Saturday, April 19, 2008

तराईमा मधेस र थारुवान गरी दुई राज्य हुन सक्छन



तराईमा मधेस र थारुवान गरी दुई राज्य हुन सक्छन्

७५ िजल्ला कायम राख्दै चार भौगोिलक राज्य कोशी, गण्डकी, कर्णाली र तराई स्थापना गर्ने भनेर मैले भन्दै अाएको छु। तर नेपाली जनताले माअोवादी पार्टीलाई िदएको ठुलो मात्राको मत देख्दा त्यस बारे िवचार गर्नु पर्ने मैले बुझेको छु।

अब मेरो प्रस्ताव यस प्रकारको छ। ७५ िजल्ला कायम राख्ने र अाठ राज्यको स्थापना गर्ने: खसान, मगरात, तम्बुवान, तामाङ, नेवा, िकरात, थारुवान, र मधेस।

राप्ती नदीभन्दा पश्िचम मधेसी पार्टीहरूले बाँकेमा दुई सीट िजतेको देिखयो फोरमले। अाफ्नो मास बेस नै नभएको क्षेत्रमा पिन अाफ्नै नक्शा लाद्ने प्रयास शायद उपयुक्त नहोला। बरू राप्ती पुर्वका सबै तराई िजल्लाहरू िमलाएर एउटै समग्र मधेस राज्यको स्थापना बढी उपयुक्त होला िक?

मुख्य झगडा नक्शाको होइन, मुख्य झगडा शक्ित बाँडफाँडको हो। राष्ट्रपितको प्रत्यक्ष िनर्वाचन हुन्छ िक हुँदैन? उपल्लो सदनकालािग दलीय पुर्ण समानुपाितक िनर्वाचन हुन्छ िक हुँदैन? तल्लो सदनकालािग ७५ िजल्लालाई ७५ बहुसदस्यीय िनर्वाचन क्षेत्र (पाँच बुँदा, पाँच चुनाव) बनाइन्छ िक बनाइँदैन? नेपाल सेनामा मधेसी समुदायको समानुपाितक प्रितिनिधत्व हुन्छ िक हुँदैन? अडान िलनुपर्ने कुराहरू ती हुन्।

सरकारमा जाने िक नजाने

ंमधेस राज्यको स्थापना गर्न त दुई वर्ष लाग्छ। मधेस राज्यको स्थापना नभएसम्म सरकारमा नजाने अडान उिचत हुँदैन। सर्वदलीय सरकार बनाउने प्रयासमा तीन वटै मधेसी पार्टी सहभागी हुनु उिचत हुनेछ।

काँग्रेसले राष्ट्रपित खाला, माअोवादीले प्रधानमन्त्री पद खाला, एमालेले सभामुख, फोरमले उपसभामुख िलनुपर्ने हुन्छ। किरमा बेगमको नाम म िसफािरस गर्न चाहुँला।

तीन पहाडी पार्टी र तीन मधेसी पार्टी िमलेर सरकार बनाउँदामा हुन्छ िक? छ पार्टी सरकार। प्रत्येक पार्टीको अध्यक्दष सदस्य रहेको एउटा कर्िडनेशन किमिट बनाउनुपर्ने हुन्छ सरकार चलाउनकालािग। फोरमले गृह, रक्षा, अर्थ, िवदेश र अर्थ मध्ये एक िलनुपर्छ।

सडक तताउने राजनीित चुनाव अगािड हो। अब त संिवधान सभाको अंकगिणत तताउने बेला अाएको छ।

