Typhoid And Typhoid Victims

I am a social doctor. I would like to cure typhoid. I am good at it. I have done it before, I can do it all over again. I am adept. Madhesis are typhoid victims. Utter political powerlessness is typhoid.

I don't know of any other population on the planet with a similar plight of powerlessness. Madhesis are half of Nepal. Madhesis contribute 70% of the revenue of the Nepal government. But Madhesis are utterly powerless. Not even the women of the world are in the same shape. Women are half, sure, but they don't contribute 70%, although they probably would if all their domestic work were to be candidates for dollar figures.

The Madhesis that most piss me off are the Prabasi Madhesis, the Madhesis in America for example. The Madhesis in America are some of the most educated, the best earning Madhesis anywhere on the planet. If these Madhesis will not take the lead, who will?

There is this "Bahun ko jhola bokera hidne prabriti," a phrase I learned from Karma Gyalden Sherpa, the top Janajati leader in New York City, and a great friend of mine, a comrade in the social justice revolution for Nepal. Jha is not Bahun, Jha is Madhesi. In Bihar maybe Jha is forward, but in Nepal Jha is backward. Laloo did Muslim-Yadav in Bihar, we need to do Madhesi-Janajati in Nepal. There is no other way.

The Pahadi attitude problem is all around us. It is right here in New York City. It is in the diaspora, thick and foul. We have to confront with all our might. We have nothing to lose. These Pahadis are not our bosses. Our career paths do not cross. The only dynamic is social. And if they will not go for a dynamic of mutual respect, of political equality, both here and in Nepal, it is best to part ways.

I am not for parting ways. I am for taking over. I don't want a separate country. I don't want violence. I don't even want a separate Terai state. What I want is equality. I want Nepal to have a Madhesi president. I want to take over the entire country.

I got myself elected Convenor of the Coordination Committee of the Nepali Organizations In New York City with no active help from ANTA. I did it through sheer political skill, and through active support from the Janajati crowd. I am going to take that a few steps further and solidify it. I am going to expand, grow and consolidate. We have to set an example for the Madhesi-Janajati coalition here in New York City.

And then I hike it up. I provide leadership for the overall empowerment of the Nepalis in the city. I want all Pahadis in New York City to know that they are the Madhesis here. They are powerless in the local context.

ANTA has been a disappointment. So much so that I let my membership expire at the end of 2006. There was the attack in Nepalgunj and ANTA did not issue a statement. (Madhesi Alert, Nepalgunj Pahadi Attack On Madhesi, Raw Email, Video Footage) I do not comprehend. When there was an attack on Dalits in Doti, the Dalit organizations in the diaspora responded with statements. Before that there was another incident in Kathmandu: Hands Off The Madhesi Activists. ANTA did not speak up. On the other hand several unnamed ANTA members complained to the ANTA president about the statement I had issued and emailed to them. Their names were not revealed to me. I invited them to unsubscribe from my mailing list.

This self-hate has got to go. The emotional price you are paying for it is not worth it. I don't have fewer Pahadi friends than you because I am vocal. You should try it also. Assert yourself. Pahadis who are "friends" with you only as long you don't speak for your rights are not your friends. Are they? Let them go.

For me this is work. I have a professional attitude towards it. We work and meet and do the work as per the need. Instead many Madhesis misunderstand the gist of the movement. It is not so you can engage in petty infighting. Internalized prejudice and racism work in weird ways. Madhesis talking like they imagine prejudiced Pahadis and white racists would. Kind of like some of my high school "bands" imitating western rock groups. Let go. You don't sound authentic.

Madhesi powerlessness is typhoid. And I would like to help cure it. Madhesis are typhoid victims. I engage to cure. I don't necessarily want to socialize during my off time with typhoid victims. I don't put up with racist comments from white people, I am not going to put up with racist comments from brown people. I don't put with PCP - Pahadi Chauvinist Pig - comments from Pahadis, I am not going to put up with PCP comments from Madhesis. (PCP: Pahadi Chauvinist Pig) I am the third angle in the triangle. I am not after the Pahadi individuals. I am just after the mentality, the attitude, the though processes, the wrong policy prescriptions. So if there are Madhesis with the same, I am also against them.

There is an urgent need to go global: ANTA To ANT?

And maybe it is best to work directly with the Madhesis right there in Nepal. If the Prabasi Madhesis will not wake up, let them enjoy the slumber.

I am also opening up channels with all the district committees of the Sadbhavana (Anandi).

I think the Madhesi Movement for now has to coalesce around the demand for constituencies based on equal population.

