Why Madhesis need to continue the protest.
680Anand 1/25/2007 11:06:52 PM EST | Thank you Parmendra dai for the excellent article:
http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2007/01/8-parties-need-to-declare-205.html
In April, there were no talks. There were basic demands. And when those demands were met, the revolution came to a halt. Same thing now. There are four basic demands.
- Citizenship papers to all Madhesis, not to 33 lakh but to 60 lakh.
- 205 constituencies based on equal population.
- Reserved constituencies for the DaMaJaMa.
- A fresh census before the elections.
Talks? What talks? The eight party coalition needs to come out saying they agree to the basic demands. And the street action will come to a halt. That is how you do it.
There is this disdain in the Prime Minister's invitation for talks. All problems will be solved by the constituent assembly. Don't you know? Are you stupid? That is the tone. That will not work.
There is also this disrespectful ignorance. Baluwatar is acting up. Girija is acting like he does not know why the Madhesis are out in the streets. The world knows, but Girija does not.
In April, the king kept inviting the eight parties to suggest a name for a new Prime Minister. That was the royal disrespect. The king kept suggesting the people are out in the streets because the filthy political parties want the kursi, and that is all there is to it.
Girija is doing a repeat performance. All the Madhesi leaders want is some chiyapan at Baluwatar. That is all there is to it. If he will offer tea, things will quieten down. Girija is the Pahadi Bahun supreme. Prachanda is his minion. Krishna Bahadur Mahara said yesterday, look what happens when we Maoist leaders step outside of Kathmandu for a few days! Mahara lives on another planet.
The Prime Minister needs to give a speech of concession like King Gyanendra gave a speech of concession. That is the only way the streets will calm down.
This is also a good opportunity for the Madhesi People's Rights Forum (MPRF) to change from being an organization to becoming a full-fledged political party. You have to ride this momentum. If this street action does not result in the four basic demands being met, it will have been in vain. If this street action does not result in a total electoral annihilation of the Pahadi parties from the Terai during the constituent assembly elections, it will have been in vain.
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Re: Why Madhesis need to continue the protest.
junge 1/26/2007 10:23:21 AM EST | It is disheartening to see educated SEBSers who are blatantly racist. Madhesis are as Nepali as any of us, if not more. We have treated this significant portion of our country's population as second class citizens for too long and time for change has come. Anand dai, I support your view. Like Yubraj dai wrote, I expected discrimination, as it happened in Nepalgunj a couple of weeks ago, to end after the popular April movement. Unfortunately it didn't, hopefull this new wave of protests will deliver justice to our Madhesi brothers and sisters. I just hope that and pray that we do not loose any more precious lives in the protests.
Last edited on 1/26/2007 10:24:20 AM EST |
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Re: Why Madhesis need to continue the protest.
shekhar mayavi 1/26/2007 12:39:43 PM EST | The survey team of Maoists have concluded that they cannot win more than 83 seats in the parliament
in the elections. So, in order to postpone the constituent assembly elections indefinitely the Maoists
have orchestrated the violence and protests in the south with the help of their sister groups. The
'shadayantra' is to let the situation get worse in Terai by the time the new government starts working
and then topple it in the pretext that it could not maintain law and order. Then the Maoists will
have BRB or prachanda become the next PM and declare Nepal a republic without elections. This way the Maoists
plan to show as if they are doing their best to fulfill the demand of Madhesi people and also achieve their party's
goal. Two birds with one stone.
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Re: Why Madhesis need to continue the protest.
sebs 1/26/2007 3:32:16 PM EST | The tarai turmoil is spinning out of control, but the 7+1 parties are still treating it as just a law-and-order problem.
After five people were killed in unrest in Lahan, the violence and looting spread to Janakpur on Wednesday, Birganj and Biratnagar on Thursday.
The root of the crisis is deep, long-standing bitterness among the madhesi population. Discriminated against by governments in the past, they saw that they would be denied political representation in proportion to their numbers by the interim constitution too.
Exploiting this could be religious and royalist groups with powerful allies in a rabidly anti-Maoist Bihar government across the border. Many of the arsonists who went on a systematic rampage in central Janakpur on Thursday were not known to anyone.
Politics, ethnicity, and religion make an explosive combination. But the lesson is lost on the parties in Kathmandu. The Maoists find they cannot control the genie they let out of the bottle with their ethnic-based politics. They are making things worse by calling madhesi activists “criminals”. The NC and UML are using the tarai as an arena for vote competition in future elections.
The unrest in the tarai is now the biggest threat to the peace process just weathering its first storm on arms management.
It’s still not too late for a multiparty declaration by parliament to amend the interim constitution and meet genuine madhesi demands for proportional representation. It may not stop the violence—there is evidence it is being instigated—but it will help reduce the anger. There is no other way to tackle this.
