Sunday, October 29, 2006

Langhali Association: Govind Thapa Magar







Langhali Association: Govind Thapa Magar
Anga Raj Timilsina

Talk / Interaction Program on

"Addressing Problems of Residual Violence, Serious Crimes and Criminalized Power Structures in Societies Emerging from Conflict".

Key note speaker/ paper presenter:
Govinda Prasad Thapa, PhD, MPA, MA, BL.BA
Additional Inspector General of Nepal Police (Retired),
Chairperson, Center for Security and Justice Studies, Nepal

Dr. Thapa achieved his PhD degree in Human Trafficking and Law Enforcement. He also possesses post graduate degrees in English and Public Administration, and graduate level degrees in Law and Arts from Tribhuvan University.

He is the retired Additional Inspector General, a second in command of forty thousand plus police force of Nepal. He has attained experience of conducting investigations of human rights violations, serious and organized crimes. He strongly believes that a modern law enforcement officer should be highly educated and rationalized on the modern crime management strategies and practices that are strongly democratic, effective, and humane.

He was consultant to UN Office of Commissioner for Human Rights for writing and publishing manual on human rights training for law enforcement officials in 2001. He worked with DFID and UNICEF on projects to develop Nepal police capacity. He has served as consultant to IOM to train Bangladeshi police to control human trafficking through community policing strategy. He has also contributed to the improvement of police and criminal justice system through part time consultancy to national and international non-governmental organizations.

He has played key roles in several national and international seminars and conferences, as a chairperson, panelist, moderator and speaker on the issues human trafficking, human rights, policing, security and criminal justice. He has authored books, training manuals, and chapters in books, articles in daily newspapers, journals and magazines on these issues. He has also contributed to the improvement of criminal justice system through lecturers and training seminar papers for judges, public prosecutors, private lawyers, media persons, police, army, and social workers. Recently, he has contributed to the publication of a handbook on Combating Serious Crimes in Post-conflict Environments: A Handbook for Policymakers and Practitioners, published by United States Institute of Peace (USIP), 2006.

Currently, he is engaged with the Center for Security and Justice Studies, Nepal devoted to conduct studies and research on security and justice sectors. He attended a conference on Delivery of Justice and Security in Fragile States organized by OECD, DFID and Demon on March 23-24, 2006 in London, UK. He is attending the conference on Addressing Problems of Residual Violence, Serious Crime and Criminalized Power Structures in Societies Emerging from Conflict in Washington DC, during Oct 23-26, 2006, organized by USIP.

Moderator
Mr. Lab K Budhamagar


Commentators / Guest Speakers:

Prof. B.K. Rana Magar – Harvard University, Massachusetts

Mr. Anga R. Timilsina – is a doctoral fellow at the RAND Corporation, a leading think-tank based in California, United States. Before joining RAND, he completed an M.A. in International Development as an Asian Development Bank Scholar and with a Dean’s Award of Academic Excellence at the International University of Japan.

His main area of expertise is in post-conflict reconstruction including security sector reform, governance reform, prioritization and sequencing of policies. He has worked on many case studies of countries recovering from conflicts. He is a co-author of four recent publications, The UN’s Role in Nation-Building: From the Congo to Iraq; America’s Role in Nation-Building: From Germany to Iraq; Securing Health: Lessons from Nation-Building Missions, and “Clean Lean and Able: A Strategy of Defense Development.”

He has given several presentations on issues related to Nepal and written several articles on the conflict of Nepal and post-conflict reconstruction. One of his articles entitled “Thinking Ahead: A Plan for the Post-conflict Reconstruction of Nepal,” has been published by the Foreign Policy in Focus.

******************************

The program will be attended by the following distinguished personalities:

H.E. Mr. Madhuraman Acharya – Ambassador of Nepal to the United Nations
Mr. Murari Raj Sharma – Former Ambassador of Nepal to the United Nations
Dr. Nara N. Niraula – Senior Scholar and Research Director, Columbia University
Prof. Ashok Gurung – Director, New School/University, New York
Mr. Khagendra GC – Attorney at Law, New York
Dr. Susan Hangen – Professor of Anthropology and Int’l Studies, Rampo College, New Jersey
Mr. Ananda Bist – President, Nepalese Democratic Youth Council in USA
Mr. Sanjay Parajuli – President, Alliance for Democracy and Human Rights in Nepal USA
Mr. Purna Limbu – Vice-president, Global Federation of Indigenous People of Nepal
Ms. Mridula Koirala – Chairperson, Alliance for Democracy and Human Rights in Nepal, USA
Mr. Tek Gurung – President, United Nepalese Democratic Forum, New York
Mr. Sailesh Shrestha – Advisor, Nepalese Democratic Youth Council in USA
Mr. Paramendra Bhagat – President, Hamro Nepal
Mr. Ramesh K Shrestha – Attorney at Law, New York
Mr. Binod Roka - Attorney at Law, New York
Ms. Sarina Thapa Magar – Advisor, Langhali Association USA
Mr. Chandra P Sharma – Founder, Nepali Mandir, New York
Ms. Luna Ranjit – President, Adhikaar for Human Rights and Social Justice, New York
Mr. Narayan Gurung – President, Gurung (Tamu) Society USA, Inc., New York
Mr. Durga Rai – President, Nepal Kirat Rai Association of America, New York
Mr. Ram Tamang – President, Tamang Society of America, New York
Mr. Shyam Subba – President, Kirat Yakthung Chumlung USA
Mr. Lobsang Thinley Salaka – President, United Sherpa Association, USA
Mr. Mohan Gyawali – President, Ridgewood Nepalese Society, New York
Mr. Biswa Shah – Chief Editor/Publisher, Naya Nepal Khabar Weekly, New York
Mr. Kashish Das Shrestha – Editor, Nepali Aawaz, New York
Mr. Bamsha Lal Tamang – Central Member, Aadibasi Janjati Sangh