Madhesi Movement: Online Resources
Internalized Racism Among Nepalis In NYC
Madhesi Self Hate
Frustration, Chemical Imbalance, Mental Imbalance

There are Madhesis who feel disenfranchised in Nepal, there are Nepalis who feel disenfranchised in America. The solution is to build The Matrix. This also allows us to reach out to just about anybody, anywhere. The Matrix is an invention.

Hamro Nepal is better equipped than ANTA to expand rapidly, globally and to connect the leading Madhesis in Nepal with the Madhesi diaspora. I would it if Madhesi members of Hamro Nepal became more active.

In The News

Interim parliament endorses Interim Constitution-2063
Interim parliament convenes; MPs sworn in
HoR promulgates interim constitution, dissolves itself
India welcomes promulgation of interim constitution
Leaders fail to find consensus on Speaker of interim legislature Prachanda demanded that their party should get either the post of speaker or deputy speaker. .... Krishna Bahadur Mahara said that his party will create environment for holding elections of the post of speaker. .... senior leader of the interim parliament will chair the first session of the interim legislature. 86-year-old, Bal Bahadur Rai of NC is the senior most leader of the interim parliament
MPs criticise interim constitution, demand amendments Bharat Mohan Adhikary, standing committee member of the Unified Marxist Leninist (UML), pointed out several flaws in the constitution. "I regret the fact that this interim constitution does not allow the parliament to remove the Prime Minister once he is appointed. The parliament session cannot be held unless the PM convenes it. There are provisions that could jeopardise the democracy" ...... According to Rana, the interim constitution has been indifferent to the issues of Madhesis, women, Dalit, indigenous and other minorities. ....... King's autocracy is going to be replaced by dictatorship of eight parties ...... Rajendra Mahato, an MP from Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Anandidevi), also criticised the interim constitution for not providing equal status to all kinds of people. He said that without addressing the issues of Madhesis, the ongoing violence in Terai region would not be resolved. "Peace will not come just by writing in the interim constitution that there will be peace," he said.
Jwala Singh demands separate, independent Terai state his party is against the rule of Pahade (people from hilly origin) on Madhes (Terai region). ..... Of the total population of Nepal, 14 million are Madhsis. ...... "We are not against people of hill. But we are against the system of unitary communal hill state power." ...... Singh whose real name is Nagendra Paswan and who is said to be a former journalist ...... "I still consider Goit as our supreme leader. But he is very old and not in good health. And this is the time for fight and sacrifice, so we had to part ways," Singh said, clarifying why he split from Goit. But he added that cadres of both factions of JTMM were working together. ........ The interim constitution lacks even a single word in favour of Madhesi people ....... "The King is the main leader of hilly people, so there is no question of us supporting him or his action. As far as India is concerned, some of our leaders are in jails in Bihar. I totally refute this charge." ........ his party has company-level military organisation of what he termed as Terai Liberation Army in three to four districts, Singh refused to divulge the actual number of his cadres or the districts where his military organisation are located. ......... put forth 9-point demands including declaration of independent Terai; delimitation of electoral constituencies based on population; holding of census in Terai under leadership of Madhesi people; filling up the positions in army, police and administration in Terai by Madhesi people; cessation of Maoist atrocities and return of seized lands; compensation to Madhesi martyrs, among others.
Government mobilises teams for distribution of citizenship certificates
Maoists to claim post of speaker in interim legislature Maoist leaders said that they will strongly raise the agendas raised during the decade long insurgency in the interim legislature.
Sunsari district court vandalised
MPs file numerous proposals for amendment of interim constitution 25 MPs including Chakra Bastola of NC, and Gobinda Bahadur Shah of NC-Democratic have filed proposal seeking amendment to clearly specify them as elected MPs in the constitution ......... The UML has sought some changes including adoption of proportional representation electoral system during Constituent Assembly elections; holding of a separate referendum to decide the fate of monarchy; provision of removing the Prime Minister through two-third majority of the parliament; and inclusion of only PM, Chief Justice and Speaker in the constitutional council. ...... RJP president Surya Bahadur Thapa has filed amendment proposal seeking provision of appointing PM who enjoys two-third support of MPs and who has to obtain vote of confidence within a month of assuming office. The NSP-A has sought fresh delimitation of electoral constituencies based on population. The RPP, on the other hand, wants formation of local bodies with the consensus of all parties in the interim parliament; reconstitution of constitutional and judicial council; and adoption of federal system.

