Democracy For Nepal

Sunday, November 11, 2007

Proposed Constitution

Preamble

Nepal is a democratic republic, a total, transparent democracy, with the sovereignty resting with the Nepali people.

Article 1: The Legislative Branch

There is to be a lower house with 300 members, and an upper house with 100 members. Elections for both are to take place at once. The Terai districts are to have a share of the 300 seats in direct proportion to their share of the national population.
Members of the lower house are to be elected through 75 multi member constituencies and the largest remainder formula. Every third name on a party's list must be female.
Members of the upper house are to be elected through a fully PR election. Every other name on a party's list must be female. Each party's representation will be in direct proportion to the votes earned. Any party that earns at least 1% of the votes will be recognized as a national party, eligible for state funding.
The entire parliament is dissolved en masse when their term of four years nears expiration. All elections must be held on the non work day, Saturday.
The basic human right to peaceful assembly means political parties may not bear arms, other than that there are no rules, no prohibitions, as in ethnic parties can be organized, Dalit parties can be organized.
Private and public sector media entities wanting to cover live the proceedings in the national parliament may do so.
All matters of national importance are to be decided by the national parliament through a majority vote unless otherwise stated. Parliamentary procedures are to be laid out or revised with a 60% vote margin.
The houses are to elect their Speakers and Deputy Speakers. The houses shall assemble at least once every four months, and as often as necessary. The Speaker does not get to vote in the parliament.
No parliamentarian may be arrested while the parliament might be in session except for felony charges. Their speech in parliament is protected from any and all oversight, legal and otherwise.
A simple majority of the parliament will pass the budget. The annual budget is tabled by the President.
All bills must be posted online in three languages - Nepali, Hindi and English - for at least one week before they may be voted upon.
All regional and international treaties that Nepal might enter into will have to pass a 60% majority in the parliament.
Political parties may not engage in fund-raising activities. Instead each national party will get an annual sum that will be directly proportional to the number of votes it earned for the national parliament. 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.
Tickets for all elections are distributed by parties through democratic methods involving members at or below the said level in their respective organizations.
The Election Commission puts in place ceilings as to election expenditures. Independent candidates may not raise money, but may spend their own money that may not exceed the amount of the party candidate spending the most money. Once elected independent candidates may not join a national party for at least one year.
A party may not charge its members more than Rs 60 a year. This is to be the only non-state source of income for parties, national and otherwise.
Every person on the state's payroll - elected officials, bureaucrats, judges, police, army personnel, teachers, health care workers - is to submit a Family Property Statement, to be posted online and archived and updated annually. Upon exiting the public sector, they may discontinue the practice, but the archives will remain, and the updates will resume should the individuals re-enter public service.
The national parliament is to engineer early retirements among state employees and downsizing of the Armed Police Force and the army and a 50% reservation for the DaMaJaMa among new hires and recruits with the goal of ending up with a state apparatus that mirrors the ethnic and gender composition of the larger national population as closely as possible.
Details of all expenses incurred by the state, to the last paisa, are to be posted online in the three languages. All contracts offered by the state to the private sector are to be bid for in a similar transparent manner from beginning to the end. All job applications and promotions in the public sector are to be similarly handled in a transparent manner. All government salaries and non salary incomes are to be kept public online.
All formal political deliberations at all levels of government in the long run and at the national level in the short run are to be posted online in as real time as possible in the language that was used at the venue. Efforts are to be made to make the same available in Nepali, Hindi and English. All votes are to be similarly made public.
Every elected official at all levels of government is to get a decent monthly salary.
Anyone above the age of 16 is a legible voter. Members of the lower house will have to be at least 22 years of age, and that of the upper house at least 25 years of age. All elected officials are to have been citizens.
Acts of impeachment require a vote of 65%. This constitution can be amended by the same vote margin.
The parliamentarians may not increase their salaries in a way that might affect the members of the existing class. The same applies to the salaries of members of the cabinet.
The parliament may create, merge and dissolve ministries, agencies and commissions as necessary.

