Sunday, April 08, 2007

न्युयर्कमा छाता संगठनको अावश्यकता


LA Marchers Demand Immigration Rights ABC News
LA Marchers Demand Immigration Rights San Francisco Chronicle, CA
LA Marchers Demand Immigration Rights CBS News, NY
LA Marchers Demand Immigration Rights Forbes, NY
LA marchers demand immigration rights Houston Chronicle, TX
Thousands In La Demand Immigrant Rights Guardian Unlimited, UK
La Marchers Demand Immigration Rights Guardian Unlimited, UK
Protesters hit Bush plan for migrants Chicago Tribune, IL
Immigrants protest at Bush citizenship plan Ireland Online, Ireland
Migrant workers hold LA protest BBC Bulgaria, Bulgaria
Immigrants march in LA to protest Bush visa plan Houston Chronicle, TX
Bush Plan Sparks Ire, Immigration Rally ABC News
Immigrants March in LA Over Bush Plan NPR
LA pro-immigrant march draws thousands Los Angeles Times, CA
Immigrants march in downtown LA to protest plan by Bush San Diego Union Tribune, CA
Immigration groups say anger over Bush plan to fuel rally in LA San Francisco Chronicle, CA
Immigration groups say anger over Bush plan to fuel rally in LA San Jose Mercury News, CA
Bush Immigration Plan Sparks New Protests FOX News
Bush Plan Sparks Ire, Immigration Rally Guardian Unlimited, UK
Bush Plan Sparks Ire, Immigration Rally Forbes, NY
Bush plan sparks ire, immigration rally Houston Chronicle, TX
Immigration groups say anger over Bush plan to fuel weekend rally San Diego Union Tribune, CA
Thousands march to let illegal immigrants stay World Peace Herald, DC
Thousands join LA pro-immigration rally ImediNews, Georgia
Immigrants march in downtown LA CBS 47, CA
Illegals fight for amnesty Small Gov Times, VA
LA Marchers Demand Immigration Rights 6abc.com, PA
Thousands in LA Demand Immigrant Rights Glens Falls Post-Star, NY
Thousands in LA Demand Immigrant Rights Wyoming News, WY
Thousands in LA demand immigrant rights Charlotte Observer, NC

मई १२ तारीख िदउँसो १ देिख ४ बजे हुने न्यु यर्क मेट्रोका नेपाली संगठनहरूको कर्िडनेशन किमिटको पिहलो िमिटङमा मैले छाता संगठनको प्रस्ताव राख्न लागेको छु।


एक वर्ष अगािड न्यु यर्कका नेपाली संगठनहरू भेला होअौं न त भनेर तारा िनरौलाजीले पहल गर्नुभयो। त्यसपिछ नभम्बरमा दोस्रो िमिटङ भयो ताराजी अध्यक्ष रहनुभएको अमेिरका नेपाल फ्रेन्डिशप सोसायटीकै तत्वावधानमा। त्यस नभम्बर िमिटङमा खगेन्द्र जीसीजीको प्रस्ताव अनुसार हामी सबैले िमलेर कर्िडनेशन किमिट गठन गर्यौं। अागामी छ मिहनाकालािग कर्िडनेटरमा ताराजी चुिननुभयो र मई मिहनाको िमिटङको कन्िभनरमा म िनर्िवरोध चुिनएँ। कर्िडनेशन किमिट र रोटेिटङ िलडरशीप नै राख्ने िक छाता संगठन र वार्िषक, िनर्वािचत िलडरशीपमा जाने, प्रश्न त्यो छ।

मेरो प्रस्ताव छाता संगठनको हो। तर मेरो प्रस्ताव छलफल र बहुमतबाट पास नभएमा कर्िडनेशन किमिट नै कायम रहनेछ। रोटेिटङ िलडरशीप भनेको अागामी छ मिहना म कर्िडनेटर र नभम्बर िमिटङकालािग अरू नै कोही कन्िभनर हुने हो िक?

मधेशी अान्दोलनकालािग मधेशीहरूलाई संगिठत गर्न जित गार्हो हो, न्यू यर्क मेट्रोका नेपालीहरूलाई न्यू यर्कमा अाफ्नो हकिहतकालािग संगिठत गर्न त्यस्तै गार्हो। छाता संगठनको प्रस्तावको व्यापक िवरोध हुँदैअाएको छ। छाता संगठनको प्रस्तावको िवरोध गर्नु भनेको हामी नेपाली संगिठत हुन चाहन्नौं भन्नु हो। बच्चाले नाईं म दुध खान्न िक खान्नँ भने जस्तो हो। खाउ न खाउ, ितम्रो स्वास्थ्यकोलािग राम्रो हो भनेर कित भिनराख्ने?

न्यू यर्कका अिधकांश नेपालीले िमनीमम वेज पिन पाइराख्या छैनन्। नेपालीहरूको िदमाग कमजोर होइन। अिधकांश एकसे एक िदग्गज पढ्यालेख्या नेपाली नै छन्। पिरष्रमको कुरा गर्ने हो भने गोरू जोितए झैं जोितन्छन्। बरू गोराहरू शुक्रवार बेलुकी देिख सोमवार िवहानसम्म मोजमस्ती गर्छन्। अिधकांश नेपाली हप्तामा सातै िदन खट्छन्। तर गोराहरू र नेपालीहरूको कमाई अाकाशपाताल फरक छ। िकन? नेपालीहरूसँग राजनीितक शक्ित छैन, त्यस कारणले।

नेपालीहरू सबैले िमलेर अप्िरल क्रान्ित गरे। मधेशीहरूले मधेशी क्रान्ित गरे। नेपालीहरूले तेस्रो क्रान्ित संसारको राजधानी न्यू यर्कमा गर्नुपर्ने भएकोछ। त्यो तेस्रो क्रान्ित हडताल गर्ने, चक्का जाम गर्ने िकिसमको हुँदैन। त्यो क्रान्ित इन्टरनेटको भरपूर प्रयोग गरेर संगिठत हुने क्रान्ित हो, त्यो क्रान्ित भनेको संगिठत भएर ग्लोबल साउथका (Global South) अन्य समुदायहरूसँग गठबन्धन बनाउने हो। दक्िषण एिसयाका अरू समूहहरू, एिसयन संगठनहरू, अफ्िरकनहरू, िहस्प्यािनकहरू। हामी सबैको समस्या उस्तै उस्तै छ। त्यसैले हामी सबै िमल्नुपर्छ।

प्रवासी नेपालीले नेपालिभत्र त अाफ्नो अिधकार िलनै छ, र त्यस प्रवासी नेपाली अान्दोलनको नेतृत्व वर्षौंदेिख उपेन्द्र महतोजीले गरदैअाउनु भएकोछ। त्यो संघर्ष द्वैध नागिरकताकालािग हो। तर प्रवासी नेपालीले गर्नुपर्ने अर्को अान्दोलन छ, र त्यो हो िवश्व भिर नै अाफ्नो हकिहतकालािग लड्ने लडाइ। त्यसको शंखघोष हामी न्यु यर्कबाट गरौं।

