WILL OF NEPALI PEOPLE SHALL PREVAIL
Oct 23, 2006, USA, ( Austin)
The National Annual Convention of National Lawyers Guild, USA convened in Austin, Texas, dated Oct 18- 22. Advocate Dinesh Tripathi of the Supreme Court of Nepal spoke as an international Guest in the Convention. He stated that human rights and democracy are universally accepted values, not just the prerogative of the rich, industrialized world. The era of cultural relativism has passed. Every member of the human family has equal rights and freedom, irrespective of national identify, race, color or geographical boundary. For that reason, the struggle for human rights and democracy must be intensified at the international level. The struggle for human dignity, freedom and democracy should not be confined within national boundaries. Strong solidarity must be built among all the human rights and democratic groups around the world. The forces of militarization, concentration of economic power in the hands of a few countries, and a growing inequality among nations at the global level present the biggest threats to the democratic aspirations of people around the world. The universal protection of human rights and the rule of law can be the only basis for lasting peace in the world. Lawyers all over the world have to work for the expansion of democratic ideals, human rights and rule of law. Nepali people are struggling hard to build genuine democratic institutions, the rule of law and a people-centered polity in the country. Nepal’s April movement is one of the remarkable events in contemporary world history. Nepali peoples are aspiring to build a people’s republic in Nepal. They are aspiring to build a full- fledged democracy, an accountable democratic institution, society based on equality, strong human rights, and equal protection of the law. It is a proven fact of Nepali history that monarchy and democracy cannot co-exist in Nepal. Monarchy has always been inimical toward people’s rights and sovereignty. This is the defining moment in the Nepali history, so we have to do away with the monarchy. The democratic world should respect the genuine aspirations of the people of Nepal, and should not play the game of retaining the monarchy against the will of the people. The will of the Nepalese people must prevail above all things. The U.S. legal community should be aware of U.S. foreign policy in Nepal. The fate of the Nepali peoples must be decided by the Nepalese themselves, not by the politicians in Washington, D.C., London, Delhi, Beijing or somewhere else. Establishing a people’s republic in Nepal is the only meeting point in the Nepali politics. Big power must not play any games against the will and aspirations of the Nepalese population. We the Nepalese people must be allowed to write our own constitution. It is the only valid means of transferring sovereignty to the people. Democracy means supremacy of the people, and it is more than the right to vote. In Nepal we are aspiring to build genuine people-centered, participatory, and inclusive democracy, not just a procedural democracy. Mere civil and political rights are not enough; we have to ensure the economic, social, and cultural rights of the people. We have to address the problem of the vast socio-economic inequality among people. We need a total restructuring of the Nepali polity, society, and government. Mere cosmetic changes are not enough. The international civil society and the legal community should come forward to express their support and solidarity to the Nepali people. There is a strong need to end the culture of impunity that is deeply rooted in Nepal. Perpetrators of human rights violations must be brought to justice. People who commit crimes against humanity and war crimes must be brought to justice, whoever they are. There must be zero tolerance for culture of impunity, which creates a vicious cycle of human rights violation. .
Finally, an international tribunal must be set up to conduct trials in Nepal, since Nepal’s judicial institutions have failed to address the culture of impunity. International guest from Japan, UK, Canada, Belgium, Venezuela etc. were also invited in the convention. National Lawyers guild is the umbrella organization of US lawyers, Law academics and judges.
Dear Sir,
I highly appreciate your cooperation extended by you before. I think democracy building is the collective task. We need to mobilize our collective strength. Recently I have been invited by American lawyers organization to speak on the occasion of their national convention which took place in the Austin, Texas. I am sending a small news report on it I hope it would be interesting and useful for your readers. Please consider to make it public. I hope it will get coverage in your media. Please feel free to contact me. I am sending you both English and Nepali text. You can use according to your need. I am also sending you a photograph of the program. Looking forward for your cooperation.
Thank you.
