Democracy For Nepal: Happy, Fast Pace

Friday, June 16, 2006

Happy, Fast Pace

Video Interview: Madhav Nepal In Hong Kong (June 11)

This is like the French Revolution only better, since there is no violence out in the streets. Things are moving fast again and I am happy about it.

The revolution has to continue, but there has to be no compromise on human rights, rule of law, and non-violence.

Bring it on.

I am really pleased to see the cabinet has finally taken the powers to be able to fire some of the scumbags in the army and the police. This is necessary. The interim government has to have full control over all levers of state power, the army and the police foremost among them.

And the clear decision to involve the UN is also highly positive. This is the right thing to do at many different levels.

Involve The UN In The Peace Process (June 15, 2006)

Nepal for the first time in its history is about to have a global foreign policy. The policy is to export the April Revolution to every country that is not yet a democracy.

Mugabe Chor, Desh Chhor

And I am really pleased with the work of the Raymajhi Commission. This is not about punishing, this is not about vengeance, this is not about animal instincts, this is not about getting even. This is a matter of principle.

If we do not bring to justice the villains of the April Revolution, we will not be able to export the April Revolution. People not free elsewhere have to get a clear message they have nothing to fear should they finally decide to come out into the streets. They own the streets. Right to peaceful assembly is their holy right. So don't get weak kneed. Stand by the Raymajhi Commission.

Prachanda's suggestion to hold elections to the constituent assembly next April is also a good one. That will allow for a lot of time for debates and discussions. Everything has to be discussed at the local levels. For example, what does free speech mean? The entire country has to go to class on that one. It is not enough that only the leaders understand such details, although it is necessary they do.

The eight parties should hold open, joint meetings across the country on human rights and invite the masses in. The Universal Declaration Of Human Rights is to be the bedrock of the next constitution.

I hope the eight parties will work to abolish the two armies before taking the country through the constituent assembly elections.

Abolish The Monarchy, Abolish The Army

And fire Pyar Jung. What say you?

Form a Truth And Reconciliation Commission. This is a must and long overdue.

Land Reform, Truth And Reconciliation

Ceremonial Monarchy

The Nepali Congress has every right to go for a ceremonial monarchy as a party, but only if it reaches that decision through a democratic process within its own party. Otherwise such a stand will be illegitimate.

It is my understanding that the Nepali Congress ditched the ceremonial monarchy at its last convention. If the party leadership wants to get it back, it needs to call for another convention and get another resolution to the effect passed. Why is Girija so intent on going against his own party?

Prachanda has come out saying he does not care if the Congress might not go for a republic. He is talking smart. If the Congress were to go into the assembly elections on the side of the monarchy, that will help the Maoists electorally. Prachanda knows that.

In The News

"Summit Talks" conclude; Eight point agreement signed NepalNews agreed to invite the United Nations to help and monitor the management of arms and armed personnel of both the sides ..... Prachanda, said his party would like to see a new interim constitution and interim government within a month and elections to be held for the Constituent Assembly by April-May, next year..... his party was ready to dissolve its "people's governments" formed at local level in its strongholds if the SPA agreed to dissolve the reinstated House of Representatives.
Former Justice Aryal to head the interim constitution drafting committee committee has been asked to present its draft to the negotiating team within 15 days. ..... Laxman Prasad Aryal .. Sindhunath Pyakurel and Mahadev Yadav ..... Shambhu Thapa .. Harihar Dahal and Khim Lal Devkota ....
House of Representatives adjourned until July 2 The seven party alliance agreed to adjourn the parliament to concentrate on peace talks between the government and the Maoists. ...... given full authority to the Cabinet in taking major decisions including the appointment of ambassadors; appointment and resignation of the Chief of the Army Staff; appointment, posting, promotion and resignation of army officers of the rank Colonel and above....... the Cabinet will also decide on the appointment, posting, promotion and resignation of Deputy Inspector General (DIG) and the officers above the rank of DIG of Armed Police Force and Nepal Police....... The Cabinet will also decide on establishing new installations, or shifting the existing installations and dissolving any organisational structure of all security agencies.....
Rayamajhi asks parliament's commitment to implement recommendation of probe commission Krishna Jung Rayamajhi.. has asked the House of Representative to fulfill its commitment of implementing the recommendations of the commission....... the commitment of the House is not evident as yet ......