न्युयर्कमा १२ लाख न्युयर्कर यस्ता छन् जसले शहरको चुनावमा भोट िदन पाइराखेका छैनन्, त्यसमध्ये ३५-४० हजार नेपाली छन्। पिहलो अान्दोलन त त्यो नै हो। त्यस िकिसमको िबल सीिट काउन्िसलमा अाइ पिनसकेको हो, तर तुिहयो। मास मुभमेन्ट नभएसम्म त्यो िबल पास हुनेवाला छैन।

दोस्रो मुद्दा छ नागिरकताको। अमेिरकाको डेमोक्र्यािटक पार्टीले भन्दैअाएको छ िक अमेिरकामा एक करोड २० लाख गैर कानूनी रूपले अाएर बसेका मािनसहरू छन्। १० वर्ष बिससकेकाले नागिरकता पाउनुपर्छ भन्ने कुरा छ। त्यस एक करोड २० लाख मध्ये ५०,००० नेपाली पिन छन् िक? त्यो १० वर्षलाई घटाएर अाठ अथवा पाँच वर्ष पो पुर्याउनुपर्छ िक भनेर हामीले सोध्नुपर्ने भएकोछ।

मेरो भन्नुको तात्पर्य ग्रीनकार्ड भएका र गैर कानूनी रूपले अाएका दुवै िकिसमका नेपालीहरू संगिठत हुनु िनतान्त जरूरी छ, र छाता संगठन स्थापना नगरेसम्म संगिठत हुन सिकंदैन। मई िमिटङमा त्यो ANONYM (Association of Nepali Organizations in New York Metro) को स्थापना मात्र गर्ने िक र त्यसको बैैठक प्रत्येक तीन मिहनामा हुने गर्िदने? अिन अगस्टको िमिटङमा बकाइदा संिवधान पािरत गर्ने र चुनाव गराउने?

म त भन्छु मई िमिटङमा नै सब थोक गिरहालौं। ANONYM को स्थापना गरौं। संिवधान पािरत गरौं। पाँच पदािधकारीको खुला चुनाव गरौं। प्रेिसडेन्ट, २ भाइस प्रेिसडेन्ट, सेक्रेटरी, ट्रेजरर। संस्थापक अध्यक्ष पदको दावेदार त म नै हो।


ANONYM को अाधारभूत िसद्धान्त दुइ वटा हुनुपर्छ जस्तो लाग्छ मलाई: democracy and transparency। राजनीितमा एक व्यक्ित एक मत भनेको Physics मा E=mc^2 भने जस्तो हो। राजनीितमा सबै शक्ित त्यसै एक व्यक्ित एक मतबाट अाउनुपर्छ। ANONYM का सदस्य संगठनहरूको भोट त्यस संगठनमा कित सदस्य छन्, त्यस अनुसार हुनेछ।

मई िमिटङमा ANONYM को स्थापना हुनेछ भन्ने म अाशा गर्दछु। त्यो एेितहािसक
मई िमिटङ गर्न ठाउँ कसले िदने? याक रेष्टोराँले िदने िक न्यू स्कूलले िदने िक कोलम्िबयाले िदने िक GFIPN ले िदने िक कसले िदने? त्यो पिन प्रश्न छ।

New York Metro Nepalis: Organizational Challenges
ANONYM Audio 4 03/31/07
ANONYM Audio 3 03/31/07
Nepali Convention 2008, NYC (Put On Hold)
ANONYM Audio 2 03/24/07
ANONYM Audio 03/21/07
Invest 03/19/07
Audio Message 03/03/07
ANONYM: Association Of Nepali Organizations In New York Metro

In The News

NC goes ahead solo to register itself at EC Kantipur Koirala had held discussions with NC-D President Sher Bahadur Deuba yesterday about party registration only after the unification of the two Congress parties...... concluded that it would not be possible to unite the two congress factions before the date..... Arjun Narsingh KC informed that no discussion regarding the Congress unification had taken place. .... despite the separate registrations, the two factions will get united before the CA elections.
13 kidnappings, 2 killings in 2 weeks in Saptari; ‘state presence’ questioned
Maoists continue Kangaroo court
India mulls railway to Nepal exploring five options .... acquired "top priority" in the railway ministry
र्सर्ने भयो चुनाव असार ६ गतेका लागि सारिएको संविधानसभाको चुनाव पुनः कात्तिकसम्म र्सर्ने घोषणा हुन मात्र बा“की छ
हाम्रो लक्ष्य पद, पैसा र मोटर सुविधा होइन’ हिसिला यमी भौतिक योजना तथा निर्माणमन्त्री
ँमाओवादी नसच्चिए निर्वाचन अमान्य’
आदिवासी जनजातिको आन्दोलन सरकारी वार्ता टोलीले सम्बन्धित पक्षस“ग यथेष्ट वार्ता नगरी र वार्ताका लागि न्यूनतम वातावरणसमेत तयार नगरी फागुन २५ गते अन्तरिम व्यवस्थापिका संसद्मार्फ अन्तरिम संविधान संशोधन गरेको हुनाले आदिवासी जनजाति महासंघले वार्ताको औचित्य समाप्त भएको ठहर गर्दै वार्तामा सहभागी नहुने र तेस्रो चरणको सशक्त आन्दोलन घोषणा गरेको हो । ..... अन्तरिम संविधानमा आदिवासी जनजाति र मधेसीले उठाएका मागप्रति राज्य संवेदनशील भएर सम्बोधन गर्नुको सट्टा ३० भन्दा बढी सहिदहरूले सहादत प्राप्त वैधानिक जनआन्दोलनलाई दमन र प्रतिबन्ध लगाउन सेना परिचालन गर्ने उद्देश्यले आन्दोलनमाथि प्रतिगामी राजा, हिन्दु अतिवाद र अमेरिकी साम्राज्यवादको चालबाजीजस्ता जालझेलपर्ूण्ा संज्ञा दिने प्रयास भइराखेका छन् । आदिवासी जनजाति र मधेसकोे आन्दोलनमा अराजकता सिर्जना गरी धमिलो पानीमा माछा मार्न खोज्ने तत्त्वहरूको यदाकदा घुसपैठलाई अनावश्यक रूपमा बर्ढाई-चर्ढाई गरी आदिवासी जनजाति र मधेसीहरूले उठाएका मुद्दालाई गौंण बनाउन खोजिएका छन् । ...... हतारमा लेखिएको २०४७ को असफल संविधानले माओवादी व्रि्रोह जन्माएजस्तै २०६३ को संविधानमा ३७ प्रतिशत आदिवासी जनजाति, ४९ प्रतिशत मधेसी, ५१ प्रतिशत महिला, उत्पीडित वर्ग र अपांगहरूको प्रतिनिधित्वबिना हतारमा लेखि“दा राज्यमा अर्को सशक्त व्रि्रोह जन्मन सक्छ र राज्य १० वर्षो माओवादी जनयुद्धको भन्दा पनि बढी पीडादायी अवस्थाबाट गुज्रिन सक्छ भन्ने हेक्का सबैले राख्ने बेला आएको छ । ....... ३७ प्रतिशत जनसंख्या ओगटेका आदिवासी जनजातिको संविधानसभाको कुल संख्याको ३७ प्रतिशत संविधानसभामा प्रतिनिधित्व सुनिश्चित गर्न जातीय जनसंख्याका आधारमा समानुपातिक निर्वाचन प्रणाली लागू गरिनर्ुपर्छ । ...... राष्ट्रिय सेना, राष्ट्रको मौद्रिक तथा विदेश नीतिमात्र केन्द्रबाट सञ्चालन हुने र अन्य विषयको हकमा जातीय तथा क्षेत्रीय स्वशासित राज्य आफैले स्वतन्त्ररूपमा निर्ण्र्ाागर्न पाउने अधिकारसहितको संघीय शासन व्यवस्था लागू गरिनर्ुपर्छ । ....... अहिलेसम्म हिन्दु धर्मस“ग अन्तर सम्बन्ध भएका गाईलाई राष्ट्रिय जनावर बनाइनु, नेपाल सरकारको निशाना छापमा मृत संस्कृत भाषा 'जननी जन्मभूमिश्च स्वर्गादपि गरियसी' को प्रयोग हुनु, राज्यको पुरानो भौगोलिक वर्गीकरण चौध अञ्चलको प्रतीक १४ वटा गुरा“सका थुंगा राखिनु । एकल हिन्दुवादी चार्डपर्व मनाउन राज्यको सेना, प्रहरीका साथै राज्यस्रोत परिचालन गरिनु । नेपाली सेना र प्रहरी ब्यारेकमा हिन्दुका मन्दिर बनाई हिन्दु देवीदेवताका मात्र पूजार्-अर्चना गरिनु र विभिन्न धार्मिक आस्थाका बोकेका नेपाली सेना र प्रहरीका जवानलाई हिन्दु चार्डपर्व मनाउन बाध्य बनाइनु । ......... लेखक नेकपा एमाले सोलुखुम्बु, जिल्ला कमिटी सदस्य र लोकतान्त्रिक शर्ेपा संघ काठमाडौंका अध्यक्ष हुन् ।

