Democracy For Nepal

Monday, February 05, 2007

Proportional Representation Might Work With DaMaJaMa Reservations

South India - Wikipedia In 1953, the Nehru government yielded to intense pressure from the northern Telugu-speaking districts of Madras State, and allowed them to vote to create India's first linguistic state. Andhra State was created on October 1, 1953 from the northern districts of Madras State, with its capital in Kurnool. Increasing demands for reorganisation of the patchwork of India's states resulted in the formation of a national States Reorganisation Commission. Based on the commission's recommendations, Parliament of India enacted the States Reorganisation Act of 1956, which reorganized the boundaries of India's states along linguistic lines. Andhra State was renamed Andhra Pradesh, and enlarged by the addition of Telugu-speaking region of Telingana, formerly part of Hyderabad State. Mysore State was enlarged by the addition of Coorg and the Kannada-speaking districts of southwestern Hyderabad State and southern Bombay State. The new Malayalam-speaking state of Kerala was created by the merger of Travancore-Cochin with Malabar and Kasargod districts of Madras State. Madras State, which after 1956 included the Tamil-majority regions of South India, changed its name to Tamil Nadu in 1968, and Mysore State was renamed Karnataka in 1972. Portuguese India, which included Goa, was annexed by India in 1961, and Goa became a state in 1987. The enclaves of French India were ceded to India in the 1950s, and the southern four were organised into the union territory of Pondicherry.

I fear Girija Koirala might go on TV and end up giving his second but not final speech. He might further anger the Madhesh. And the way he can do that is by not realizing that by now the political demands are secondary.

The very first thing has to be the Home Minister's resignation and a state recognition of the martyrs and the injured.

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.

If Girija Koirala does not make this the opening offer, the protests will continue. And he, just like the king in April, is going to have to give a third speech before things calm down.

I hope he does not make that mistake.

As for the four big parties reaching towards proportional representation, will it work? Let me go study the topic a bit.

Proportional representation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia aiming at a close match between the percentage of votes that groups of candidates (grouped by a certain measure) obtain in elections and the percentage of seats they receive ..... Various forms of proportional representation exist ..... party-list proportional representation ..... open list and closed list .... the single transferable vote (STV), which, in turn, does not depend on the existence of political parties (and where the abovementioned "measure of grouping" is entirely left up to the voters themselves) ...... above-the-line voting where candidates belonging to registered political parties are grouped together on the ballot paper with the voter provided with the option of "group voting" a semi-open party list/individual candidate system. ...... single non-transferable vote (SNTV) and cumulative voting

More parties exist in nations with full representation, making it close to impossible for a single party to obtain the majority of votes and seats. .... Coalition governments are often based on the direct support of about a third to half of all eligible voters, while elections in districts tend to deliver a ruling party that is supported by a fourth to a fifth of all eligible voters. For instance, based on the Federal Election Commission of the United States, the 109th US Senate was led by the Republican Party with the direct support of only 17% of all eligible voters ...... Belgium was the first country to adopt list-PR for the 1900 elections to its national parliament. ..... STV has been used in the Republic of Ireland since 1919. ..... Proportional representation is actually used by more nations than the plurality voting system. ..... With proportional representation, otherwise marginalized social, political and racial minorities were able to attain elected office, and this fact was ironically a key argument opponents of proportional representation used in their campaigns — "undesirables" were gaining a voice in electoral politics ....... city-wide elections where people would cast votes for five or six candidates simultaneously, delivering some of the benefits of proportional representation, but not all. ....... Some electoral systems incorporate additional features to ensure absolutely accurate or more comprehensive representation, based on gender or minority status (like ethnicity or race). ..... Proportional representation is the dominant electoral system in Europe. It is in place in Germany, most of northern and eastern Europe, and is also used for European Parliament elections. ...... Schwartzberg proposes the use of proportional representation in the United Nations Parliamentary Assembly in order to prevent, for instance, lower castes of Indians from being excluded ...... certain other advantages to proportional representation. ....... Party-list proportional representation ...... In a closed list, voters vote for a list, not a candidate. Each party is allocated seats in proportion to the number of votes, using the ranking order on its list. In an open list, voters may vote, depending on the model, for one person, or for two, or indicate their order of preference within the list. ....... Finland using multi-member districts and open lists. ...... Additional Member Systems - mixed member proportional representation and parallel voting; alternative vote and alternative vote top-up ........ Mixed election systems ..... Single Transferable Vote ......
Voting system - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Elections: Results and Voting systems
How Proportional Representation Elections Work
Proportional Representation Systems
Center for Voting and Democracy
Proportional Representation Voting in Australia
Tutor2u - proportional electoral systems - party list systems
::Proportional Representation::
Nepalnews.com Mercantile Communications Pvt. Ltd.

