The Army Issue Has To Be Discussed In The Parliament

• MJF Is For Republic, Land Reform, Dalit, Muslim, Janajati, Mahila Rights, And Small Or No Army
• No To Terrorism: Terai Army Is A Criminal Outfit
• 3 Layers, 15 States, No Army, 100,000 Bureaucrats Total, Much FDI
• The Army Is Going To Stay Out Of This
• Deciding Now On Monarchy And Army
• Gurung Not Katawal For Army Chief
• Interim Monarchy, Interim Army, Interim Parliament
• Interim Army: You Can Walk And Chew Gum At The Same Time
• International Sanctions On Nepal Army Have To Continue
• Abolish The Monarchy, Abolish The Army
• Monarchy, Army, Federalism
• Shobhakar Budhathoki: Transitioning The “Royal” Nepal Army
• Army Under Parliament, Now
• The Police, The Army Need To Stop Following Illegitimate Orders
• The Army Rank And File Need To Be For The People And Democracy
• The King, The Army, The Ceasefire

That was always the best way to do it. That was always the best idea. Now I am glad the Maoists are trying to get the duly elected parliament to talk about the army.

The president's decision to not recognize an out of process decision by Prachanda to sack Katuwal is under review by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court's decision will be final. The parliament may not undo that, except if two thirds of the parliament decides to impeach the president which I don't see happening.

So the Maoists are going to have to make peace with the idea that they do not have the option to undo the president's decision through the parliament.

What the Maoists should instead do is introduce a Security Sector Reform bill. The parliament would hold broad discussions on the topic.

1. Should or should not Nepal have an army at all?
2. If yes, how big should that army be? 20,000? 30,000? I'd go for 20,000.
3. What should be the ethnic and gender composition of that army? 40% female? Proportionate ethnic composition?
   
4. How much should the future Nepal Army draw from the existing Nepal Army and the Maoist Army? 20,000 NA? 3,000 PLA? 7,000 from elsewhere?
5. What to do with the other 80,000 NA soldiers and 17,000 PLA soldiers? Retrain them for private sector jobs? Send them off on scholarships to college? Give them loans to start businesses? Give them preference for foreign employment opportunities? Train them to be teachers and health care workers?
   
6. Democratize the Nepal Army, bring it completely under the parliament.

A bill passed by a parliamentary majority to address all these issues would be the best, perhaps the only way to integrate the two armies.

In The News

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Nepal's address on Tuesday
Big four to invite Gachchhadar into govt
Madhesi parties demand equal status in cabinet with NC, UML categorize the ministries in three groups and share them among the NC, UML and Madhesi parties.
Madhesi parties claim 9 ministries
MPRF opts at last to join UML-led govt
MPRF leaders pressured not to split "All the 10 to 12 members speaking at the meeting have stressed the need for strong unity in the party," said party spokesperson Jitendra Dev. ...... "We joined this party with a view to making the party a national party while focusing on Madhes issues," said Dr Rawal. "So the party must maintain its unity." ...... Most of the members spoke in similar vein and cautioned the leaders not to split the party ..... The members, however, were still divided on whether the party should join the government. They suggested the party leadership join the government after taking a formal decision.
UML wants to keep Home, Finance “It would be unacceptable for us if members of the party are sent into government without the approval of the CWC.” ...... Another general secretary of the party, Bimalendra Nidhi, argued in the CWC that it was the duty of the party to join the government.
CMP, power sharing delays cabinet expansion The MPRF still looks deeply divided on who should lead the party in the government. Sensing the division in the leading Madhesi party Koirala told Gachchhadar that he would hold separate discussion with MPRF Chairman Upendra Yadav. ..... some dissenting voice within the NC regarding who should represent the party in the government.

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MJF: No Harm Done

Upendra Yadav Should Be Leading The MJF Team In The New Government

Image by AFP/Getty Images via Daylife

• Bijay Gachhedar's minor rebellion to support the UML-NC coalition was the correct one. He read the mood in the party and the country correctly.
  
• Upendra Yadav's decision to claim leadership of the next government was a bold, smart move. But as soon as it became clear the Maoists were not serious with their offer, he should have realized it was time to backtrack.
• It was never a mistake to bring Jay Prakash Gupta, Bijay Gachhedar and Sharad Singh Bhandari into the MJF. Jay Prakash Gupta is one of the founders of the MJF. He could very well succeed Upendra Yadav down the line. Upendra Yadav, Bijay Gachhedar and Sharad Singh Bhandari all represent major population constituencies in the Terai, the Yadavs, the Tharus, and the Pahadi origin Teraiwasis. The MJF grew by eating into the Nepali Congress' vote bank in the Terai. The MJF did what the TMDP tried to do but did not do as well, which was to attract Congress leaders, cadres and voters.
  
• It was a mistake to ever have elected Bijay Gachhedar the parliamentary party leader. The party president should have kept that for himself.
• Now the best thing is for the MJF central committee to decide to (1) join the new government full force with maximum participation, and (2) get Upendra Yadav to lead the MJF in the new government. He lead the MJF in the last governemnt as well, he had the most plum ministry. He should continue as Foreign Minister, or get Home if that is an option.
  
• Upendra Yadav gets to become Prime Minister after the elections next year, not now. Right now is Madhav Nepal's turn.
  
• It is not for the UML, NC, TMDP and the SP to decide who will lead the MJF in the new government. If they try, this government will last six months max.
• Upendra Yadav should stop acting like not joining this new government is still an option.
  

In The News

Big four to invite Gachchhadar into govt Republica Four major political parties have decided to accept the decision of the parliamentary party of the Madhesi People´s Rights Forum (MPRF) to join the new government. At a meeting of the Nepali Congress (NC), Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist), Tarai Madhes Democratic Party (TMDP) and Sadbhabana Party held at Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal´s private residence at Koteshwor Friday morning, the four parties decided to invite MPRF leaders into the new coalition government. ...... a majority of members in the MPRF central committee are against joining the new government. ...... the four parties took the decision to show a common understanding of the major coalition parties regarding the dispute within MPRF. ...... The parties took the decision hours before a MPRF central committee meeting was scheduled. ...... The four parties´ accepting the MPRF parliamentary party decision is intended to press the party´s central committee meeting not to take any move against it.

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