Constituency Delimitation Commission gets four days more; 24 new constituencies likely NepalNews adding 24 new constituencies in the existing 205 constituencies. The new constituencies "have been fixed" on the basis of the increase in population and geographical suitability.
Mahara appointed govt spokesperson
Prachanda urges Koirala to declare election date
Nepali Congress registered at EC; Party unification before CA polls: Poudel
UML for early merger between NA and PLA
RJP, too, dumps monarchy from its statute it wants to move ahead in line with the May 18 Declaration of House of Representatives..... the RJP decision could also step up pressure on other centrist parties like Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) to follow the suit.
NC, Maoists ganging up against us, accuses UML NC and Maoists are plotting to use Home Ministry and Young Communist League (YCL), respectively, against UML .... accused the Maoists of turning to muscle power from gun power and the NC of trying to fight off UML against Maoists.
Maoist army, NA could help conduct polls: Minister Gurung




Saturday, April 07, 2007

Goal Is Ideological Fusion, Not Mainstreaming Maoists


Only the form of struggle has changed, says Prachanda NepalNews his party has not abandoned the long-term people's war strategy .... his party was following the dictum of Mao Zedong that struggle does not end even if the party joins government. .... if their method becomes successful that could trigger waves across the world. ..... Prachanda also mocked the remarks made by Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala recently at SAARC Summit in New Delhi. "He said that he has mainstreamed terrorists but it is clear that the coming days will show who has (mainstreamed) whom," Prachanda said. He also termed seven parties as spineless.

The major ideological clash in the last century was between communism and capitalism. The official story is communism got defeated. The Maoists of Nepal bucked that trend. They grew like wildfire for a decade. The war was bloody. Thousands of lives were lost. A triangle emerged. One angle was the feudal monarchy, another was the Maoist party, and the seven parties that represented west style multi-party democracy and mixed economy were the third angle. The king's coup of February 2005 started a process that forged an eight party alliance that made the April Revolution possible. The credit goes to the people.

I do not see Girija Koirala as the leader. He has been a cork in the water. When the water moves, he moves. Take the cork out and the water will still move. At best he has been the "constitutional monarch" of the April Revolution.

Girija Koirala was the father of the concept of a military solution to the Maoist insurgency in Nepal. He never had the knowledge or the imagination to have even tried a political solution. Deuba and the king just went further down that road.

It was not Girija Koirala who saw that the plank of a democratic republic might forge an eight party alliance and might help the Maoists ditch their vision of a one party state, and make no mistake, a one party state is what they had in mind for the longest time. It was not Girija Koirala who saw that a constituent assembly was the only meeting point for the three forces in the country. Girija did not lead. He has followed. He has not created waves. He has been pushed around by the waves. It is just in a traditional, patriarchal society like ours, his age seems to give him an edge.

Those who claim credit for the April Revolution - be it in the Congress camp, or the communist camp - have never really articulated as to the enormity of what happened. Nepal is about to become a multi-party democracy of state funded parties. Nepal's mixed election system will have the best features of proportional representation, and representation tied to geography and based on constituencies of roughly equal population.

The Maoists are not about to become just another political party in an Indian or British or American style democracy. When you say mainstreaming, you make it sound like they are. What is about to happen in Nepal is not a defeat of communism or a victory of western style democracy. What is about to happen in Nepal is something fundamental, something that has not happened anywhere, not in any country at any point in history. This is too big.

Nepal is about to become the number one democracy on the planet. And in that sense the April Revolution is bigger than the French Revolution was. Nepal, more than any other country on the planet, more than America with all its military might and riches, is best positioned to take the lead on ensuring a total spread of democracy on the planet. Nepal is going to spread revolution like Cuba never was able to, like China never was able to, like the Soviet Union was never able to.

The first step was to throw away the old order through sheer people power. The second step has been to design the number one democracy. Soon enough we are going to have to get into the business of exporting. I am thinking Zimbabwe, I am thinking Burma, I am thinking Bhutan. I am thinking Pakistan. I am thinking every country that is not a democracy. And our message is you don't need outside help. You are sufficient unto yourselves. Just rise up, come out into the streets, shut the country down for a few weeks. And you can do it too. You can also have the latest edition of democracy, democracy the way it should be, democracy that is one person one vote in its purity.

New York Metro Nepalis: Organizational Challenges

I am working to organize the Nepalis in New York City so we can build The Matrix and spread revolution.

The Matrix, Vision, Spread Democracy, Revolution

The idea of peace in Nepal has been to follow the South African model. You set up a Truth And Reconciliation Commission. But otherwise you are not seeking punitive justice. Let bygones be bygones. Let's start afresh.

Heck, I am thinking India and China. As soon as Nepal formally becomes a federal, multi-party democracy of state-funded parties, both India and China are going to come under immense pressure to emulate. That will be the only way to cure India of its number one security threat, its Maoist insurgency. And that will also be a way for China to take up democracy without making it look like they caved into western pressures.

What is happening in Nepal is super exciting. It is cutting edge. Mount Everest is just landscape, so it does not really count. Otherwise the political fermentation in Nepal is comparable to when Buddha was born, and he set out a religion that went to take over the world. That is how huge it is that which is happening in Nepal. But there still is major work to do. And we have to keep at it.

Free, fair and fearless elections must be held in June. All the agitating Madhesi groups have to contest elections or they stand to get sidelined.