Respectfully
Advocate Dinesh Tripathi
Supreme Court of Nepal
Now USA Phone 443 854 3910
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वीरेन्द्रको सम्पत्ति 'ट्रस्ट बन्ने'
ँअबको वार्ता राजा र हतियारबारे’
क्रान्तिकारी’ नेताको समृद्ध राष्ट्र यात्रा केहीअघिसम्म उनको टाउकाको मोल तीस लाख तोकिएको थियो । उनको नाम अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय आतंकवादी र रेडकर्नर नोटिसको सूचीमा थियो । तर गत सोमबार उनी लन्डनको ह्वाइट सिटीस्थित बीबीसी वल्र्डको स्टुडियोमा बसेर 'हार्ड टक' कार्यक्रमका लागि अन्तर्वार्ता रेकर्ड गराइरहेका थिए ..... यो लोकपि्रय कार्यक्रमका उनी पहिलो नेपाली अतिथि पनि थिए ....... लन्डन टेकेको दिन उनी बिहान चार बजेसम्म स्थानीय सञ्चारकर्मी र आयोजकहरूबाट घेरिएका थिए । भोलिपल्ट उनले लन्डनबाट प्रसारित नेपाली टेलिभिजन र बीबीसी नेपाली सेवालाई अन्तर्वार्ता दिए । सँगसँगै उनी नटिङहल गेटस्थित नेपाली राजदूतावास भवन पनि पुगे ...... एमाले नेता प्रदीप नेपालको प्रश्नमा उनले आधा ठट्यौली र आधा वास्तविकता मिसिएको छापामार भाषाको उत्तर दिए- 'खै निरीक्षण भन्नु कि के भन्नु । पहिले त हामी यसलाई 'सर्वे' भन्थ्यौं ।' ....... एनआरएनको गोष्ठीका मुख्य हिरो उनी नै थिए । सबैभन्दा प्रश्न उनैलाई सोधियो र सबैभन्दा बढी टीकाटिप्पणी पनि उनकै भयो । त्यहाँ उनले 'माओवादीले नेपालमा पुँजीवादी प्रणालीलाई बलियो बनाउन बन्दुक उठाएको' दाबी गरेर पश्चिमाहरूको आशंकालाई मेट्ने प्रयास पनि गरे । ..... लन्डनमा सबैभन्दा बढी गौरव मंगलबार हाइगेटस्थित कार्ल माक्र्सको समाधिमा पुग्दा भएको सुनाए उनले । 'म माक्र्सवादको विद्यार्थी र सिपाही' भावुक हुँदै नास्तिक महराले भने- 'आफ्ना गुरुको समाधिमा उभिएको त्यो क्षणमा मलाई एक किसिमको आध्यात्मिक अनुभव भयो ।' ........ 'पहिले सांसद हुँदा रातो पासपोर्ट पनि थियो, नागरिकता पनि थियो तर ०५२ फागुनमा जनयुद्ध सुरु भएपछि त्यसै महिनाको अन्तिमतिर प्रहरीले रोल्पा लिवाङस्थित मेरो घरमा छापा मारे र दुवै जलाइदिए ।' अचानक बेलायत आउने कार्यक्रम बनेपछि गृह मन्त्रालयले जिल्ला प्रशासन कार्यालय, रोल्पाबाट ८ अक्टोबरमा नागरिकताको प्रतिलिपि मगाइदिएको र भोलिपल्ट परराष्ट्र मन्त्रालयले त्यसैका आधारमा पासपोर्ट बनाइदिइएको पनि सुनाए ....... 'यहाँ -बेलायत) को पूर्वाधार र भौतिक विकास हेर्दा मलाई नेपालमा निकै धेरै गर्न बाँकी छ भन्ने लाग्यो' ...... बिहीबारसम्म उनी रुघाखोकीले लथ्रक्क भइसकेका थिए । 'म त थला परुँलाजस्तो छ,' शुक्रबार साँझ हिथ्रो विमानस्थलबाट नेपाल र्फकने तरखरमा लागेका उनले नाक बजाउँदै 'कान्तिपुर' सँग भने- 'जे होस्, माओवादी आन्दोलनलाई अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय स्वीकार्यताको नयाँ अध्याय सुरु गरेर र्फकँदैछु ।'
सेना नयाँ नियमावली बनाउन व्यस्त
रानीपोखरीमा छठ भव्य काठमाडौं, कार्तिक ११ - पोखरी किनारमा झिलिमिली बत्तीसँग दिया बलिरहेका छन् । वरिपरि झिरझिरेको उज्यालो छरिएको छ । इन्द्रधनुषी पटका गुन्जिँदै छन् । सांस्कृतिक कार्यक्रम र झाँकी प्रदर्शित छन् । मिथिला लोकधुन घन्किँदै छ । एकातिर सूर्य पूजा भइरहेको छ भने अर्कातिर युवा- युवती डुंगाको आनन्द लिइरहेका छन् ।
कांग्रेसलाई गणतान्त्रिक बनाउन प्रस्ताव
हतियार फालेर मन्त्री खान जान्नौं’
सेनामा सुधार
लोकतन्त्रका लागि मध्यमवर्ग
धु्रवीकृत राजनीतिको सैद्धान्तिक अडान
माओवादीले धान काट्न दिएनन्
जितेन्द्र साह
काठमाडौं, कार्तिक ११ - पोखरी किनारमा झिलिमिली बत्तीसँग दिया बलिरहेका छन् । वरिपरि झिरझिरेको उज्यालो छरिएको छ । इन्द्रधनुषी पटका गुन्जिँदै छन् । सांस्कृतिक कार्यक्रम र झाँकी प्रदर्शित छन् । मिथिला लोकधुन घन्किँदै छ । एकातिर सूर्य पूजा भइरहेको छ भने अर्कातिर युवा- युवती डुंगाको आनन्द लिइरहेका छन् ।