Interim constitution tabled at HoR; PM, Prachanda discuss promulgation process NepalNews
NC chooses its 10 MPs
NCD, NSP (A) nominate new MPs Bimalendra Nidhi, Prakashman Singh, Dr. Minendra Rijal, Dr.Prakash Sharan Mahat, Pradeep Giri and Uma Adhikari. ...... Anandi Devi Singh, Bharat Bimal Yadav and Govinda Tharu ... Sujata Koirala, Shekhar Koirala, KB Gurung, Meena Pandey, Bhim Bahadur Tamang, Sita Devi Yadav, Laxman Ghimire, Shobhakar Parajuli, Suprabha Ghimire, Meetharam Bishwokarma ‘Dukhi’.
Cabinet approves interim constitution
Rights body demands amendment in interim statute, release of HLPC report
Speaker believes MPs will have adequate time to discuss interim statute
PFN, NWPP select names for interim parliament Kaman Singh Lama, Anjana Bishankhe and Asarphi Sada ...... Sunil Prajapati (Bhaktapur), Jaya Bahadur Shahi (Dailekh) and Lila Nayiechaiyei
NC's stance on monarchy will be historic: Sitaula Nepal will enter a new era on the day the Nepali Congress (NC) comes out with its policy on the monarchy....... has been struggling against the monarchy since 2007 BS .... directed party cadres to play active and alert role in distribution of citizenship certificates and help update voters’ list

Party Unification, And One Person One Vote Principle

There should be a parliamentary constituency for every 100,000 people, and there should be a wada for every 1,000 people, so you end up with 100 wada chiefs in each constituency. I think we have to thus firmly establish the one person, one vote principle. We have to stick to it through its vertical implications. If you don't do this you shortchange the Terai. And, more importantly, you shortchange democracy.

The basic organizational principle would be the same. It would be the vertical implications of one person, one vote. And the country would have a left of center party, and a right of center party. The communists seem more likely to do it. And if they manage to do it, and the other parties stay separate, you are looking at that communist party winning 60% of the votes in the country, at least. As long as the communists stay nonviolent, and as long as they stick to the multi-party framework, as no doubt they will, all the glory to them.

This is less like party unification, and more like saying let's dissolve all parties, and let's form a new one from scratch. The party gets established at a national convention. Everybody starts by signing up as an ordinary member. And then you hold elections at all levels to fill up all the posts.

I wonder who would emerge the Chairperson of such a unified communist party. It is obviously between Madhav Nepal and Prachanda. It will be nice to know who has a larger mass base.

These communists should not make the mistake of unifying the parties through unification talks alone. Unification talks are but a starting point. But the actual unification has to take place through a convention.

It amazes me how lethargic Girija has been on this whole issue. But then that is the beauty of democracy. If the Congress does not take similar unification steps, it will pay dearly at the polls.

The implications of there being one communist party are mind boggling. I have talked about its continental implications before. What Prachanda could never have achieved through the gun he is about to achieve through peaceful means beyond his wildest dreams. This is both exciting and interesting.

One Communist Party, One Congress Party, Total Two Parties
The Idea Of One Communist Party In Nepal

In The News

Maoists choose 10 interim MPs NepalNews
Maoists to form ‘leftist alliance’ in interim parliament started negotiations with all left parties represented in the interim parliament to form a common front. He also said the CPN (Maoist) would lead the alliance ..... Communists are going to have strong majority in the interim parliament ....... his party is also trying to settle the intra-party disputes in fringe left parties
Thapa refuses to cooperate, demands proper letter from parliament Thapa was brought before the parliamentary committee formed to probe the killings of Nagarkot and Belbari during the royal regime.
UML names its new 10 parliamentarians Paru Devi Yadav (Siraha), wife of late Hem Narayan Yadav, Parbati Chaudhari (Kailali), wife of Chakra Bahadur Dagaura Chaudhary, Shanti Pakhrin (Dolakha), wife of Buddhi Man Pakhrin, Rijwan Ansari (Bara), Chudamani Jangali BK (Kaski), Jayanti Rai (Bhojpur) and Rima Nepali (Rolpa).
Nepal claims UML will win majority in CA polls
Police produce Kamal Thapa at parliamentary probe committee
Dictatorship of Eight Parties? Former prime minister Surya Bahadur Thapa, who was popularly elected for several times in parliament, now will not have a seat in the parliament in case eight parties find his role is ‘against Loktantric Andolan.’ ....... article 38 of the interim statute states that prime minister will be chosen under the political understanding of eight political parties. The article explicitly says eight parties will include Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, Nepali Congress (Democratic), United People’s Front, Nepal Sadvabana Party (Anandidevi), Nepal Workers and Peasant Party, United Left Front and CPN-Maoist......... Under the article 45 (2), leaders of eight parties can bar any member by terming them to have been affiliated with the group of anti People’s Movement. ...... the requirement of 10,000 signatures of voters to register new political parties. ....... demanding the independence of judiciary seems to be a crime in the eyes of eight party alliance. ....... the judges of supreme court have risked their jobs and security to uphold the ideals which Nepal ’s judiciary has been building up brick by brick since the great change of 1951 ........ the opinion of followers of dictatorship of proletariat like CPN-Maoist and CPN-UML leaders. ........ “Judiciary still has the hangover of feudalist Ranas. Our demand of reappointment of judges has been justified following the decision of Supreme Court,” said CPN-Maoist leader Dr. Baburam Bhattarai commenting on the decision of Supreme Court. “Such judges must be removed who oppose the document prepared by eight parties.”
Bandh cripples life in Terai
Goit against interim constitution
Parliamentary probe committee asks government to produce Thapa