Another thing I give Maoists the credit for is their map for federalism. I myself started out with a three state federalism: Koshi, Gandaki, Karnali. Now I stand by a map that is a slightly modified one of the Maoist map. They have nine states, I have eight. I have a Khasan. In hindsight I see they put a lot of work into it. I am admiring of that. And I openly give them credit where credit is due. As a Madhesi I am thankful for that map. A Madhesh state from Rapti to Mechi is what I want as a Madhesi.

But even the Maoists have not done much work on the separation of powers between the center and the states. Each state will have its three branches of government, that is for sure.

In short, things are exciting. I watch developments in Nepal with abated breath.

In The News

Only the form of struggle has changed, says Prachanda NepalNews his party has not abandoned the long-term people's war strategy .... his party was following the dictum of Mao Zedong that struggle does not end even if the party joins government. .... if their method becomes successful that could trigger waves across the world. ..... Prachanda also mocked the remarks made by Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala recently at SAARC Summit in New Delhi. "He said that he has mainstreamed terrorists but it is clear that the coming days will show who has (mainstreamed) whom," Prachanda said. He also termed seven parties as spineless.
Storage of NA weapons to start from Tuesday
Prachanda calls for unity against ‘conspiracies’
JTMM-Goit abducts Saptari DEO, demands Rs 5m ransom
Army can be mobilised for CA: Nepal

Interview With Upendra Mahato NepalUK.com
भारतको जोगवनीमा फोरमको बैठक
मान्मा घटनामा माओवादीले माफि माग्यो
गोइत समुहद्धारा जिल्ला शिक्षा अधिकारी अपहरीत
निर्वाचन क्षेत्र २ सय ५० पुग्ने
संविधान सभा निर्वाचनमा सेना परिचालनको सम्भावना
गोइत समूहका सैन्य कमाण्डर पक्राउ
माओवादीले प्रहार गरेको गोली लागी आठ घाइते
संविधानसभा निर्वाचन अगाडि राजतन्त्रको फैसला : कोइराला
असन्तुष्ट समुहलाइ सम्बोधन नगरे निर्वाचन जोखिमपुर्ण

Marwari community in panic; 20 abducted in two weeks NepalNews the kidnappers usually keep victims in Koteshwore and Sinamangal areas and free them after getting ransom money. ..... criminals might have collected as much as Rs 500 million in the last six months through kidnapping and extortion
MJF-Maoists clash in Sunsari Activists of MJF and Maoists have clashed and opened fire at each other in Ramgunj Belgachhiya of Sunsari district on Wednesday evening. .... one Birendra Mandal of MJF was injured after Maoist activist named Bibek opened fire.

MPRF ban on newspapers lifted in Rautahat Kantipur
SAC forms taskforce for candidate election bill to clarify all parties’ stand on the issues of inclusion and proportional electoral system. .... so that there is a participation of all communities and classes in the Constituent Assembly (CA) elections and ensure that the Constituent Assembly, to be formed after the elections, is inclusive too.
Govt. to implement master plan on e-government will be implemented between 2007 and 2011 .... allow general citizens to conduct almost 60 percent of activities related to public administration from their homes using a computer and the internet ..... create knowledge-based society .... In the first phase, all the internal processes of the government will be computerized. ...... In the third phase, online systems will be devised to handle request of citizens and in the last phase all processes of the government will be integrated to form a knowledge-based government.
Dangerous to hold elections without addressing demands: EC urged the political parties not to view CA elections as parliamentary elections.
14th SAARC Summit ends adopting 30-point declaration launching of 2007 as the 'Year of Green South Asia.' ..... welcomed the People’s Republic of China, Japan, European Union, Republic of Korea and the United States of America, to be associated as Observers to SAARC. ..... Recognition to the full benefits of an integrated multimodal transport system in the region was also agreed.
संविधानसभामा सहभागिता माग
चेपाङद्वारा एक सिट माग
नेपालमा संघीय प्रणाली

Koirala hints of decision on monarchy ahead of CA polls NepalNews Koirala said the decision on the future of monarchy will be taken before the constituent assembly elections are held on June 20. .... He revealed that he was advised by the Indian leaders to hold talks with Madhesis to resolve existing unrest in terai. ... also informed that unification process between Nepali Congress and Nepali Congress (Democratic) will begin soon after his return to Kathmandu

HURPES makes 10-pt recommendation for free and fair polls NepalNews All political parties should make their income and expenditure in the election transparent
Nepal's attention turns to King
Boucher says Maoists can't be trusted
Police to act tough against rallies and strikes
Poudel urges Maoists to stop threatening people

ँराज्य पुनःसंर चनाबारे आठै दल अस्पष्ट’ प्रिोफेसर अशरफ घानी पर्ूवअर्थमन्त्री, अफगानिस्तान Kantipur तर्राईको समस्या देखिएको छ । .... राज्यको पुनःसंरचनाको कार्यसूची र भविष्यका लागि दृष्टिकोणबारे सात होइन, आठ दल समान रूपले अस्पष्ट छन् । ..... प्रयोग गर्न नजानेको अवस्थामा सङ्घात्मक राज्य व्यवस्था उत्तिकै असक्षम र अप्राकृतिक सावित हुनेछ । ..... राज्यको पुनःसंरचनाभित्र सरकार उत्तरदायी बन्नैपर्ने र पारदर्शी हुनैपर्ने शर्तहरू छन् । ..... मधेशी, थारू, जनजाति सबैको हितमा सांस्कृतिक नीतिहरू निर्धारति हुनर्ुपर्दछ । ..... जनतामा चेतनाको स् तर व्यापक रूपले उच्च छ । ..... यो प्रक्रिया प|mान्सेली क्रान्तिपछिको प्रक्रियाजस्तै छ, नेताहरूले विकसित हु“दै गएको वातावरण अनुसार आफूलाई ढाल्नैपर्ने बाध्यात्मक अवस्था । सबै राजनीतिक दलका नेताहरू त्यो अवस्थाको सामना गररिहेका छन्, जसको परकिल्पना उनीहरूले गरेकै थिएनन् । ...... यतिबेला प्रतिक्रियावादी प्रवृत्तिले टाउको उठाउने सम्भावना धेरै नै क्षीण छ ।
फुक्यो गा“ठो पा“च सूत्रीय सहमति कायम गरी आठ दलले मन्त्रालय बा“डफा“टको टुङ्गो मात्र लगाएनन्, संविधानसभा निर्वाचनको ढोका पनि खोलेका छन्
Maoist FM radio to be legalized: Mahara "All the FM stations would belong to the government since the Maoists have now joined the government."
Maoist cadre killed in clash in Kalikot, security beefed up Six other, including Maoist district in-charge, were severely injured during the scuffle.
GEFONT officials thrashed by Maoists
Three-day prohibitory order issued in Nawalparasi
फोरमले कान्तिपुर जलाए फोरमको समाचार नछापेको भन्दै गाडीका पत्रिका सडकमा निकालेर गाडीमै रहेको ३० लिटर डिजल छर्केर आगो लगाएका थिए ।
बन्दले तराई प्रभावित