Nepal - the challenges ahead BBC News, UK Maoist rebel leader Prachanda is last known to have set foot in Kathmandu 25 years ago, when the Nepalese capital was a sleepy temple town and political parties were banned. ..... The speed of transformation has been bewildering. ..... The king, to date, has not resisted...... The government has already released most of the 1,500-odd Maoist prisoners, removed their leaders' terrorist tag, and says it will scrap an anti-terrorism ordinance. ...... Many Nepalis would like to see complete disarmament before the constituent assembly elections..... violence continues, although on a much reduced scale. ..... Army soldiers, meanwhile, were alleged to have beaten up ordinary people and Maoist party workers in remote western Nepal..... At the moment there is much talk of power structures, much political jostling for influential positions. There is less attention to confronting the violence of the past and trying to heal the wounds...... A task force has been formed to look into disappearances, and a colonel has been detained - but the army chief remains in place.... Some major army excesses took place when political leaders such as Mr Koirala were previously in power...... So far the loudest voice calling for some sort of truth and reconciliation commission has been that of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour....... Maoist leaders and army chiefs also insist that rights violations are low-level aberrations which will decrease as Nepalis put this conflict behind them...... more and more observers say they cannot see the Maoists resuming their full-scale insurgency.
Rebels say they will join Nepal's new interim govt Ireland Online
Nepal to set up interim government with rebels Reuters "We will dissolve the old parliament, we will dissolve our governments, this is the main spirit of the decision taken in today's meeting," Prachanda told reporters after nearly 10 hours of talks with Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and top political party leaders. "A new interim constitution will be prepared within three weeks and after that the new interim government will be formed," he said.... The two leaders, assisted by their negotiators, talked for two hours before leaders of Nepal's six other main political parties joined them at the prime minister's high-security official residence.
Parliament adjourned for 17 days in Nepal People's Daily Online, China
Peace priority for Nepal: EU Gorkhapatra, Nepal
EU Parliamentary Panel Hails Political Change In Nepal Himalayan Times
Oli meets chief of European Parliament Gorkhapatra
Nepal sees more protests over monarchy United Press International
Nepal Premier favours ceremonial role for King Hindustan Times
Nepal PM's remarks on king spark protests in Kathmandu Hindu
Nepali PM reiterates stand in favor of ceremonial monarchy People's Daily Online
Bangladesh moots reservoirs in Nepal over Ganges issue DailyIndia.com, NY
EU to fund micro-projects in Nepal Nepalnews.com, Nepal

