Madhesi People's Rights Forum, MPRF, is in the lead. The organization just made a major tactical decision. (New MJF Strategy: Hit The State, Not The People) What now? Where do we go from here?
American Chronicle: The Madhesi Movement In Nepal Is Lonely
- Scenario 1: Home Minister Resigns, Probe Commission Is Formed
- Scenario 1.1: MPRF and NEFIN hold talks with the eight party government, as do the three armed Madhesi groups, JTMM-Goit, JTMM-Jwala, Madhesi Tigers. The talks are successful. They lead to an agreement on Further Compromise: Mixed Election With Reservations. MPRF and NEFIN decide not to become political parties. JTMM-Goit, JTMM-Jwala, and Madhesi Tigers arms are managed by the UN.
- Scenario 1.2: Talks lead to an agreement on proportional elections to the constituent assembly. MPRF and NEFIN become political parties, and they bag a healthy share of the Madhesi and Janajati votes.
- Scenario 1.1: MPRF and NEFIN hold talks with the eight party government, as do the three armed Madhesi groups, JTMM-Goit, JTMM-Jwala, Madhesi Tigers. The talks are successful. They lead to an agreement on Further Compromise: Mixed Election With Reservations. MPRF and NEFIN decide not to become political parties. JTMM-Goit, JTMM-Jwala, and Madhesi Tigers arms are managed by the UN.
- Scenario 2: Home Minister Does Not Resign, Probe Commission Is Not Formed, MPRF Keeps Agitating.
- Scenario 2.1: MPRF is alone. NEFIN is not being able to exhibit similar mass support in the Pahad among the Janajati. NEFIN has not formally joined the MPRF chorus calling for the Home Minister's resignation. Sadbhavana (Anandi) stays put with the eight party coalition.
- Scenario 2.2: MPRF and NEFIN gang up around a three point agenda. (1) Home Minister resign. (2) Form probe commission. (3) Hold proportional elections to the constituent assembly.
- Scenario 2.2.1: The eight parties ignore the MPRF and NEFIN. That cements their alliance. The alliance conducts civil disobedience programs to start with, and pledges to shut the country down for one week during the constituent assembly elections in June.
- Scenario 2.2.1.1: The MPRF, NEFIN led Madhesi Janajati Movement succeeds. The constituent assembly elections are disrupted. Girija Koirala resigns. Upendra Yadav becomes interim President, Om Gurung becomes interim Vice President. Upendra Yadav gives a speech that declares Nepal a federal republic with eight interim states, Madhesh, Tharuwan, Kirat, Newa, Tamang, Tamuwan, Magarat, and Khasan, and forms a new interim government that is 25% MPRF, 25% NEFIN, 40% Eight Plus Parties, 10% Dalit Mahasangh, and 1/3rd women in each category for a 300 strong interim parliament. The interim constitution is to be amended. Elections are announced to be held in November after the Maoists have truly become a political party, all Madhesis have been issued citizenship papers, and a fresh census is conducted in the country.
- Scenario 2.2.1.1: The MPRF, NEFIN led Madhesi Janajati Movement succeeds. The constituent assembly elections are disrupted. Girija Koirala resigns. Upendra Yadav becomes interim President, Om Gurung becomes interim Vice President. Upendra Yadav gives a speech that declares Nepal a federal republic with eight interim states, Madhesh, Tharuwan, Kirat, Newa, Tamang, Tamuwan, Magarat, and Khasan, and forms a new interim government that is 25% MPRF, 25% NEFIN, 40% Eight Plus Parties, 10% Dalit Mahasangh, and 1/3rd women in each category for a 300 strong interim parliament. The interim constitution is to be amended. Elections are announced to be held in November after the Maoists have truly become a political party, all Madhesis have been issued citizenship papers, and a fresh census is conducted in the country.
- Scenario 2.2.1: The eight parties ignore the MPRF and NEFIN. That cements their alliance. The alliance conducts civil disobedience programs to start with, and pledges to shut the country down for one week during the constituent assembly elections in June.