Nepal is falling from the frying pan into the fire.
-KUNDA DIXIT
http://nepalitimes.com/issue/333/Headline/13144
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Re: Why Madhesis need to continue the protest.
889Jay 1/26/2007 4:24:44 PM EST | I did not intend to offend anyone by referring to pahades as "so-called pahades". I apologize if it offended anyone as it was not meant to be derogatory in any way. Many people use the terms "pahadiya" and "madhise" as an insult. Personally I don't like the practice of distinguishing the Nepali population as Madhesi and Pahade. There are many Madhesis living in the hills and there are many Pahades living in the plains. Still, a Madhesi who was born and raised in Kalimati is still called Madhesi (as if that person were an outsider) while a Pahade who was born and raised in Janakpur is still called a Pahade (again, as if that person were an outsider). The terms Madhesi and Pahadi are divisive, and almost racist at times. Hopefully someday people will stop using these terms (or at least realize the meaning and context when they use the terms).
Anyway, at this moment I guess there are no other terms that can properly substitute Madhesi and Pahade.
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Re: Why it is necessary to drive all the Indians out of Nepal.
abcd 1/26/2007 4:34:30 PM EST | You know what? Madhesis should start a different kind of strategy. This one only brings hatred among Nepalese. The best strategy would be to start a propaganda, some Hoax like Hritik kanda but against indians. I personally believe that if madhesis can fight against indians, do some chakka jam and stuff, protest against India. Kill some indians who are looting Nepal. Chase away those who illegally own land in Nepal. other Nepalese will like it. With this, you will win the sentiment. This would show the public that you are more loyal to the land you grew up. From the childhood, Nepalese are taught that whoever fights for the country is a great person. Even using propaganda, if an american fights against foreigners for betterment of Nepal, every Nepali would like it. I totally disagree with the present style of protest as it makes me think more about the differences than commonness. The power people get through killing and violence doesnt win the heart of the people and the madhesi issue is more a moral issue than the administrative/political. Nomatter how good madhesis might be represented in the government, if they do not win the heart and sentiment of the pahadis, they will be discriminated. When you read the history of Nepal, it was all the Pahades who fought for Nepal. It was pahades who protected the sovereignty of Nepal. Probably it is the reason pahades are more sentimental when it comes to protecting Nepal. धेरै छ गर्नु स्वदेश को सेवा नेपाली बन्न्लाई
शिर ठाडो पारी नेपाली भन्ने म नै हु भन्नलाई
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Re: Why Madhesis need to continue the protest.
680Anand 1/26/2007 4:55:24 PM EST | It is really funny how everyone is interpreting the unrest to their advantage. The Maoist accusing the royalist, and the royalist accusing the Maoist and political parties treating as law and order problem. However, I must say, its encouraging to see quite a few Budhanilkantha students treating it rightly as an issue of massive discrimination that has existed for so long. This was sort of a pleasant surprise.
Where did Krishna Pahadi go? He was always there with his yellow uniform talking about human rights issues? . I actually believed his fight for "inclusive" democracy was genuine? What about other human rights and civil society fellows?
It is indeed the anger of discrimination and alienation that Madhesis have felt for so long thats erupting. It was long overdue and the current environment provided a suitable platform. If this thing anger is not gonna get any outlet, the unrest will only get worse.
I, for one, remain optimistic. Here is why:
1) First , by an large, Nepalese are tolerant people. Tolerant of other cultures and religion and so on. History has shown that. 14000 deaths in maoist rebellion is not that bad, if you comapre it to other countries.
2) Second, the political parties are cornered quite bad. The inherent bias of Phadi human rights advocates may not have got it yet....but the international human rights agency have all been saying that its discrimination of Madhesis. Even the new secretary general of UN said it! Girija needs to make concession in Public Television or witness a Baluwatar gehro andolan soon.
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Re: Why Madhesis need to continue the protest.
680Anand 1/26/2007 5:04:02 PM EST | abcd, before you talk about throwing out Indians from the crowd, why don't you talk about addressing the discrimination that Madhesis face. The Nepal government needs to accept publicly that massive discrimation has existed and the new government is willing to undo it. They government has to respect to this demand that virtually everyone is saying is genuine. Lets see if the violence stops after doing that. I think it will stop right there. If not, that surely a better strategy than trying to spot who are the thugs from India in the crowd and sending them back to India. |
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Re: Why Madhesis need to continue the protest.
542B Rahul 1/27/2007 1:59:15 PM EST |
Any responsible citizen of Nepal would agree that Madhesis are being discriminated against. Be it in legislative, judiciary, executive, army or police, there has not been proportional representation at all.
