2005 Young Republican National Convention (US) Resolution 1 On Nepal
Between Tom Daschle and the YRNC looks to me like the Democrats and the Republicans in America are competing politically over Nepal, and that is great both for Nepal and democracy, more specifically the idea of a global spread of democracy. For the second poorest country on the planet Nepal offers a perfect example of democracy through grass roots activism but clear, unequivocal external support.
Here is the text of the resolution.
Nepal Resolution (Res. 1)
WHEREAS: there is a vibrant democratic movement in the Kingdom of Nepal; and WHEREAS: the ruler of the Kingdom of Nepal is brutally oppressing his people, cutting off outside communications over the Internet, and jailing leaders of the democratic movement; and
WHEREAS: the Kingdom of Nepal receives financial assistance from the U.S. government; and
WHEREAS: the Young Republican National Federation supports President Bush’s vision for bringing democracy to all corners of the world; therefore…
BE IT BE RESOLVED: That the Young Republican National Federation, in convention assembled in the City of Las Vegas and the State of Nevada, on this the Ninth day of July in the Year of Our Lord 2005, hereby respectfully requests that President Bush and the United States Congress request the King of Nepal to begin a dialogue with political parties and promote civil rights, human rights and peace within the Kingdom.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: a copy of this resolution be sent to the United States Department of State and the United States Embassy in the Kingdom of Nepal.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED: that the Young Republican National Federation resolves to actively promote the democratic movement in the Kingdom of Nepal.
(Res. 1) Submitted by Michael Harlow of the Ohio Young Republicans, and Chauyenlai
Shreshtra, honorary member of the Association of New York State Young Republican
Clubs, Inc. and Director of the Association of World Citizens – Nepal Chapter.
I think this is a major achievement. We Nepali democrats should be proud of this. These young American Republicans pushed this resolution before their resolutions on Britain, especially in light of the recent London bombings, and their own Board, on taxation, and "in support of our troops," and "in support of President Bush on Judges," and in support of a House resolution. To end up on top of their priority list is a big achievement for us.
Of course we seek bipartisan support. But it is nice to see them competing. That is how democracy delivers.
I think it is high time this clear moral support started translating into logistical support in terms of funding a major escalation of the movement for democracy inside of Nepal. This would be seed money that could see a tide of democracy in the larger South Asian region. Because all book keeping is to be kept transparent from day one, posted online in real time.
The movement is to be "televised!" More specifically "webbed!" All deliberations and developments are to be put and kept online so those oppressed in other countries may get inspired and take destiny in their own hands.
In The News
- A Cup Of Tea With Rabindra Mishra UWB He has been working in BBC for 10 years now. ... the masters level students of journalism at RR Campus .... Tanka Dhakal....then had told him that no FM radio in the world broadcast news...... after the ban the people in the remote places were left with no means of news because due to lack of roads or delay in transmission (for paper) and expensive (tv), radio was the only mean of information.... most of the times for the sake of political stories, we fail to give priority to the social issues..... how he went to Pakistan for doing masters in journalism, how he started working for Jung there and how he went to BBC
- Gagan Thapa Arrested Again UWB arrested Gagan Thapa, prominent student leader, this morning from a police station in Kathmandu where he had gone to see his detained comrades....... “We have some works with you,” the inspector of the Ward Police Station told Gagan. “So, please come to my office on the first floor.” When both Gagan and Subodh went to the office room, the Inspector told them that Gagan was under arrest. Police didn’t arrest Subodh....... Subodh told his friends that both of them were followed by a police van as they got out of the house. “We didn’t care about that then,” he said. “After all we were going to the police station.” .... hasn’t been charged as of now. He hasn’t been served with any papers..... one of the most vocal figures against the regressive royal regime.... actively involved in organizing and coordinating and operating in almost every pro-democracy rally..... we were not allowed to meet him. “Come after 3 hours,” the Sub Inspector of the station screamed from the entrance gate of the building. “We don’t have orders from higher places to allow you to meet him.”