Maoist-nominated representatives need not follow party whip: Badal Kantipur
Siraha region under grip of terror following a bomb explosion by JTMM bombed six grocery stores in Bhagwatipur Chowk ...... The JTMM cadres had planted the bombs, accusing the shopkeepers of defying a three-day Terai banda called by JTMM. ...... The buildings as well as all the inventories of the shops were destroyed in the ensuing fire. ......... JTMM eastern region commander Bisfot Singh ...... Two rounds of bullets were also fired after the explosion. Following the bomb blasts and firing, the entire region is under the grip of terror. ...... blasted two more bombs in Sonbarsha Chowk ...... the JTMM cadres, at 11 pm on Friday, set a cardboard factory ablaze. The factory, located at Lahan-4 ...... The main centers of the district like Lahan, Golbazar, Mirchaiya, Chorwa, Sukhipur and Bandipur are shut down and the vehicular motion has come to a complete standstill.
Guns no solution: Matrika tells JTMM "If Goitji does not like to talk to me (thinking me stupid), I would arrange for talks with chairman Prachanda and Baburam Bhattarai," Yadav said. ....... He termed JTMM's demand for "creating a separate madhesh nation" as impossible. ....... accused home minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula of not being serious about addressing the problem despite their (Maoists') frequent requests to resolve it.
Valley sees petro product crisis, NOC has nothing left in stock
अवरोध हटाउन राजनीतिक संयन्त्र निर्माण गरिने
'बन्दुकबाट निकास हु“दैन'
वार्ता गर्न तयार छौं ः जनतान्त्रिक तर त्यसका लागि सरकारले औपचारिक रूपमा प्रस्ताव गनर्ुर्ुर्े छ । ..... 'प्रधानमन्त्री र गृहमन्त्रीले र्सार्वजनिक रूपमा वार्ता गर्ने भने पनि सरकारले त्यसलाई औपचारिक रूपमा अघि बढाएको छैन,' उनले भनेका छन् । ...... नौ सूत्रीय माग ....... वैचारिक आन्दोलनमार्फ अघि बढ्दा सरकारले बाटो बन्द गरेकाले मोर्चा सशस्त्र संर्घष्ामा उत्रिएको ........ 'मधेसीहरूको अधिकारलाई यो सरकारले छुनै सकेको छैन । हामी पहाडे मार्ने होइनौं । हामी मान्छे मार्ने होइनौं,' उनले भने- 'हामी एकल पहाडे राज्यसत्ताविरुद्ध दबाब मुलुक सशस्त्र संर्घष्ा गर्दैछौं ।' ....... जयकृष्ण गोइतले नेतृत्व गरेको मोर्चाबाट ज्वालासिंह समूह विभाजित भएको भन्ठान्नु गलत हुने दाबी गर्दै उनले भने- 'मोर्चा फुटेको होइन । यसको पहिलो महाधिवेशनले तर्राईको र्सवमान्य नेताको रूपमा उहा“ -जयकृष्ण गाइत) लाई सम्मान गर्‍यो र उमेरले उहा“ पाको अस्वस्थ पनि भएकाले अध्यक्षको जिम्मेवारी मलाई दिइएको हो । नेतृत्वमा भने केही मतभेद छ ।' ........ 'पहाडेलाई हामीले पक्राउ, अपहरण गरेको होइन । तर्राईभित्र हामीलाई अधिकारबाट वञ्चित गर्नेलाई कब्जामा लिएका हौं । उहा“हरूस“ग फिरौती होइन जरिवाना र कर लिएर छाड्छौं
मोर्चाद्वारा आगजनी र विस्फोट