It doesn’t take a genius to see where the problem lies. Nepal is centrally controlled by handful of Kathmandu-Pahades who have been un-responsive to the needs of people outside the valley; be it terai or other hilly regions of the country. Today terai people are fighting for their rights. I wouldn’t be surprised if tomorrow pahades from east and west hilly regions stand up for their rights, somewhat like what Maoists did.
I am not a political expert, but the solution to this problem is to give regional autonomy somewhat like federal system. Power should be divided into central governing body and provinces. This is similar to the principle agent problem where the agents “shirk” when not enough incentives are given. If the regional provinces are not represented proportionally, their cultures and identity not supported and recognized, their voices not heard, and denied basic rights to a decent school and hospitals, guess what, the “principles” are in a dire problem. It is not true that Pahades and Madhesis can’t commingle. It would be a mistake if this is taken as a communal problem. This is purely a political problem. I am not for affirmative action. If people are given regional autonomy, then local development work will thrive, people will be productive and should be able to compete for any legislative, judiciary, executive jobs in the country. The concerns that madhesis have are genuine and should be addressed immediately. It shouldn’t be swept under the rug or discarded as propagandas by “external elements”.
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Re: Why it is necessary to drive all the Indians out of Nepal.
$$@ 1/27/2007 2:12:45 PM EST | first of all. let me make this clear. iam not a racist or nationalist(in the racist sense).when we say bad about the other (race or nationality) its biased.racism.nationalism(bad nationalism and not deshbhakti type). but when we are biased and tell good of us. brag to the extent that it holds no truth. isnot that similar to racism? or nationalism? how can it be justified that sebers represent intellect group of nepalis. is it not the worst form of racism. sebers represt intellects. non-sebsers represent dumbies.(it implied ) and do you believe intellect is correlated to education? or bnks education? maybe its time you think about it.another thing. pahadi is sebsers,no matter how morally sick ,he represents sebsers,maybenot the big pie.but certainly he represents sebers. you cannot generalise everything.donot generalise everything. |
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Re: Why Madhesis need to continue the protest.
680 Anand 1/27/2007 3:48:39 PM EST | Phade,
Lets not forget that Upendra Yadav was arrested when he was protesting non-violently.
Lets not forget that a kid got killed in Lahan from a gun shot from Maoist cadre.
No one saw any bullets flying from India or an Indian or from a royalist supporter or a hindu fanatic.
I am not a supporter of Bardi Mandal and I am a not a Hindi fanatic. But i do support the Madhesis fight. There are many people like me.
Please check out the interview of Goit:
http://dl01.blastpodcast.com/bhagat/16232_1169862902.mp3
Goit argues why Terai should a separate country. I do not think he has many supporter at the moment. I would prefer to a part of Nepal rather than be a national of a new country, but trust if people like yourself don’t change your mindset and this bull shit argument that it’s Indians and royalist creating problems continues for too long, the agenda for separate country will take lead.
Sadly the majority of our leaders in Nepal have similar mindset like you do and they still don't get it! Or maybe, they choose not to get it, because they are just so scared by the possibility of losing all the privileges that they taken for granted for so long.
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Re: Why it is necessary to drive all the Indians out of Nepal.
Topaz 1/27/2007 4:07:56 PM EST | I agree Madheshis are discriminated but I don't agree with the phrase 'pahadis discriminating madheshis'. Why is such a generalized phrased used? There are millions of Pahadis discriminated by others. Has a dalit settled in terai been able to discriminate madheshis? have some tribal peoples like chepang settled in rautahat and nawalparasi discrminated madheshis? Hundreds of thausands of pahadis from four western most zones (Bheri, Karnali, Seti, Mahakali) flee to India during femine season every year. Have they ever discriminated madheshis? When one travels east from mahendranagar one realises increasing difference between pahadies and madheshis. Yes madheshis in western 4 districts(Kanchanpur, kailali, Bardiya, banke) are not well treated by others but who are those have you realised? Its the people settled from eastern hills ( Rapti zone and east). Pahadiyas from west are so different from pahadiyas from east. Only thing they share is hills. They have different language, different tradition, and have been the victim of discrimination themselves. Why should these pahadiyas be blamed for madheshis problem. F*** to those who say Pahadiyas discriminating Madheshis. Its only some people from eastern hills (rapti zone and east) who should be blamed. |
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Re: Why Madhesis need to continue the protest.
bye 1/27/2007 4:09:01 PM EST | there are two issues to look into here:
1. obviously madhesi rights. it is more than true that they have been massively overlooked all these years. while four demands CAN NOT be met immediately. but as government changes it's attitude and starts listening to the voices, it should be a case t that compromises and substantial changes can be seen
2. and this specially goes to people like Anand and Paramendra. while being overwhelmed by all these protests, I am very scared of the fact that sometimes you guys turn genuine issue into over romanticized propagandas. i have seen that happen with the issues that paramendra brags about in his blog. you should be able to tell the world that the strikes have taken wrong turns. you should not let your sympathy for your own rights be overshadowed by your subtle hatred for the pahade groups. you might now agree here, but if you really start thinking about it you get a sense that your over-romantic concern for your rights is translating into hatred for others! so while we sincerely hope that you are some of important individuals to bring out the best to the people, do not make unnecessary propagandas. you have to agree that not all ordinary people comply with the protest and its not always been the voice of the TERAI as there has DEFINITELY been infiltration from groups. maoists or royalists are less of concern than the ELEMENTS themselves. so you shouldnot miss these points.
