्र रजाइँ गर्दा भारतसँग नाना थरिका असमान संधि गर्ने आफु, ए भारतले पेल्यो हे, यो मधेशीहरु त कामै नलाग्ने जन्तु पो रहेछन् हे भन्दै उल्टै सयौं वर्षदेखि मधेशीहरुलाई मान्छे पनि नगन्ने पहाडीहरुको जमाना सकियो। रामायणमा राजा पृथ्वीको नाम छैन तर राजा जनकको नाम छ। यो मुलुक मधेशीहरुले साना दुखले आर्ज्या मुलुक होइन। यो लोकतन्त्र मधेशीहरुले साना दुखले आर्ज्या लोकतन्त्र हुने छैन। जसले मह काढ्छ उसले हात चाट्छ।

मधेशीहरुको महानता यो हो कि मधेशीहरु बदलाको भावनाकासाथ बोलिरहेका छैनन्। सामाजिक न्याय बदलाको होइन, लोकतन्त्रको भाषा हो। तर बुझ्नुपर्ने कुरा के हो भने संघीय सरकार बिनाको लोकतन्त्रको कल्पना गर्नेहरुले लोकतन्त्र के हो भनेर नबुझेको भन्ने स्पष्ट प्रमाणित हुन्छ। राजाले लोकतन्त्र त मैले पनि बुझें, लोकतन्त्रमा त चुनाव हुने रैछ ए भने जस्तो हुन्छ।

नबुझ्नेहरु छन्, बुझ पचाउने पनि छन्। ती दुवै थरिले लोकतन्त्रको ट्युशन पढ्ने बेला यही हो, लोकतन्त्र आएपछि अथवा संविधान सभाको घोषणा भएपछि होइन। नबुझ्ने र बुझ पचाउनेहरुको नेतृत्वमा न त संविधान सभा आउँछ न त लोकतन्त्र।

सामाजिक न्यायको मुद्दा कवि लेखनाथ पौडेलले भने जस्तै "टारेर टर्दैन त्यो।" सामाजिक न्यायको मुद्दामा व्यापक बहस हुनुले आन्दोलनलाई कमजोर होइन मजबुत बनाउँछ। लोकतन्त्र भनेकै समानता हो। सामाजिक न्याय नहुनु असमानता हो। चीसो नभएको बरफ होइन, तातो नभएको आगो होइन, सामाजिक न्याय नभएको लोकतन्त्र होइन। यो आन्दोलन पहाडीहरुले लोकतन्त्र प्रति आफ्नो प्रतिबद्धता व्यक्त गर्न पाउने स्वर्ण अवसर हो।

अन्तरिम सरकारको प्रधान मंत्री अथवा उप प्रधान मंत्री मधेशी हुनुपर्छ।

कांग्रेसले रोज्नुपर्ने बाटो
अहिंसाका प्रश्न
डा बाबुराम भट्टराईलाई शान्तिको सन्देश
डा बाबुराम भट्टराई: आन्दोलनको उत्कर्ष र त्रस्त सत्ता
मधेशी अधिकारको कुरामा पहाडीहरुको सहभागीता
प्रवासी नेपाली: "नैतिक समर्थन कायम राख्दै भौतिक समर्थन थप्ने।"
भूपि शेरचन, गोपालप्रसाद रिमाल, प्रवर जिसी
मधेशी पहचान
देशव्यापी पम्फलेटिङ
प्रहार गरिहालौं
अइ आन्दोलनमें मधेशी अधिकारके बात
लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नै किन?
चुनाव बहिष्कार बाहेक विकल्प छैन: सात दल

Visitors

14 February