Article 2: The Executive Branch

The President is directly elected by the people. If a candidate not earn 50% of the votes, a second round is to be held within a month of the first when the two top candidates contest. The President serves a four year term and is elected two years separate from the parliament.
A candidate has to be a citizen and at least 30 years of age.
The President may select members to the Cabinet that might or might not be members of the parliament. But if a MP get into the cabinet, that parliamentary seat goes vacant.
The President makes nominations to the Supreme Court and other constitutional bodies like the Election Commission (EC) and the Commission to Control Corruption (CCC) - both of which are autonomous - to be confirmed by a 60% vote in the parliament. The commissioners serve six year terms.
The army, to be called the Nepal Army, is not to be larger than 0.1% of the national population and is to be downsized accordingly within 5 years of this constitution getting promulgated. The President is the Commander-In-Chief of the army. The army can be abolished with a 65% vote in the parliament.
The central bank is to be autonomous, and the Chairperson, to serve a six year term, is to be appointed by the President, subject to a 60% vote in the parliament.
All appointments made by the President, except for his or her personal staff, will need a majority vote in the upper house for confirmation, unless otherwise stated.
The President signs bills passed by the parliament. The President may also be the originator of bills to the parliament.
The President may send back a bill passed by the parliament. But if the parliament send it back to him or her with a 65% vote, it has to be signed.
If the President not respond to a bill within 10 days of it having been sent, it is to be assumed signed.

Article 3: The Judiciary Branch

The judiciary will reflect the composition of the government, from village/town to district, to the national level. Towns and cities with more than 25,000 people will be served with more than one court. The number of district courts is to depend on population and legal traffic. There will be a layer between the district and the national levels, the Appeals Court. The system is to be peopled like the civil service, on merit.
The President makes nominations to the national Supreme Court subject to the parliament for 60% of the vote. Justices to the Supreme Court are to serve to the age of 65 or upto their voluntary retirement.
The Supreme Court interprets the constitutionality of laws passed by the parliament when thus challenged, but such interpretations may be overturned by the parliament through a 65% vote.
The parliament may not diminish the salary of a sitting judge.

Article 4: Districts

The districts will have their own governments, named Zillapalika. The village units are to be called Grampalika, the town units are to be called Nagarpalika, and the city units Mahanagarpalika, and will form the third layer of government. District, town/city and village elected officials are to be at least 20 years of age.
The voters in the districts will directly elect the District Chairperson. Mayors for towns and villages are also to be directly elected. Each directly elected official must have secured at least 50% of the votes cast.
The judicial and law enforcement services are to be operated as meritocratic, inclusive civil services by the national government.
The directly elected district chairperson sits atop the police structure in his or her district and appoints the district chief of police for the duration of the chairperson's term. The chairperson also appoints the Chief District Officer who looks after the state bureaucracy.
The income tax structure is to be as follows: 50% national, 30% district, and 20% village/town/city. The income tax is to be collected by the national government, and funds transferred by the same to the other levels of government as per this formula, and is to be gradually phased in where none might be getting collected now.
The federal revenue from all sources other than income tax is also to be similarly allocated. 60% stays at the national level, 35% goes to the 75 districts in proportion to their population. 5% goes to the 25 districts with the lowest per capita income in proportion to their population.
The education system shall follow a tri-lingual policy up to Grade 10, beyond which it is for each individual institution to decide on its own as to the language of instruction. The first language is to be the student's first language, the second language is to be Nepali. For those for whom Nepali might be their first language, the student may choose any language spoken in Nepal. The third language is to be English, the contemporary global language of science and commerce. This policy applies to schools in both the private and the public sectors. The language of instruction for all other subjects to Grade 10 will be a decision to be made by the individual school board for the public schools and by the owners of the private schools: it is to be one of the three - Nepali, Hindi, and English - or a combination. Other languages spoken in Nepal may also be added to the list after an autonomous, national Education Commission decides that enough educational material is available in the said language.
It is for the national parliament to decide on the use of second and third local languages as the languages of government at the local levels. District legislatures may send requests to the national parliament through the district chairperson. Nepali shall be the language of government throughout the country at all levels of government.