- Scenario 2.3: MPRF and NEFIN decide to come together and form a political party called Janata Dal whose central committee is 20% Khas, 35% Madhesi, 35% Janajati, 10% Dalit, and 1/3rd female across the board. Upendra Yadav is President of the party, Om Gurung is Vice President. They decide to call off all protest programs. They decide to take up the challenge of the elections to the constituent assembly. They decide to turn all their demands and agendas into election issues. The Home Minister's not resigning is turned into a major election issue in the Madhesh and Krishna Sitaula is defeated in Jhapa, Girija Koirala is defeated in Sunsari and Morang. The Janata Dal goes to the people with the agenda of a federal, democratic republic of eight states: Madhesh, Tharuwan, Kirat, Tamang, Newa, Tamuwan, Magarat, Khasan. The Janata Dal sweeps the elections and emerges as the largest party in the country.
- Scenario 2.1: MPRF is alone. NEFIN is not being able to exhibit similar mass support in the Pahad among the Janajati. NEFIN has not formally joined the MPRF chorus calling for the Home Minister's resignation. Sadbhavana (Anandi) stays put with the eight party coalition.
It Is Tough For The Madhesi
Upendra Yadav: Madhesi Martin Luther King
Vivaswan Kumar: Foreign Aids: Funding Terrorism In Nepal
New MJF Strategy: Hit The State, Not The People
Krishna Sitaula: Appeaser, Not Peacemaker
Abinish Karna: A True Madhesi
A Federal Republic Electoral Alliance Against The Maoists Needed
Sadist Koirala, Kans Sitaula, Pol Pot Prachanda
Yubraj Acharya, Alok Bohra And Other Idiot Bahuns
Further Compromise: Mixed Election With Reservations
5 Point Demand: Compromise Formula So Elections Can Be Held In June
MJF And NEFIN Must Become Political Parties
The Economist: Nepal's Ethnic Politics: The New Battlefront
Madhesi Janajati Kranti: Victory Scenarios
Madhesi Janajati Kranti: Confusion, Clarity
Madhesi Janajati Kranti: A Few Scenarios
In The News
PM to initiate talks with other parties over interim govt formation NepalNews
UNMIN concerned about ‘unregistered’ arms and combatants
Speaker says Maoists' CD will be discussed by House committee
Thousands of combatants, arms outside cantonment site: Prachanda these combatants and weapons were not registered as they "couldn't meet United Nations standards" ..... they are facing problems for the management of weapons that are not registered with the UN. ..... Maoists still have sufficient technical human resources outside the cantonments to launch "massive attacks" simultaneously at several places on a single night. ..... We launched our movement with just two 3-0-3 rifles and home-made weapons. ...... Earlier, addressing a mass meeting in Butwal Prachanda said, "…the rivers swept away our arms and fire burnt them down…" ...... "Besides combatants staying inside the cantonments, we have a large number of weapons and skilled manpower who are able to make such weapons and launch simultaneous attacks at several places on a single night"
Govt will not tolerate bandhs anymore: Minister Mahat
Goodwill rally organised in Nepalgunj more than 1,000 people took part in the rally that went through different parts of Khajura area where the district administration had imposed curfew for four consecutive days after the death of two civilians in a clash.
PM confers with NC leaders on agendas of 8-party meet top leaders of the major four parties would hold discussion ahead of the eight-party meeting.
JTMM cadres abduct citizenship distribution officials
US Embassy changes visa application rules
Civil society wants roundtable conference The movement has called on the seven parties to take the Maoists into the government, fix CA polls date, address demands of agitating parties and take action against persons guilty of repression during the People's Movement. .... it was willing to act as facilitator to organise such roundtable conference.
Zero hour started in the parliament
Maoists claim palace conspired against four big parties the palace had formed a committee headed by a pro-royalist in presence of Crown Prince Paras to disrupt the constituent assembly elections.