जनकपुर बमकाण्ड र लोकतान्त्रिक संस्कृति नेपाली कांग्रेसका नेता सुवर्ण्र्ाामशेरको आह्वानमा स्थानीय नेतास“गस“गै हामी पनि प्रहरी चौकी जलाउने, बन्दुक खोस्ने, भन्सार कार्यालय जलाउने र पुलहरू भत्काउने कार्यमा सहभागी भयौं । हामी राति-राति पार्टर्ीीे काममा जान्थ्यौं र दिउसो स्कुलमा पढ्थ्यौं ।........ ०१८ साल माघ ७ गते युवानेता रामचन्द्र सिंह -गाउ“ डाम्सी, जिल्ला महोत्तरी ...... भोलिपल्ट बिहान रामचन्द्र सिंहले बम थम्ााउ“दै मलाई भने, यसलाई जतनस“ग लैजाऊ । मैले हुन्छ भन्दै बम लिई हि“डे“ । सा“झपख रामनारायणबाबुको उमगाव“ -भारत) को कचहरीमा रहेको नेपाली कांग्रेस कार्यालयमा बमहरू बुझाए“ । रातिको खाना खाइसकेपछि स्थानीय नेता र क्रान्तिकारी विद्यार्थीहरूको संयुक्त बैठक बस्यो । हामीलाई जानकारी गराइयो, राजा महेन्द्र भोलि माघ ९ गते जनकपुर आउ“दैछ, ऊमाथि प्रथम जनकपुर एयरपोर्टमा बम प्रहार गर्ने । त्यहा“ असफल भए जानकी मन्दिरमा अर्को प्रहार गर्ने । यस योजनामा को-को जाने आ-आफ्नो नाउ“ भन्नुहोस् भनियो । ......... तर म ०१८ साल माघ ९ गते बिहान एयरपोर्टमा गिरफ्तार भए“ । दर्ुगानन्द झाले नेपाल पसेपछि आफैं गिरफ्तारी दिए । म र दर्ुगानन्द झासहित दलसिंह थापा र दुःखा साहनीलाई सेन्ट्रल जेलको गोलघरको 'सेलमा' फलामे नेल, गलफन्दी, हत्कडीसहित अठार महिना राखियो । ०२० साल माघ १५ गते राति १२ बजेतिर क्रूर र बर्बरतापर्ूण्ा तरिकाले जेलको कारखाना नजिकको कमलको रूखमा झुन्ड्याएर यातना दिइयो । त्यसपश्चात त्यसै रूखमा बा“धी दर्ुगानन्द झालाई गोली ठोकी हत्या गरियो । ......... अरविन्दकुमार ठाकुर
वाम एकता एमाले केन्द्रीय कमिटीको तेह्रौँ बैठकले नेपालमा कम्युनिष्ट आन्दोलन एकीकृत बन्न नसकेको विश्लेषण गर्दै 'एकीकृत र सुदृढ कम्युनिष्ट आन्दोलनको निर्माण गर्न र आर्थिक, सामाजिक र सांस्कृतिक समस्याहरूको समाधान गर्न कम्युनिष्ट पार्टीहरूबीच एकता आवश्यक' भएको ठहर गर्‍यो । ....... अब एमाले माओवादी होइन, समग्र नेपाल कम्युनिष्ट पार्टी बनाउनुपर्छ । त्यसका लागि एमालेसँग एकताको प्रस्ताव राखेका छौँ ....... "अब नेपालमा एउटा कम्युनिष्ट पार्टी भए पुग्छ ।" ........ एमालेले पार्टी एकीकरणका लागि माक्र्सवाद, लेनिनवादलाई मार्गदर्शक सिद्धान्त तथा समाजवाद र साम्यवादलाई अधिकतम कार्यक्रम मान्नुका साथै बहुदलीय प्रतिस्पर्धा, कानूनी राज, मानव अधिकार, मौलिक अधिकार, संविधानको सर्वाेच्चतालगायत आधुनिक प्रजातान्त्रिक मान्यता अनुरूपको जनवादजस् ता आधारहरू अघि सारेको छ । ......... एमालेले लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र पक्षधरहरूबीच मोर्चा र वामपन्थी दलहरूबीच एकीकरणका लागि स्थायी कमिटी सदस्य वामदेव गौतम, ईश्वर पोखरेल र विष्णु पौडेल रहेको तीन सदस् यीय वार्ता टोलीसमेत गठन गरेको छ । ....... "राजनीतिक दलहरूको ध्यान अन्तरमि संविधान, अन्तरमि संसद् र अन्तरमि सरकारमा गएको छ," पौडेल भन्छन्, "त्यसपछि चाहिँ वाम एकताका साथै मोर्चा गठनको कार्य अघि बढ्ला ।" .......... बृहत् वाम एकताभन्दा पनि ठूला वामपन्थी दलहरूतिर आकषिर्त हुने क्रममा साना वामपन्थी दलहरूबीच भने अझ बढी विभाजन हुनेछ, एमाले र माओवादी दुई ठूला वाम पार्टीसँग नजिकिने क्रममा । .......... त्यसो त अहिले पनि जनमोर्चाका चित्रबहादुर आले समूहले एमालेसँग एकीकरणको प्रक्रिया अघि बढाइरहेको छ भने मोहनविक्रम सिंहले नेतृत्व गरेको चित्रबहादुर केसी समूह पनि एमाले निकट छ । त्यस् तै प्रकाशले अगुवाइ गररिहेको अमिक शेरचनको अर्काे जनमोर्चा समूहचाहिँ माओवादी निकट छ । वाममोर्चाभित्रका तीन वाम घटक पनि गुटगत रूपमा कुनै एमाले निकट र कुनै माओवादी निकट देखिएका छन् । "अहिले सबै पार्टीहरूले ध्रुवीकरणको आवश्यकता महसुस गरेका छन्," माओवादी नेता शर्मा भन्छन्, "तर, त्यो एकता सहज छैन ।"




