Friday, May 12, 2006

UN Mediation Is Okay


First, that is what is in the 12 point agreement. Second, it is in the best interests of countries like Nepal to treat the UN with respect. Third, we should also be open to involving the other powers like the US, EU, India and China, because that will make it more possible to seek monetary aid during the peace process, and aid sure will be needed. Fourth, it is a myth that Nepal needs India's permission before it can invite the UN in. It does not. The relationship between a state like Nepal and a body like the UN is direct. If Kofi Annan did not understand this, he would never have extended his helping hand like he repeatedly has. I am comfortable with Annan's understanding of the nuances of international politics. What about you? Fifth, it is in India's best interests to see the UN play a meaningful role in Nepal. India needs the UN to become a major player on the global stage that it is not yet. Sixth, the UN's involvement in the Nepal peace process could see many firsts for world history. It could be thoroughly successful in many innovative ways. Subsequently Nepal could draw upon that experience to play much bigger roles in peace making and democracy spreading experiments in other countries. That will be honorable. The UN's possible involvement is a huge opportunity for Nepal: snatch it.

Getting the two armies out of the picture during the constituent assembly elections is key to having free and fair elections. We surely should invite international observers of the widest possible spectrum for that period. That should also be a time for us to express our appreciation to all those global friends that were with us during our royal ordeal. That includes INGOs. That includes the Carter Center. That includes the top human rights organizations.

What would that involve? I think both armies should do two things.

(1) Get all their soldiers into barracks.
(2) Give up all their arms and ammunition to be locked up and guarded by African soldiers under UN supervision for safekeeping for the duration of the election.

Extortions Have To Come To A Complete Stop

Otherwise there can not, should not be any peace talks.

What is the idea behind these extortions? That the Maoists run a parallel state? If Nepal is two countries, why even hold peace talks?

Peace talks whose conclusions have already been reached should be something the Maoists should be able to trust. The Maoists should not act like they are preparing for yet another round of civil war.

The money the Maoists collect was not earned by Nepali citizens through some command economy.

If the Maoists keep up with their extortions, they are but gangsters.

I think it is high time both the seven party alliance and the Maoists did their very best to engage in confidence building measures. The state needs to cooperate on the issue of the imprisoned and disappeared Maoists.

10 years are enough. The country does not need any more violence.

In The News

Former Ministers Pandey and Rana arrested NepalNews
Former Home Minister Thapa taken into custody
Election to take place for the post of Speaker
Maoist leaders call to fulfill their demands for talks: Prachanda to lead Maoist talk team
Maoist affiliated student union submits its demands to Prime Minister
Valley districts get CDOs
Parliament allows senior civil servants to join trade unions
Team to scale Mt. Everest to mark the success of people's movement
Maoists release former Sarlahi CDO
"Violation of human rights makes people poor"

Five former ministers arrested; all 4 security chiefs suspended Kantipur Publications
HoR to elect Speaker tomorrow
Assailants target Industrialist in Birgunj
Government intervenes to resolve Moondrops affair
Compensation to martyrs’ families in limbo
Senior govt officers can join unions
पाँच दिनसम्म भोजैभोज
बाँच्ने आशा पलायो
उपसचिवसम्मले टे्रड युनियन अधिकार पाउने
सभामुख पदको विवाद बढ्यो
मुख्यसचिवले गाडी फर्काए
गृहमा हेरफेर
गाउँ-गाउँमा चन्दा आतंक
गृह जिल्लामै कालोसूचीमा थापा
युद्धविराममा चन्दा असुली
उपभोक्ता अदालत
समावेशीकरण र पारदर्शिता
प्रस्तावित राष्ट्रगान
परिवर्तनको दिशा र हाम्रो कार्यभार
जनक्रान्तिपछिको आर्थिक क्रान्ति

New Era in Nepal Leads to New Constitution Zaman Online, Turkey
All eyes on big, fat Nepal wedding
CNN-IBN, India
Nepal plans to enroll 120,000 children to primary schools in 2006
People's Daily Online, China
‘Eternal vigilance needed against King Gyanendra’ Daily Times
Prachanda to lead peace talks with govt: Nepal Maoists
Zee News, India