'I Gambled 60 years of my Career for Peace in Nepal': Koirala Himalayan Times "I wanted to have a dialogue with the Maoists but was told by many that 'terrorists are not to be believed'," Koirala said.
Gang Kills One, JTMM Blasts Govt Office in Rajbiraj activists of the Terai Janatantrik Mukti Morcha led by Jaykrishna Goit (JTMM-J) exploded a bomb at the District Forest Office at Rajbiraj on Monday night. The bomb went off at around 8:40pm .... Local JTMM leader Bikas claimed responsibility for the blast.
Kalikot HQ Witnesses Overnight Curfew
KC Sees a United Congress in a Month
Rights Abuse Continues Even After Peace Pact: NHRC
Dalit Families Flee Homes Due to JTMM Threats the JTMM activists who had come on two motorbikes
April 8 time limit for giving up illegal arms The Home Ministry today called upon individuals, parties and groups to surrender illegal weapons and explosives they possess at the district administration offices or the nearest police outposts within April 8. .... the government would hold talks with the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) on the management of weapons held by the Maoists outside cantonments for the security of their leaders ....... the government will provide security to Maoist ministers. “No ministers and lawmakers will be allowed to keep private security personnel and arms in the changed context” ...... Minister for Information and Communication Krishna Bahadur Mahara also said today that the Maoist talks team would be dissolved. He also said that the government is ever ready to hold talks with the Madhesis and the Janajatis.
MJF bandh cripples life in Tarai The MJF called the bandh to protest “the apathy of the government towards the problems of the Madhes” and the re-appointment of Krishna Prasad Sitaula as Home Minister. ...... Traffic halted in Biratnagar and shops remained shut. In Birgunj, the main bazaars, factories and academic institutions remained shut. Vehicles stayed off the road, while main bazaars remained shut. Daily work at the Birgunj Customs Point was halted. In Janakpur, MJF activists staged protest demonstrations at different chowks. In Rautahat, academic institutions, shops and factories were shut. Vehicles remained off the roads in Kalaiya of Bara and shops in the district headquarters remained shut. Normal life was also hit in Sarlahi.

Tuesday, April 03, 2007

ज्वाला, गोइत, टाइगर और कोबराको चुनाव क्यों लडना चािहए


गणतान्त्िरक तराई मुक्ित मोर्चा के दो फ्याक्सन हैं, ज्वाला और गोइत। एक हैं मधेशी टाइगर्स। और एक हैं तराई कोबरा। मेरे जानकारीमें तराईके पक्षमें बन्दूक उठाए हुए यही चार समूह हैं। अगर नेपालमें मधेशी दुसरे तीसरे दर्जेके नागिरक, गैर नागिरक न होते तो िजस तरह माअोवादीयोंके साथ वार्ता की गइ, िजस तरह माअोवादी सेनाको क्यान्टोनमेन्टमें रखा गया उसी तरह इन चार मधेसी समूहोके साथ भी शान्ित वार्ता होती। िहंसात्मक संघर्षकी बात छोिडए, २१ िदन तक जो अिहंसात्मक मधेशी क्रान्ित चली, ३८ शहीद हुए, उस तकको पहाडी सत्ताधारीयोने अपमान िकया है। नैितकताके अाधार पर गृह मन्त्रीनें राजीनामा नहीं िदया। ३८ शहीदोंको शहीद घोषणा नहीं िकया गया अभी तक।

ये पहाडी सत्ताधारी मधेशीको अादमी नहीं िगन्ते हैं, समझते हैं कीडामकौरा हैं। उसी यथार्थके िवरूद्ध सद्भावना (अानन्दी) के तरह कुछ मधेशी सत्तामें गए हुए हैं। कुछ मधेशी जनािधकार फोरमके तरह अिहंसात्मक क्रान्ित छेड िदए। कुछनें बन्दूक उठा िलया। रास्ता फरक फरक है लेिकन गन्तव्य तो एक ही है और वो है मधेशी समानता, मधेशीको बराबरका हक िहत िदलाना।

बन्दूक उठाए चार समूह अपने तरह से लड रहे हैं। मधेशी जनािधकार फोरमका अपना लाइन है। सद्भावना (अानन्दी)का अलग लाइन है। पहाडी पार्टीयोंमे जो मधेशी हैं उनका अलग लाइन है। सत्ताधारी अाठ पार्टीके मधेशीयोने िनर्णय कर िलया है िक चुनाव लडना है। राजेन्द्र महतोके शब्दमें संिवधान सभाको "महासंग्राम" माना जा रहा है। वो कोइ गलत लाइन नहीं है।

मधेशी जनािधकार फोरम अौर उपेन्द्र यादवजी गृह मन्त्रीके राजीनामा के अडान पर डटे हैं। उनकी िहम्मतको मैं दाद देता हुँ। मैं न्यु यर्कमें बैठा हुँ। मधेशकी िनर्णय मुझे नहीं करनी है। अिहंसाके दायरामें रहके मधेशी जनािधकार फोरम मधेशी अिधकारके िलए जो भी करे उस प्रित मेरी नैितक समर्थन रहेगी। मैने तो सोंचा था िगिरजा नए सरकारमें िसटौलाको बाइबाइ बोलेगा। लेिकन वैसा नहीं हुवा। िगिरजाका राजनीितक धर्म है बाहुनवाद। वो पहाडी है। अपना धर्म िनभा रहा है। नयी सरकारमें भी िसटौलाको ही गृह मन्त्री पद पर रखके िगिरजाने मधेशी समुदायका घोर अपमान िकया है।

राजतन्त्रके िवरूद्ध लडने के िलए सब पहाडी एक हो गए थे। सात पार्टी अौर माअोवादी एक हो गए थे। पहाडीतन्त्रके िवरूद्ध लडने के िलए सभी मधेशी समूहोंको एक हो जानी परेगी। सद्भावना (अानन्दी), सद्भावना, मधेशी जनािधकार फोरम, गणतान्त्िरक तराई मुक्ित मोर्चा-ज्वाला, गणतान्त्िरक तराई मुक्ित मोर्चा-गोइत, मधेशी टाइगर्स, तराई कोबरा। सबको िमल कर एक मधेशी अलायन्स बनानी होगी। सद्भावना (अानन्दी), सद्भावना, मधेशी जनािधकार फोरम एक तरफ रहेंगे। गणतान्त्िरक तराई मुक्ित मोर्चा-ज्वाला, गणतान्त्िरक तराई मुक्ित मोर्चा-गोइत, मधेशी टाइगर्स, तराई कोबरा दुसरी तरफ। एक समझदारी हो। गणतान्त्िरक तराई मुक्ित मोर्चा-ज्वाला, गणतान्त्िरक तराई मुक्ित मोर्चा-गोइत, मधेशी टाइगर्स, तराई कोबरा बन्दुक अभी नहीं त्यागेंगे। लेिकन बन्दुक चलाएंगे भी नहीं।

अभी तो अजीब स्िथित है। सद्भावना (अानन्दी) का सद्भावनासे गप्प नहीं होता है। सद्भावना (अानन्दी) का मधेशी जनािधकार फोरमसे गप्प नहीं होता है। उन तीनोंका िहंसात्मक समूहोंसे गप्प नहीं होता है। चार जो िहंसात्मक समूह हैं उनका एक दुसरेसे गप्प नहीं होता है। अगर हम सभीका लक्ष्य एक है तो हम एक दुसरेसे गप्प क्यों नहीं कर सकते हैं?