A videotape of the incidents in Nepalganj on 26 December in the possession of Jana Aastha shows police involved in the violence. They are seen destroying shops and throwing furniture onto fires. In the clash between pahadis and madhesis, the Nepal Police is seen siding with pahadis and firing at madhesis. People in green jackets are visible, provoking the crowd, and mandaleys who work with Kamal Thapa and Rabindranath Sharma are also amongst those involved in the violence. The audio track of videotape contains sections of the crowd saying “Nepal Police jindabad.”

The police recorded are in half uniform and their faces are covered. One heard the words: “This shop is a Nepali’s, don’t destroy it.” The groups systematically attacked shops and homes, and SSP Rajendra Singh Bhandari insulted madhesi protestors, telling them to “go to India to protest”.

Talk With Goit For The Same Reason We Talked With Maoists

For a government to decide to hold talks with an armed group is never an easy decision. That is especially true for a democratic government. The feeling is that if any group or section of the population has grievances, they should peacefully organizae and mobilize and they should seek electoral remedies. If you don't like party A, go vote for party B. There is this fear that if you talk to one armed group, other groups might also pick up arms so as to similarly shortcircuit the democratic process. Those fears are legitimate. But we have to stop pretending that these are normal times.

These breakaway Maoist factions are seeking political space, and we have to give it to them. Dialogue should be considered a very happy price to pay for peace. It would have been a major problem if these groups were opposed to the very idea of dialogue, but that happens not to be the case, lucky for us.

The fear is not that if you manage to disarm these groups, others will pick up arms. The fear is the opposite. There are other groups besides the Madhesi that have grievances. They might also get frustrated, impatient.

Why did we talk to the Maoists in the first place? Because we wanted a political and not a military solution. And that has been working beautifully. I just read the list of Maoist names that will go into the interim parliament. The Maoists put the seven parties to shame. Look at how much more representative they are. Looks to me like we are getting more than peace by talking to the Maoists, we are also getting social progress. That is so wonderful.

The trick is to focus on the just political demands and fulfill them. For the Maoists it was the constituent assembly. If the country had not agreed to that basic demand, no amount of talks would have brought them into the mainstream.

Similarly, these JTMM factions have two just demands that nobody can argue against. Heck, those are my demands also.

1. Issue citizenship certificates to all Madhesis. That figure is closer to 60 lakh than the 33 lakh the Home Minister is suggesting.
   
2. The 205 constituencies should be based on equal population.
   

Well, Goit also has other demands. He wants all of Terai to be one state. You tell him, that he will have to get himself by contesting in the constituent assembly elections. You fulfill the two basic demands, and then ask him to earn the rest at the ballot box.

