I was chatting with Dr. Brian Cobb last night, and he suggested I pick up the topic of sting operations. Brian is the only medic who was out in the streets in April. I think he deserves an honorary citizenship. But he has had a hard enough time getting a one year visa.
During various chat sessions, Brian has consistently talked about the huge problem the bureaucracy is in Nepal. There is corruption, there is inefficiency, there is impunity, there is a lack of accountability. It is almost like the bureaucrats can roughride the politicians.
His idea is to have some NGOs get into this business of sting operations. Ultimately this has to be a law enforcement act. But in the short run, the media and the NGO sector have to chip in. I think this is a good idea.
Bureaucratic corruption has the potential to subvert a revolution. You end up with the same old, same old. That gives rise to cynicism. The people feel disconnected from power. You end up with sham democracy.
Brian is quite a political junkie, although he is a medical doctor by training. He hobnobs with a surprising number of MPs and such. I asked him to do me a favor. Help me get some feedback on the Proposed Republican Constitution 2006. He happily agreed.
Brian Cobb: Perpetual Andolan
Dr. Brian Cobb: Speech At Gongabu
Cobb To Leahy
Brian Cobb: Savagery On The Roof Of The World
Brian Cobb, Brave Man
Maoist Leadership And The Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM)
I think the Maoist leadership should work extra hard to seek the dialogue option with the Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha. The goal should be to reunite the Morcha with the Maoist mainstream. The goal should be to get back Goit and his team to prepare them for electoral politics. Declaring war on them is not an option. Such an act might have serious repurcussions on the national peace process. The Morcha is very much part of the peace process challenge. It is not just the Maoists.
Republic Now
I agree with Dr. Baburam Bhattarai's suggestion that the country should declare itself a republic right away. All the big parties are for it. The republic is the mandate of the April Revolution.
On The Web
Sting operation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia In law enforcement, a sting operation is an operation designed to catch a person committing a crime by means of deception. A typical sting will have a law-enforcement officer or cooperative member of the public play a role as criminal partner or potential victim and go along with a suspect's actions to gather evidence of the suspect's wrongdoing.
Child Porn Sting Operations - Criminal Defense Associates
Minor Sting Operations
sting operation: Information From Answers.com
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Win at all costs - A sting gone awry
Compliance Checks or Sting Operations
The Hindu : National : "Sting operations" regulation under study
The Hindu Business Line : Govt mulls controls on sting operations
Truth behind the sting operations
Why sting operations are good for India during the Kargil war in May 1999 that I had come to the inevitable conclusion about India's democratic system. I was dismayed by the absence of honest reporting on the mistakes made by our politicians, the hasty and costly strategies undertaken by our military commanders, and the undercount of our casualties. ..... Indian reporters failed to pursue anything resembling investigative and independent journalism, and the media was generally prepared to go along with the government's view of things. .... Coupled with my frustration with the widespread corruption in both the government and private sector and the cynicism on the part of almost everyone towards the possibility of any positive change, I had felt then, as I do today, that a free and independent media in India is the country's best hope. ...... Without transparency in governance, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to formulate sound policies...... Among the most popular programmes in India, as I understand, are those reporting on corruption and misdeeds of politicians and government officials. .... reports with hidden camera the many true stories of the day -- the bribe that the police inspector extracts from the victim of a crime before agreeing to investigate, the 'fee' that the government officer charges for his giving the order to make an electric connection, and the 'contribution' that a company pays a member of Parliament before bringing up a legislative concern in the Lok Sabha....... believe it or not, those in power are a lot more careful today...... Unfortunately, the print media, especially the daily newspapers, are still monopolised by a few proprietors. Foreign media is not allowed to have more than 26 per cent of the total ownership. Consequently, many newspapers do not have the financial strength to take on today's major players in the market.......
In The News
SPA forms steering committee for effective implementation of SPA-Maoist pacts NepalNews Ram Baran Yadav, Arjun Narsing KC and Amod Upadhyaya of the Nepali Congress, Ishwor Pokharel, Surendra Pandey, Astha Laxmi Shakya of the UML, Homanath Dahal, Dr Minendra Rijal and Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat of NC-D, Lilimani Pokharel and Navraj Subedi of People's Front Nepal, Prem Suwal, Sunil Prajapati and Purna Maya Maharjan of Nepal Workers and Peasants Party (NWPP), Sarita Giri and Anil Kumar Jha of NSP (Anadidevi) and Sitaram Tamang, Hemant BC and Rishi Kattel of the Leftist Front........ form a 21-member taskforce of seven political parties to give suggestions and monitor the government’s activities..... representatives of the political parties expressed strong reservations on the meeting held between the Maoists and two major constituents of the alliance, Nepali Congress and CPN-UML in Godavari on Friday.......
