Deuba: The Common Sense Meter

Deuba has been exonerated on one major graft charge. The regime just scored a major point. I mean, it was basically the Asian Development Bank's words versus some Monarchist puppets.

But it is a mystery he continues to be detained.

A second charge? If there is a Prime Minster Relief Fund, it is for the Prime Minister to decide where that money goes. It is discretion. And if the Prime Minister sends that money in all the wrong directions, that should be public knowledge, and the voters should punish the Prime Minister by throwing him or her out at the ballot box. Or if the very idea of the Fund is offensive, it should be gotten rid of by an act of the parliament. A Prime Minister who doled money out of a Prime Minster Relief Fund should not have to answer to an extra-constitutional body such as the RCCC. His case should have been taken up by the existing, constitutional CIAA with a govenment that was constitutional.

But, my bad. I misunderstood. He has been cleared of the charges to do with the Fund. So now it actually is the ADB's words versus that of the RCCC.

The RCCC's very formation is unwont. Its functioning even more so. The principle of separation of powers is routinely violated, the body has the powers of a court. Suspects are asked to speak against themselves and are punished when they don't. That violates another basic principle. It is to do with one not having to incriminate oneself.

The RCCC is power gone berserk. That is why the ideology of Monarchism stinks. It espouses unaccountable power.

I could write a few easy paragraphs criticizing Deuba. But that stays within the paradigm of democracy. No Deuba shortcoming is an argument against democracy.

On the other hand, I could say some positive things about him as well. But no praise puts him above the people. Let Deuba and the likes of him be subject to the ballot box.

Corruption is a valid issue, and the Congress as the party in power for most of the post-1990 period has to take some major responsibility, but the recourse is more democracy and rule of law. There is no other recourse.

Email From Arzu Rana Deuba
Gagan Thapa Arrested, Deuba Re-Arrested

In The News

• Former Nepal PM, six others cleared of graft charges Hindustan Times, India .... Deuba, detained since April-end, will continue to remain in detention till the agency pronounces a verdict on a second charge ... "The truth has finally prevailed. Justice has been done," said a triumphant Arju Deuba, wife of the leader ...... The entire country as well as international community has been closely watching the two cases ...... "Though it might not have been appropriate, it was a decision taken by the cabinet," commission officials said. "Collective cabinet decisions do not fall within Nepal's Corruption Act." ..... The charged ministers had defended themselves saying the cabinet had authorised the distribution of the money and cabinet decisions were above the law...... The Deuba cabinet had also authorised Nepalese Rs 12 million to the king's aunt, Princess Helen...... granting of extraordinary allowances by the present government to two of the deputy chairmen of the council of ministers....... attributed the commission's decision to "intense public pressure" .... charged with awarding a contract at inflated rates to a party member.
• Sacked Nepal PM cleared of graft charge Reuters AlertNet
• Sacked Nepal PM wins graft ruling 999 Today
• Nepal former PM wins graft ruling Journal of Turkish Weekly
• Rebels Free 90 Students Abducted in Nepal Guardian Unlimited, UK Rebels typically hold abductees only for two or three days... the rebels have been abducting large groups of students in remote villages to teach them about their nine-year revolution.... About 250 students were taken from a nearby village on June 15 and sent back three days later.
• Rebels abduct 90 students from Nepal village China Daily
• 12 die in Nepal ambush News24, South Africa
• Security officers killed in Maoist clash Radio Australia
• 12 security personnel killed in Nepal violence Sify, India
• Maoists hurt 17 security personnel in Nepal:- Webindia123
• US envoy to discuss Nepal crisis BBC News, UK
• Bihar Maoists have sneaked into Nepal: Indian police Kantipur Online, Nepal a red alert along Nepal-India border in Parsa-Rautahat area, after a group of about 50 heavily-armed Maoists sneaked into Nepal from Bairgania area..... were involved in last Thursday night’s daring raid on Madhuban .... ‘Operation Dhamaka’ .... The Maoists attacked their targets with precision and resistance.... one of the pamphlets recovered from the site read ‘Seize property of reactionary country, India, and distribute it to the poor’..... very well coordinated; and it was strikingly similar to the myriad of recent Maoist attacks on security installations in the northern neighbour..... the ‘compact revolutionary zone’ stretching up to Andhra Pradesh in South India.... Across India, 160 districts in 12 states are considered as Maoist affected, and intelligence officials say more new districts are being affected by the threat. The rise in Maoist activities is considered as India’s ‘No 1 national security threat’.
• Delhi junks Nepal link in strike Calcutta Telegraph Senior intelligence officials in the capital have voiced doubts over the involvement of Maoists from Nepal in Thursday’s daylight attack on a small border hamlet ..... “Only a foolish leadership will get involved in joint raids with its counterparts across the border” ..... Maoists from Nepal continue to use the bordering states for shelter and treatment.
  