Mainstream Jay Krishna Goit Also (August 7, 2006)

In The News

Maoists choose their MPs for interim parliament NepalNews The list of its 73 MPs includes 22 from Janajati (indigenous community), 21 Madhesi (Terai community), 28 women, 17 representing martyrs' families and 11 from Dalit community. ... Matrika Yadav .... Mahendra Paswan ...... Prabhu Shah .... Ram Kumari Yadav ...... Bharat Shah ..... Surya Nath Yadav ..... Shiva Kumar Mandal ..... Chinak Kurmi ..... Ram Lotan Tiwari ..... Satya Narayan Bhagat .... Puran Rana Tharu ..... Purna Singh Rajbanshi ..... Sheela Yadav ..... Tilak Pariyar ..... Ramesh Danuwar ..... Ram Chandra Chaudhar ...... Saraswoti Chaudhari ...... Ram Ashraya Ram ...... Indra Jeet Chaudhari
Eights parties 'agree' to share 48 parliamentary seats 10 seats each to the NC, UML and the Maoists, 6 seats to NC-D and 3 each to People’s Front Nepal, Nepal Workers and Peasants Party, Nepal Sadbhawana Party (Anandi Devi) and United Left Front..... the smaller parties demanded equal share in the 48 seats while NC-D’s Deuba went on to claim seats at par with the NC, UML and Maoists.
Action will be taken against King for suppressing April movement: Nemwang
Thapa bitter about non-amendment of interim constitution; suspects CA polls will not be fair "When I heard criticism about the concentration of power in Prime Minister from a responsible person, I had thought they would make some changes. But unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be happening," Thapa said referring to the criticism by PM Girija Prasad Koirala over the constitution. ....... the attack against some monarchist parties by students of the eight parties. "If the CA election is not held in a fair manner, the nation will meet with a dangerous accident," he warned.
'Govt hasn’t asked Maoists to persuade JTMM for talks’ the government had not given such a responsibility to the Maoists and that talks with the JTMM would be initiated after serious discussion amongst the political parties..... Sherchan also declared that there would not be any talks with the faction headed by Jwala Singh, which is also named JTMM. Jwala Singh's group has intensified individual killings, extortion and abductions in Siraha, Saptari and surrounding districts in recent days.
Left Front selects three members for interim legislature, govt general secretary of CPN (ML) CP Mainali, Nanda Kumar Prasai of CPN (MLM), and Ganesh Shah of CPN (United) ... Jagat Bahadur Bogati
Maoists to bring JTMM to talks table: DPM Sherchan

Internet tariff to be reduced by 83 pc in Nepal The Hindu The price of 64 kbps-lease-line internet service will come down to 5,000 Nepali rupees (71.4 U.S. dollars) per month from the previous 18,000 rupees (257.1 dollars). While tariff rate of 128kbps-ISDN internet service will come down to 3,000 rupees (42.8 dollars) per month from 13,600 rupees (194.2 dollars) of earlier ......... five days after the state-owned telecom started procuring bandwidth from BSNL-- an Indian telecom company -- using the information superhighway. ... This is the first time that the country has used the optical fiber network, laid along east-west highway, for cross-country data transfer.