Article 5: The Individual

The individual is the most important component of the state and is to be protected and celebrated. The Universal Declaration Of Human Rights is the bedrock of this constitution.
Every person has a birth right to freedom of speech, freedom of peaceful assembly, freedom of religion, a right to a speedy, public trial, and a right to privacy, a protection from unreasonable searches and seizures. No person may be tried and punished for the same crime twice. No person will be compelled to testify against themselves. No person will be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law. Private property may not be taken for public use without due compensation. Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted. The privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended. No ex post facto law shall be passed. No warrants are to be issued, except upon probable cause, and should specifically describe the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. A person charged with a crime is to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his or her favor, and is to have the Assistance of Counsel for his or her defense.
Every person born in Nepal to a citizen of Nepal, father or mother, is a citizen of Nepal. But this does not prevent people not born in Nepal from seeking Nepali citizenship.
Every person is equal under the law. Any law that might conflict with that fundamental premise will become null and void as soon as this constitution takes effect.
No person shall be taxed more than 40% of their income by all levels of government put together. Those in the bottom 40% income brackets are not to pay any direct taxes.
No business may be taxed more than 30% of its profits, and businesses in the bottom 30% income brackets will not pay any direct taxes. All business expenses are tax write-offs.
The sales tax may not exceed 10%.
Elections at all levels are to be organized on Saturdays, the non work day.
No citizen of age may be barred from voting for whatever reason except when they might be serving time.
It is a stated goal of the state to make possible lifelong education for every person in the country through creative partnerships between the private and public sectors, and through creative uses of the internet, FM and other technology. The state shall also attempt to provide universal access to secondary education and primary health care, free of cost. The secondary education provision applies to people in all age groups.
The state shall attempt to provide universal access to micro-credit to all in the bottom 40% income brackets, not all of it by the public sector.
All persons that might enter into agreements, either in the private or the public sector, to access credit will have the option to declare bankruptcy as a last resort, but such declarations may stay on that person's credit record. Money owed by an individual, as opposed to by a business or a corporation, may not be passed on to the next generation. Indentured servitude is an illegal form of collecting money owed by an individual or family. Money owed may not be paid for through manual labor. Any person, group or organization, lending money on interest, the total of which is larger than Rs 20,000, to be indexed to inflation as calculated every five years and rounded to the nearest thousand, is to register as a small business owner, and will be subject to taxation and regulation.
All educational institutions, public and private, must have at least 10% of its students on need-based full scholarships. Institutions may also opt to have 5% on such full scholarships, and 10% on need-based half scholarships, or 5% on full, 6% on half, and 6% on one-third scholarships. But at no time should the proportion of full scholarships dip below 5%.
Employees of the state in the education and health sectors will be paid salaries that are at least 10% larger than to those with similar qualifications serving in other fields.
An accurate, scientific census is to be conducted every 10 years, and scientific projections are to be made for the intervening years.

Article 6: Capital

Within 10 years of this constitution getting promulgated, the national capital is to be shifted to Chitwan.

Friday, November 09, 2007

िहजो बल्ल पिहलो पटक सत्य नारायण मन्िदरको नेपाली कार्यक्रममा मलाई पहाडीहरुले पिहलो पटक बोल्निदए। दुइ िमनट बोलें पिन। शुरुमा त उद्घोषकले म ितर हेर्दै "कोही पत्रकार हुनुहुन्छ भने उिभएर अाफ्नोपिरचय िदनुहोला" भन्यो। राजदुतले पिन मितर हेरेर इसारा गर्नुभयो।

पिहलो पटक त नभनौं। कर्मा ग्याल्डेनजीले अािदवासी जनजाितको धेरै पिहलाको एउटा िमिटङमा मलाई बोल्निदएको हो। त्यो हो पिहलो पटक। तर त्यो एउटा कार्यक्रम नभएर एउटा िमिटङ िथयो।

सबभन्दा अिघल्लो पंक्ितमा ताराजी, कर्माजी र मलाई बसाइयो। बाहुन, जनजाित, मधेशी। मिहला चािहंदेिखनँ। मृदुलाजी अथवा नर्मदाजीलाई अगािड ल्याउनुपर्ने िथयो।

अिघल्लो कार्यक्रममा कर्माले प्याच्च "मिदसे" शब्द बोल्दा मलाई झनक्क रीस उठेको हो। अाज भेट्दादेख्दा, र सँगै बस्दा फेरी मन पग्िलयो। उ बेलुकी िछट्टै सुतेर िबहान दुई बजे कामकालािग उठ्नुपर्ने मान्छे। योकार्यक्रम सिकएपिछ तपाई र म गफ गरौं भनेर मैले भने। कर्माजीले हुन्छ भन्नुभयो। मैले भन्न चाहेकोकुरा यस प्रकार िथयो।

"म न्यु यर्क अाएको दुई वर्ष कट्यो्। यस दौरान नेपाली समुदायमा मलाई सबैभन्दा बढी घत लागेको व्यक्िततपाईं। यो कुरा मैले पिहला पिन publicly नै भनेको छु। बाहुन, जनजाित, मधेशी, मिहला नेताहरुमा सबैभन्दाबढी घत लागेको तपाईं। तर तपाईले प्याच्च मिदेसे शब्द उच्चारण गर्दा यो मान्छेसँग अब किहले बोल्िदनँजस्तो लाग्यो। तपाईले sorry भन्नुस् र अबदेिख मधेशी भन्नुस् let's go back to being friends." भनेरभन्ने योजना िथयो।

तर मेरो दुई िमनटको मन्तव्यको बीचमा नै "ज्वाला िसंह" भनेर जुरुक्क उठेर िहडेको वयक्ित कर्मा। यही होमधेशी जनजाित solidarity भनेको?