Terai turmoil to hit Kathmandu now India eNews.com, India
Dangerous Game Plan of Comrade Prachanda American Chronicle, CA Now truly speaking people have no interest on them rather irritated because of too much exposure in media and misleading behaviors. It is really ridiculous to hear same indoctrinated views which are mugged up by them like parrots no matter in which forum they are speaking, what topics are they talking or what questions are they dealing. ........ Sometimes ago, the Maoists made similar allegation that, a group of people are mobilized by the palace and Nepalese Army to assassinate Maoist leadership. Later on it was revealed that they have arrested and tortured their own activists who broke away from them together with Rabindra Shrestha and Mani Thapa, who had no plot of that kind and no evidence were found that they are mobilized by palace or army. One of the activists who managed came out from the Maoists custody gave detail accounts that how he was behaved and tortured to commit his involvement in such activities. When this guy refused to take responsibility of falls allegation, the Maoists had to finally release him. ....... if the election will be held free and fair, they will be in the minority and their grand design to make Nepal a totalitarian communist regime will jeopardize. ...... In normal life fears and atrocities from the Maoists is even more worsening then the time they were fighting insurgency. ...... The Maoists are going all out to grab the Deputy premiership with home minister for their party and wishes to appoint Krishna Prasad Sitaula, present home minister, as defense minister of interim cabinet. For the Maoist, appointing Sitaula as defense minister is more favorable then appointing their own man in that portfolio. Because it is already known to all that Sitaula works for the vested interests of Maoist instead of national or his own parties' interests. ........ In lieu of that, the Maoists are protecting him from all aspects despite of pressure for him to step down on moral ground for the loss of life and properties in Terai. Number of death toll in Terai uprising is almost double than the number of loss during Janandolan II. The dialogue with Madhesi stakeholders is deadlocked due to attitude of Sitaula. ......... the people of Nepal express serious concerns about the violation of peace process
Strike Paralyses Life in Terai for 6th Day in a Row
MJF Strike Affects Life in Terai Himalayan Times, Nepal
Koirala's Appeal Gorkhapatra, Nepal
A Faction Of JTMM In Nepal Ceases Violence, Another Resumes PeaceJournalism.com, Nepal
Nepal PM turns down Madhesi group's demand Islamic Republic News Agency, Iran Nepal's Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, has rejected agitating Madhesi Janadhikar Forums (MJF) demand for Nepalese Home Minister Krishan Prasad Sitaula's resignation.
Nepal School strike alarms parents Blogger News Network
JTMM-J Nepal says truce over PeaceJournalism.com, Nepal
Goit-led JTMM suspends 'military actions' Kantipur Online, Nepal
Sitaula urges police force to work with high morale Nepalnews.com, Nepal
Strike Paralyses Life in Terai for 6th Day in a Row Himalayan Times, Nepal
Curfew in Nepal villages after bloody clashes Gulf Times, Qatar
Nepal's PM Says King Should Abdicate All Headline News
Nepal's PM says king should quit
35 injured, indefinite curfew follows in southern Nepal
Nepal Hindu group demands poll on secularism
Nepal Citizens Calling For End Of Royals
Nepal citizens calling for end of royals
Curfew in Nepal villages after bloody clash ReliefWeb (press release), Switzerland
US offers Nepal support
1 comment:
Source: http://www.blog.com.np/united-we-blog/2007/03/26/mprf-hired-professional-killers-in-gaur/
MPRF Hired Professional Killers in Gaur’
26,03,2007
Dr Mathura Shrestha, a prominent human rights activist, visited Gaur a day after the carnage, in which 28 persons died. Dr Shrestha served as Health Minister in the post-1990 interim government. He attended a meeting of MPRF in Delhi and met also Chief of Janatantrik Mukti Morcha, Jaya Krishan Goit, a couple of times. Dr Shrestha out-rightly rejects Prachanda’s view of outlawing MPRF. He suggests that addressing the Madhesi problems and implementing the decisions taken by the SPA plus Maoists, thus far, help restore peace and democracy in this country. Dr Shrestha shares his opinion and recounts eyewitnesses’ count on the Gaur carnage with Puran P Bista and Ghanashyam Ojha of the Kathmandu Post.
Q: How do you recount the gory incident of Gaur after your recent visit?
Dr Mathura Shrestha: Madhesi People’s Rights Forum (MPRF) had made an announcement through mikes five days ago for holding a public meeting in Gaur at 11 pm on last Wednesday. Madhesi Mukti Morcha (MMM) set up the stage for the carnage after it, too, decided to hold the public meeting on the same ground at the same time on the same day.
The locals feared of something. As a result, president Deo Padayar Gupta of Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Rautahat branch, invited the MPRF and MMM cadres to attend the meeting on Wednesday morning at around 8:00 am.