Plus Points

The adoption of the proportional representation system will be a face saving move for the parties in power. They do not have to meet the Madhesi demand of 205 constituencies of equal population. And they can still meet the Madhesi aspirations.
A hung parliament will be guaranteed. Parties will be forced to work together. Small parties will stay relevant.
Having the entire country as one constituency, and people only having to vote for party symbols might make the election process simpler than otherwise, especially when there is a severe time pressure to conduct the elections on time.
It can be modified to better suit the local conditions. What about having DaMaJaMa reservations? How about having a 300 strong assembly? So each party will put forth a list of 300 candidates. But every third name on the list has to be female, and of the female names, two out of three have to be DaMaJaMa going down the list for every group of three names? And every fifth name on the list has to be Dalit, Madhesi, or Janajati without repeat. So if the fifth name is Dalit, the tenth name has to be Madhesi or Janajati. If the tenth name is Janajati, the 15th name has to be Madhesi. This would be a bare minimum. The parties may field as many additional DaMaJaMa candidates as they might want.
If the parties can agree on some sort of a formula for DaMaJaMa reservations on their lists, proportional representation could work.
The parties should also move to the idea of being state funded.
This is the most popular election system in the world.
A party like the Sadbhavana (Anandi) could do really well with an all Madhesi slate of candidates in the Terai.
Madhesi Janadhikar Forum could become a party and do really well in the Madhesh.

Minus Points

Party leaders end up with too much power for it will be them who will decide who will get on their lists. This creates a fundamental disconnect between the voters and those who represent them.
The party presidents and the party whips already have too much power.
People with no mass base but adept at backroom politics might end up in the parliament.
Too many status quoists will get in. Bahun Chhetri men will end up crowdig all the major lists.
Even the DaMaJaMa members on the lists will be beholden to their Bahun leaders instead of to their voters.
The country that most famously does it is Israel. And that country is wanting to move away from it. It is no longer working for them.
There will be less pressure for internal democracy in the political parties. The situation is already bad. It will get worse.
There will be an added onus to put in constitutional provisions to ensure there is plenty of internal democracy in all the political parties and that party finances are kept transparent. Otherwise the mistakes that were made in terms of both process and outcome in getting the interim constitution will be repeated also in the constituent assembly.
Personally I am for a mixed system where all constituencies are of equal population, and where parties are state funded and keep their book keeping transparent. That is what I have in my proposed constitution.
If the Pahadi parties were going to go for this in the first place, why did they not go for this on day three? Why did they let the Madhesh burn for 20 days? Why were over 20 lives lost? More during the Maghe Kranti than during the April Revolution? Pahadi politicians end up looking dismissive and patronizing of the Madhesh.
This system will not allow for the targeting of particular Pahadi big dog leaders for electoral defeat.

