Tom Pain Has Praise For This Blog

Carnival of the Revolutions

Paramendra Bhagat (a fellow New Yorker) at Democracy for Nepal works on strategy for his countrymen struggling to bring democracy to their troubled nation. I'm not too familiar with Nepalese politics, but what he's proposing sounds like civil disobedience along the lines of Tiananmen, but with a clearer behind-the-protest plan for structure and change. It looks like an uphill battle, given the current three-way fight between monarchists, Maoists (yikes!), and democrats. This revolution is truly a work-in-progress, and Bhagat's blog looks to me like the best way to follow it.

Tom, what can I say? I greatly appreciate this mention. This is the best explicit praise this blog has received to date. I am much obliged.

I derive satisfaction from the fact that this blog is political work, and has been a reference point for many individuals involved in the peace process in rather intimate ways. This is easily the most important political work I ever did.

Only earlier today I received an email from Madhav Nepal who leads the largest politial party in Nepal. I was rather touched by the good things he had to say about this blog. And then you show up.

Thank you.

Sugam Pokharel, Evansville, Indiana

Date: Mon, 19 Sep 2005 08:04:43 -0700 (PDT)
From: "sugam pokharel"
Subject: Guy from Evansville
To: paramendra@yahoo.com

k cha dai, aramai hunu huncha malai ta daile birsi saknu bhayo hola...hami indian resturant ma khana gayeka thiyau ni...

ani dai ko photo haru herdai thiye...asti ko NY ko protest ko...ramro lagyo...photo herda herdai tapaiko website tira pani puge...web site pani sabai here.... tapaiko resume yek dum strong rahecha....tapaiko resume le chai yek dum impress garyo malai...

aj kal k gardai hunu huncha?....milyo bhane hamro university tira pasnu kahile kahi... la ta dai bye

Sonal Singh, Baltimore, Maryland

Subject: RE: nepal -democracy
Date: Tue, 20 Sep 2005 07:45:19 -0400
From: "Sonal Singh"
To: "Paramendra Kumar Bhagat"

Dear Paramendraji,

You can defintely web-publish the two papers as long as we quote the original source as both are published in open access journals amd free for distribtion

Singh S , Dahal K, Mills E " Nepals war on human rights - A summit higher than everest"Int J Equity Health. 2005 Jun 28;4:9.
http://www.equityhealthj.com/content/4/1/9

Singh S, Mills E, Honeyman S, Suvedi BK, Pant NP (2005) HIV in Nepal: Is the Violent Conflict Fuelling the Epidemic? PLoS Med 2(8): e216
http://medicine.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pmed.0020216

I will have to request permission from the Canadian Medical Association Journal to web-publish the 3rd article
Singh S . Impact of long-term political conflict on population health in Nepal.
http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/171/12/1499

Let me know what I can help in your endeavour

Kind regards
Sonal

Subject: nepal -democracy
Date: Mon, 19 Sep 2005 21:29:32 -0400
From: "Sonal Singh"
To: paramendra@yahoo.com

Dear bhagatji,
I admire you efforts for democracy in Nepal through your website and blog and whole-heartedly support it

I have been doing some research on the impact of conflict and health and human rights in nepal and sending you the links

Sonal

Sonal Singh MD MPh(std)
Johns Hopkins University

CMAJ_Nepal_1499.pdf CMAJ_Nepal_1499.pdf (368k)
1475_9276_4_9.pdf 1475_9276_4_9.pdf (260k)
plme_02_08_singh.pdf plme_02_08_singh.pdf (330k)

