Dinesh Wagle, Kiran Nepal In Town

"Media Under Dictatorship - Fighting For Press Freedom and Democracy in Nepal."

Event/ Talk Program:
Media Under Dictatorship - Fighting For Press Freedom and Democracy in Nepal

In an interview Mahatma Gandhi had said, "You must make injustice visible." There is no denying the contribution Nepali journalists have made to make the injustices in Nepal visible at home and to the world, even if it routinely puts their own lives at risk.

Today, Nepal has one of the world's worst press-freedom. And Journalists,along with Lawyers, were the first to organize the bigger protests after 1 Feb. 2005. The Federation of Nepali Journalists, representing more than 5000 journalists in Nepal, has fought for press-freedom and democracy in Nepal persistently since. This Sunday, we have two speakers from Nepal in New York to talk about "Media Under Dictatorship - Fighting For Press Freedom and Democracy in Nepal."

We hope you will come to hear a different side of the movement for democracy in Nepal. Funds raised through the event will be used to purchase helmets and PRESS jackets, which will then be handed over to journalists in Nepal through the Federation of Nepali Journalists.

Time: Sunday, 23 April 2006, 2:00 PM

Venue: Nepali Mandir, 34-11, 34th Avenue, 62nd Street, Queens, New York City, 11377.

The nearest subway station is 65th Street on G,R,V.

Ph: 718- 271 3066

Speaker 1, Kiran Nepal: Editor of Himalkhabar.com, Nepal's premier online news portal in Nepali language. Special Correspodent for Himal Khabarpatrika, Nepal's largest socio-political magazine.

Speaker 2, Dinesh Wagle: Founder of blog.com.np (United We Blog!for a Democratic Nepal). Journalist for Kantipur, Nepal's largest daily, and its sisters publciation Nepal, a weekly magazine.

Organized by Nepali Aawaz, the international alternate-weekly since October 2005.

UWB in USA: Mr. Blogger Goes to Washington
Maoist Expects ‘April Revolution’ in Nepal
Gandhi Resignation, Indian Democracy and Nepali Politics
Parties, Maoists Agree to Disagree
Explaining Those 25 Words
25 Words, Two Commas and a Fullstop
An Updated Report Of A Nepali Reporter
Talk of a Unified Nepali Congress
He Acts. And Then We React
Sound Bites From Kantipur Anniversary
Dr. Tulsi Giri Explains The Royal Message
Rs. 220 000 000 For King’s Autocratic Democracy
Himalayan Sham: Nepal Election Drama
Election Day: Kathmandu Silent
Editors’ Face To Face With Prachanda

• Wagle Street Journal (5)
• Wagle Web Log (15)

House Revival Through Supreme Court Decision

राजाबाट प्रधानन्यायाधीशलाई दर्शनभेट

शुक्रबार, २१ अप्रिल २००६

सात दलको आन्दोलन चर्कदै जाँदा र राजनैतिक परिवर्तनको विभीन्न अड्कलबाजी भईरहदा राजाबाट ७ बैशाखमा प्रधानन्यायाधीश दिलीपकुमार पौडेललाई दर्शनभेट भएको छ। वर्तमान राजनैतिक परिस्थीतीको संवैधानकि निकासका लागी प्रधानन्यायाधीश पौडेलसंग परामर्श भएको अनुमान गरिएको छ। पौडेलका साथै महान्यायधिवक्ता लक्ष्मीप्रसाद निराला तथा उच्च सुरक्षा अधिकृतहरुलाई समेत दर्शनभेट दिईएको बताईएको छ। भारतीय प्रधानमन्त्री मनमोहन सिंहका बिशेष दुत करण सिंह २४ घण्टे नेपाल भ्रमण सकेर दिल्ली गएपछी उनले राजाबाट छिट्टै केही घोषणा हुने बताएका छन्। दलहरुले चाहेको प्रतिनिधी सभा पुर्नस्थापनाको घोषणा हुनसक्ने तथा सात दललाई लिएर नयाँ सरकार बनाईने सम्भावना रहेको अनुमान गरिएको छ।

If the Supreme Court were to revive the 1999 House, where does that put us?

Supreme Court, Revive House, Save Country, Hurry (August 31, 2005)

If the Supreme Court can do it, if the king and the Chief Justice can do it, why did they wait until 15 people died? Why did they not do it before? Why did they first put the country through all the pain?

First, at this point I am not going to assume that is what is going to happen. The king has been obstinate in every other way. Why will he suddenly act flexible on this count?

So whether it happens or not is still a big if.

And if it happens, then what?

A revived House is the first step in the seven party alliance roadmap.

House revival is to be a political decision. It is not a constitutional, legal step. And that political decision will have to be followed by a few more political decisions. Second step, formation of a seven party government. Third step, peace talks. Finally, constituent assembly.

Some people are worried there is no provision in the 1990 constitution for a constituent assembly. Well, there is no provision in the 1990 constitution for reviving the House either. So if the House is revived nevertheless, it is to be considered a political decision. And that will set a precedent for the next three political decisions all the way to a constituent assembly.

Is this my first choice roadmap? No way. I am for going straight to an interim government. But I defer to the seven party alliance on this one. All seven parties want the House revived, and so be it. Actually I have been voicing the need for a revolutionary parliament during the April Revolution.