न्यु यर्क मा ANTA स्थापना गर्ने व्यक्ित म। िवनोदजीले नमान्दा िवनय शाहलाई न्यु यर्क च्याप्टरकोअध्यक्ष बनाएँ। The infighting of the powerless त्यहाँ पिन भयो। त्यो एउटा सानो पद िवनयलाई यितठुलो status symbol अनुभव भयो, िनहुँ खोज्न शुरु। बोलचाल बन्द। उ त अब िसकागो गइसक्यो। अस्ित एउटानराम्रो दुर्घटनामा परेछ। उसलाई त केही भएन, तर गाडी upside down। थाहा पाएर मैले फोन गरें। त्यसकोभोिल पल्ट फेरी फोन गरें। Let bygones be bygones, let's be friends again भनेको त I am not interested भन्छ।

मैले यो कहानीहरू िकन सुनाएको भन्दा The infighting of the powerless को कन्सेप्ट बुझाउनकालािग। अाफैमा मारामार। नेपालमा मधेशी समुदाय जसरी powerless छ िवश्वमा नेपाली समुदाय त्यसरी नै, अझत्योभन्दा कैयौं गुणा powerless छ।

NRN Movement लाई Chamber of Commerce बाट mass based बनाउनुपर्ने अावश्यकता छ। दुिनयाकोराजधानी न्यु यर्क। अमेिरकामा रहेका डेढ लाख नेपाली मध्ये ४०,००० त न्यु यर्क मेट्रोमा नै छन्।

त्यसकालािग एउटा छाता संगठन बनाउनुपर्ने हुन्छ। छाता संगठन त बनाउँ तर नेता मैं हुन्छु भनेर ताराजीलेिहन्ट िदया िदयै छ, छ मिहना देिख। अरे बाबा, नेता को हुने भन्ने कुरा मैले िनर्णय गर्ने नै होइन। चुनाव हुन्छ। चुनाव लड्नुस्। कसैले नदेखेको राण प्रधानमन्त्री जस्तो एउटा NAC भन्ने संगठन छ, ताराजी चािहं त्यो राणप्रधानमन्त्रीले न्यु यर्ककालािग पठाएको बडाहािकम जस्तो। मान न मान मैं तेरा मेहमान। न कसैले भोटिदनु छ न केही, नेपाली समुदायको नेता मै भन्दै ताराजी िहंड्नुहुन्छ। हुन त to his credit वहाँ America Nepal Friendship Society को duly elected president चािहं हो र त्यो संस्था न्यु यर्को सबैभन्दा ठुलो नेपालीसंस्थाहरू मध्येको एक हो। र Manhattan मा बस्ने high class को मान्छे, पढेलेखेको महाको िवद्वान, Columbia University जस्तो one of the top 10 universities in America मा पढाउने मान्छे लगभगप्रत्येक जसो weekend Queens पुग्िदरा हुन्छ ताराजी अिन Queens को mini Nepal का नेपालीहरू दङ।

I don't dislike Taraji, and he knows it. But the only legitimate leader in the community is a duly elected one. ५०० सदस्य भएको संगठनको िनर्वािचत नेताले म ५०,००० नेपालीको नेता भन्न पाइँदैन। र योमेरोलािग ego issue होइन। न्यु यर्कको स्थानीय राजनीितमा नेपालीहरूको जुन utter powerlessness छत्यो powerlessness को कारक तत्व नै नेपाली संगठनहरू mass based नहुनु र छाता संगठनको अभाव हो।

मञ्चबाट खगेन्द्रजीले मितर हेरेर भनेको जस्तो लाग्यो, "१९९० मा बाबुराम भट्टराईलाई यहीं न्यु यर्कमाभेटेको हो।" मधेशी अान्दोलनका सबै नेताहरूले मलाई पत्याउँछन्, र नेपाली राजनीितमा दुई जना छन् जसकोलेख कतै अायो िक म पिढहाल्छु, प्रदीप िगरी र बाबुराम। तर म िहंसाको राजनीितमा िवश्वास गर्ने मान्छेचािहं होइन। पिहला पिन िथइनँ, पिछ पिन हुने छैन।

अरू संगठनको नाम शुरुमा भिनयो तर मेरो संगठनको नाम भिनएन। पिछ कुनै संगठनको कोही बोल्न चाहनेइच्छुक हुनुहुन्छ िक भन्दा खेरी मैले उद्घोषकलाई गएर एउटा चीट समाएँ। संगठन: हाम्रो नेपाल, प्रेिसडेन्ट: परमेन्द्र भगत, दुई िमनट पाउँ। नत्र भने वक्ताहरूको िलस्टमा मेरो नाम िथएन।

