Democracy For Nepal

Thursday, May 11, 2006

Land Reform, Truth And Reconciliation

Land Reform

All seven parties are going to have to face a few facts. One is, do they want to retain the monarchy or not. Another is federalism. Yet another is land reform. Do they want it? How do they hope to accomplish it? They are simply going to have to spell out before they go to the people for the constituent assembly.

I think the center piece of the idea of land reform in Nepal has to be about getting as many people as possible off the land! There simply is not enough land to go around. If you take all the arable land and divide it equally among the population, the amount of land per person is tiny. And so it is not productive to simply divide. The agricultural productivity would go down drastically. And you are looking at possible famine.

So we have to do land reform the smart way. Put a major focus on education, health and micro credit to reach out to all. Then put a cap on the amount of land any one person or family may keep. Then pay for and claim the extra for redistribution among those who do not have it. And when the landless get the land, it should not be free. It should be a zero interest loan to be paid off in perhaps a decade or two. Perhaps at below market price.

This is the broad outline I offer. But this is a big issue. A lot of heads will have to be banged before we can come up with something workable. Something just as well as productive.

And we have to go for rural industrialization. We have to divide the country into three states - Kosi, Gandaki, Karnali - and focus on Udaypur, Chitwan and Surkhet valleys. Maybe Chitwan can become the Shanghai of Nepal. That unlike Kathmandu could emerge an urban center to soak limitless urbanization.

As you see, I think land reform is about getting people off the land and rapidly expanding the industrial and service sectors. And for this FDI is key. You could export Nepalis to Malaysia and Arabia and wherever, or you could invite in FDI - Foreign Direct Investment - and create those jobs locally.

The Chinese experience has been that the Chinese diaspora has been the primary source of FDI. I think the same will happen for Nepal as well. I think it is because investors like to know what they are getting into. The Nepalis abroad already know. All the political leadership in Nepal has to do is put in place the right policy framework.

Land reform - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Liberation Theology and Land Reform
FAST TRACK LAND REFORM IN ZIMBABWE
FAO : SD Dimensions : Institutions : Land tenure
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United Nations - OCHA IRIN | Web Special | Land reform in Southern ...
allAfrica.com: South Africa: Land Reform No Cure for SA Poor - OECD
DEVELOPMENT: Agrarian Reform Takes a Low Profile
Land reform: SA should 'learn from Zimbabwe' : Mail & Guardian Online
Venezuela: Land Reform Battle Deepens - Worldpress.org
Scotsman.com News - Land reform
BBC NEWS | Africa | Mbeki may speed up SA land reform
Land Reform in the Philippines
Zimbabwe Land Reform
Department of Agrarian Reform Official Website
Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003
Lisa Viscidi: Land Reform and Conflict in Guatemala
Seth DeLong: Land Reform in Venezuela
foodfirst.org: Tides Shift on Agrarian Reform
World Bank Group | Land Policy and Administration | Land Reform
Land Research Action Network
Venezuela's Agrarian Land Reform: More like Lincoln than Lenin
land reform: Definition and Much More From Answers.com
Land Reform | Metropolis Magazine
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agrarian reform on Encyclopedia.com
History News Network
World Forum on Agrarian Reform
Landless Workers' Movement (MST) : Land Reform From Below
Simon World :: China rural land reform
agrarian reform. The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001-05
Amazon.com: The Peasant Betrayed: Agriculture and Land Reform in ...
Chavez's Land Grab
Caledonia's Land Programme
Act 3 of 1996: Land Reform (Labour tenants) Act
LAND REFORM: NEW SEEDS ON OLD GROUND? - ODI Natural Resource ...
Fair price for land reform - SouthAfrica.info
Michigan State University Newsroom - In China’s land reform ...
Agrarian Reform in Latin America Books and Articles - Research ...
Providence Urban Land Reform
[PDF] Agrarian Reform in Venezuela
SARPN activities
LAND TENURE REFORM AND RURAL LIVELIHOODS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA - ODI ...
The Legal Resources Centre : Projects: Land Reform Project
NO. 3 OF 1996: LAND REFORM (LABOUR TENANTS) ACT, 1996.
DAR - Land Reform in Phil. History
Chief Directorate Land Reform

Truth And Reconciliation

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Cat Outa Bag: Girija Koirala For Ceremonial Monarchy

King’s fate splits Nepal rulers Hindustan Times, India THE SEVEN Party Alliance (SPA), which led the struggle for democracy in Nepal, has divergent views on the monarchy’s future — with the communist partners striving for a republic and Prime Minister G.P. Koirala envisaging a "ceremonial role" for the king....... Insisting that he was not a republican, Koirala on Wednesday said Gyanendra could be a ceremonial king like the British queen. At a meeting with a delegation of the South Asian Free Media Association, Koirala asked: "What is the harm if he stays as Lord Pashupati?" ....... Forever a centrist, Koirala defined the ceremonial monarchy-multi-party democracy combination as "borderline" to the republican system. "I've nothing to say if the people want to cross that," he said. "I'm expected to lead rather than being led by popular opinion."

Girija Koirala has spoken his mind. It is typical Girija. He did not hold a central committee meeting on the topic. He just spoke. Considering his party is officially neutral on the question of the monarchy, it is fundamentally undemocratic of him to unilaterally make policy on his party's behalf, especially on so fundamental an issue. He should have called a party convention on the issue, or at least a central committee meeting. But then that has been the Girija style.

He is one of the hero figures of the democracy movement over five decades, but he has failed every time as Prime Minister in the 1990s. That is his sad record.