Probe commission interrogates APF chief Oli, two other royal kingpins Pathank denied that the then cabinet had a policy to suppress the movement..... Dr Gurung, who is accused of provoking the King to usurp power, said the then royal administration should take responsibility for the incidents during the movement...... The zonal and regional administration offices were scrapped immediately after the formation of the new seven-party government.......
Over one hundred former Kamaiyas arrested as they were trying to organise a protest program in front of Singha Durbar -- a restricted area-- demanding for land and employment opportunities for them..... The government had abolished the practice of bonded laborers six years ago on July 18. Out of over 35,000 bonded labourers from ethnic Tharu communities in four districts of western Nepal, 19,000 former Kamaiyas are yet to get a piece of land as promised by the government
Government appoints heads of Corporations
Bidur Prasad Poudel as chairman of the Bagmati Sewage Improvement Committee, Tej Prakash Pandit as executive chairman of Gorkhapatra Corporation, Mitharam Dukhi and Jaya Shankar Mahat as chairman and general manager of Rastriya Samachar Samiti ..... Madan Kumar Sharma as managing director of Nepal Television and Ritu Raj Gadtaula as member secretary of the Social Welfare Council (SWC). .... Arjun Karki has been appointed as director general of Nepal Electricity Authority and Gautam Das Shrestha director general of the Civil Aviation Authority ..... Bishwonath Goel as executive chairman of Nepal Oil Corporation, Tej Kanta Jha as general manager of Udayapur Cement Factory and Gunaraj Ghimire as general manager of Sewerage Management Committee...... Rishav Dev Sharma as general manager of National Trading Limited, Ramesh Aryal as general manager of Hetauda Cement Factory, Shyam Kumar Mahato as general manager of Janakpur Cigarette Factory, Laxman Prasad Agrawal as general manager of Nepal Drugs Limited, Bharat Bahadur Basnet as general manager of Small and Cottage Industries, Beni Bahadur Rawal as general manager of Nepal Food Corporation, Kausal Nath Bhattarai as general manager of Industrial Estate Management Limited, Yogeshwor Pant as general manager of Agriculture Development Bank and Dhruva Bajimaya as general manager of Drinking Water Supply and Sewage Management Corporation......
Under The Shadow Of Instability the new interim constitution will have arrangements for new legislature...... It had happened in 1979 and 1990 and now the same trend has been pushed forward vigorously ..... the Trishuli-Syaphrubesi-Rasuwagadhi road, which links north and south borders ..... the postal highway and other subsidiary highways in terai..... “MPs have, at least, started to learn from the situation around them that unseen forces are more powerful and coercive than the seen forces within the parliament and within the country” ...... “Let no wrong news about my health be disseminated. My health condition has improved a great deal compared to a day or two ago.” ....... MPs want share in the power dislodging the present set of ministers but they don’t want to sacrifice the HoR where their interests lie ....... “The government is ineffective and inefficient. If it is necessary, the leadership should be changed,” said Nepal ......... Initially, the agitation of seven parties was declared just for four days but it continued for an indefinite period till the decisive showdown was complete ....... No one is sure what type of interim constitution will come out in future. ..... “The head of commission Laxman Prasad Aryal, with his colorful bio-data including a lawyer as well as judge in the past, has boasted that the present constitution was best in the South Asia and now he is writing another best constitution in the world. A very cruel joke is being cut at the cost of genuine aspiration of the people as well as the tax money of the poorest people of the world,” said the analyst. “One is reminded by T. S Eliot “Whether the King rules or barons rule, the fate of the people remains the same.” .... What the nation lacks at present is a politician of a patriotic and democratic commitment with a long term vision. ........spokespersons of western countries have come out with their announcement to maximum permissible diplomatic limit...... The USA and the UK – which do not have any strategic interests in Nepal – don’t count much in crucial issues of Nepal.
Prime Minister to be the patron of PADT the Pashupati Area Development Trust Act (PADT) in place of the King.