पिछ मृदुलाजीकोमा िडनर पार्टी भयो। ४०-५० जनालाई नै "करोडपित मृदुला" ले खाना खुवाइन्। "मलाईउपेन्द्र महतोको इमेल ठेगाना पठाइदेउ" भनेर भिनन्। हुन्छ भनें। त्यस पार्टीमा बकाइदा साथ वंशतामाङजीले एक जना सांसदज्युलाई "unbiased पत्रकार" भनेर पिरचय िदनुभयो।

िवश्वमा अमेरीकाको राष्ट्रपितभन्दा बढी powerful पद कुनै पद छैन। बराक अोबामा भनेको अमेरीकाकोअर्को राष्ट्रपित, he is next. त्यो बराक अोबामाले मलाई पत्याइसक्यो। Queens का पहाडीले अझैपत्याएका छैनन्। ंManhattan For Obama Organizational Kickoff Meeting मा बोल्न लगाइएको पिहलोव्यक्ित म। जब िक त्यहाँ Harlem का State Senator मेरा अात्मीय साथी र न्यु यर्क राज्यबाट अोबामालाई endorse गर्ने पिहलो elected official Bill Perkins पिन िथए। तर Queens का पहाडीहरू अझै मलाई पत्रकारपत्रकार भन्दै िहडेका छन्। कस्तो strong prejudice.

मेरो एउटा िनतान्त राजनीितक संगठन छ। त्यो एउटा िडजीटल डेमोक्रसी संगठन हो। तपाईलाई एउटा उदाहरण िदउँ। उपेन्द्र यादवको नयु यर्कको कार्यक्रममा २५ जना पिन िथएनन्। तर उपेन्द्र यादवको न्यु यर्क भ्रमणको पाँच घन्टा िभडीयो अिहलेसम्म िवश्वमा एक हजार पटक भन्दा बढी हेिरसिकएको छ। कहाँ २५, कहाँ १०००। त्यो परमेन्द्र भगतले पत्रकािरता गरेको होइन, त्यो परमेन्द्र भगतको िडजीटल डेमोक्रसी संगठनले अाम सभा गरेको हो।

Instances Of Advice Taken By Obama 2008 From Me

In The News

PM says Nepal-India joint efforts required to solve terai problem NepalNews He also blamed the Maoist-affiliated Young Communist League (YCL) for supporting the criminal groups in intensifying criminal activities in Terai.
Parties should accept House directive: Speaker Nemwang Speaker Subash Nemwang has said all the parties in the parliament should accept the proposals on republic and proportional election system that were passed by the parliament Nov 4.
Thousands of students and teachers abducted in Nepal in 5 years: UNESCO report
City stinks as KMC halts garbage collection
MK Nepal tries to dispel Congress' fears regarding communist unity
India objects at UN officials meeting terai armed group India has sent a strong worded message to various UN agencies operating in Nepal with regard to a meeting between UN officials and Nepali armed groups on Indian soil. ....... in September, UN officials held a secret meeting with a faction of Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha in Muzaffarpur in India's Bihar state without giving prior information to the Indian authorities. ...... "Their discussion was confined to humanitarian, not political issues," Martin had told.
Martin meets with Prachanda at Prachanda's residence in Naya Bazaar ...... the two Maoist leaders also met with a visiting South African leader Mac Maharaj. ...... Maharaj shared experiences of South African peace process with Prachanda and Dr. Bhattarai. Maharaj was a close assistant of South African leader Nelson Mandela
Govt introduces Arms and Ammunition Ordinance slapping jail-terms from six months to seven years and fine amount from Rs 5,000 to a maximum Rs 50,000 on individuals found guilty of possessing illegal arms. ...... the ordinance was enacted as a large number of people are found to be openly carrying weapons even after the Maoists joined mainstream politics
Deuba advises UML and Maoists to follow politics of consensus

