Monday, April 03, 2006

Final Act: Disobey The Curfew


The preparations for the April 6-9 showdown has been superior to that for January 20. Back then, the leaders simply waited in their homes to get arrested, and there was no well-coordinated plan to counter the curfew. And the movement suffered a jolt. But this time around many second rung leaders of the seven party alliance have gone semi-underground and underground.

Even during the January 20 curfew, a few hudred people got arrested. The roaming band of RNA soldiers might technically have the shoot at sight orders, but they did not get carried out during January 20. But even if they might, disobeying any possible curfew in the largest way possible would be the best thing to do during the showdown. There is power in numbers.

A lot of leaders have gone underground this time. That is great. All it really takes is that you move out of your house and go live with one of your friends or relatives.

There is yet another thing to do: establish a "courier service," sort of. If the regime cuts the telephones, there should be people taking around written messages on bikes and motorbikes. On foot, if need be.

And there is a serious need to think the details of the possible endgame.

Conspiracy Theory: The King Dismantled The RCCC

There is a conspiracy theory going around that it was not the Supreme Court but the king who dismantled the RCCC. Those theorists claim if push comes to shove, the king is simply going to revive the House. That is how he will respond to the worst possible scenario of a large number of people out in the streets.

First, I don't know to believe these theories. And even if that happens, and the king revives the House like he supposedly dismantled the RCCC, I am fine with the idea.

That revived House will still lead to an all party government and a constituent assembly. I am not complaining.

Got Interviewed By German Public Radio


They said they are like the NPR in Germany, like the National Public Radio in the US. Their office is close to Grand Central, for that matter not far from the UN. I showed up at noon. The interview was longer than I had anticipated, it was pretty comprehensive.

"Robin Hood Im Internet"

Martina Butler interviewed me.

From: "Kleinpeter, Elke"
To: "'paramendra@yahoo.com'"
Subject: ARD German Radio Network, Interview Request
Date: Mon, 20 Mar 2006 09:28:41 -0500

Dear Paramendra Kumar Bhagat:

This e-mail is to request an interview with you. We are preparing a report on "Blooger" in New York City.

ARD German Radio Network is the leading public broadcast system in Germany. On an average weekday, we reach about 40 Million listeners with over 50 broadcasting programs. ARD can be compared with National Public Radio in America, and we are committed to highest quality standard in journalism and broadcasting. The radio plays a vital and important part in the daily life of Million's of people in Germany, who receive information about New York through the ARD network and our correspondents.

Our correspondent Martin BUTTLER will be back on March 28, 2006 and available for an interview. We look forward to hearing from you soon. Please call us at 1-212-752-9642 or e-mail us at: radio@ardny.com to arrange for the interview. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Elke M. Kleinpeter
- Producer -

633 Third Avenue, 8th Floor
New York, NY 10017
Tel. + 212-752-9642
Fax + 212-949-4497
e-mail: radio@ardny.com 1

Good to know Umesh Shrestha of Mero Sansar got covered in the British media. The image above is the clip of that.

In The News

Maoists declare unilateral ceasefire in the Kathmandu valley NepalNews
People have right to carry out peaceful protests: Martin
Nepal facing a strong risk of political collapse: Finnish envoy
Maoists assault PFN cadres; not serious about 12-point pact: PFN
Government warns civil servants against taking part in seven-party rallies
Our movement aims to establish the rule of law in Bhutan

13 RNA soldiers face court martial Kantipur Publications
डा बाबुराम भट्टराईसँग विशेष अन्तर्वार्ता
 Interview with Girija Prasad Koirala

Visitors

3 April12:18Bentley College, United States
3 April12:19Pacific Command, United States
3 April12:25Verizon Online, Boston, United States
3 April12:53Verizon Online, Reston, United States


3 April13:10San Francisco State University, San Francisco, United States
3 April13:56CTX Mortgage Company, Dallas, United States
3 April13:56Swipnet, Sweden
3 April14:17Telenet, Belgium
3 April14:47University of Missouri, Columbia, United States
3 April14:48NTL Internet, Guildford, United Kingdom
3 April14:54Cornell Medical College, United States
3 April15:02State Compensation Insurance Fund, San Francisco, United States
3 April15:12OARnet, Columbus, United States
3 April15:34Czech Technical University, Czech Republic
3 April15:48University of Bergen (UoB), Bergen, Norway
3 April16:39Deutsche Telekom AG, Germany
3 April17:02University of Maryland, Baltimore, United States
3 April17:09Southern Methodist University, Dallas, United States
3 April17:12Pacific Command, United States


3 April17:29Florida International University, Miami, United States
3 April17:32James Cook University, Australia
3 April18:17NTL Internet, Winnersh, United Kingdom
3 April18:23Deloitte & Touche, Hermitage, United States
3 April19:05Baylor University, Waco, United States
3 April20:00University of Hawaii, United States
3 April20:22Iowa State University, United States
at 1 comment:

Sunday, April 02, 2006

Himal Survey


Himal’s Nepal-wide Political Survey*

*Figures Based entirely on Himal Survey:

http://www.himalkhabar.com/content/view/440/1/

Table 1:

On the King’s Direct Rule since Feb 1st
Not positive (do not support) 65%
Positive (support) 25%
Neutral (no opinion) 10%
Total 100%

Table 2:

On the State of the Nation
bad 57.4%
anarchic/frightening 33.6%
(missing) 8%
Total 91 % (100%)

Table 3:

On the Maoist Insurgency
bad 59%
“It’s ok” 25.2%
don’t know 8%
(Missing) 7.8%
Total 92.2 % (100%)

Table 4:

How to Solve the Maoist Insurgency ?
king-party-maoist talks 60%
king-maoist talks 22.2%
party-maoist talks 7.2%
military defeat of maoists 1.1%
surrender by maoists 3.4%
Total 100%

Table 5:

How to end political conflict/confusion/crisis ?
all party government 47.8%
parliamentary elections 15.1%
constituent assembly 10.9%
house revival 6%
(missing) 20.2%
Total 79.8% (100%)

Table 6:

views/position on the monarchy
constitucional monarchy 46.1%
absolute monarchy .8%
monarchy is not necessary 15%
monarchy is indispensable 24.4%
ceremonial monarchy 5.6%
no comment 7.8%
Total 100%

Table 7:

On the SPAM first round of 12 point agreement
have not heard about it 54%: of which:

58.5% rural

46.2% urban

69% women

have heard about it 44.3%: of which:

72.6% = good thing

20.9% = bad thing

Total 98.3%

Table 8:

Need for Outside help/facilitation to solve crisis ?
No 40.2%
Yes 50.1%: of which:

UN

23.5%

India

35%

USA

20%

China

14.5

(missing) 9.7%
Total 90.3% (100%)

Table 9:

The constitutional question
need new constitution 19.6%: of which:

66% by const. assembly

by some kind of aayog:

28%

amend current constitution 31%
curent constitution is ok 20.4%
no opinion 29%
Total 100%

Table 10:

Awareness of Constituent Assembly
never heard of it 34.4%
heard of it 57.1%: of which:

40.9%

don’t understand it

44.1%

understand it somewhat

14.8%

understand it well

Subtotal = 100%

no answer 8.5%

Total 100%

Table 11:

Opinons/views on the municipal elections
was not good/right 59%
was good/right 25.9%
no answer 14.2%
Total 100%

Table 12:

king-called parliamentary elections possible?
No 61.1%: of which:

45.1 % b/c of maoists

33% b/c polls cannot be free

20.1% b/c parties cannot/will not participate

yes 22.5%
don’t know 16.1%
Total 99.7%

Table 12:

Hypothetically, if elections could be held today who World you vote for?
20.8% Undecided
19.2% UML
18.3% NC
11.5% CPN(M)
7.3% independent
3.7% RPP
2.3% NC(D)
Total for parties = 79.2% (??)

(16.9% of party vote missing

who does this belong to?)

(2.3% for NC(D), less than RPP sounds wrong)


Total 100%


Some remarks I would like to make.

(1) What has been the methodology of this survey? How many people were asked questions? Can the sample be said to be representative of Nepal? What kind of questions were asked? In what settings? What was done to make sure the sample was as representative as possible?

(2) 2/1 is highly unpopular. The two extremes are unpopular. The king's autocracy and the Maoists' violence are both disliked.

(3) There is huge support for the idea of a roundtable conference between the three forces.

(4) The people want an all party government as a next step.

(5) 25% are strongly for a monarchy, 45% are for a constitutional monarchy, 5% for a ceremonial monarchy, and 1% for an absolute monarchy. What this means is if the people were to decide on the fate of the monarchy through a constituent assembly, they will retain it in a strictly constitutional form.

(6) Half the country has not heard of the 12 point agreement. I am not surprised. During Newt Gingrich' 1994 "revolution," the majority of Americans said they had never heard of the Contract With America document. Actually half is a good number to have.

(7) UN, India, US, EU and China should all help the peace process.

(8) The constituent assembly is not a wildly popular idea, but then it is because the people have not been explained the idea. 35% have never heard of the idea. Majority of those who have heard of it don't understand it.

(9) The king's electoral experiments are set to bomb. If the parliamentary elections were to be held, the Maoists would be more crucial to its failure than the seven party alliance.

(10) The Maoists would emerge the third largest party in the country. Looks to me like elections will be good for both the extremes, the monarchy survives, the Maoists emerge large.