- Deuba Downed. Really? UWB “I am not afraid of going jail,” Deuba had said in front of TV cameras. “I have already spent 9 years in jail fighting for democracy.” ..... if the Supreme Court couldn’t rescue this former Prime Minister in the next few weeks and/or if the democracy couldn’t be restored in the coming months, Deuba will spend another 2 years in jail...... An angry Sher Bahadur Deuba vowed to fight back by dragging the RCCC to the Supreme Court..... blatantly ignored the Asian Development Bank conducted investigation result..... quite against the natural principle of justice...... Political activists, and to large extent, the civil society, thinks that Deuba has been unjustly framed into a conspiracy...... King constituted this body immediately after Feb 1 and its actions were heavily targeted against those who lost power in the takeover..... I am not sure if Deuba and company is completely innocent but the way the RCCC handled the case has made them appear innocent....... It wanted other democratic forces to be frightened by treating Deuba harshly....... RCCC decision will only backfire, only escalate the mass movement.
- A Session That Was Not Really Special UWB “Only wayout of the Maoist problem is the talk,” a resolution passed by the session states..... “The king is digging a ditch for himself. When a feudal gets worried, he starts talking nonsense. King is doing the same. He is worried by the people’s will that is against his will. King is ready for backpack and leave.” ...... Nepal said if the King ignores parties, there is no need for parties to give him space. “Don’t make the country a theater,” Nepal warned, “I would like to warn the king. Even if he wants to make the country a theater, then we have to look for the villain of that drama.” ...... the blatant violation of time limit given to the lawmakers...... Dr. Mangal Siddhi Manandhar, former CPN UML lawmaker and former Vice Chairman of the National Planning Commission, was given 10 minutes to table a 9-point proposal. It took him more than 28 minutes to do the job. He gave senseless lecture before actually reading out the proposal. And Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat, former Nepali Congress MP and finance Minister, was no better at respecting the time frame. Ram Preet Paswan, chair of the program and vice-chair of the National Assembly, the Upper House, gave Mahat 3 minutes to support the proposal. Dact Saheb took more than 20 minutes. It was different thing that Mahat entertained the crowd by reading out conflicting/ironical portions of the budget presented by the royal finance minister Madhukar Sumsher JB Rana..... Then came Hom Nath Dahal, former Nepali Congress Democratic MP and took 15 minutes, 12 minutes more than the specified time, to support the proposal...... threatened to escalate the mass movement. But I think people want action from political leadership not just words.
- Citizens On Road For Democracy UWB July 25 Political parties and their sister organizations and journalists were already doing that. The civil servants started only after the amendment of the Civil Service Act. In between everybody was asking where civil societies were. Today, the civil society was on road demanding their rights and democracy...... tried to break through police-cordon to enter the restricted area ..... The rally began at Bhotahiti..... moved forward towards Ratnapark..... arrested many including journalist Kanak Mani Dixit, human right activists Krishna Pahadi....“This proves the might of thought,” a journalist friend later quoted Pahadi as saying from inside the police van. He quoted Dixit as saying ‘the road belongs to people.’...... The rally failed to break the cordon and changed the route moving towards Indra Chowk where human right activist Subodh Pokharel and lawyer Harihar Dahal said that that was just the beginning and it would certainly grow. Immediately after the rally concluded, there was a heavy rainfall which soaked most of the participants including me....... slogans were against the King and were ‘illicit’ (Sorry! I don’t think it would be appropriate to reproduce those slogans here - the softest of them being demand for the republic)...... Until a few years ago, nobody probably had believed that such slogans would be chanted on the street...... If you only listen to those slogans then you should believe the monarch is what they don’t like most....... Student leader, Gangan Thapa, was there. He is the one who had raised the voice for need of republic when very few thought about it. Now in the time when many are considering that as an option..... the most vibrantly leading a group of youth shouting slogans against the King...... Indra Chowk, when the likes of Raghu Pant and other tried to convert the rally into a meeting, he was constantly being asked by his friends to move forward and try to break the police cordon...... ‘since they all know me, it would be inappropriate to move forward when they want us to stop.’