The stink he raised with the UML while shaping his cabinet is typical Girija. He suffers from the illusion that his party will still bag a majority. It does not matter that the Congress is vertically split. It does not matter that the Maoists are going to emerge a rather large party in the next parliament. It is a mindset thing. He is stuck with it.

Not only this, I think he is also going to take a stand against federalism. And that is when all the Congressis in the Terai are going to have to abandon his party en masse.

And I also predict the Congress to go along to get along with him. It is called groupthink.

A democratic party can take whatever stand it wants to take. One only hopes the party takes those stances thorugh a democratic process. If the Nepali Congress central committee were to take the same stand through majority vote, that is one thing. But Girija's monologue is in a league of its own.

The monarchy has to end because that would be good for the personal happiness of Gyanendra Shaha. It is not possible to imagine a double digit economic growth rate for Nepal without ending the monarchy. That is why the monarchy has to end.

But if the Congress goes against a republic, it will have to face a coalition of republican forces during the constituent assembly elections.

At this rate I think the UML will emerge a much larger party than it already is. To not go for a democratic republic is to not feel the pulse of the times, the pulse of the April Revolution. The Congress has put itself at a disadvantage.

Now it is for the Gagan Thapas of the world to decide if they still want to campaign for a non-republican Congress, or they want to float a new party. Bill Gates was 19 when he floated Microsoft. He could have got himself a job with IBM which was the largest computer company at the time. But he knew better. If you want to bring something new into the market, it is best to start afresh.

One Central Committee Member For Every Million Nepali
The April Revolution Asks For A New Political Party
An Open Letter To Gagan Thapa

The Koirala Congress is an ageing, stale party. It is bereft of new ideas.

The King Already Started His Campaign

The Maoists were the first to start their campaign for the constituent assembly elections. As soon as the royal regime was toppled, the Maoists organized mass meetings across the country.

The king was second. He went to Dakshin Kali and sacrificed a few goats. Then he called in some sadhu from Dang, helicoptered. The king's strategy is to appeal to the ignorant, superstitious strain. That is how he plans to save the monarchy. I don't think he is in touch with the sentiment of the April Revolution.

After animal sacrifices, Nepal King now turns to 'god-woman' Newindpress (subscription)

Chitraleka Yadav: Litmus Test

Chitralekha Yadav: Speaker

She is a litmus test for the DaMaJaMa crowd. If the big parties can not agree on her name for Speaker now, we will have reason to doubt their commitment to the cause of social justice in the run up to the constituent assembly elections.

Govt. likely to announce talks team, differences erupt for the post of Speaker NepalNews

In The News

Maoist leaders freed, demand release of all of their comrades NepalNews
Janamorcha Nepal to join govt; Pari Thapa selected as parliamentary leader
Maoists release five APF men
Govt gives 45-day ultimatum to 12 Nepali envoys to return
Experts demand early ratification of ICC statute
Govt. likely to announce talks team, differences erupt for the post of Speaker
Maoists continuing extortion: Kandel
Donors should help in Nepal's transition to peace: ICG
HoR forms panels to probe Nagarkot, Belbari incidents
Maoist abduct five APF personnel
PAF successful in reaching people despite difficult situation: Ohashi
Say "No, Thank you" to Donors

Nepal releases two top Maoist leaders Times of India, India
NEPAL: Conflict areas benefit from ceasefire Reuters AlertNet, UK
What next in Nepal? Aljazeera.net, Qatar
Maoists loot items from King-appointed district chief's house NewKerala.com
After animal sacrifices, Nepal King now turns to 'god-woman' Newindpress (subscription)
Nepal commission on rights abuses begins work Daily Times, Pakistan
Nepal to probe abuses by security forces ABC Asia Pacific
UN ready to monitor truce in Nepal: Special Advisor People's Daily Online, China
Nepal seeking support from donors for reconstruction: official People's Daily Online, China
Nepal's new govt clears out all the king's men Financial Express.bd, Bangladesh
Sherchan calls for polls to constituent assembly Gorkhapatra
Janamorcha split over joining govt Gorkhapatra
Nepal leader promises to adopt new constitution in 18 months Pravda, Russia

Interview with Ashok Sharma Kantipur Publications
Royalists and republicans
India likely to extend direct budgetary assistance
Stop extortions: Home Minister tells Maoists
Maoist leaders Yadav, Magar released
SPA meeting fails to name Speaker; govt talks team 'soon'
New CDOs appointed in valley
Parliamentarians accuse Maoists of intensifying extortion
House to probe Nagarkot, Belbari killings
आयोगद्वारा काम सुरु
माओवादीद्वारा वार्ता टोली गठन
कफ्र्यु हट्यो
ँसंविधानसभा निःसर्त’
संसद् विघटनको प्रस्ताव अनुचित’
सुरक्षाकर्मीसँग अन्तक्रिर्या
ँसमानुपातिक सहभागितामा संविधानसभा’
'सम्पूर्ण राजबन्दी रिहा गर'
'जंगल र्फकदैनौं'
युद्धविरामपछि उत्साह
विद्यार्थी पुनर्वहाली
कोषमा थप सहयोग
मन्त्रिपरिषद् पुरानै ढर्रामा
महिलालाई सेनाको धम्की
जनआन्दोलनका विरोधीलाई सामाजिक दण्ड
माओवादीको खुलासभा
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पुनःस्थापित संसद् र चरित्र
सेनाप्रतिको अवधारणा
बहुसांस्कृतिक लोकतन्त्रात्मक गणतन्त्र

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Thursday, May 11, 2006

Land Reform, Truth And Reconciliation

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Cat Outa Bag: Girija Koirala For Ceremonial Monarchy