In The News

Forum in Maostan Nepali Times The Madhes has voted for Madhesis. For the first time, Madhesis, across party lines, are finding proportional political representation and the consequent access to power and opportunities. This is true not only for the eastern tarai, but also Banke, Nawalparasi, Kapilbastu and Rupandehi. .... A historical injustice is being corrected in a democratic framework. The Koiralas, Aryals, Acharyas, Amatyas, Nepals Dhunganas and Mallas fought in Madhes constituencies and bit dust. ....... Despite being discredited and isolated, facing physical insecurity, and playing dangerous games with multiple power centres over the past year, Upendra Yadav has bounced back. ....... The Tharus in the west and Rajbanshis in the east have voted Maoist. ..... There is back-channel effort underway to get the Maoists and the MJF to forget Lahan and Gaur and work together. ..... Sections in the MJF are thrilled at the idea of joining the government ..... The Maoist government, prodded by a conservative bureaucracy, will not find it easy to include Madhesis in proportionate numbers in state structures ...... The Maoist support base among Tarai janjatis means it will stick to its proposed federal model, the MJF will insist on ‘samagra Madhes’.The Maoists will have to push for some land reform to deliver to its constituency, the MJF and other Madhesi forces will become the vehicle for resistance and backlash. ..... The armed groups will keep quiet for a while, but may pounce as soon as they sense Madhesi parties are on the defensive. .... the Maoists would do well to counter possible identity chauvinism and militancy by reaching out to all Madhesi forces, and constantly engaging with them on common issues.

CA SCORECARD (As of 4PM, 19 April)
FIRST PAST THE POST
CPN-M 51.77%
NC 15.49%
UML 13.72%
MJF 11.06%
TMLP 8%
Others 4.42%
PROPOTIONAL REPRESENTATION
CPN-M 32.72%
NC 21.7%
UML 20.94%
Others 18.67%
MJF 5.43%
RPP 2.45%

No Meaning in Joining New Govt: Shekhar Himalayan Times

King could get cultural rights, says Dr. Bhattarai NepalNews they could provide the outgoing King with economic, social and cultural rights and benefits. ..... the King could be provided with ‘allowances.’ .... the Maoist leadership was ready to hold talks with the King to facilitate the ‘graceful exit’ of monarchy
Another NC bigwig loses election Arjun Narsingh KC
'Overthrowing monarchy legitimately will be a unique exercise'

I will be head of new government: Prachanda Kantipur
NC Morang District Committee dismissed
Interruption in vote counting in Mahottarri The Maoist teared the papers when the vote counting was at the last phase. Security personnels at the booth took Maoist cadres Akshyay Lal Yadav, Rami Lal Yadav, and Siya Saran Yadav under custody after the interruption.... teared down around 100 ballot papers of Poll booth number 362 of Ramgopalpur
Mahottari-6 candidates to lodge case at CA Court
UNMIN not necessary: C P Gajurel
No respite in Maoist excesses: UML those UML activists, who fled their villages out of Maoist fear, have not yet returned to their homes .... the CPN-Maoist has not mended its old ways despite winning the CA poll.
NHRC points out lapses during polls Different political parties and their candidates have filed complaints against election rigging by Maoists in Sindhupalchowk, Dolakha, Ramechhap, Dhading, Dadeldhura, Nuwakot, Rasuwa, and Gorkha, among other, districts. They complained that polls could not be conducted in a free and fair manner in the districts as Maoists intimidated and obstructed voters while the latter were on the way to the polling stations.

45 Saptari 3 Mahesh Prasad Yadav Sadhvawana Party M 10302 Elected

74 Sarlahi 4 Rajendra Mahato Sadhvawana Party M 17073 Elected
75 Sarlahi 5 Khobhari Raya Sadhvawana Party M 13142 Elected

113 Bara 1 Saroj Kumar Yadav Sadhvawana Party M 8182 Elected

MJF seeks implementation of past agreements to join new govt NepalNews his party will not join the Maoist-led new government until the agreements reached earlier are implemented.
Prachanda ready to talk to King for 'graceful removal of monarchy'

CPN (Maoists)
119
Nepali Congress
35
CPN (UML)
31
MJF
24
TMDP
7
Sadhbhawana (Mahato)
4
NWPP
2
Janamorcha
2
Independent
2