Guiding The Madhesi Movement
Open Letter To Surendra Devkota, Shiva Gautam
Inbox 11
Rajendra Mahto Live: Registering Dissent On Interim Constitution, January 15
माघे क्रान्ित
Satya Narayan Shah: Minimizing Conflict
Govind Shah: Peaceful Resolution
Inbox 10
Inbox 9
What Is Wrong With NDYCUSA?
Sitaula Resign, Koirala Declare Madhesh State, Now
February 10: New School: The Madhesi Question
Maoist Wet Dream
Inbox 8
Chitralekha
Inbox 7
The Accurately Named Krishna Pahadi
Girija Has Proven To Be A Cruel Joke Upon Nepal
Compromise: Add 45 Constituencies To The Terai
Nonviolent Madhesi Movement For Equality Or Violent Ethnic Riot
King's 3 Years, Girija's 3 Years: Not Happening
Sukhdev Shah: Terai’s Fate—Looking Within!
Inbox 6
Pahadi Bias Colors Global Media
Butchers, Stop The Killing, You Will Get Tried
Action Plan: 5 + 5
Gyane In April: 3 Speeches, Girija In Magh: How Many?
Inbox 5
Inbox 4
Inbox 3
सत्ताधारी सात पहाडी पार्टीको घैंटोमा अझै घाम लागेको छैन
Girija Koirala: Address To The Nation: Madhesi Movement Partial Victory
The Movement Will Not Stop, It Will Go To Step 2
Dragonfly Without A Wing Loses Hearing Capacity
Inbox 2
सरिता गिरी: अशान्त मधेस, नया नेपाल
Hamro Nepal Press Release: Only A Political Outlet To The Madhesi Movement
Inbox
माघे क्रान्ित, राजावादी र िहन्दु कट्टरपन्थीबारे
The Maoist Map Is A Pretty Good Map
Kamal Thapa Should Be Arrested, But Not For The Madhesi Movement
Madhesi Movement Invites The Dalit, The Janajati, The Mahila
The Ball Is In Girija's Court: A Response To Pramod Kantha
Gagan Thapa On The Terai
Anand Jha: Raising Dust At SEBS
Need For A Mahila Movement
ANTA Press Release: Stop The State Terror
Stop The Shooting, Give The Speech
Feedback, NSU, USA Canada Chapter Press Release
डटे रहो
Sahana Pradhan, Sarita Giri, Chitra Lekha Yadav, Pratibha Rana
Ram Sah, Ratan Jha, Lalit Jha, Pramod Kantha: Madhesi Diaspora, Pahadi Diaspora
Why Are The Pahadis Quiet?
B. K. Rana: Carter, Palestine and Apartheid
Girija, Give A Speech Like Gyane Did In April
Stop Shooting, Give Concession Speech, Calm Down The Streets
Brikhesh Chandra Lal: Who Will Take Responsibility?
Madhesh Is Burning
शान्ित वार्ता क्या, िवजय घोषणा करो
8 Parties Need To Declare 205 Constituencies Of Equal Population
Madhesi Movement Is April Revolution Part 2
Look Who Is Talking
Madhesi Movement: Write To The Media
बराबर जनसंख्याबाला २०५ सीट
मधेश जल रही है
Girija Koirala Is A Crook
205 Constituencies Based On Equal Population, And Reserved Seats
New Jersey Madhesi Gathering: Photos
Anand Jha: Slugging It Out At SEBS
Ram Manohar Sah: Madheshi Murmurings
Mihir Thakur: Paper On Madhesh Samasya 2051
Madhesi Gathering, New Jersey
Prabasi Madhesi Are With The Madhesi Movement In Nepal
My Role In The April Revolution: The Butterfly Effect
Typhoid And Typhoid Victims
Madhesi Alert, Nepalgunj Pahadi Attack On Madhesi, Raw Email, Video Footage
िफर से कह दो एक बार इन्िकलाब
पहाडी मधेशी दंगा, मधेशी जनजाित गठबंधन, र िनर्णायक, अिहंसात्मक अन्ितम अान्दोलनको खाँचो
सद्भावना रोडम्याप
नेपालमा दमजम अान्दोलनको अावश्यकता
नेपालमा संसारको नम्बर एक लोकतन्त्रको स्थापना हुन सक्छ
राजतन्त्र, बाहुनवाद र भर्ष्टाचार समाप्त पारौं
राजतन्त्र, बाहुनवाद र भर्ष्टाचार समाप्त पारौं
प्रस्तािवत संिवधान

The Madhesi Movement Goes On

Regardless, the Madhesi Movement goes on. Madhesi Hum Lenge Sau Mein Pachas. The Madhesi Movement wants half of all members of the constituent assembly to be Madhesi.

In The News

Unidentified group shoots down 3 persons in Saptari NepalNews a group of eight persons who came on four motorcycles indiscriminately fired at three persons. The three persons who received dozens of bullets died on the spot. ....... One of the dead has been identified as Jitendra Yadav of Gojiniya, Saptari UK urges Nepal govt to reach out to agitating Madhesi groups British ambassador to Nepal Dr Andrew Hall met with Prime Minister GP Koirala’s foreign relation advisor Dr Suresh Chalise at the PMO ..... Hall further said the demands of the agitating Madhesi groups were just Four parties agree to amend interim constitution to address Medhesi demands Nepali Congress (NC), CPN (Maoist), CPN (UML) and NC (Democratic) ...... Koirala is to deliver a second address to the nation --with the announcement to incorporate the demands of Madhesi groups, including proportional representation system, in the interim statute. ...... amend the interim constitution to resolve the Terai unrest that has claimed over 20 lives. However, the process of the amendment is yet to be agreed upon. ...... PM Koirala, Maoist chairman Prachanda, UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, NC (D) general secretary Bilendra Nidhi and other central leaders of the four parties participated in the meeting. Biratnagar, Malangawa and Inaruwa still under curfew indefinite curfew continues in Malangawa, Sarlahi PM could address the nation today after conferring with eight party leaders his second address to the nation in less than a week. ...... The informal meeting of the cabinet, on Sunday, had concluded that the Prime Minister needed to make a collective address, on behalf of the eight parties. PM's new address will attempt to clarify what he had offered in his first address last week as well as take up recommendations made by eight parties. ..... his own alliance partners like the UML and Maoists, too, distanced themselves from his address saying it was incomplete and inadequate. Sundh to talk with parties over Terai unrest representative of the Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR-Nepal) Lena Sundh ...... urged the authorities to refrain from using lethal force and has urged demonstrators to stick to peaceful path.

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