• 2 killed as police, Naxals clash on Nepal border Indian Express
• A Refutation Of Harper's Article On The Maoits by Li Onesto INSN the May 2005 issue of Harper’s magazine .... contributes to a growing mountain of harmful disinformation..... in areas run by new revolutionary governments, they are radically changing the economic, political, and cultural life of millions of poor peasants .....a center set up only for “victims of Maoist torture” (no victims of the RNA) ...... Sweeping censorship and systematic disinformation by the Nepalese government have had a huge impact on people’s opinions and what they know and don’t know about the Maoists, not only internationally but within Nepal itself .... a journalist who left the Maoists, was imprisoned and tortured by the government and now writes for a Maoist newspaper..... the People’s Liberation Army is made up of tens of thousands of common peasants who are not “caught in the middle” but have joined the insurgency...... In Nepal over 85% of the people are peasants in the countryside, desperately poor, malnourished, and exploited by corrupt officials, landlords, and moneylenders. Lower castes and oppressed ethnic groups face systematic discrimination under a rigid caste system. Women are intensely suppressed and treated as inferior in every facet of society. A king controls the army and an oppressive monarchy is deeply embedded in the ruling structures of society. The whole country is subordinate to, dependent on, and dominated by India and imperialist countries like the U.S............. Nepal’s ruling class has not and cannot solve the basic problems of food, water, sanitation, and health care because this requires tearing up the existing economic, social, and political relationships within Nepalese society and between Nepal and other countries..... In areas they control real changes are taking place: redistribution of land, equal rights for women, end to the caste system, autonomy for oppressed ethnic groups, healthcare, education and the building of roads and bridges......... the composition of the PLA squads and platoons...... overwhelmingly made up of those on the very bottom of society—lower castes, ethnic minorities, peasant youth and many, many young women........ People like Griswold may talk about government repression, deep poverty, and powerlessness among the poor. But they don’t uphold the right of the people to really struggle against any of this..... Feudal traditions like arranged marriages, dowries, and polygamy ..... women’s bodies are owned, controlled, and bargained over in everything from marriage to sex trafficking...... the tyranny of local landlords, corrupt politicians, and moneylenders...... Extremely significant and liberating changes are taking place in the Maoist base areas..... in the Maoist areas caste distinctions have been abolished and intercaste marriages are common....... the Maoists have real support. ...... “The Maoists do not force anybody to fight. How can anyone force a man or woman to fire a gun? You need courage, dedication and spirit of sacrifice to become a fighter in the People’s Liberation Army. It’s not like playing video war games on a computer. It’s a life and death struggle. Only the most courageous men and women can prepare themselves to fight for revolution. There is a saying in Nepal that ‘a carried dog cannot hunt a deer.’” ....... How could the Maoists have achieved their current military and political strength without the genuine support and participation of thousands who believe in the goals of the revolution and on this basis are willing to go into battle and risk their lives? ........ video, photographs, and reports of massive Maoist rallies in the countryside ..... During the 2003 negotiations 30,000 people attended a Maoist rally in Kathmandu ...... the RNA has engaged in battles where they faced thousands of guerrilla fighters .... RNA soldiers and police captured by the Maoists have told reporters that while they had to listen to propaganda and were asked to join the revolution, they were not harmed. They were warned that if they were captured again, they would be severely punished, but they were given money and food so that they could go back to their village instead of returning to the RNA....... The vast majority of the 12,000 killed since the start of the war have been civilians murdered by the Royal Army, along with suspected revolutionaries also tortured and murdered...... Moriarty says, “It’s not Islamic fundamentalism, obviously. but it is a very fervent brand of Maoism that could cause great trouble in this area. They’ve said they’re going to invade the United States. I’m not too worried about that, but you ignore what they say at your own peril. You can’t pooh-pooh the Maoists and the threat that they represent.” ...... this little lie is part of a bigger lie—that the Maoists in Nepal are terrorists, so backing the regime in Nepal is part of the “war on terror.” ...... liberal Harper’s ...... we come to the conclusion: one side should be crushed—the Maoists......
• RCCC asked to take action against Giri, Bista NepalNews “Is it fair that Dr Giri take Rs 960,000 and Bista take Rs 1 million through a Cabinet decision?” Dahal asked
• Building peace amid violent conflict in Nepal by Kamala Sarup NepalNews ..... it’s time to invite the Maoists for peace talks ..... The Maoists' struggle may even spill over to Bhutan. .... The effects of the on-going violent conflict in Nepal have been enormous both in terms of economic loss and human suffering.
• Maoist raid in Bihar has Nepal stamp on it Newindpress, India "They could be wary of the fallout, perhaps why they don't want to admit to such an operation'' ..... Told to raise his hands, he was shot in the palms..... The attack on Madhuban was the first of its kind, attacking multiple targets in broad daylight. Usually, Naxals attack one target, that too under the cover of darkness.... Their planning had military precision, they started the offensive at 1.15 pm and ended it at 1.25 pm.... Bands of 20-25, many of them women, attacked each target while other groups cordoned off the town..... The Maoists were carrying wireless sets through which they were receiving orders from Mainuddin, their zonal commander who was killed in the encounter that followed.... "When our house was being attacked, one person stood outside the gate. When a pistol got jammed, a back-up team provided a new one. Some were ready with stretchers to carry away the wounded, others were only operating walkie-talkies''.... signs of increasing cooperation between Maoists on both sides