मधेशी अलायन्स अगर गठन होती है तो उसके पास दो रास्ता है। या तो संिवधान सभाके चुनावके दौरान एक हप्ता नेपाल बन्द करके चुनावको िबथोल्ना, या तो चुनावको "महासंग्राम" के रूपमें स्वीकार करना। मेरा प्रस्ताव है िक संिवधान सभाके चुनावको महासंग्रामके रूपमें स्वीकार िकया जाए। बल्िक एक मधेशी अलायन्स गठन हो अौर चुनावमें हम मधेशी तराईमें स्वीप करें।

अायरल्याण्डमें िसन फेन सेना भी रखती थी अौर राजनीितक पार्टी भी। गणतान्त्िरक तराई मुक्ित मोर्चा-ज्वाला, गणतान्त्िरक तराई मुक्ित मोर्चा-गोइत, मधेशी टाइगर्स, तराई कोबरा को मेरा सुझाव है िक अाप लोग भी वैसा ही करें। अपना अपना राजनीितक पार्टी खोेलें अौर चुनावमें होम जाएँ। मधेशी अलायन्स तराईमें स्वीप करेगी अौर सरकार बनाएगी, वो सरकार अापसे अादरपूर्वक बात करेगी, तब अाप बन्दूकको पूर्णा रूपसे िवस्राम देंगे। अभी लेिकन बम अौर बन्दूकको चुप रिखए।

मधेशी अलायन्स अगर बनती है तो उसे एक कमन िमनीमम प्रोग्रामकी अावश्यकता परेगी। हमारा प्रमुख मुद्दा तो है मधेश राज्यका स्थापना। उस पर भी कइ तरहकी बाते हैं। सद्भावना (अानन्दी) कहती है पुर्वी तराई, पश्िचमी तराई करके दो राज्य हो। मधेशी जनािधकार फोरम अौर गणतान्त्िरक तराई मुक्ित मोर्चा-गोइत पुरे तराईको एक राज्यके रूपमें देखना चाहती है। मधेशी टाइगर्स, तराई कोबराको भी शायद वही चािहए। गणतान्त्िरक तराई मुक्ित मोर्चा-ज्वाला तराईमें चार राज्य चाहती है: थारूवान, अवध, भोजपुर, िमिथला। मातृका यादवको दो राज्य चािहए, थारूवान अौर मधेश। अन्ितम िनर्णय लेिकन जनता करेगी।

मधेशी अान्दोलनके क्रममें मैं देख रहा हुँ अभी सबसे महत्वपूर्ण बात है मधेशी जनािधकार फोरमका एक राजनीितक पार्टी बन जाना। तब तो मधेशी अलायन्स ठोस रूपसे न बने तो भी कोइ बेफायदा नहीं है। गणतान्त्िरक तराई मुक्ित मोर्चा-ज्वाला, गणतान्त्िरक तराई मुक्ित मोर्चा-गोइत, मधेशी टाइगर्स, तराई कोबरा बन्दूक न छोडे, िसर्फ अपनी अपनी राजनीितक फ्रन्ट खडा करके चुनाव लडे तो भी ठीक है। थोडा बहुत चुनावी तालमेल हो सीटोंके िलए। अाधा जो समानुपाितक िनर्वाचनकी बात है, उसके िलए तो वैसी तालमेलकी भी जरूरत नहीं है।

मधेशी अान्दोलनके इस मोड पर अाके मधेशी जनािधकार फोरमका धर्म बनता है िक खुदको एक राजनीितक पार्टी बना लें अौर नारा दे िक िजन िजन चुनावी क्षेत्रोमें मधेशी बहुमतमें हैं उनसे िसर्फ मधेशीयोको ही िजताया जाए। मधेशसे पहाडी नेताअोंका पत्ता साफ करो। िगिरजाको हराअो। िसटौलाको हराअो। अब हम लोग राजीनामाकी भीख माङना छोड दें अौर उनको चुनावमें हरानेकी बात करें। जो जनता सडक पर उतरके क्रान्ित कर सकती है, शहीद हो सकती है वो जनता भोट भी तो दे सकती है।


Madhesi Aawaz
  1. ज्वाला, गोइत, टाइगर और कोबराको चुनाव क्यों लडना चािहए (April 3, 2007) (Words)
  1. Madhesi Janajati Kranti Ka Aelan (February 25, 2007)
  2. Pure Desh Ko Paralyze Kar Do (Poem) (February 27, 2007) (Words)
  3. Sangram, Mahasangram (March 7, 2007)
  1. Maobadi Tanashahi Murdabad (Poem) (February 25, 2007) (Words)
  2. Girija Ko Kursi Se Hata Do, Ceremonial Bana Do (Poem) (February 24, 2007) (Words)
  3. Agar Sadak Par Phir Se Utadni Padi To (Poem) (February 21, 2007) (Words)
  4. Chunawi Jung (Poem) (February 18, 2007) (Words)
  5. Bijay Ki Sugandh Aa Rahi Hai (Poem) (February 7, 2007) (Words)
  6. Maghe Kranti (Poem) (February 4, 2007) (Words)
  7. Datey Raho (Poem) (January 28, 2007) (Words)
  8. Shanti Barta Kya Bijaya Ghoshana Karo (Poem) (January 25, 2007) (Words)
  9. Madhesh Jal Rahi Hai (Poem) (January 22, 2007) (Words)
  10. Phir Se Kah Do Ek Baar Inqilaab (Poem) (December 29, 2006) (Words)
In The News

Rights activists blame MJF for gross violations in Gaur massacre NepalNews though there were weaknesses on the part of the Maoists as well as the government, the MJF was to blame for gross rights violations. .... 27 persons were brutally murdered – many of them severely tortured to death .... Three women were raped and murdered.
NPC unveils three-year plan for rural reconstruction
CIAA interrogates former army chief Thapa
ADB names Bindu Lohani as Vice-President He joined the ADB in 1985 after serving in several government departments in Nepal. He holds a Bachelor’s, degree, with gold medal for 1st rank, in Civil Engineering, Master’s degree in Environmental Engineering and P.H.D in Environmental Engineering.
Prohibitory order in Nawalparasi ahead of a planned mass meeting of the Young Communist League (YCL), a front of the Maoists.
Sitaula starts second innings with tough warning; talks teams dissolved
Maoists attack locals in Kalikot; locals protest Maoist excesses

Bandh called by MJF hits normal life in Terai NepalNews The MJF called the bandh demanding judicial probe into the loss of lives and property during the weeks of Terai unrest earlier and resignation of Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula. ..... Vehicles remained off the road from early in the morning while shops, educational institutes, factories remained closed due to the bandh called by MJF. Only few bicycles, rickshaws and motorbikes could be seen plying on the roads in major towns. .... The MJF activists burnt tyres at different chowks in Birgunj. In Janakpur, demonstrators burnt tyres on the road and bazaars remain totally closed there. ..... Biratnagar, Janakpur, Nawalparasi, Butwal and Jaleshwor of Mahottari, Siraha, Saptari and Kapilvastu have been affected by the strike. ....... Security in Malangawa has been heightened following an announcement of a rally by the MJF in the afternoon.