Terror in Terai: Missing Seriousness the expanding activities of JTMM in Terai who have steadily intensified their violent actions ........ When it started, the Maoist insurgency was thought to be a low-key, confined/localised and unpopular terror-insurgency and most of the subsequent governments tried to deal with it as a law and order problem. ....... His major plank includes separate state for the Madhesis (Terai). ........ Goit has switched his political loyalties a couple of times – first a leader of the Unified Marxist Leninist (UML), and then a leader of the splinter Marxist Leninist (ML) and then the coordinator of the Madhesi National Liberation Front (MNLF) of the Maoists, he finally floated a separate outfit charging the Maoist leadership of betraying the Madhesi people. People who have known him say Goit is an ambitious and conniving politician. ......... In recent months, the JTMM (Goit) and JTMM (Singh) have taken turns to unleash violence, particularly in Siraha, Saptari, Dhanusha, and Rautahat districts. Significantly, the activities of JTMM have intensified coinciding with the guns of Maoists falling silent. Even as Maoist cadres have started to gather in cantonments with the intention of joining the peaceful politics, the JTMM has increased the tempo of violence. ......... The Goit faction has stated that it would not allow the CA polls in Terai region. ........ declaration of independent state of Terai; return of Nepali rulers from Terai; letting the indigenous people of Terai operate army, police and administration in Terai region. Likewise, both demand that revenue collected from Terai be utilised for Terai development and cessation of infiltration of Nepalis into the region. ........ Goit has said that Terai region does not belong to any King of Shah dynasty, and that Nepal has no right to rule the region. ....... Both the JTMM want the delimitation of electoral constituencies conducted on the basis of population; citizenship be distributed to Terai people by Terai administrators and so on. ........ They frequently make cross-border movements ....... both Singh and Goit were spotted at the same hotel at Madhubani, Bihar a few weeks back. ...... in recent months, their activities have visibly intensified. ....... Tripathy said, "We are trying to hold talks with the Prime Minister over this issue. This is a very serious problem." ........ He added that the JTMM were getting fodder since the interim constitution had "once again alienated the Madhesi population." He warned, "If we do not take this problem seriously, this movement could spiral out of control and become a full-blown separatist movement." ......... "We have started seeing armed Maoists deserting their party and joining JTMM with weapons. ....... dialogue seems to be the best option before the government to deal with the JTMM despite their narrow political base and small organisational strength. Rajendra Dahal, a senior journalist, who has watched the JTMM movement keenly believes that they are in search of political space. ........ both factions of JTMM have shown willingness to sit in dialogue with the government. They have even called for UN mediation in the negotiation. ........ An example of late December riots in Nepalgunj is enough to frighten any sane Nepali.
UN to begin registration and storage of arms early next week
Government asks parties to submit names for interim legislature by Sunday morning the cabinet has approved 1,993 additional personnel for the Nepal Police besides sanctioning 57.7 million for the reconstruction of destroyed police posts.
Rights situation improved markedly after April change: HRW
RPP to recommend for amendment in interim constitution the balance of power between three organs of the state was missing in the interim statute, Khapung also expressed his party's resentment over not including the Madhesis, janajatis, and dalits in the statute. ..... there should be the provision of reservation for Madhesis, Dalits and Indigenous people in the interim statute.
Terai bandh affects normal life The JTMM-called the bandh demanding appropriate representation of Madhesi people in all mechanisms of the state and delimitation of election constituencies according to population ratio. It has also demanded that the Terai region be declared “autonomous province”. ....... Vehicular traffic in Southern districts like Bara, Parsa, Rautahat, Saptari, Sarlahi, Dhanusha and Mahottari remains disrupted since early Friday morning while marketplaces and industries have also been closed due to the bandh.

BJP to mend fences with Nepal Maoists Times of India, India
Maoist splinter group shuts down eastern Nepal Indian Muslims, CA
FULL TEXT : Human Rights Watch World Report 2007 – Nepal Himalayan Times, Nepal

INTERVIEW WITH SARITA GIRI After her involvement in the popular movement of 1990, her association with the Nepali Congress increased. As a result she sincerely got engaged in the activities of the party. But, in 1996 her political career took a turn. ...... She was highly influenced by the Samajwadi Janata Dal, a political party established by the late Gajendra Narayan Singh. She says, “I joined the party after Gajjubabu gave the membership of the party to me.” Later both the Sadbhawana and Samajwadi parties amalgamated into Nepal Sadbhawana Party (Anandidevi) of which Giri is the Central Member at present. She was born in Champaran which is situated on the Nepal-India border and is also known as old Nepal. Later she got married to a Nepali. She was the speaker of her party earlier and also member of the Janaandolan Working Committee. At present she is the chairman of Nepal Bharat Maitree Sangh and the Centre for Women and Politics. ........ The contribution that women have made in making the Janaandolan 2 a success cannot be ignored. ...... it is also my duty to define independence and democracy from a woman’s point of view ....... we must follow the state's policy, which seeks one-third women involvement in every sector. But our ultimate goal is to create a proportionate society. ........ Educated and capable women will definitely get opportunities. But, the very same parties who once hesitated to give women 5% reservation will be compelled to give them a 1/3 reservation. ........ there is no clear roadmap for the restructuring of the state. ....... a prime minister who is not answerable to the Constituent Assembly is no less dangerous than the king in the past days ....... If the Constituent Assembly elections are not held in future, do we lack the right to approach a court? ...... The Terai Congress was formed in 2008 BS. I have just returned from a tour of Terai villages. I also talked with some local JTMM leaders. ........ The Maoist party which approved the five development regions of the "old state" has not given Matrikaji (Maoist leader Matrika Yadav) a respectable place. ........ As long as the people of Terai origin do not have access to the security bodies, this kind of discrimination will continue. ......... The government has also ignored the fact that the electoral constituencies should be based on population. ....... Isn't the betterment of the Terai people good for Nepal as a whole? The government collects 77% of its revenues from the Terai, but only 18% of the development budget is allocated to the region. ......... Sadbhawana has never indulged in racial politics. It is our political religion to take care of the betterment of the entire Terai region.......... Can a woman be asked to give up her citizenship just because she gets married to a person from another country? How can you compare getting married or liking someone to getting a citizenship? What kind of a nationalism is this?