While we want equal rights and judicious treatments to our brethern in the south, we won't accept your over romantic propagandas and arbitrary assessments.
peace
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Re: Why Madhesis need to continue the protest.
junge 1/27/2007 4:28:43 PM EST | Anand dai, I do not think there should be any movement towards a seperate state in the tarai region. It is not a long run solution. If thats the only thing that can solve this problem, than I can see all other minorities asking for their independence. The civil war has already weakened our country enough, breaking it down into smaller entities will certainly doom Nepal.
Only way we can unite all Nepalese is through dialogue and negotiations. We must accept that discrimination has occured. There are so many division in Nepal, whether it be relgious, social, regional, cultural, and to some extent lingual, nevertheless, we can all work together to solve this problem. I certainly don't have a solution ahead of me, but I think we can find one.
***About my comment about some "racial" comment not suiting "educated" sebsers, I did not mean to say that non-sebsers are inferior. What I am saying is that good majority of sebsers have recieved a well-rounded education, which should have eradicated any ethnocentric thinking within us. Sometimes a lack of education (By education, I mean general upbringing rather than what we get in classrooms) can lead to immature comments. Comments like this and the other forum do not allign with the kind of education we, sebsers, have recieved. If it did offend some non-sebsers who visit this forum, I do apologize for my writing.
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Re: Why Madhesis need to continue the protest.
680 Anand 1/27/2007 4:55:01 PM EST | Bye and Junge,
I hope you noticed when I said that I would like to be Nepali and be a part of Nepal! Only if I am denied inclusion in Nepal, shall I advocate for a separate nation.
Many things that seem impossible turn into reality. Often, sooner than when one expects.
And why CAN’T the 4 demands be meet? No body is going to buy this "attitude change" anymore. It’s too arbitrary, can't really measure whether the attitude has changed or it’s another scam to maintain the status quo.
Just a year before India got independence the idea of Pakistan was impossible! But, it did happen. I bet there are other examples. Of course it’s not in your interest to loose the Terai. It’s the source of more than 70% of t the country's revenue. So its only natural would try to sideline it as a baseless romantic propaganda.
But, Madhesis may not be left with any choice. And being a separate country is far better than agreeing to "change in attitude" that remains led by a largely Pahadi administration from Kathmandu.
I don't think Padhis hate Madhesis or Madhesis hate phadi as such. I do not have reason about why there should be hatred. Do you have any?
It is the Phadis that control power and are unwilling to share power with Madhesis that Madhesis hate. And its Phadis administration and politicians that that have power who hate Madhesis that are protesting think that they are nuisance. It is important to make such a distinction; specially, given the current circumstance.
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Why it is necessary to DO AWAY with this thread.
cynic 1/27/2007 5:01:12 PM EST | Hinduism: “Let not any man do unto another any act that he wisheth not done to himself by others, knowing it to be
painful to himself.” Buddhism: “Hurt not others with that which pains yourself.”
Confucianism: “Do not do to others what you would not want them to do to you.”
Christianity: “Treat others as you would have them treat you.”
Judaism: “What is hateful to yourself do not do to your fellow man.”
Islam: “No man is a true believer unless he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself.”
Kant I: "Act only in accordance with that maxim through which you can at the same time will that it become a universal law." Kant II: “Treat each person as an end in herself, not merely as a means to some other end.” to look at an individual not as an autonomous individual -- naked, alone, and supreme -- but as an individual associated with a nation, caste, ethnicity, race, gender, class, and color is bigotry and sheer foolishness. this is especially the case with an individual's rights and duties. some of the nepalis' hatred toward the Indians is so astounding and shocking that they refuse to believe that a poor, crippled, and suffering Indian goes through the same torment as a poor, crippled, and suffering nepali.
Last edited on 1/27/2007 5:25:56 PM EST |
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To Anand
wrong 1/28/2007 4:46:44 PM EST | If you WON'T buy the 'attitude change', what is the use of the strike? How will the four demands be met without the change of attitude in Kathmandu? Can you please enlighten me! While I repeat my soladirity for a justful changes in the constitution to guarantee people in the South are treated equally, I sense a partitinist psyche deep inside some of the so called 'leaders' of present movement. And let's face this: to see Terai separate from Nepal is to see Terai as another state in India! |
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