JTMM-Goit detonates four bombs in Janakpur NepalNews
Koirala ‘unhappy’ with UML’s choice of team leader in govt
House reappoints Koirala as PM
CA polls on June 20, Poudel senior most minister
PM administers oath to ministers and state ministers; 22 member cabinet unveiled
List of ministers of interim cabinet
Maoists take a long march - from jungles to Singhdurbar
Martin hails formation of inerim govt; US to continue assistance
Our main priority is free, fair and fearless CA, says Prachanda



रतन झा: मधेसी व्रि्रोह ः चुनौती र अवसर
पुरे देशको प्यारालाइज कर दो
माअोवादी तानाशाही मुर्दाबाद
िगिरजाको कुर्सी से हटा दो, सेरेमोिनयल बना दो
अगर सडक पर िफर से उतडनी पडी तो
चुनावी जंग
िवजयकी सुगन्ध अा रही है
समानता अौर अिधकार पर्याप्त नहीं हैं, हमें तो शक्ित चािहए
माघे क्रान्ित
सत्ताधारी सात पहाडी पार्टीको घैंटोमा अझै घाम लागेको छैन
सरिता गिरी: अशान्त मधेस, नया नेपाल
माघे क्रान्ित, राजावादी र िहन्दु कट्टरपन्थीबारे
डटे रहो
शान्ित वार्ता क्या, िवजय घोषणा करो
बराबर जनसंख्याबाला २०५ सीट
मधेश जल रही है
ि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


Thursday, March 29, 2007

New York Metro Nepalis: Organizational Challenges




ANONYM Audio 4 03/31/07
ANONYM Audio 3 03/31/07

As we head towards our May 12 meeting at Yak, I see a few options before us.

(1) The Tara Niraula Option. His organization the America Nepal Friendship Society calls up meetings, and he runs them, once every six months.

(2) The Khagendra GC Option. This is now in play. There is a Coordination Committee. And there is a rotating leadership. So if organization A ran the meeting this time, after all other organizations have done the same, it will be organization A's turn all over again, which will be in about15 years, considering there are about 30 organizations, and we are scheduled to meet once every six months.

(3) The Luna Ranjit Option. Meet more often, maybe once every three months. And have collective leadership. To be honest, I don't know what that means. What is collective leadership? It can mean wonderful cooperation, but then it can also mean everybody's business is nobody's business.

(4) The Anand Bist Option. There is no need for a Coordination Committee. There is definitely no need for an umbrella organization. "Organization haroo ko pani organization kahin hunchha? Kahin na sunya kura."

(5) The Paramendra Bhagat Option. Form an umbrella organization. ANONYM: Association Of Nepali Organizations In New York Metro.

Of course I will go with the democratic choice of the majority. And right now looks like it is going to be the Khagendra GC Option. But I do stand by my proposal. And I would like to continue to make a case for it.

My proposal is to:
  1. Make all the existing organizations much more accountable to their individual members. You do that by injecting democracy and transparency into them. All members will be listed online. All bookkeeping will be online. All voting will be open. Minutes of all meetings will be posted online.
  2. You form the umbrella organization and break it up from the rest of the diaspora. That way ANONYM goes head to head with NAC and NRNA. NAC and NRNA are too elitist and opaque. NRNA is more like a Chamber Of Commerce.
  3. This break comes to an end after NAC and NRNA have adopted democracy and transparency as their basic principles. Then we stitch it back up.
  4. Build The Matrix so as to rope in other New Yorkers as well. That way we Nepalis form the nucleus of an emerging movement in the city. We help export the April Revolution into countries like Bhutan, Burma, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe.
  5. We use The Matrix to earn voting rights for us in the city.
  6. The flagship of the ANONYM will be Nepali Convention 2008, NYC.
Why is there resistance to my proposal?
  1. Very few Nepalis are organized, period. Less than 100 Nepalis in the city are active members of one or the other organization. People feel they are too busy making money. They don't have time. They feel there is no need. They feel they are being realistic. The most powerless are the ones who need to get organized the most. It is a chicken egg situation. The Nepali are powerless because they are not organized. They are not organized because they are powerless.
  2. Members of the various organizations are apathetic. They are not engaged. They are not involved much.
  3. Leaders do not practice democracy and transparency. And so they fail to empower their members.
  4. Organizing Nepalis in the city has never been a mass based concept. What I am proposing is a mass based thing. The thinking so far has been if you know these 10-20 people, you know everyone you need to know.
  5. There is this Nepal fixation. People don't talk about their utter powerlessness in the city. We are busy talking up the ethnic politics in Nepal. We have to talk up both.
  6. There is fear if ANONYM is formed, I might become its president. Symbolically speaking, that makes some people queasy. I am a Madhesi.
  7. There are a lot of Nepalis who feel they have finally seen my "true face" after the Madhesi Movement. They don't like what they see. I am not going to hide anything. I am wedded to the idea of a Madhesh state, Rapti to Mechi. And we will get it through the ballot box. If you believe in democracy and federalism, but you don't like my map, you have the option to try and sell that alternate map to the Madhesi people.
But primarily it is lack of political consciousness in the community. Lack of time, lack of money are secondary reasons. There is lack of money because powerless communities by defintion will be poor.

The Nepalis in New York City as dwellers of the capital city of the world are well positioned to provide leadership to the entire Nepali diaspora across the world. Nepalis are powerless across the world. If we can get them organized on a mass scale through the basic principles of democracy and transparency, we will realize this is but the natural next step to the wonderful April Revolution itself.

For me it is like this. The April Revolution made the Madhesi Movement possible. Both should make the Diaspora Movement possible.

But right now I am not hopeful that the ANONYM proposal will be adopted. My best bet is to go beyond the leadership and to the people. But that will be a tough nut to crack.

Another option is to take my focus away to my private endeavor which is the single best thing we can do for the Global South, the IC.

My new signature that goes out with all my emails is this.

http://ic101.blogspot.com
http://bhagatversion.blogspot.com

Please take a moment to take an online survey. Just click here and enter survey number 49593 in the Take A Survey box on the bottom right!

Nepali Convention 2008, NYC (Put On Hold, Likely Not Happening Due To Rejection Of ANONYM Proposal)
ANONYM Audio 2 03/24/07
ANONYM Audio 03/21/07
Invest 03/19/07
Audio Message 03/03/07
ANONYM: Association Of Nepali Organizations In New York Metro




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Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Suvechha Adhikari: Youth Representation


Girija Bahun Baje Dumbass

YOUTH MOVEMENT FOR RIGHT TO REPRESENTATION IN NEPAL’S POLITCAL AND PEACE PROCESS

To all the youth of Nepal struggling for representation and space in current
political and peace process

We, the ALLIANCE FOR PEACE: YOUTH SOLIDARITY NETWORK NEPAL, are reaching out
to ALL the youth of Nepal and would invite you all to "walk together" with
us to secure a space for ourselves in current political and peace process.
Our intent has been to pressurize the CURRENT GOVERNMENT and POLITCAL
PARTIES to acknowledge our efforts and activism in bringing political change
in Nepal and in restoring peace and democracy in Nepal.

When a country is moving through a transition to democratic setup, its
future rests on the foundation of the responsibilities taken up by the
youth. In Nepal, youth have always played an integral role in bringing
social and political change either by participating in the democratic
struggle directly, fighting against social injustice or involving themselves
in the process of community development.

In the past, when democratic principles and values were curbed and
fundamental rights restrained, YOUTH managed to come to the forefront and
fought for the democratic movement. The democratic movement of 1990 and the
recent one of April 2006 have proved it.