For Democrats Reinventing Self More Important Than Any Alliance With Maoists

For months after 2/1 the Nepali Congress was still not for a Constituent Assembly. That proves it was not any kind of royal pressure but its own inherent status quoism that the Nepali Congress refused to do business with the Maoists during the 1996-2002 period so as to make possible a safe landing for them so as to bring them into the mainstream. During several rounds of peace talks, the Congress refused to go beyond some mere cosmetic changes to the 1990 constitution.

Those among the seven parties that might have been desirous of the idea of a Constituent Assembly stayed complacent, and let Girija Koirala call the shots. I remember one news clipping of a meeting of the NC central committee. The majority spoke in favor of an Assembly. Girija kept quiet during the meeting. Two days later he spoke at a public event. He was against the idea of an Assembly, and so that was to be the party line!

That is not democratic. It should not have been Girija but the majority in the NC central committee that should have decided the party line.

The biggest reason the democrats are not getting as much public support as they should is because they keep hinting they want to go back to the 1990s. October 2002 to date has been the worst period of governance since 1990, no doubt, and the post 2/1 period has been a fiasco. But the 1990s were not really a great democratic period. And the democrats need to face that fact head on.

I read in the news that Girija met with the king for two hours before he went on his Delhi pilgrimage. I am all for dialogue. I think all political players should meet each other on a regular basis. But if the king were to sense he can break up the democratic coalition any time he wants to by giving a few select concessions, he has little incentive to comply.

As they say, know they enemy, not that I see the king as an enemy, but he is a political opponent of the democrats, sure. There are a few conclusions I draw from his public acts.

