88 photos.
Video clip 4, Video clip 5, Video clip 6, Video clip 7, Video clip 8, Video clip 9.
Late in the afternoon, I just meant to lie down for a little while, but I fell asleep. When I woke up, I had barely enough time to get to the venue by 6 PM. So I went with an unshaven chin. And I put on my winter cap to cover up the hair.
This was my first time inside a New York University building. It is fancy.
I was running a little late.
With the audience in mind, this presentation was in English. Krishna Pahadi gave a synopsis of what was going on in Nepal. When he got arrested after 2/1, the authorities told him he was in for 10 years. He was out in less than 150 days. The president of Amnesty International paid him a visit while he was in prison. I guess a regime that keeps paying lip service to democracy has to keep aware of its international image.
That is a point Pahadi kept emphasizing. He said what people do at this end helps a lot at that end. My question to him at the end was along the same lines. The orange revolution in Ukraine in 2004 had no martyrs, but you keep saying you and others are prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice, I said. When the movement finally takes off in a few short weeks and people start showing up in the streets in large numbers, do you expect there to be a military crackdown, and do you expect people to die? If you do, what can be done to prevent such bloodshed? His answer: massive international pressure.
He gave a synopsis, offered his analysis, related his personal story of travail, and also described his endeavor as an "adventure." He kept emphasizing he was a human rights activist, and that he was not interested in going into government.
His message: Nepal should become a democratic republic.
A lively question and answer session followed.
After that session, there was an informal interaction. People split into mobile, small groups.
I met the law student who is one of the people behind a powerful NYU report on the caste situation in Nepal: Rajeev Goyal. He is ethnic Indian, an American. He did a Peace Corps stint in Nepal. He speaks fluent Nepali. (Caste Discrimination Leads To War)
And I had a long, lively conversation with two wonderful women, the organizers of the event. Victoria is from Philippines. Sheena Singh is from Delhi, but she left when she was two. We talked about a lot of issues. They said New York City was depressed after Bush won. We talked about the global trafficking of women. Sheena talked about this organization called Sakhi that deals with domestic violence and South Asian women.
Mridula Koirala had a local Indian restaurant in mind she was going to take Krishna Pahadi to for dinner. We had to ask around.
"This city is an ocean," Pahadi remarked.
He was also delighted about the Kantipur article on him by Tilak Pokharel who was in attendance today as well. ( After Nepal, civil society movement comes to New York)
Then I took the train home. Mridula was protective of her one on one with Pahadi. She had a woman friend along. I have noticed that about both Gagan Thapa and Krishna Pahadi, two of the superstars of this movement. There is this public event, and there are these slots of private get togethers, a whole different ballgame.
After events like this, I am also in a hurry to make my blog entry.
I had flyers for two Nepal-related Goyal events, one within days. Peace Corps can do that to you.
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