PM says changing of government leadership is not a big deal NepalNews He likened the efforts of the communist parties to change the government leadership as 'changing of the torn shoe'. "It will be decided only after the seven-party meeting ..... dared the communist parties to try and garner two-third majority in the parliament ..... Koirala also said he wanted to see the constituent assembly elections held by the end of the current Nepali year (mid-April, 2008).
UML gen secy asks NC to improve style of governance a programme organised by Terai Independent Justice Forum to mark Tihar and Chhath festivals. ...... "There is an empire of criminals evolving in the country," he said, adding, "There is no point in just making speeches to improve security."
Journalist Shah's dead body found the body of Shah, which was buried on the ground, at around 1:30 p.m. from the forest between Sapahi and Kakari VDCs. ..... The body was discovered some 2-km north of the place pointed out by the Maoist investigation report published on Monday. He was abducted a month ago from Pipara VDC by four Maoist cadres and was shot dead on the same day.
UML minister says House directive cannot be implemented Those two proposals were passed for no other purpose than to engage the Maoists [in the peace process],” Minister for Education and Sports Pradeep Nepal ..... the seven parties should form a broad political alliance by including other political parties represented in the parliament. ...... ruled out the possibility of change in the government’s leadership
Employees in Siraha and Sarlahi, too, in agitation Village Development Committee (VDC) secretaries based in Sarlahi district have warned of joint resignation from November 18 ...... four different Terai outfits have demanded Rs 5.8 million extortion from them – Rs 2.5 million by Samyukta Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha, Rs 1.5 million each by JTMM Jwala and Goit factions, and Rs 300,000 by Nagraj group of Terai cobra. They have been asked to cough up the amount before Tihar. ...... The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has also concluded that security situation in Siraha and Saptari districts are very fragile.
Special Session and After: Thinking Past the Nepali 'Post-conflict' The transitional movement was recognized as another money spinner as international crisis firms and professionals who had made their names and fortunes in Somalia, Afghanistan, Timor or other similar human tragedies descended upon Nepal to set up shop in partnership with local subalterns. The first order of business was to establish the demand that could then be supplied by these experts. ...... the 50,000 plus army of observers being marshaled to witness the event and the 60,000 see-through boxes dispatched from Japan to hold the secret ballots. ....... a half-baked project whose completion was neither ascertained, nor even intended ...... The leadership can always plead democratic immunity in every act of omission and commission. ...... the CA entrepreneurs ..... the present election fiasco is an inevitable failure of a faulty paradigm whose basic premise starts not with the innate intelligence and commonsense of the people but their ignorance. ........ The lack of substantive momentum and direction during the past year and half and the national sense of being caught in a morass is a good indication of the exhaustion of the intellectual paradigm that guided the April uprising. To put it bluntly, not much thought was put into what was to be done after the April bonfire. ....... the existing first-past-the-post electoral system will continue to benefit the politically dominant Brahmin-Chhetry groups far in excess of their actual numbers in the population. ......... the federal structure must be accompanied by a proportional representation process. Only then will the numerically significant but politically weak cultural, ethnic, and caste communities have a viable opportunity for inclusion in the national process. ......... Is the UN too worried about the latest cancellations here? Perhaps not. More mess in the Third World means more business, more budget, more jobs. One just needs to pass through the business class section of an airline flying into Kathmandu to see the laptop welding army of bright-eyed college graduates coming to town to do election and peace. As things complicate, UN seeking to make more elbow room for itself by seeking extended, expanded role in the host nation. Historically also, wherever UN has stepped in, it usually tends to stick around for a decade, if not longer. ......... During his previous four stints as prime minister of the Kingdom, G.P. Koirala remained a strict secularist. He was never seen near a temple or a ritual. After having presided over the conversion of the only Hindu Kingdom into a secular state last year, it is ironic that this life-long agnostic is suddenly acting like a born-again Hindu. ............ CA was gamed to extract popular consent for the regime, not open up informed choices for the citizens. ..... the CA elections and the rest of the political process does not appear to be intended to empower the people through reason and information. It is, on the contrary, designed to infantilize them by playing upon their worst fears and emotions. The rule of law is being substituted by fear where insecurity, suspicion, and virulent demagoguery have become the primary ruling instruments. The nation is literally being made to live from minute to minute in bated breath as it awaits it fate outside the gates of Baluwatar and Singha Durbar while those inside wheel and deal, day and night, in perpetually extending sessions. The emotional manipulation serves two functions: buys borrowed time for the regime while reducing popular expectations of the political process to abysmal nil. The sum total? National degradation and societal demoralization.
Nepal needs a close look Nepal takes pride in its independence, being the only country other than Bhutan and Thailand in the region not to be colonised, but it paid a different price for it. ...... Two companies of Indian Infantry were poised to land in Kathmandu in 1950 in case there was "anarchy", but the force was not needed. In 1959, during Nepal's first multi-party election, Indian Army Gorkha signallers were deployed for communications. ....... . In 1965, King Mahendra requested India for reorganising and re-equipping the Army. In 1970, on Nepal's request both the checkposts and training teams were withdrawn but the military cooperation continued unabated without any physical presence of Indian Army trainers. The special military relationship was symbolised by the Army Chiefs of the two countries being made honorary Generals of each other's Armies. ...... the Government of Maldives asked for -- and received -- military assistance to defeat a serious mercenary threat. ...... India has either planned or dispatched military succour to Seychelles, Mauritius and Fiji. ....... Like the Southern Command in Pune is responsible for contingency planning and tasks in the island countries like Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Lucknow's Central Command has for long been involved in planning possible missions in the north, including Nepal. ....... Exercise Tribhuvan was a study carried out in the late 1970s to assess the possibilities of a Communist takeover of Nepal. ...... Nepal's sensitivity about its sovereignty and territorial integrity is manifest in the ladder-point security check of Indian Airlines flights at Tribhuvan Airport. Indian security staff frisk passengers on an elevated platform, avoiding use of Nepalese soil. ........ The Maoists have the capability and the hardliners the intent to skirt the electoral process and seize power.
Media requested to black out Maoist news in various parts of the country, local journalists continued to protest the Maoists for killing Shah. ..... Shah was killed after he was lured by the Maoist workers who promised him to tell about wood smuggling
Prachanda gets 'raw meat gift' for Shah's murder journalists of Nuwakot district sent 'raw meat gift' to Maoist chairman Prachanda ....... Two pieces of chicken meat were packed and posted in the name of Pushpa Kamal Dahal, the real name for Prachanda. A letter stating that parcel has been sent to Dahal was also handed over to Maoist's district office.