High-level commission grills four for suppressing people’s movement; all deny hand Prakash Koirala and Keshar Bahadur Bista ...... Parshu Narayan Chaudhary and Dilip Kumar Shrestha ..... Koirala, said the cabinet should take the responsibility of the killings and suppression during the April Jana Andolan...... Bista said, “How can I bear the moral responsibility when I was the minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives.” ........ Bista said, “I will take the responsibility of death of chickens due to bird flu, not of the pro-democracy activists.” .......... Chaudhary refuted the allegations of giving wrong advise to the King and added that he would not accept the commission’s verdict if it held him responsible.
Bhutanese refugees formulate draft constitution constitutional monarchy, multi-party democracy, guarantee of people's sovereignty, executive power in the elected government, independent judiciary and guarantee of fundamental human rights...... the constitution drafted by the committee formed by king did not include the demands raised by southern and eastern Bhutanese...... Indian security forces were deployed in the middle of the Mechi Bridge during the function to unveil the draft constitution........
Experts stress on concrete strategies for arms management process of Disarmaments, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) in the post conflict period requires conscious, well planned, transparent and accountable strategies for the establishment of permanent peace...... dynamics and nature of conflict differ in different countries and societies..... lack of data about actual number of arms, the way they are used and places they are kept could pose obstacles..... stressed on consensus between the government and armed forces and said coalition among political stakeholders could help overcome these obstacles........ peace agreement, creation of institutions for implementation of those agreements, security management and financing are pre-conditions for DDR process to go smoothly........ disarmament and destruction of arms and explosives should go together in post conflict period......... Though third party involvement would smoothen the works, political consensus can be best for arms management ...... though third party involvement in the process of arms management in any country would be an arbitrary idea, coalition approach of all forces within the state is the best way for DDR to take place....... Nepal has already requested the United Nations to help and monitor in management of arms and armed personnel in the country but the world body is yet to respond.
22 police personnel, over 48 locals injured in Kapan incident A total of 35 police personnel (nine from the Nepal Police and 26 from the Armed Police Force) were stationed at the post under the Bouddha Ward Police Office.
UML leaders lock horns over House dissolution issue KP Sharma Oli has opposed the idea of immediate dissolution of the House...... “We don’t know about the agreement to dissolve the parliament. The 4th point of the 8-point agreement talks about ‘suitable alternative’ before the dissolution. The 3rd point is about management of arms,” he said, adding, “Only after completing the works outlined in the 3rd point can we enter into the process of House dissolution.” ....... Bam Dev Gautam ...... the parliament is coming in the way of constituent assembly and a forward-looking solution,” Gautam said ....... tourism minister Pradeep Gyawali ..... it’s not logical to insist on keeping the parliament for a long period by ignoring the sentiments of a partner of the movement ...... Dina Nath Sharma .. “If the seven parties guarantee the end of monarchy and feudal system, we will surrender our arms right now”
Maoists declare war against breakaway outfit CPN (Maoist) has declared an armed war against the Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM), an armed outfit separated from it two years ago...... led by former Maoist leader Jay Krishna Goit, refused to come to the negotiating table ...... ‘royal elements’ were behind the Morcha. ..... Goit rebelled in the Maoist party in 2004 and formed the JTMM saying that the Maoists were not committed to ‘autonomy’ to the Terai region
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Analysis: Nepal's political parties, Maoists still sharply divided Monsters and Critics.com, UK the road to lasting peace and reconciliation may not be as smooth as was originally painted...... arms management, proposals for the Maoists to enter the proposed interim government, the dissolution of the restored parliament and the return to the owners of the huge amounts of land and property seized by the Maoists....... Arms management is very important. We cannot think of any one party, no matter which, entering the government with their arms intact and rubbing shoulders with others that have no arms ...... Prime Minister and NC President Girija Prasad Koirala said he was surprised as the meeting took place without his knowledge...... 'True, there have been no killings. And this is really a very good thing. But otherwise, nothing has changed much in the rural areas' ..... Activists from the mainstream political parties are still barred by the Maoists from going to the rural areas to propagate their ideologies. ...... 'It is like two parallel governments functioning simultaneously and the people just don't know who to pay their taxes to and whose laws to follow' ....... 'Already about a dozen Maoists have been killed in different parts of the country since the ceasefire came into force in late April. Once (the Maoists are) disarmed, the killings could increase' ....... Ananta said the 36,000-strong rebels should merge with government troops under a new constitution to be prepared by a specially elected assembly......... a republic -- a federation with nine autonomous regions representing the oppressed classes, nationalities and genders ........ "Defence, foreign and monetary matters will be controlled by the central government."
