Democracy For Nepal

Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Nepal As A Cutting Edge Democracy

Nepal As A Cutting Edge Democracy

(sent to NepalNews.com Guest Column section)

The April Revolution was one for world history. During an online chat with Madhav Nepal recently I said as much: Everest, Buddha, April Revolution. It was all over the news on TV and in the print media here in New York City. When I got to meet Governor Howard Dean recently who chairs the Democratic Party I said, "Governor, Iraq has 27 million people, and Nepal has 27 million people. We have to spread democracy like in Nepal, not like in Iraq." He gave an agreeing, beaming smile. Senator Patrick Leahy and Governor Howard Dean are both from Vermont.

Something magical happened in Nepal in April. I can't remember the last time something similar happened in any country. Not in my memory it hasn't. The entire country was completely shut down for 19 days. That is no small feat.

And the revived House has continued with that revolutionary spirit. The House proclamation that curbed the king's power and brought the army under the parliament, the bill by Bidya Bhandari that has empowered the women: these are all great signs of things to come.

The republic question, and the federalism question will also have to be dealt with, if not now then during the run up to the constituent assembly elections. And then is the broad social justice issue as pertaining to the four DaMaJaMa groups, the Dalit, Madhesi, Janajati, women.

A few days back I came out saying all the five million Dalits in Nepal should convert to Buddhism en masse. And why not.

But if I could just put one provision into Nepal's constitution, it would be to disallow political parties from raising private funds. Instead they would get state funds in direct proportion to the number of votes they might earn in a national parliamentary election. They would have to keep all book keeping online.

If we could add this provision, that would turn Nepal into the number one democracy on the planet, more cutting edge than America and India and the rest of them. The provision would move Nepal to the ideal of one person, one vote like no other country so far has attempted.

That democratic architecture will make the political system more responsive to the people and the term human capital would take a whole new meaning. Massive investments in education, health and micro credit would follow. Double digit economic growth might become possible.

The provision will also coopt the Maoist theme of classlessness, and India will come under tremendous pressure to emulate. And once it does, the violent Maoists in India will lose steam, or join the mainstream.

Going by the economic theme, my proposal for federalism sees Nepal having three states of roughly equal population, going by the three river basins, and named after them, Kosi, Gandaki, Karnali, the Governor directly elected by the people.

Federalism will also mean the federal government can finally have a foreign policy of a global reach. Exporting the April Revolution might become a major Nepali foreign policy item.

Direct elections for president with a round two for the top two candidates if no one candidate might get more than 50% of the votes would also turn the Nepali democracy one better than the American democracy. Direct elections for president is a progressive ideal in America nowhere in sight to being achieved.

I think we owe to the April Revolution to design a cutting edge democracy for the 21st century, one that can be exported, emulated by others, one that is the newest incarnation of what a democracy should be.

(Paramendra Bhagat blogs at http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com)

Bidya Bhandari: Power Woman

HoR endorses ‘historic’ proposal on women rights

The House of Representatives (HoR) has unanimously endorsed a landmark proposal on women rights that allows acquisition of citizenships by the name of mothers and 33 percent reservation to women in all state mechanisms, among others.

A sitting of the HoR on Tuesday endorsed the ‘motion of public importance’ presented by CPN (UML) MP Bidhya Devi Bhandari on Monday. The proposal seeks to end to all forms of discrimination against the women.

Now, with the ratification of the proposal, citizenship certificates can be issued by the name of mothers and women will have 1/3rd share at all levels of the state mechanism. As per existing provisions, citizenships are issued only by the name of father for which identification of the father is mandatory. This had been depriving the children of single mothers from citizenships.

The proposal has also opened the doors for annulment of all discriminatory laws in terms of gender. Women rights groups have been pointing out that at least 139 laws are discriminatory to women.

Talking to state-owned Radio Nepal, Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare, Urmila Aryal, termed the parliament’s decision as being historic in liberating the women from manifold discriminations.

Minister Aryal further said the government would now have to gear up for adoption of laws on the basis of the proposal endorsed by the House. “After the endorsement of the proposal by the parliament, the government now has the duty to adopt laws to guarantee at least 33 percent women participation in state mechanisms, distribution citizenships by the name of mothers and curb domestic violence.” nepalnews.com mk May 30 06

Power Woman Protest

This is just amazing. This looks really good on the revived House. This looks great on the UML. And this looks great on Bidya Bhandari. It took a woman to take the lead. That same principle also applies to the other marginalized groups, the Dalit, the Madhesi, the Janajati. Dalits more than most have been marginalized.

HoR endorses ‘historic’ proposal on women rights Nepalnews.com, Nepal
Lawmakers discuss proposal for citizenship Gorkhapatra, Nepal

The citizenship issue is also huge for the Madhesi community.

Bidya Bhandari just gave a good reason as to why this revived House should not be dissolved too soon. This is important work.

The revolutionary spirit is very much alive. This shows.

I really dig the 33 percent reservation for women at all levels of government. This turns Nepal into a more cutting edge democracy than even America. In America they really struggle with the idea of Hillary.

Reservations have to be sought also for the other marginalized gropus, the Dalit, the Madhesi, the Janajati.

Personally I am really pushing for the provision whereby parties do not get to raise private funds, instead they get state funds in direct proportion to the number of votes they earn in a nationally held election. And they have to keep all their book keeping online. This is a must for the poor among the electorate. This will really put Nepal on the cutting edge.

Somnath Ghimire 4 (00:41:29)

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Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Nepal As A Cutting Edge Democracy

Bidya Bhandari: Power Woman