(11) Deuba Congress is in trouble. Kind of like Bamdev Gautam's breakaway UML faction a few years back. But considering the Congress often wins with narrow margins, the Deuba Congress could really hurt the Koirala Congress. If the numbers here are to be believed, the Deuba Congress will fare worse than the RPP.

(12) It is entirely possible the Maoists might be third in terms of votes, but second equal in terms of seats in a parliament.

(13) Constituent Assembly, Democratic Republic: these are ideas that can be "sold" to the people. These are ideas that give political parties homework. The work is to raise the political consciousness of the people.

The Nepali version seems to be fuller.

यदि अहिले माओवादीले हतियार बिसाएर संसदको चुनाव भयो भने भोट कसलाई दिनुहुन्छ?
एमाले १९.७%
नेपाली काङ्ग्रेस १८.३%
नेकपा (माओवादी) ११.४%
स्वतन्त्र ८.७%
राप्रपा ७.३%
नेपाली काङ्ग्रेस (प्र.) ३.७%
राप्रपा (कमल थापा) २.३%
जनमोर्चा नेपाल ०.९%
नेमकिपा ०.८%
सद्भावना (आनन्दीदेवी) ०.७%
राष्ट्रिय जनशक्ति पार्टी ०.४%
सद्भावना (मण्डल) ०.१%
राजा वा राजाको पार्टी ०.१%
अन्य १.१%
भोटनै दिन्न ३.८%
थाहा छैन/भन्न चाहन्न २०.८%

अहिले देशको समग्र स्थिति कस्तो छ?
राम्रो ३.१%
पहिले जस्तै ५%
कहालीलाग्दो/अन्यौलपूर्ण ३३.६%
नराम्रो ५७.४%

राम्रो या नराम्रो स्थितिको जिम्मेवारी कसलाई दिनुहुन्छ?
राजा ३२.७%
माओवादी ३२.६%
दलहरू २६.६%
विदेशी शक्ति १.५%
अन्य ०.६%
थाहा छैन/भन्न चाहन्न ६%

नयाँ संविधान कसरी बनाउनुपर्ला?
राजाबाट आयोग बनाएर १०.१%
थाहा छैन/भन्न चाहन्न ५.२%
संसदबाट १८.५%
संविधान सभाबाट ६६.३%

दुई महिनाअघिको नगरनिर्वाचन कस्तो लाग्यो?
ठीक लाग्यो २६%
ठीक लागेन ५९%
अन्य १%
थाहा छैन/भन्न चाहन्न १४%

अहिलेको परिस्थितिमा एक वर्षभित्र संसदीय चुनाव हुनसक्ला?
सक्दैन ६१%
सक्छब २२.५%
अन्य ०.४%
थाहा छैन/भन्न चाहन्न १६.१%


केही समयअघि भएको माओवादी दलहरूबीचको समझ्ादारीबारे थाहा छ?
थाहा छ ५४%
थाहा छैन ४४.३%
अन्य १.६%
थाहा छैन/भन्न चाहन्न ०.१%

थाहा भए कस्तो लाग्यो?
थाहा छैन/भन्न चाहन्न ६.४ %
ठीक छ ७२.६%
ठीक छैन २१%

अहिले देशमा कसको शासन छ?
राजाको प्रत्यक्ष ६७%
सेनाको भरमा राजाको १३%
राजाका मान्छेको ३%
दलहरूको ७%
माओवादीको ६%
शासन नै छैन २%
थाहा छैन/भन्न चाहन्न २%

राजाले सरकारमा रहेका दलहरूलाई हटाई आफैँ शासन गरेको कस्तो लाग्छ?
ठीक लागेको छ २४%
ठीक लागेको छैन ६५%
थाहा छैन/भन्न चाहन्न ११%


In The News

Dailekh bombing against the party policy: CPN (M) NepalNews
Seven party alliance seeks support from professional alliances
Entrepreneurs issue 48-hour ultimatum to local administration
Himal opinion poll: Two-thirds reject the direct rule of the king
Media council will be in place within two months: Basnet
Crown Prince and Crown Princess in UAE

Visitors

2 April03:58Pacific Century Matrix, Hong Kong S.A.R.
2 April04:46Mercantile Communications Pvt. Ltd., Nepal
2 April05:24British Telecommunications plc, United Kingdom
2 April05:49Total Peripherals Group, Australia


2 April05:58KORNET, Korea
2 April06:14Raya Telecom, Egypt
2 April07:36D. E. Shaw & Co., New York, United States
2 April08:16Planet Internet, Netherlands, The
2 April08:21Sympatico HSE, Canada
2 April09:23Deutsche Telekom AG, Germany
2 April09:36JPNIC, Japan


2 April10:06University of York, York, United Kingdom
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