******************************************
Venue:
Delhi Palace
37-33 74th St, Jackson Heights, New York 11372
(Nearest 7, E, R, F, V & G train stops are 74th Street & Broadway and Roosevelt Avenue station, Jackson Heights)

Date:
Saturday, October 28, 2006

Time:
At 3:00 PM sharp

Your presence is highly anticipated.

Organizer: Langhali Association USA, Inc.
PO Box 3620324
New York, NY 10129
Tel: 646-421-7295, 347-806-2272, 917-414-5249
E-mail: magars2004@gmail.com



October 25, 2006

To,
Mr. Paramendra Bhagat,
President,
Hamro Nepal, New York.

Sub: Invitation to Interaction Program

Dear Sir,

We are pleased to inform you that we are going to organize the Talk/Interaction program, in which Govinda Prasad Thapa, PhD will, be the key note speaker, present the paper entitled, "Addressing Problems of Residual Violence, Serious Crimes and Criminalized Power Structures in Societies Emerging from Conflict" on October 28, 2006.

We would feel honored if you kindly accept our invitation and be one of the distinguished guests of the program. For your kind information, we have also attached the Outline of the Program herewith.

Meanwhile, we look forward to welcoming you at the program.

Thanking you!

Sincerely,
Lab K Budhamagar
General Secretary

"We are all responsible for sustaining our communities. We are all obligated to support the institutions - social, cultural, and intellectual - on which our communities depend. We all have to give something back, in proportion to our resources, our influence, and our ability. That's what it means to be a member of the community." 1

Dinesh Tripathi In Austin



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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Interview with Tek Nath Rizal Kantipur While a majority of refugees have hailed the proposal, the proposal itself has caused a major rift to develop between the refugee leaders. ..... In the last 16 years what the United States has done for us Bhutanese refugees is undoubtedly commendable. ...... I told you that I appreciate the US proposal wholeheartedly on humanitarian grounds only... ..... the international community, including the United States, should have put more pressure to repatriate the Bhutanese to their homeland. Such options do nothing but create a rift among the refugees and allow unwanted players to create chaos. ...... since the proposal, some problems have been raised by the refugees. ...... We need our property back that has been seized by the Bhutanese king. We have our relatives there and we want to live the rest of our lives with them in our homeland. The third country resettlement is not going to provide us that. ....... I don't mind dubbing these talks as dramas organised just to dodge us. I have time and again emphasised on the representation of Bhutanese refugees in the talks. .....We have been thrown out of our country just because we speak Nepali. I have been standing against the Bhutanese king's oligarchy and to instate democracy in Bhutan. And instead of the international community playing a major role to put pressure on the Bhutanese king to restore democracy in Bhutan, they are simply trying to blow a different tune. Therefore, no matter how many rounds of talks between the government of Nepal and Bhutan are held, it's useless....... I believe there must be something behind the curtains which restrains the Nepal government and leaders here from talking to India and putting forward a clear view. ..... I don't blame the Indian government per se. But I do believe certain segments in India are playing dirty politics. ...... Maybe some from the bureaucracy… I cannot object to the US proposal. The resettlement proposal has disillusioned some of the refugees. What is the future of the rest of the refugees? ...... The US proposal has brought about confusion in the refugee camps. ...... The international community including the United States has the ability to create an atmosphere so that the refugees and the Bhutanese king can hold talks. But this is not happening. .... The democracy that is in the offing, as has been purported, will be more degraded. Had the Bhutanese king been a pro-democratic individual, he would not have let all this happen. ........ The UNHCR has selected some people with the purpose to ease the distribution process in the refugee camps. Those people were meant to take care of the distribution process. But in recent days I have seen these people getting involved in politics and blaming me – who has incessantly endeavoured to help make their lives better with dignified repatriation – of playing a negative role. Does this sound fair? Even I was threatened by some. There was not other option in the end but to move ahead by dismissing them. When I visited the camps recently I seized some documents as well which were prepared with the aim of getting those positions filled by those who were willing to resettle.......... There are thousands of Bhutanese refugees – an estimate says around 30,000 – in North Bengal (India). ...... The crisis has stretched on for too long. I do have one proposal -- dual citizenship should be offered to the refugees.
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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

रानीपोखरीमा छठ भव्य

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!
-Gopal Krishna Siwakoti