‘MJF Won't Join New Govt Until Pacts are Implemented’ Himalayan Times his party will not join an all-party government until the eight-point and the 22-point agreements reached with the government are implemented. ..... "The new constitution should be inclusive so that a Madhesi can also be the president of the nation ..... MJF is of the view that the president should be elected through the direct votes of people.
MK Nepal Taking Rest in Dhulikhel Hotel Nepal reached Dhulikhel on Thursday evening with two personal bodyguards by car and checked into Hotel Mirabel. ..... Only two of the 15 UML standing committee members managed to win. Seven UML ministers who lost in the CA polls
Prachanda wants to talk to king “The king has the historic opportunity to show his love for the country and his respect for the verdict of the people by leaving the palace himself,” Prachanda said. “Nepalis will forgive him no matter what he has done in the past,” he said in the 30-minute interview, his first since the CA polls. “In history, monarchs have been beheaded and also had to flee. Let that not be repeated in Nepal,” Prachanda said.

Friday, April 18, 2008

Are The Maoists Anti-Madhesi?



Maoist eager to work with MJF: Dr Bhattarai his party was ready to join hands with the one-time archrival of Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF) in forming a new coalition government. ..... his party would also like to work with other Terai based parties like Terai-Madhesh Loktantrik Party and Sadbhawana Party. ...... Bhattarai denied the foremost demand of the Terai parties for a single Madhes province in a federal Nepal. .... MJF has emerged as the biggest regional party
MJF likely to give Maoists a hard time Himalayan Times Our cooperation with the Maoists will largely depend on how they address the issues of Madhes,” said MJF coordinator Upendra Yadav. He urged the Maoists to make their stance clear on the issues of autonomous Madhes, federal democratic republic, proportional representation of the Madhesis in all sectors and empowerment of the Madhesis, aboriginal nationalities, Dalits and all other marginalised groups. ...... “If they continue to tilt towards the extreme left, it will cause imbalance of power. This could affect the inter-party relations,” Yadav said, adding, “We have not yet decided on whether or not to join the government.” ...... President of the Sadbhawana Party Rajendra Mahato and TMDP leader Sarbendra Nath Shukla agreed with Yadav. “We will support the Maoists if they address our concerns, otherwise we will oppose them,” said Mahato. “We are going to help frame a new constitution, but will not be a part of the new government,” he added. ..... “We will resort to protests in the House and on the streets if the Maoists’ disposition towards the Madhes problem is not positive,” TMDP leader Shukla said. ...... “We still have serious differences with them (Madhesi parties). Their demands of one Madhes, one Prades and immediate proportionate recruitment of the Madhesis into Nepal Army are communal agendas. In the long run, these agendas can lead to the disintegration of the nation,” CP Gajurel
पाँच बुँदा, पाँच चुनाव

I am okay with either of the two maps above when it comes to federalism. But the real issue is not how you draw the map for federalism. The real issue is to make sure the one person, one vote principle is adhered to when it is time to decide on the power distribution between the center and the states. That will be the tricky part. The devil is in that detail.

The first map is a slight modification of the original Maoist map that had nine states. I have modified that to create a Khasan. But that first map goes for ethnic federalism. And I think that can get problematic. The second map goes for geographic federalism. I think the second map is better if you have rapid economic growth in mind for this poor country.

The question is, do you or do you not keep the 75 districts? I think it will be a bureaucratic nightmare to get rid of the 75 districts. That is a huge reason to stick to my proposal of four states, and 75 districts.

Almost half the people in the Terai are non Madhesi. Making all of Terai as one state should not be problematic. It would make great economic sense.

But then when the Maoists deny the idea of all of Terai as one state, and in the same breath go on to deny the idea of proportional representation of the Madhesis in the future Nepal Army, then you have to get suspicious of them. Those are anti-Madhesi sentiments. If you end up with a Pahadi army at the end of the peace process, that will not have been a peace process at all.