In most of the countries where transition to democracy takes place, the
country also witnesses the end of OLDER GENERATION rule - the political
leaders and elite gets younger. Nepal is also moving through a transition to
democracy and process has been started in establishing "New Nepal " a
"Progressive Nepal ".

But progressive Nepal and social political and economic change is not
possible without the involvement of youth - youth, who are educated,
competent, dedicated, who are receptive to progressive ideas and are willing
to work across party lines.

WE YOUTH being a prime mover of the country, a strong defender of democracy
have often been used, misguided and exploited by the political and social
elite for their temporary gains and once the objective is achieved our
actions are forgotten and our activism is sidelined. We have become
marginalized from all the political and peace processes and become
completely powerless and disconnected from the mainstream political and
peace process.

THEREFORE, WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN US IN OUR EFFORTS FOR SECURING YOUTH RIGHTS

TO REPRESNTATION IN CURRENT POLITICAL AND PEACE PROCESS.
EXPRESS YOUR SOLIDARITY BY DROPPING WORDS OF SUPPORT IN

ysncore@gmail.com
info@afpnepal.org

Nepalese Politics: It’s Time for Generation Next

The young political leaders generally are also tolerant and open-minded regarding the democratisation process, economical reforms, and promotion of human rights - especially rights of women, children, minorities and the disabled. And, when we are talking about the young politicians we are talking about the people who are below the age of 40 unlike some political leaders of Nepal who still claim to be ‘young’ in their 50s.

By Suvechha Adhikari

The demand for change and an overarching spirit for the establishment of ‘New Nepal’ has dominated the current discourse for peace and democracy. However, the establishment of new Nepal is only possible if there is a replacement of one generation by another with new experiences and attitudes especially when it comes to social political and economic transformation. There has been a dramatic change in Nepal’s politics - signing of Comprehensive Peace Agreement, the Maoists entering the Parliament and preparation for Constituent Assembly election. But in the face of tough challenges ahead the political leaders are the same - older generation leaders who are responding attitudinally and behaviorally in a similar fashion to these new political developments.

In most countries where transition to democracy takes place, the country also witnesses the end of gerontocratic rule – and the political elite gets younger. When Kenya was passing through the transition to democracy, the only hope for the Kenyan people was the new generation of people who entered the parliament. The people were hopeful and it was the only way to root out the inept and regressive parliamentary culture. Similarly in Serbia, after it came out of the conflict and was passing through a transitional phase the country’s political elite also became young; 68% of its political elite were below 36 years of age. Likewise, in Estonian election in 2002 over 50% of the MP were selected for the first time in the parliament and the country has a Prime Minster who is just 37, Minster of Finance and Justice who are 29 years old. When the country is in a transformative process, it demands new ideas, legislative techniques and understanding on the progressive legislative bodies to deal with the complex policymaking and legislation processes. Similarly, during country’s transition to democracy, the issue of party lines also emerges, and it is substantiated that if young political leaders represented in the ruling power they have fewer ties to corruption and power struggle. The young political leaders generally are also tolerant and open-minded regarding the democratisation process, economical reforms, and promotion of human rights - especially rights of women, children, minorities and the disabled. And, when we are talking about the young politicians we are talking about the people who are below the age of 40 unlike some political leaders of Nepal who still claim to be ‘young’ in their 50s. Young political leaders with new ideas; who are dedicated and committed; who are free from the judgmental values; who hold the forward-looking and progressive perspectives. It is not only in the countries which are in transition to democracy but countries with well established democracies also, the representation of young people in different level of state structure is in practice. In India’s 14th Lok Sabha, 175 MPs were young political leaders, the largest in number and many of them were the first timers in their thirties.

Nepal has politically astute and disciplined young political leaders in political parties and their sister organisations. Young leaders who have always played an integral role in bringing social and political change in the country either by participating in the democratic struggle directly, fighting against social injustice or involving themselves in the process of community development. In the past, despite unfavorable circumstances when democratic principles and values were curtailed and fundamental rights restrained, youth political leaders have always managed to come to the forefront and become explicitly political which vitalised their tactics of dissent. From 1951, with the start of Jayatu Sansritam movement to end the 104 years of Rana oligarchy, and the struggle for democracy to the struggle of 2006, young political leaders have always played an important role. However, after each struggle and with the restoration of democracy, the efforts of these young political leaders are neither legitimised nor recognised. During the struggle, their presence as strong defenders of democracy is celebrated, but after the restoration of the democracy, their active contribution is shaded out by history and by subsequent political developments. Senior party leaders mobilise these young political leaders as their auxiliary troops to fight for their benefit and once the objective is achieved the senior honchos disown the responsibility of organising and thus distance from themselves. In April 2006, the young political leaders backed up the movement of eight political parties to fight for the democracy and regressive regime but now with the reinstatement of democracy and transitional structure in place, these young political leaders have found themselves less and less central to the processes of transformation. They are indiscernible in all the critical transitional structures and have found very few political opportunities existing for them to play a meaningful role. The major political parties of Nepal are still bogged down by hierarchical tendency and are shaped with the principle of a single leader and family politics, appointing officials of their choice and distributing public roles not on the basis of actual capabilities and virtues of those chosen. In this context where the senior and old party leaders holding authoritarian principle and conservative views have an immense leverage in the political party the young political leaders who differ from their line of thinking find it difficult to get a meaningful space in the party and show their presence at the national and local level political scenario.

The 11 years of violent conflict has completely diminished the very fabric of Nepali society and coexistence but even after the end of conflict the situation hasn’t changed qualitatively. The gap between the eight political parties, civil society and the citizens of Nepal is widening, and the gap can only be bridged with a major switch in the generations in politics. Considering the current political environment and the decaying public spirit, attention has to be paid in engaging young political leaders in the ruling power – at the national and local level government - since they are more open and more willing than their older colleagues to cooperate with the civil society of the country - they understand the necessity of building strong civil society and are ready for a fair discourse. These young political leaders will also have a shared identity that is defined by political competence, receptive to progressive ideas and a willingness to work across party lines. They also have a shared aspiration for progress and they innately know that gender, religion, ethnicity and geographic boundaries should not stand in their way.

To reinforce the three final points underlying this whole argument, firstly there is a growing demand for change. Secondly leaders should be capable of providing this change and, thirdly, it seems necessary that for the said change to take place, more young leaders need to be encouraged to come to the forefront. It can be felt that with the emerging socio-political issues such as rights of women, Madhesis and even gays and lesbians in this post conflict situation, the leaders who are at the helm now cannot bring about the desired and required change since their socio-cultural orientation prohibits them from coming up with the creative and bold ideas and plans for an inclusive and democratic New Nepal. In any emerging democracy youth participation in a political and process is imperative since these emerging democracies often have a very large young population. Excluding them from political process would mean disregarding a larger part of the population, which would result in the misrepresentation of the population in general. And to re-emphasise this final point in context to Nepal, even though people have often spoken in favour of giving chance to second generation leaders in the current political process, but the defining factor here should be that we need more leaders who are at the least below 40 years of age.

(Ms. Adhikari is working as a Researcher in a Kathmandu-based organisation working for Nepal's transition process. Please send your comments to suvechha1@hotmail.com)

Girija Bahun Baje Dumbass