Prachanda, Nepal see no possibility of immediate change in govt leadership NepalNews
21 dead and 1951 injured in Terai agitation 21 people were killed and 1951 injured while properties worth Rs 15.66 crore were damaged during the agitation. .... The commission had been formed on May 25.
Terai outfits step up assaults against local bodies' officials
UML urges Maoists to stop attacking media persons
Martin hopes uncertainty will end soon
Congress leader doubts election amid existing lack of security NC vice president Prakash Man Singh said, "People are worried with the lack of state presence." .... "Even though our party president is the prime minister and our party leader is the Home Minister, we have to say that it is very difficult to think that CA election can be held due to lack of law and order"
Govt employees based in Saptari district resign en masse More than 400 employees of government offices, local bodies and corporations based in Saptari district have said that they have sent a joint resignation letter to Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala alleging that government did not pay attention to their security. .... they have sent it through post to the PM. ...... after the murder of Prabhu Narayan Yadav, an official of Saptari District Development Committee, two weeks ago. ..... the growing insecurity caused by various armed and criminal groups in the terai.
YCL cadres rough up NC leaders in Lamjung
RPP convention in December

Tuesday, November 06, 2007

Rajendra Mahto's Proposed Madhesi Front

I am too far away from ground realities to give specific advice, but I am glad for the initiative taken by Rajendra Mahto to work to get together a Madhesi Front, and I do want to offer some broad outlines as to how this effort could morph. That is the only way. Before Madhesi leaders can talk to the Pahadis in power, they have to talk to each other. And if they can't talk to each other, they don't have much moral ground to talk to the Madhesi people and seek their vote and support.

Rajendra Mahto and I go back far. I have known him from the early 90s. We worked together back then. It was political work. I have always admired his warmth of personality and his people skills. He can bring people together. That is an important skill to have on a deck like politics where many egos are involved.

The first step would be to get all Madhesi groups to talk to each other. That means the two Sadbhavana factions, the two MJF factions, the three JTMM factions, and all the other armed Madhesi outfits. They will probably have to meet in some place like Patna or Lucknow. This is de ja vu all over again. This is like when the seven parties formed an alliance with the Maoists.

But before they talk to the armed groups, it would be a good idea for the four nonviolent groups to get together first, the two Sadbhavanas, and the two MJFs. That meeting could take place some place like Birgunj. That meeting would decide on the broad parameters of the talks to be held with the armed Madhesi outfits and the alliance to be formed.

The Madhesi Front is going to have to play out a few different scenarios. There is an urgent need for political clarity. A mass movement is going to have to be the weapon of last resort. The group is going to have to decide on a clear agenda and one leader. That one leader part is going to be hard. There is going to be a tendency to want to settle on a ceremonial monarch type person like Ram Raja Prasad Singh or Anandi Devi. I think that will be a mistake. You need someone with a broad mass base who is actually doing the work actively on a daily basis. I would say Rajendra Mahto and Upendra Yadav are best suited for the purpose. They could become president and co-president of the Madhesi Front. And if they can not see eye to eye like that, they are going to have a hard time telling the Madhesi masses to get behind them.

At this point I get the impression the Mahto faction of the Sadbhavana is busy talking to the various armed Madhesi groups through the back channels and less busy talking to the nonviolent groups like the other Sadbhavana and the two MJFs. That is not a good sign. The nonviolent Madhesi groups have to get together first. Imagine the Nepali Congress and the UML not getting together first before trying to forge an alliance with the Maoists. That would not have been a good idea.

The goal is to end up with a common minimum program. That common minimum program has to be as short as possible. If it is too elaborate, you are going to lose focus.

And the Madhesi Front, once formed, should have the authority to make all the armed Madhesi groups declare a ceasefire, and to call off all strikes in the Terai.