Madhesi Movement: Next Moves

As for the power distribution between the center and the states, I have talked about it here before.

पाँच बुँदा, पाँच चुनाव

My worst fear is that the Pahadis might create two states in the Terai and five or more states in the hills and then say each state should get 10 seats each in the Upper House. After that the Madhesh will be permanently colonized. Better a separate country than such a federalism.

The power distribution between the center and the states has to be based on the one person one vote principle.

In The News

Maoists' share in PR votes come down to 30 percent NepalNews of the total 84,53,565 votes counted till Friday, the Maoists have garnered 25,98,303 votes ...... Nepali Congress (NC) is in second place with 18,31,342 votes (21.66 percent) followed by the Unified Marxist Leninist (UML) with 17,84,473votes (21.11 percent). ...... The Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF) is in fourth place with 4,51,634 votes (5.34 percent) and the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) is in fifth place with 2,12,713 votes (2.52 percent). ..... Terai Madhes Loktantrik Party (TMLP) at 2,06,098 votes. ..... 10 million people had cast their votes
EC to announce PR results in about ten days will take additional four days to allocate the seats to the parties.
PM asks UML ministers to return to work
NC leaders to Maoists: Abide by past agreements for alliance only after the former rebels immediately stop "intimidation and violent activities" and fully abide by the past agreements and understandings can there be any working alliance between the two parties ...... He added that the future government should be formed in consensus of all parties, requesting that nobody should doubt the intention of the Maoists as the party has already come to peaceful politics and has gained popular mandate.
Maoist eager to work with MJF: Dr Bhattarai his party was ready to join hands with the one-time archrival of Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF) in forming a new coalition government. ..... his party would also like to work with other Terai based parties like Terai-Madhesh Loktantrik Party and Sadbhawana Party. ...... Bhattarai denied the foremost demand of the Terai parties for a single Madhes province in a federal Nepal. .... MJF has emerged as the biggest regional party

MJF likely to give Maoists a hard time Himalayan Times Our cooperation with the Maoists will largely depend on how they address the issues of Madhes,” said MJF coordinator Upendra Yadav. He urged the Maoists to make their stance clear on the issues of autonomous Madhes, federal democratic republic, proportional representation of the Madhesis in all sectors and empowerment of the Madhesis, aboriginal nationalities, Dalits and all other marginalised groups. ...... “If they continue to tilt towards the extreme left, it will cause imbalance of power. This could affect the inter-party relations,” Yadav said, adding, “We have not yet decided on whether or not to join the government.” ...... President of the Sadbhawana Party Rajendra Mahato and TMDP leader Sarbendra Nath Shukla agreed with Yadav. “We will support the Maoists if they address our concerns, otherwise we will oppose them,” said Mahato. “We are going to help frame a new constitution, but will not be a part of the new government,” he added. ..... “We will resort to protests in the House and on the streets if the Maoists’ disposition towards the Madhes problem is not positive,” TMDP leader Shukla said. ...... “We still have serious differences with them (Madhesi parties). Their demands of one Madhes, one Prades and immediate proportionate recruitment of the Madhesis into Nepal Army are communal agendas. In the long run, these agendas can lead to the disintegration of the nation,” CP Gajurel
Nepali Congress not to quit government over 10 central leaders, who attended today’s meeting, had claimed that the party suffered the most due to failure of the government to put in place an effective security arrangement to ensure free and fair election.
UML’s rider to join Maoist-led govt the UML will not join the Maoist-led government unless the CPN-Maoist “transforms as a non-military political outfit” like the UML and the NC. ....... We will support your government from outside. People are also eager to see how you run the administration ...... Prachanda had also insisted that Nepal should be part of the CA despite his defeat in polls because of his role in the peace process. ..... Prachanda and Bhattarai also met Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula and sought his cooperation in persuading the NC to join the new government.
Hurdles in declaring republic?