What happened in Nepal in April was magic. Nothing of that sort has happened in any country in my memory, proportionately speaking. Not in Ukraine in 2004, not in Eastern Europe in the late 1990s.
A country of 27 million, according to some estimates 8 million came out into the streets. The entire country was shut down for 19 days.
This is political innovation. Could it have been done better? Yes. But what happened was beyond the imagination of anyone participating. The people did it. In one of the poorest countries in the world. Without fancy telecommunications. They did it mostly word of mouth. They did it when the repression was out and out vicious. It was not easy to watch thousands get injured, tens die. The outcome was not at all certain. And the people still kept pushing.
This is huge by any standards.
I can't think of a better model for the goal of a total spread of democracy worldwide. Nepal could finally hope to have a global foreign policy. For the first time ever.
How to do it? Easy. You upload everything online. Countless digital pictures were taken during the movement. Countless hours of video. All that has to go online. All of them. That is it.
People took the pictures and kept it for private viewing. Same with video. But all that has to be shared with the world. Can we upload a thousand hours of video? 10,000?
Maybe the government should step in to coordinate the effort.
The world will be inspired, as it already is. And maybe the next country will do it better. Maybe the diaspora will be much more proactive with material support next time. We have to polish the mechanism each time, and make it better and better and better.
Democracy Spreading Mechanism
Democracy: The Third Wave
Do Not Dissolve The House
Instead expand it and give seats to the Maoists as well.
40 Seats For Maoists, 25 For Others
Dissolve Parliament Only Two Months Before Constituent Assembly Elections
Dissolving the House might increase the likelihood of a direct confrontation between the two armies. The House is the buffer. A cabinet, especially an interim cabinet, does not have the same political weight as a House. There is something to be said of parliaments.
Instead hurry up the peace process.
Constituent Assembly Elections Before Dashain
Form eight party governments at the local levels and at the center.
The Maoists Do Not Have The War Option
The seven party alliance has to negotiate from a position of strength. If there were to be war, all the major world powers will back the Nepal Army to the hilt like they never have before. The Nepali people will support the seven party alliance. Because the seven party alliance is no dictator.
The political defeat the Maoists will suffer will be much bigger than the military defeat. It will get seen that they have abandoned the goal of a democratic republic after all, and gone back to their violent path to a communist republic.
The Nepali people want peace and democracy. And that is what they will get. If Gyanendra could not get in the way, Prachanda can not either.
The Ball Is In The Seven Parties' Court
Having said that, I think the blame for the slow talks goes to the seven party alliance, especially to Girija Koirala and his party. By now the talks should have been concluded.
Prachanda and Girija need to sit down face to face for a few hours, over a few days. And hash it all down. Enough waiting.
In The News
King no more part of the Parliament, HoR further curbs royal powers NepalNews
Govt-Maoist talks moving at snail’s pace: UML gen secy
India provides economic package worth 15 billion rupees to Nepal
Nepal chair of UN's fourth committee; Nepali peacekeepers still in detention The ongoing 61st General Assembly of the United Nations on June 8 elected Nepal chairman of the Fourth Committee ...... The Special Political and Decolonization Committee, known as the Fourth Committee, elected Nepal's Permanent Representative to the UN Madhu Raman Acharya as its chairman by acclamation ....... The Fourth Committee deals with issues concerning peacekeeping operations, information, assisting in mine-related action, international cooperation in the peaceful uses of outer space and declarations on granting independence to colonial territories and peoples........ Nepali soldiers are part of the 17,500 troops presently stationed in the Congo to maintain peace before the July 30 elections, the country's first in 40 years.