छठमा पहिलोपटक खोलिएको ऐतिहासिक रानीपोखरीको यो दृश्यले हरेकलाई मोहित गरिरहेको थियो । पोखरीको मुहार बेहुलीझैं चहकिलो र सुन्दर । बटुवासमेत पर्व हेर्न झुम्मिएका । श्रद्धालुको भीड उल्लेख्य थियो । घरनजिकको नदी किनार छोडेर राजधानीका कुनाकुनाबाट रानीपोखरीमा भक्तजन ओइरिएका थिए । भीड नियन्त्रणबाहिर भएपछि पोखरीका सबै ढोका खोलिएका थिए । 'पहिलो मौका नगुमाउ“m भनेर आएकी हुँ,' कोटेश्वरबाट आएकी शर्मिला कुर्मीले भनिन्- 'राति यहीँ बस्छु, बिहान पूजा गरेर फर्किन्छु ।'
पोखरीमा २ हजार भक्तजन अटाउने क्षमता भए पनि २५ गुणा बढी जम्मा भएको आयोजक तराई सांस्कृतिक प्रतिष्ठानका अध्यक्ष श्रीप्रसाद साहले बताए ।
घर र्फकन नसकेका सयौं भक्तजनका लागि पोखरी परिसरमै पाल र तम्बु गाडेर जाग्राम बस्ने व्यवस्था छ । पोखरीनजिक त्रिचन्द्र कलेजको प्रांगणमा दिउँसो कुस्ती र रातभरि सांस्कृतिक कार्यक्रम आयोजना गरिएको छ ।
मुस्लिम, क्रिस्चियन र शिख समुदायसमेत पूजामा प्रत्यक्ष एवं अप्रत्यक्ष रूपमा संलग्न थिए ।
'मुस्लिम, शिख र क्रिस्चियन यस पूजामा आफैं सहभागी नभएर छठ व्रत बस्नेलाई आफ्नो नाममा फलफूल र मिष्टान्न चढाउन लाउँछन्,' साहले भने- 'उनीहरू रकम दिएर पूजा सामग्री किन्न र चढाउन लाउँछन् ।'
रोग निवारण, सन्तानप्राप्ति, पारिवारिक सुख र मनकामना पूर्तिका आशासाथ भक्तजनले छठ पूजा गरेका थिए । सुनसरीका छट्टु मिया र कुपन्डोलकी सारिका महर्जन तीमध्येका हुन् । छट्टुले रोगी श्रीमतीको स्वास्थ्यलाभका ेलागि एक हिन्दुमित्रमार्फत पूजा गरिरहेको बताए ।
राजधानीका बल्खु, मनहरा खोला, गौरीघाट, थापाथली, कालिमाटीस्थित टंकेश्वर महादेव मन्दिर, कलंकी भुवनेश्वरी र राममन्दिर क्षेत्रको वागमती नदी किनार पनि शनिबार साँझ झकिझकाउ थिए ।
थापाथली घाटमा पनि दिउँसो कुस्ती र राति सांस्कृतिक प्रतियोगिता आयोजना गरियो ।
थापाथलीस्थित छठ घाट समितिका महासचिव सतीश झाले यस वष करिब १० हजार भक्तजन भेला भएको बताए । उनका अनुसार यो संख्या गत वर्षको भन्दा डेढ गुणा बढी हो । उदाउँदो सूर्यलाई पूजा गरेपछि समाप्त हुने यस पर्वमा प्रसाद मागेर खाँदा पूजा गरेझैं धर्म हुने मान्यता छ । सम्पन्नदेखि विपन्नसम्म छठको प्रसाद पाउन नदीकिनारमा लाम लाग्छन् ।
SOLICITING PEACE....
Peace can neither be attained by erecting a white peace pole on Swoyambhunath hill nor simply by hoisting a white flag on the top of Mt. Everest. Peace can not sustain by merely illuminating candles on the Ashok Pillar in Lumbini or just by liberating few pigeons (who already deserve to fly free) at Tundikhel. Peace is a distant reality if one inspires to embrace it by praying with holy bids inside the Boudhhanath monastery. Peace is also impossible to surface simply by professing the divinely power of Allah before the dawn over a loud speaker at Jamey Mosque in Ghantaghar. Peace is not waiting to emerge as a miracle from the white marbled church's basement in Jawalakhel. Peace never germinates from the sacrifice of innocent animals in the blood-bathed Dakshinkali temple or also by lighting Lakh Batti in Pashupatinath Temple. Enduring peace is possible only through just means of conflict transformation and securing transitional justice further than the premises of any holy shrines--in the open battlefields in Rolpa, Rukum & Rautaht and elsewhere. And...peace can not be conserved in isolation from rights and liberty!