One, he is a fairly smart guy. He is not particularly charismatic. But he takes pride in mastering administrative details. He is not an idealist. He is a realist. He does not expect the army top brass and his underlings to respond to him because he is king. Instead he doles out money, because money works. One of the first things he did after he became an activist monarch was to give himself a major pay raise. This guy can smell money from a hundred miles away.

Two, he is not going to do the Birendra thing, pick up his binoculars, and see people in the streets, and give in. Right before Deuba was inducted back in the second time, there were major street protests going on. He defused the sitution by holding "consultations" for a month. And he did manage to split the democratic coalition. Girija at that time had declared Deuba a persona non grata. To him personal vendetta was more important than the democratic cause. The king conveniently made use of that split. First of all, the "movement" is nowhere close to that boiling point. Second, even if it gets there, the king will attempt to similarly defuse the situation, divide and rule. So the democrats need a strategy to get to that boiling point, and then they need a clear strategy to keep the democratic coalition intact. To their credit, their program is simpler and much clearer this time around. A four point agenda is an easier rallying point than a 18 point one. On the other hand, there also has to be a Plan B. What if the endgame gets complicated? What if the end is not a peaceful negotiation among the three forces? What if it is more like a revolution and the king gets thrown out and exiled? What is the democrats' gameplan for that? How will they stay center stage when that happens?

The four point agenda is a major step of progress. Girija traded the idea for a Constituent Assembly to stay put with his idea of parliamentary revival. But the four point agenda has to be kept alive and breathing. There has to be a willingness to constantly face reality. To revise strategy as circumstances change. Finetune as you go along.

The democrats' singular aversion to hitting back amazes me. If you don't respond, the mud sticks.

The king says the democrats have been corrupt. What do the democrats say to that? Nothing. Instead point out all the money the monarchy took from the people over centuries, the current king's major pay raise, the money doled out to the army top brats, the massive increase in the military budget, and now both Tulsi Giri and Kirti Nidhi Bishta have emerged major punching bags on the issue. But no. The democrats are not hitting back. Instead they just repeat the four point agenda like a mantra.

The king says the democrats have not dealt with the Maoists good enough. What do the demcrats say in response? Nothing. Instead point out it is the king's aversion to the idea of a Constituent Assembly that is the greatest roadblock to peace. Point out the insurgency shot through the roof after he started experimenting with his idea of a "constructive" monarchy. Just look at the spread of the insurgency nationwide, and look at the death figures, and of human rights violations and disappearances. His has been a reign of terror.

So when you get hit, you hit back.

More important, the democrats need to repackage themselves, reinvent themselves. If democracy in future is going to be same old, same old, there is little incentive for the people to come out in support.

Sure there was some massive corruption in the 1990s. What do the demcrats propose now that will make the situation different in the future? What are the democrats going to do about inner party democracy? This is a major sticking point. Girija has got to be the most undemocratic democrat there is. If you are a Congress person, the party line is decided when the guy addresses a public gathering, not at the central committee meeting. He is the guy who gives you a ticket to contest elections, or not. He is the one who gives you money for the election. That arrangement is ridiculous. He would rather the party split than reform and split it did. How does that make his mentality substantially different from that of King G? King G deems to speak on behalf of all Nepali people, Girija deems to speak on behalf of all NC people. Democracy is where people themselves speak on their behalf.

The reform has to be carried out now. Before the movement can gain momentum. Progress does not depend on what the king or the Maoists do. It depends on the democrats' willingness to do some basic homework.

I gladly offer my Proposed Constitution as a starting point to such discussions.

Comments At Sajha.
Comments At SEBS.

In The News

• CPN(M) statement by Mahara, 11 Ashad 2062
• CPN(M) statement by ANWA-Revolutionary, 11 Ashad 2062
• CPN(M) statement denying involvement in Bihar incident
• CPN(M) statement by Banke Jilla Janaparishad
• Policemen And The Fiction Of Red Corridor INSN