I would like to propose a four point common minimum program.

Fully proportional elections to the constituent assembly in April.
An election schedule that lets more new parties to register.
Ek Madhesh, Ek Pradesh.
Formation of a 30,000 strong national army in which Madhesi participation is proportionate to its share of national population. Proportionate participation also in the police and the armed police force.

A mass movement is the weapon of last resort. The only thing you need right now really is a fully PR election. Security sector reform will be carried out by the constituent assembly. So if you want a due share for the Madhesi in the security sector, you make sure there are plenty of Madhesis in the assembly. And you get plenty of Madhesis in the assembly by getting them to vote for you. And you get them to vote for you by bringing forth a ceasefire in the Terai, and an end to all strikes. And by forging a Madhesi Front around four words: Ek Madhesh, Ek Pradesh.

If all Madhesi nonviolent and violent groups could come together under one tent to form a Madhesi Front and rally behind the Ek Madhes Ek Pradesh slogan, that front will sweep the election in the Terai. It could even become the largest political group in the constituent assembly. And if not the largest, it could easily emerge the second largest. At that point it could get either the Prime Ministership or the presidency or the Speakership. It could be in power in a major way. At that point you are not demanding fair security sector reform, you are yourself implementing it because you are in power, you are in the driving seat.

I think the goal of the Madhesi Front should be to keep the Terai open seven days a week from now until the elections. Let the Madhesis make bountiful money. Let all the businesses flourish. So they can donate to the Madhei Front candidates when the time comes.

The relentless bandhs have not been helping the Madhesi cause. They have been chaos, not a movement. Bandhs are a sign of disorganization. You build organization, you don't call bandhs.

The problem with the Madhesi Movement this year has not been that the Madhesi people are not awake. The problem has been that the Madhesi leaders have not been awake and in conversation and united. You have got to talk to each other. The onus right now is on the Madhesi leaders, not on the Madhesi masses.

But this is not to say I am ruling out the idea of a mass movement. You always have to maintain that threat, and you have to carry it out if necessary. But before that can happen, you need utmost political clarity.

Congratulations To Rajendra Mahto
Rajendra Mahto: Three Hours Of Video
Rajendra Mahto In Town
Upendra Yadav: Five Hours Of Video
Upendra Yadav Was In Town

In The News

Journalists across the country stage protest against Shah's murder NepalNews
UNMIN seeks role in security sector reform extend the term of the UNMIN, which expires this January, by another year. ....... three areas where UNMIN can have active role are: support to the implementation of the peace process and agreements signed by the parties, which is a need that is being increasingly stressed by Nepali political leaders and civil society; assisting a discussion on the future of the country's security sector including a managed transition from the current temporary Maoist army cantonments and restriction to barracks of the Nepal Army to long-term solutions without which there is no exit strategy from UNMIN's arms monitoring and; greater advisory support to promoting public security – the greatest concern of so many Nepalis and a critical requirement for a credible Constituent Assembly election. ...... an increased number of reports of unresolved abductions and killings, whether attributed to armed Madhesi groups, Maoist cadres, or local disputes. ....... bring murderers to justice, as the CPN(M) has committed to do in the tragic case of Birendra Sah, and as I have repeatedly said should be the case with the killers of Maoist cadres in the Terai ....... implementation of commitments made to Janajati, Madhesi and other groups ...... "I want in particular to put on record that UNMIN has not met or sought to meet with the leadership of armed Madhesi groups. This misunderstanding appears to have arisen because there was one meeting in India between United Nations humanitarian officials and the leadership of one armed group. Their purpose was to try to ensure that emergency food relief and other assistance could be delivered in the wake of flooding in the Terai earlier this year without attacks by armed groups against humanitarian workers."
Over 100 people killed between February and July: NHRC report
Prachanda, Nepal discuss ways to exert pressure for implementation of House directive
Process for third country resettlement of Bhutanese refugees begins
Maoist bandh cripples life in Rautahat
Mahato vows to form a united front in Madhes by involving even armed outfits Rajendra Mahato has said that he will form a united front with all Madhesi groups including the armed outfits and launch a decisive struggle from mid-November. ....... the formation of the front will be similar to the formation of seven party and Maoists' front before April, 2006 people's movement. ....... "We do not demand separate Madhes state but a united Madhes province" ..... the agitation by the front will press ...... he wants job guarantee to 10,000 Madhesi youths in army and police forces before election can be held. ....... he is forming Madhes Raksha Bahini – a force of youths who are both politically and physically trained – to prevent the agitation from becoming violent. He claims that such Bahini have been formed already in 12 districts
Goit's men shoot at overseer; JTMM-Jwala kills civilian