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Why The International Community Needs To Get Behind This Revolution
April 20: March Onto The Palace, End The Monarchy
Constituent Assembly: Still The Meeting Point
जाउलो खाएर क्रान्ित गर
The Art Of War, Bruce Lee
End Of Ceausescu
Monarchy's End: A Few Scenarios
क्रान्ितलाई नबुझ्नु, बुझ पचाउनु
Gongabu Massacre
Get The Police On Our Side
Interim President: Madhav Nepal
No Room For Monarchy In The 21st Century: King
Zero Tolerance Policy Towards Monarchy
Nepali Congress Or Praja Parishad
Malaria, Polio, Monarchy
Interim Constitution, Revolutionary Parliament

For much of 2005 I have opposed the House revival idea head on because I figured that was a roadblock to the constituent assembly idea.

Political Reasons Against House Revival
Revive House, Lay Down Arms, Put Up With Me: Girija
Newton, Apples, And Girija's House Revival Idea
Teen Sutriya Agenda
Maoist, Moriarty, Madhav, Manmohan: Get Behind The 3 Point Program
House Revival Stance Preventing Progress
Girija: A Closet Republican
Girija's House Revival Fantassy
House Revival Possibilities
Activist Judges Could Save The Day
Common Minimum Program: Constituent Assembly
A Royal Signal: The Parliament Could Be Revived
Democratic Solidarity With The Nepali Congress
100 Reasons To Revive Parliament
Reviving Parliament: Not An Option
This Inadequate, Improper, Insufficient 1990 Constitution

But if I can have a constituent assembly, the House revivalists may have a House. Fine with me.

The only fear we might have is that a revived House might not lead to a constituent assembly. And I don't believe that to be the case. So, yes, overall I think the House revival would be a good idea. Besides that is where the seven party alliance stands. You can't bring the country down to a standstill on the House revival stand, and then dislike it if it happens.

And as long as the revived House takes the country to a constituent assembly, I am fine. The Maoists are the most radical political outfit in Nepal, and even they are for a constituent assembly. I am not going to try and outdo the Maoists.

A constituent assembly is a wonderful thing. That will provide room for people of all political persuasions to try and sell their ideas to the Nepali people. If there will be war, there will be a war of words, not bullets.

So for me the question is not if the House revival would be a good idea, but if it will happen at all.

The immediate good thing about House revival will be the bums of the current regime will all get thrown out of power. Don't you want Kamal Thapa out? Don't you want Tulsi Giri out? Human rights abuses by the state will go down drastically.

But then you will have to ask, why did not these seven parties pursue this roadmap a few years ago when there was a House? Like in 2001? 2000? 1999? If a House is what is needed to solve the Maoist insurgency, they had that House back then.

Parliament of the United Kingdom - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Charles was executed in 1649 and under Oliver Cromwell's Commonwealth of England the House of Lords was abolished, and the House of Commons remained subordinate to Cromwell. After Cromwell's death the Restoration of 1660 restored the monarchy and the House of Lords....... Amidst fears of a Roman Catholic succession, the Glorious Revolution of 1688 deposed James II in favour of the joint rule of Mary II and William III whose agreement to the English Bill of Rights introduced a constitutional monarchy, though the supremacy of the Crown still remained clear.

Even if the king were to engineer House revival, he should act fast. He does not have much time. It might not even work. But this is the only option he has.

It is in the best interests of the country to shift the revolution from the streets to a constituent assembly. Otherwise you are looking at an all out revolution, French style.

आजपनि कर्फ्यु तोडेर चक्रपथ घेर्ने तयारी

शुक्रबार, २१ अप्रिल २००६ दुईसाता देखि देशब्यापी आम हड्तालमा उत्रिएका सात राजनीतिक दल र विभिन्न पेशा व्यवसायी र समुदायले आफनो प्रर्दशनलाई व्यापक बनाउदै लगेका छन्। यस क्रममा उनिहरुले सरकारी आदेशको उल्लघन गर्ने क्रम बढदै गएको छ।

यसैक्रममा सरकारद्धारा जारी साँझ ८ बजे सम्मको कर्फयुको उल्लंघन गर्दै ८ बैशाखमा पनि दलहरुले चक्रपथमा प्रर्दशन गर्ने तयारी गरेका छन्। दिउसो १२ बजेपछि कर्फ्युको अवाज्ञा गर्दै जनतालाई प्रर्दशनमा उत्रन दलहरुले आह्वान गरेकाछन्। कलङ्की, सातदोबाटो, गोङ्गबु, चावहिल, कोटेश्वर क्षेत्रमा प्रर्दशन केन्द्रित गर्दै कर्फयुको उल्लंघन गर्ने कार्यक्रम रहेको दलहरुले जनाएकाछन्। राजधानीका भीत्री क्षेत्रहरु मैतीदेवी, घट्टेकुलो, अनामनगर, पुरानोबानेश्वर लगायतका स्थानमा हिजो भन्दा ब्यापक प्रर्दशन गर्ने तयारी छ।

७ बैशाखमा लाखौ नागरिक सडकमा ओर्लिएपछी सुरक्षाकर्मीले राजधानीका बिभिन्न स्थानमा गोली चलाउदा कलङ्कीमा तीन र बर्दियामा एक गरी चारको मृत्यु भएको छ। देशभरी करिव दूइसय भन्दा माथिको सख्यामा प्रर्दशनकारी घाइते भएका थिए। ८ बैशाखमा घेराउमा भाग लिन राजधानी वरिपरिका गाउँबाट स्थानीय वासीन्दाहरु चक्रपथवरिपरि भेला हुन थालेका छन्।