Nepal rebels to extend truce, says top guerrilla Reuters AlertNet, UK
INTERVIEW WITH DR BABURAM BHATTARAI Kantipur Publications dissolve the reinstated House of Representatives, which represents the old regime, and our people's government, which is the new regime, and form an interim regime........ hold a wider political conference of all the three forces of the democratic movement- the Maoist party, SPA and the civil society- to form an Interim Council, which would function as the interim legislature and would represent all the three forces......... The interim constitution to be formed will have provisions for the interim legislature, executive and judiciary. We will need a constitutional court (interim judiciary)........ we should announce a democratic republic in the interim constitution itself because this is the mandate of the April movement. A democratic republic has always been our agenda. Most of the parties in the SPA and a majority of the civil society, too, are in favour of a democratic republic........ July 21 (Summit Talks) ...... interim security, interim legislature, restructuring of the state and the electoral system....... We will have to announce a new budget after the formation of the interim government...... A new power equilibrium has emerged after the recent people's movement. Congress and the UML are old forces. We think they do not represent the new balance of power........ Both armies (PLA and Nepal Army) will be kept at specific locations under international monitoring until the Constituent Assembly elections so that they remain inactive and cannot interfere with the elections......... the democratisation of the royal army which has now been renamed as the Nepal Army is a major question........ If this army is not democratised in the interim period itself, it may create hurdles in the way to constituent assembly elections. ....... Backing away from the agreement would be a violation of the agreement and would mean continuation of the conflict. ........ 12-point understanding, eight-point understanding and the 25-point (ceasefire) code of conduct....... A democratic republic has been our continuous demand since the royal palace massacre in 2001.......... the seven parties sometimes forget that the main fight is against the monarchy....... the king is the common enemy..... they don't fear the weapons of the king, who has cheated them time and again, but always raise the issue of our arms....... If the unity among the democratic forces is strong, we can form a body that can exercise sovereignty and state authority....... World history of conflict resolution shows that nowhere in the world- from South Africa to, Guatemala of Latin America to East Timor to Ireland- have the rebels given up arms before the final step of the conflict resolution process. People like Moriarty who are saying so have forgotten world history....... It's clear that the royal army's weapons are not under the government's control. Recently the generals went to the palace to greet the king and fired cannons to celebrate his birthday against the government's directive.......... The SPA leadership will have to play a progressive role for the success of the peace process....... But if some international powers intervene and do not let this happen, people will rise up again. ..we won't return to the jungle. We will lead the rebellion from here in Kathmandu........ The entire Nepali people want peace and progressive change in the country. Then how can we want war? The people should rise up against and defeat those who want war. We will help the people in that rebellion......... We should change this unitary state system into a federal state system based on regional autonomy. This can be done based on the nine different autonomous regions which we have formed- Seti, Mahakali, Karnali, Magarat, Tamuwan, Newa, Tamang, Kirant and Madhes autonomous regions........ we will accept the elections result even if it is not as per our expectation. Then we will continue peaceful struggle until we can achieve the progressive change we want........ In Nepal, monarchy is a regressive force, parliamentary parties or the SPA are status quo-ist forces, and we are a progressive force........ The referendum will decide the fate of monarchy and the constituent assembly elections the restructuring of the state.
Govt talks team to finalize 'summit talks' agenda UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, vice-president of the NC, Sushil Koirala, president of the Nepali Congress-Democratic Sher Bahadur Deuba, NMKP Chairman Bijukche, vice-chairman of the Nepal Sadbhawana Party (Anandidevi), Bharat Bimal Yadav, were among the 28 leaders who attended the meeting.
Sitaula in India on 'pilgrimage' left for India suddenly on a three-day "religious" visit. .....
House a hurdle to peace process, says a member of govt talks team
Maoist leader Yadav declares war against JTMM
'अन्तरिम संसद् वर्तमान संसदको विस्तार होइन'
पहिरोको त्रासदी
अन्तरिम संविधानका अन्तरतन्तु
उद्धारमा दुवै सेना