But none of them attended the meeting. At around 10 am, rallies of both the parties began. Some of the participants in the rallies had come from adjoining VDCs. The rallies, organized by both the parties, met near the district court. The participants in the rallies waved, clapped their hands and welcomed each other’s rally, showing an understanding on the holding of Wednesday’s public meeting. The locals took this incident as a good gesture that MPRF would hold its meeting first, and then MMM would do so, on the same ground but at different time. Then, the Maoist rally passed through Gaur, while MPRF’s rally converted into a public meeting at the Rice Mill ground.
The ground is near the district court. First, the MPRF cadres dismantled the MMM stage built for the public meeting. A few MMM cadres present there were beaten up. These MMM cadres left the ground to inform their leaders of the incident. Chairing MPRF’s meeting was Ram Prasad Biswas. No sooner had Biswas taken his chair as a chief guest, than the MMM cadres entered the field and began to disrupt MPRF’s meeting. Then, from the southern and western sides, some people fired shots at MMM cadres. Later, some MPRF cadres fired from within the stage at MMM cadres.
According to eye witnesses, MPRF cadres used socket bombs and small fire arms, besides sharp weapons and cleft bamboo sticks. I think MPRF had hired notorious higher killers.
Q: How can you claim so when you were not present there?
Dr Shrestha: Within two minutes, over a dozen MMM cadres were killed. Then, the MPRF-hired professional killers chased the MMM cadres. Some of the MMM cadres not acquainted with Gaur entered into nearby houses for safety. They were dragged out of these houses and killed. Some of the MMM cadres were chased as far as eight kilometers and killed. Some of the dead bodies were buried in a water canal.
I was told by eyewitnesses that eight of the killers were local Nepalis and 25 others were Indians. The three locals are Balru, Hafij Mukhiya and Binda Hasin Sahani. The eyewitnesses recounted that “the police force could do nothing”. But local police contradicted this statement saying that “they blank-fired to stop the killings”. Some local people even claimed that Upendra Yadav was staying at the house next to Dr Tayab and the superintendent of police escorted him up to Barganiya near Nepal-India border.
What was heinous was that five of the women were raped in public. Two people caught their legs and other MPRF cadres raped them in public. Later their breasts were chopped off and burnt to deface their identity. Gagan Singh, Bhusan Singh, Baban and Guddu Jha were involved in raping and chopping-off-activities. Two local Muslim girls were taken away and their whereabouts are still unknown.
Q: Are these rapists local or Indian criminals?
Dr Shrestha: They should be local people because the local residents knew them well and everyone could pronounce their names clearly. Twelve of the MMM cadres were killed at Hajmonia, some 12 kilometers away from Gaur. They included three women and nine men.
Q: According to your assessment, what was the police force doing at that time?
Dr Shrestha: Police could do nothing when government offices were set on fire by the MPRF cadres some weeks ago. The police force has been unable to wipe the sign boards written Madesh Sarkar in government offices. What can you expect from them?
Secondly, you must understand that King Gynendra conducted municipality polls. All the political parties boycotted the polls except Kamal Thapa’s. And you must have learnt that the highest turn out in the country was at Gaur - almost 72 percent of the voters cast their votes in Gaur municipality polls. And Kamal Thapa’s candidate got 92 percent of the votes polled. Now you can think of the situation there. Recently, all the government offices have been set on fire. By whom?
A girl of late 20s raised a question. She asked me, “Dr Sahab, is political change meant for criminals or the people?” I was shocked to hear such a question from a girl who I think was forced to leave her studies. Then, I asked a few more questions. Her response was: “there is none who supports MPRF at Gaur and I do not know other places. But whatever MPRF wants, it happens here. We can do nothing in the presence of MPRF because of criminalization of politics, culture and religion”.
Until the restoration of democracy 1990, there had been a mafia group operating in Gaur. This mafia used to smuggle hashish, gold and idols, and traffic women. But the restoration of democracy led to an emergence of another mafia group. This group killed the leader of the Panchayat mafia in Janakpur. The locals say that the democratic parties have given this mafia group a political protection. Whenever they are arrested, the parties ask the police force to release them. The NC, UML and other political cadres feed and pay them. During the early 1990s, there had been clashes between these two mafia groups. Today, they have joined their hands and the dacoits across the border have also been working in tandem with these two mafia groups.