In The News

• Jailing of Nepal ex-PM questioned BBC News, UK
• Lessons for tyrants Khaleej Times
• Nepal Isolated After Feb 1, says Former US Envoy Himalayan Times, Nepal
• Absolute monarchy is now an anachronism: Ms Bloch Nepalnews.com
• ‘In monarchy's interest, restore democracy’ Kathmandu Post
• War disintegrates Rolpa families Kathmandu Post
• ‘Meet to oppose foreign intervention in Nepal’s affairs’ Gorkhapatra, Nepal
• ‘NSP firm on Constitutional Monarchy, democracy’ Gorkhapatra
• Constitution obstacle fulfilling objectives of Royal takeover ... Nepalnews.com, Nepal
• Political Problem, Political Solution Nepalnews.com, Nepal Within seven months, King proved how flawed people’s assumptions and hopes they pinned on him were...... People’s disappointment has reached a tipping point ...... This generation, thanks to the Internet, satellite television, and popular culture, has acquired an essentially western mindset. And most of them take the desirability of democracy as a given. The daily demonstrations in Kathmandu are proof of the fact that even though popularly elected representatives failed to yield remarkable improvements, more than a decade long but tumultuous democracy in Nepal has been able to produce a young, proud, self-assertive and yet deeply discontented generation who are prepared to endorse radical change for nation’s sake........ physical abuse towards those who are protesting through demonstrations proves the fact how weak, desperate and careless the government has become....... By visiting different parts of the country with heavy security, the king seems to be pretending of speaking for powerless people who are caught in between but the changing political scenario shows that it is he who needs people to speak for him.
• Breaking the logjam Kathmandu Post, Nepal about 665 persons have been killed by the Maoists and the security forces between 30 April 2005 and 12 September 2005. Out of them, 374 were killed by the security forces...... When asked by journalists why student leader Rajendra Rai was re-arrested on 18 May 2005, Home Minister Dan Bahadur Shahi replied, "Did the Supreme Court order not to re-arrest him?" ..... There have been credible reports of unilateral cease- fire by the Maoists. The RNA personnel too have been provoking the Maoists....... Given the determination of King Gyanendra to cling on to power, there is no quick solution in sight...... Despite continued arms embargo, the United States' position keeps on changing.....
  
• Parties-Maoists roadmap soon Kathmandu Post, Nepal Leaders of political parties, on Monday, said the seven political parties would soon hold formal dialogue to prepare a "roadmap" for peace...... "All political parties are informally discussing the roadmap with Maoists. It is heading in a positive direction and we will soon hold formal dialogue to give it final shape." ..... "If we hold formal dialogue and come up with a road map, the entire political tide will drift toward one side and the king will not be able to withstand even a single day"
• Lessening of violence welcome: US Kathmandu Post, Nepal
• Prohibitory order defiance continues Kathmandu Post, Nepal
• House revival still top agenda: Poudel Kathmandu Post, Nepal a question raised by People's Front Nepal's Vice-chairman Lila Mani Pokharel, on the relevance of House reinstatement as the topmost agenda....... accused the king-led government of working to violate the ceasefire declared by Maoists. "It is planning a repetition of the Doramba massacre,' .... the present government has not only failed to respond to the ceasefire positively, but is also working to force the rebels to call it off.
• Ceasefire fostering tourism prospects Kathmandu Post, Nepal
• Zero sum game of politics Kathmandu Post, Nepal
• King’s arrogance may put him at stake. Ex-US envoy Kantipur Online, Nepal either reach an agreement with political parties, or carry on as absolute monarch and end up possibly losing everything ....... Bloch made the remarks while addressing a select gathering of academics and journalists from Washington DC through digital video-conferencing on 'Nepal and the International Community', organized by the American Embassy here and the US State Department......... lambasted the government for issuing crackdown orders on political demonstrations .......
  
• Parties making noise for republic on foreigners’ instigation Gorkhapatra, Nepal The leaders of the political parties think the people are behind them, but it is just their illusion, and they are trying to ignore the intimate relation between the people and the King, Dr. Giri commented......... foreign powers were flirting in Nepal both from 2007 BS to 2017 BS and from 2046 BS till now ....... He blamed that the country was pushed to the brink of disaster by burgeoning foreign loan, which was Rs. 29 billion before 2046 BS, and reached Rs. 2,045 billion in the last 14 years. He accused the political parties for pushing the country into the huge debt trap........... “How can there be consensus with conditions like reinstatement of the House of Representatives, constituent assembly, republic and interim government?” ..........
  
• ‘HM’s commitment to multiparty democracy is total, unflinching ... Gorkhapatra, Nepal
• Reconciliation bet’n parties urged Gorkhapatra, Nepal
• The government is accused of intimidation OhmyNews International, South Korea
  
• Nepal journos flee for safety Indian Express, India
• NEPAL: Pro-democracy demonstration in the US Asia Pacific Media Network, CA