Govt-Maoist summit talks conclude with eight-point agreement (Update) Kantipur Publications The two sides have agreed to effectively and honestly implement the SPA-Maoist 12-point understanding signed last year and the 25-point Ceasefire Code of conduct signed on May 26 this year; expressed commitment to multiparty system, human rights, press freedom, civic liberties and rule of law; and request the UN to help in the management and monitoring of arms and armies of both sides during constituent assembly elections. ...... the two sides have also agreed to draft an interim constitution and form an interim government including the Maoists accordingly before holding constituent assembly elections. They also agreed to dissolve the reinstated House of Representatives after making alternative arrangement and the "People's Governments" of the Maoists across the country. ..... the summit talks which lasted for about 11 hours ...... Prachanda called the ongoing peace process "A historic new experiment of the 21st century." ...... Prachanda asserted that his party was in favour of a democratic republic but other parties were free to go to the Constituent Assembly elections with their own views about the monarchy.
Nominees opt out of truce monitering team We don't want to continue in a capacity in which we were nominated without even being informed, the human rights activists said today.
PM's stand on king nothing new: NC vice chairman
King loses right to appoint CoAS too
माओवादीद्वारा स्कुले छात्रको हत्या
कंगोमा नेपाली सैनिक अझै मुक्त भएनन्
दुवै नियमावली आए
कोइराला-प्रचण्ड वार्ता अब
प्रचण्डको आपत्ति
प्रहरी सेवा आयोग गठन गरिने
प्रधानमन्त्रीको भनाइबाट दलहरू रुष्ट
ँराजाका कामको पनि छानबिन गछौर्ं’
नुवाकोटका माओवादी मुक्त भएनन्
भूमिहीनका छाप्रा जमिनदारले भत्काए
बेश्यालयबाट उद्धार
क्यासिनोमा प्रहरी छापा
प्रधानसेनापतिसहितले रातो पासपोर्ट बुझाए
चन्दा संकलन जारी
कोइरालाको धारणा निजी’ प्रधानमन्त्री तथा कांग्रेस सभापति गिरिजाप्रसाद कोइरालाको राजालाई सेरेमोनियल भूमिका दिनेबारे व्यक्त धारणा निजी भएको कांग्रेस केन्द्रीय सदस्य नरहरि आचार्यले बताएका छन् । उनले कोइरालाको धारणा जनभावनाअनुकूल नभएको उल्लेख गरे । आचार्यले भने- 'अहिले कुनै पनि नाममा राजसंस्थाको औचित्य छैन ।' कांग्रेसको सवालमा ११औं महाधिवेशनमा विधानबाट संवैधानिक राजतन्त्रको प्रावधान हटाइसकेको उल्लेख गरे । पार्टी सभापति कोइरालाले ११औं महाधिवेशनको दुई साताअघिसम्म पनि विधानबाट संवैधानिक राजतन्त्रको प्रावधान नहटाउन अडान लिएको आचार्यले स्मरण गरे ।
माओवादी सम्पर्क कार्यालय
युवाहरू गाउँ सुरक्षा गस्तीमा
नागरिक पहलमा नयाँ नेपाल
जनताका प्रश्न
संविधान सभाको सुनिश्चितता
माओवादी धम्की र समाचार स्रोत
पूर्व-पश्चिम राजमार्ग टनकपुरसम्म

The Eight-point agreement reached between the seven-party alliance and CPN-Maoist following summit talks between the two sides at the Prime Minister’s residence at Baluwatar on Friday (June 16, 2006) is as follows (Unofficial Translation)
Effectively and honestly implement the 12-point understanding reached between the SPA and Maoists in November last year and the 25-point Ceasefire Code of Conduct signed between the SPA government and CPN-Maoist on May 26 this year.
Commitment to democratic norms and values including competitive multi-party system, civic liberties, fundamental rights, human rights, press freedom, and the concept of rule of law and Carry out each other’s activities in a peaceful manner.
Request the United Nations to help in the monitoring and management of the armies and arms of both government and Maoist sides for a free and fair election to the Constituent Assembly.
Guarantee the democratic rights achieved through the 1990 Popular Movement and the recent historic People’s Movement; draft an interim constitution based on the 12-point understanding and the ceasefire Code of Conduct; form an interim government accordingly; announce the dates for constituent assembly elections; dissolve the House of Representatives through consensus after making alternative arrangement; dissolve the People’s Governments of CPN-Maoist.
Decide issues of national interests having long-term effects through consensus.

Guarantee the fundamental right of the Nepali people to participate in the constituent assembly elections without any fear, influence, threat and violence. Invite international observation and monitoring during the elections as per the need.
Bring about a forward-looking restructuring of the state so as to resolve the class-based, racial, regional and gender-based problems through constituent assembly elections. Transform the ceasefire between the Nepal Government and CPN-Maoist into permanent peace by focusing on democracy, peace, prosperity, forward-looking change and the country’s independence, sovereignty and pride, and express commitment to resolve the problem through talks.
The government and Maoist talks teams have been directed to accomplish all tasks related to above-mentioned points without any delay.

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