Democracy For Nepal

Monday, February 05, 2007

Guiding The Madhesi Movement

The Madhesi Movement has easily been one of the happiest moments of my life. I am personally grateful to the Madhesis who have braved the streets, the lathis, the bullets. A rare global solidarity of the Madhesis has been achieved. I have been waiting for this all my life. Nothing less than total equality is acceptable. We will not settle for anything less.

Where do we go from here?

Krishna Sitaula has to resign. All those who have given their lives to the Madhesi Movement have to be declared martyrs by the state. Medical expenses for all those injured have to be the state's responsibility.

Then the political solution can begin.

I believe the absolute minimum agenda is this: Compromise: Add 45 Constituencies To The Terai.

But we can take the extra step and expand that basic agenda to make it revolutionary. That decision is for the leaders on the ground to take. Someone like me who is far away has to make room for some wiggle room for the leaders at the forefront.

Declare federal republic now.
Upendra Yadav: Deputy Prime Minister in the Interim Government.

And then I would urge the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum to become a political party and ride the wave of the Maghe Kranti all the way to the polling booth. The Madhesi Movement has to engineer a total Madhesi sweep of the Madhesh during the elections to the constituent assembly. The political plank in the Terai has to be turned upside down.

It is essential we bring an amendment in the interim constitution that will force all the political parties to make public their party finances. I am worried the Maoists have way too much money. If the money they have is substantially larger than that of the other parties, elections are not going to be free and fair.

Then the Madhesi Movement has to gather around a few key points.

Boycott any political party whose central committee is not at least 33% Madhesi.
Boycott any non-Madhesi candidate in all Madhesi majority constituencies, regardless of party affiliation.

Half the elected members of the constituent assembly have to be Madhesi, plain and simple.

On day one of the constituent assembly, the country will be declared a republic through an unanimous vote. We have to get a Madhesi elected the first president of Nepal.

The Madhesi Caucus in the constituent assembly has to pass a new Citizenship Bill that will solve that issue once and for all.

The Madhesi Caucus has to engineer a federalism that is to the Madhesh' satisfaction. At one end we have people who want the entire Terai to become one state. Then there is the Maoist map that suggests there be a Tharuwan and a Madhesh. One suggestion is to have three states in the Terai. My original suggestion has been to have a three state federalism in Nepal, Kosi, Gandaki, Karnali, but that would only work for Madhesh if all parliamentary constituencies at both the federal and state levels are strictly based on equal population. And there are a few other maps. You have to be suspicious of all maps that deviate from the basic one person one vote principle and its vertical implications.

We have to engage in a wide open debate on the topic of federalism. And we have to let the democratic process of debate, dialogue and voting make the final decision.

This is the kind of roadmap I personally see ahead for the Madhesi Movement.

The ball is in Girija Koirala's court.

Krishna Sitaula has to resign. All those who have given their lives to the Madhesi Movement have to be declared martyrs by the state. Medical expenses for all those injured have to be the state's responsibility.

Then the political solution can begin.

I believe the absolute minimum agenda is this: Compromise: Add 45 Constituencies To The Terai.

Go on TV. Address the nation. Let it be a proper, direct address to the people. And skip the part about your health. That does not look awfully professional. Even without that there are too many people wondering if you are even physically fit enough to be Prime Minister in the first place.

Agree to the basic demands. Spare the country further pain.

A democratic Prime Minister does not produce martyrs. You have. The Maghe Kranti has produced more martyrs than the April Revolution did. That is a shame. That is a sad epilogue to your long political career. It is also reflective of how deep the anti-Madhesi prejudice in the country has been.

Girija Koirala: Address To The Nation: Madhesi Movement Partial Victory
Girija, Give A Speech Like Gyane Did In April

Fellow Nepalis.

It is high time the Madhesi Movement that has been raging for over two weeks now is given a soft landing. That is essential to the inclusive democracy we all hope to build in this country through the elections to the constituent assembly.

Effectively immediately, the Home Minister is to resign. He takes moral responsibility for all the deaths and injuries that have been sustained in the Madhesi Movement.

All those who have lost their lives to the Madhesi Movement are being declared martyrs. It is not possible to put a monetary price on the heads of those who make the ultimate sacrifice, and this government does not mean to do so. But a monetary compensation of 15 lakh is to be provided to each bereaving famil of the martyred.

Medical expenses for all those injured are to be the state's responsibility. I have already issued instructions to that effect to the appropriate government agencies and departments.

I have resisted the demand that the country be declared a federal republic right away, but an eight party decision has been made that all eight parties will make federal republic a clear part of their election manifestos for the constituent assembly elections. It will be for the duly elected constituent assembly to make a final decision on both those matters.

It is important that the elections to the constituent assembly are free, fair and representative. To that effect 45 constituencies are to be added in the Terai. That brings the total to 250. And the eight parties have also decided to have only 100 indirectly elected seats, to be based on the principle of proportionality.

The interim parliament will also pass a law that will require that all political parties make their party finances public.

An eight party decision has also been made to induct the president of the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum, Upendra Yadav, into the interim cabinet, as a Deputy Prime Minister.

I hope we can all now move firmly to the political process of debate, dialogue and voting. I hope there will no more be the need for disruptive street demonstrations and crippling strikes. And I urge all those who have taken to the streets as part of the Madhesi Movement to go back to their homes, get back with their lives, and participate in the constituent assembly elections with great enthusiasm.

Jai Nepal.

Visitors

5 February