HoR essential to tackle legal constraints: Nepal Gorkhapatra, Nepal
HoR Can Be Dissolved If It Ends Deadlock: Nepal
Maoists still preparing for war: Moriarty
Maoists to ‘tax’ Chitwan Rs 50m Kantipur Publications Civilians in Chitwan are a troubled lot with Maoist cadres intensifying a 'donation collecting campaign' as per the party's circular to collect 50 million rupees as 'tax' by July 15 in Chitwan district alone....... Maoists have set 50 percent of salary as fixed rate for higher-level government employees while they have demanded Rs 100,000 to one million separately from government offices...... The rebels rationalize their demands for money saying that it is required for the arrangement of food and treatment of their 'People's Liberation Army', and to organize mass meetings. "Our party has issued a circular to collect 50 million rupees. So, please help us," a government staffer quoted the Maoists as saying....... Maoists have asked for huge sums of money, mainly from the offices of the district development committee (DDC), Bharatpur and Ratna Nagar municipalities, as well as the land revenue, inland revenue, electricity and forestry offices....... Demand letters were given to the employees a month ago, while it was circulated to the offices from this week, said an office chief. The letter termed the money as "tax" instead of "donation"....... Such letters are given to employees, businessmen and other professionals. After payment, government employees are given a party receipt, while teachers, businessmen and other professionals are given receipts of allied organizations....... The party increased the "tax" rate for teachers to 50 percent of salary, which earlier was 10 percent. Visiting the offices, Maoists hand over receipts to lecturers and staffers in colleges and demand money right there. Quite a few employees have taken "leave" to evade the "donation campaign"...... Meanwhile, Maoists have also intensified a "door-to-door assistance campaign" in the district. The party has mobilized cadres of allied organizations, including student and trade union wings for the campaign....... Meanwhile in Biratnagar, Maoists abducted Suraj Rajbangsi, a member of the General Federation of Nepalese Trade Unions (GEFONT), from Katahari VDC-4 of Morang district on Friday. Denouncing the abduction, the zonal office of the GEFONT has urged the Maoists to immediately release him. His whereabouts is unknown....... The rebels in Taplejung have continued recruitment for its 'people's army' at various places of the district. 'Chief of the people's government' of Dokhu VDC, Rijan, said they would never stop the expansion of party organization. Similarly, the rebels are continuing collection of ‘tax’ in the district....... Likewise, in Myagdi, both the Nepalese Army (NA) and the rebels have displayed their military strength against the code of conduct. Some 300 armed militia of the Basanta Smiriti Brigade of the Maoists held a mass meeting around Ghodepani, Ramche, Bhagwati, Patlekhet, Kuhun, Singa, Babiyachaur and Darbang, said locals. NA troops also continue to patrol the highways.
A Clash of Perceptions
Govt to scrap laws against free press
‘Govt should support loan recovery drive’
House Regulation endorsed
Maoists will be included in govt soon: Ministers
Maoists trying to disrupt peace process: Nepal
Parties in villages, Maoists at HQs Politics in recent days has moved in an opposite direction here with party leaders and cadres going to the once Maoist-controlled villages to drum up public support and Maoists concentrating activities at district headquarters. While the Nepali Congress and the CPN(UML) are traversing the villages after a long while, organizing meetings, rallies and discussions with party workers, the CPN (M) is implementing its programs at district headquarters. The Nepali Congress said the participation of local people in meetings at village level is seeing an upsurge. NC leader Bhim Bahadur Tamang was upbeat about the huge participation of locals at a mass meeting organized Thursday at Singati, south of the district...... A district level NC committee had earlier formed at least 12 teams to organize mass meetings and rallies in the district for drumming up public support in favor of a constituent assembly...... The CPN-UML was no less optimistic about the support of the people for a constituent assembly. Iswar Chandra Pokhrel, acting secretary of the CPN-UML, said the party is encouraged by the people's enthusiastic participation in the meetings...... The CPN-UML held meetings of its cadres in all the VDCs and one municipality in the district. ...... Meanwhile, Maoists are campaigning at district headquarters Charikot and Dolakha Bazar area. The All Nepal National Independent Students' Union (Revolutionary) (ANNISU-R), has opened its contact office at Naya Bus Park. Maoists entered district headquarters on June 15, when the ANNISU-R organized a meeting. Ever since, they have remained busy organizing party meetings and press conferences....... District secretary of CPN(M) Asmita was addressing a mass meeting at district headquarters, reiterating her party's avowed stance on the constituent assembly.
शाही सत्ताको रकम लिने पत्रकारहरूको विवरण सार्वजनिक हुने
माओवादीले चितवनमा ५ करोड चन्दा उठाउने
जनमोर्चा भेला
माओवादीका नाममा चन्दा उठाउने पक्राउ
माफियालाई मन्त्रालयले जोगायो ः प्रतिवेदन
गोप्य समझदारी भएको छैन ः ओली
संविधानसभाका लागि माओवादीसहितको आयोग’
महिलाको सभा हुने
संविधान सभामा जाँदा
माओवादीले सवारी कर लिएको आरोप
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