So, it looks that these groups have been very active in Gaur and its adjoining districts. The locals say that MPRF is a mere mask. These two mafia groups are active in the name of MPRF. Even human rights activists cannot release any report on these mafia leaders as they threaten to kill them.
Q: How could these mafias be hired by MPRF to the extent of butchering so many MMM cadres?
Dr Shrestha: MPRF hired professional killers. They paid them money. Eight of them were Nepali criminals and over 25 were Indian professional killers. I am talking about only those who fired gunshots. Today, the cost to hire the professional killer groups comes to 15 million rupees.
These killers are used during the elections in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh states also. You do not have to campaign if you pay 15 million rupees to these professional killers. You win the elections. I was shocked to hear such stories from a girl who was forced to leave her studies by these local mafias.
I was further told that a girl cannot get married to a man of her or her family’s choice in Gaur. These mafias come and ask the girl to get married to their choice. If she refuses, she is threatened to be taken to a nearby mango tree and raped to be left a prostitute. Such incidents are common in Gaur. These mafias have been very active since King Gyanendra’s regime conducted municipal elections. Now they are being used by MPRF.
These are the tips of the iceberg. In fact Gaur is ruled by criminals and the SPA government, until recently, considered them its allies. Apart from eight Nepalis and 25 Indian professional killers, some MPRF cadres hit with cleft bamboo sticks. Each MMM cadre killed and injured had deep cuts in their heads. You see a cleft bamboo stick is as sharp as khukuri. And you can’t survive if you are hit with a cleft bamboo stick on your head. They used other sharp weapons too. All the hospitalized had head injuries. One MMM cadre, who left the hospital after a doctor advised her to leave, was later caught and hit by a cleft bamboo stick. Now that girl is on her death bed. I was shocked to learn that MPRF hired professional killers to kill unarmed MMM cadres.
Q: Whom do you blame for the carnage?
Dr Shrestha: What I have been advocating for the past several months is that we should not have opposed MPRF-organized protest programs. The main reason that let the Maoists oppose the MPRF organized protest movement is that the SPA gave up its stance on addressing the Madhesi problems. First, the SPA gave up its stance on federalism in the interim constitution. Second, it gave up its stance on proportional representation. Third, it raised the issue of public opinion and later it gave it up. All this disappointed the Madhesis and other ethnic groups in the hill and mountain.
Now we must realize that democracy did generate hope but doubts are undermining our hope for democracy. I see this is the emergence of people’s resentment. It is there in Madhes, hill and mountain. The movement in Madhes was not started by MPRF but by Nepal Sadhbhawana Party (Anandi Devi). MPRF shot into the fame only.
I agree there are politicians in MPRF. I met Upendra Yadav personally and informed him of SPA’s stance on the demands. I advised him to give up the political demands since the SPA government was preparing to address his demands. Secondly, I told him to use peace as a weapon to raise the demands. His response was “we have been put behind bars, now all our cadres are out of our control”, adding that “it will be a peaceful movement.” He had assured me that he would even hold talks with the janjati groups, which he did not do so. Let us not talk of him now. He is not the right kind of politician. He was just a village level leader though he may claim himself a national leader.
Second, the primary concern is that the second revolt (April uprising, even if you call it a people’s movement) brought the eight parties into a single platform. If these leaders of eight parties continue with leg-pulling politics, then the Gaur carnage is the beginning. These leaders take decisions but fail to implement them. What is the reason behind the failure to implement or delay in implementing and blaming one another? This is not the way of playing politics.
Q: But the SPA continues to insist on arms registration before the formation of eight-party government. Isn’t it?
Dr Shrestha: Arms registration is not a big deal, nor is it the problem. The Nepali Congress did raise arms against the establishment, not once but twice. If we add the incident of Okhaldhunga, it raised arms thrice. When the NC reached an agreement with the then government, it did not surrender all the weapons; so did the Marxists after the Jhapa killing. The Marxist and NC did not surrender all the weapons they had in their possession.
So, history clearly tells us that registration of weapons is not the primary concern. The Maoists have agreed to join mainstream politics. Why can’t the SPA be accommodative now? The Gaur carnage is an outcome of Maoist pride and the anarchy let loose in the country. There are several counter-Maoist groups unleashing anarchy. Unless the eight parties come together and build trust among themselves, the country will continue to reel under violence.
Post a Comment