Visitors

1.12 May06:1172.30.61.x
2.12 May06:36Hong Kong S.A.R. (infolink.hk)
3.12 May06:42IP Access International, United States
4.12 May06:43Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd, India
5.12 May06:55Southwestern Bell, United States
6.12 May07:02Telekom Malaysia Berhad, Malaysia
7.12 May07:14British Telecommunications plc, United Kingdom
8.12 May07:16America Online, United States
9.12 May07:24Road Runner, United States
10.12 May07:29Nepal (wlink.com.np)
11.12 May07:31Nepal (wlink.com.np)
12.12 May07:40Spectra Net Ltd, India
13.12 May07:44British Telecommunications plc, United Kingdom
14.12 May07:56Bagan Cybertech Teleport, Myanmar
15.12 May08:06International Finance Corporation, United States
16.12 May08:09International Finance Corporation, United States
17.12 May08:13Ameritech, United States
18.12 May08:14International Finance Corporation, United States
19.12 May08:15International Finance Corporation, United States
20.12 May08:23International Finance Corporation, United States
21.12 May08:33Nepal (wlink.com.np)
22.12 May08:33Southwestern Bell, Austin, United States
23.12 May08:33Opal Telecommunications Internet Service Provider, United Kingdom
24.12 May08:39Polytechnic University, New York, United States
25.12 May08:40Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd, India
26.12 May08:41International Finance Corporation, United States
27.12 May08:48Nepal (wlink.com.np)
28.12 May08:57ETC, United Arab Emirates
29.12 May08:5988.144.25.x
30.12 May08:59XO Communications, United States
31.12 May09:07AMD, Austin, United States
32.12 May09:12@Home, United States
33.12 May09:14state.il.us, United States
34.12 May09:17AT&T, United States
35.12 May09:19Inktomi Corp, United States
36.12 May09:21Local Internet Service Company, United States
37.12 May09:26Philippines (gsilink.ph)
38.12 May09:37Hawaii-Pacific Teleport, United States
39.12 May09:44The World Bank Group, Washington, D.C., United States
40.12 May09:46Cavalier Telephone Company, United States
41.12 May09:49Centrin, Indonesia
42.12 May09:51Science Applications International Corporation, United States
43.12 May09:51The World Bank Group, Washington, D.C., United States
44.12 May09:53ETC, United Arab Emirates
45.12 May09:54Science Applications International Corporation, United States
46.12 May09:58The World Bank Group, Washington, D.C., United States
47.12 May09:58Sonera Plaza, Finland
48.12 May10:01Verizon Online, United States
49.12 May10:06Verizon Online, United States
50.12 May10:12Optimum Online, United States
Page views yesterday225

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
Land Reform
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
Agrarian Reform | Land Reapportioning | Farmland Redistribution ...
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

The first order of business would be to document everything, all atrocities committed by any and all parties over the past decade of civil war. All living witnesses have a right to be heard, and they have a right to have their stories documented and archived and cross-referenced with those by others involved. All little details will have to be recorded. All victims have to be fully heard by the state. This is essential to the healing process.

Those who wronged the April Revolution can not be granted amnesty. That is plain and simple.

But the decade long civil war is trickier. There a political decision will have to be taken. It will be a package of amnesty and justice. South Africa is a great example where Mandela decided on forgiveness as opposed to vengeance. Sometimes amnesty is a great price to pay for lasting peace. But that would be a decision for the political leadership to take.

There might be compensation involved for the victims.

Like Kul Chandraji at the UN likes to say, Ian Martin happens to be the top dog on this topic on the entire planet, and he happens to be in Nepal. We should put him to use!

Truth and Reconciliation Commission Home Page
Truth and Reconciliation Commission - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
BBC NEWS | Special Report | 1998 | 10/98 | Truth and ...
The Greensboro Truth and Reconciliation Commission
Truth Commissions Digital Collection: Library and Links: Jeannette ...
Pakistan Link
Burundi Approves Truth and Reconciliation Commission Plan
Comisión de la verdad y Reconciliación
Minister weighs up truth and reconciliation commission for ...
TRC Documents - Sierra Leone Web
Commission for Reception, Truth and Reconciliation
Greensboro Truth and Community Reconciliation Project - gtcrp.org
Official Website of the Sierra Leone Truth & Reconciliation (TRC ...
Peru: The Truth and Reconciliation Commission - a first step ...
Greensboro Truth & Reconciliation Commission
Conflict Research Consortium ARTICLE SUMMARY
SPP: Truth & Reconciliation Commission for Stonehenge
South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission - Simpson & van Zyl
Truth Commissions
The Chilean Truth and Reconciliation Commission
WOLA: Peru's Truth Commission
Truth and Reconciliation Commission: Information From Answers.com
Talking Points Memo: by Joshua Micah Marshall April 26, 2006 03:30 PM
Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa --- Chuck Gillies
The Effectiveness of South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation ...
Truth and Reconciliation
Online NewsHour: Facing the Past -- March 5, 1999
Race Matters - Truth & Reconciliation Commission
Truth and Reconciliation Commission fully clears the ICRC
Crimes of War > On The News
President Mandela's Address at Service for Truth and ...
[PDF] Children and The Truth and Reconciliation Commission for Sierra Leone
International IDEA | Peruvian Truth and Reconciliation Commission ...
Bibliography: War Crimes/Truth and Reconciliation Commissions
INCORE: Conflict Data Service: Thematic Guides
Truth and Reconciliation Commission - a Christian Response
The Effectiveness of South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation ...
Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly . COVER STORY . Sierra Leone: Truth ...
International Crisis Group - Sierra Leone’s Truth and Recon
Truth and Reconciliation Commission, South Africa: final report
Truth and Reconciliation Commission@Everything2.com
Progressio - East Timor: Truth and Reconciliation Commission ...
nistudents.org: Truth & Reconciliation Commission Expert to Speak ...
ZNet |Activism | Creation of First Truth and Reconciliation ...
Greensboro Truth & Reconciliation Commission: Reflections from the ...
Human Rights Watch: Commentary: Justice: The First Casualty of Truth?