Madhes, CA Election & International Community

Madhes, CA Election & International Community

Cordial Invitation to participate in an online exclusive discussion:

Dear All, we have decided to put the topic “Madhes, CA Election International Community” as major discussion topic of this week therefore; it would be great if you could write your comments, views, observation and suggestions on the issues. Please be informed that all significant writings and conversational transactions will be submitted to the concerned all governmental, parliamentary, judiciary, constitutional and political authorities and superior political personality of Nepal as well it could be possible to use your writings for media reports and research analyse too. Therefore, complete email signature in your writing would be highly appreciable.

1. Is it possible to conduct CA Election in due time without resolving the crisis of Madhes before CA election?

2. Since Madhes is suffering with various Arm and Unarmed Insurgencies, in such ground, is it possible to resolve such huge crisis charismatically within rest few days of CA election? If yes, how and what would be best ideas to resolve the issue in charismatic way?

3. What would be the best role and possible contribution of International community (including India and UNMIN) to resolve the Madhes issues and build a harmonious environment for CA election?

4. What about the legitimacy and validity of CA election if the majorities of Madhesi political powers as well as insurgents group ignore and disturb the CA election, in case government try to impose CA election without solving Madhesi issue? Does it suffer with the similar status as local election (7% vote were casted only) conducted during direct Gyanendra regime?

5. Is there any best idea, ways and approach to solve the Madhesi issues through peaceful means and conduct in CA election in due time? Please give some descriptive and empirical recommendations.

Please follow, observe, contribute or participate in our exclusive online discussion: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/NepalOfficers/ or click me for direct access

Sincerely’

Krishna Hari Pushkar

‘Federalism will lead to a bloodbath’

‘Federalism will lead to a bloodbath’

Bhimarjan Acharya is a senior constitutional expert with a dozen books to his credit. He has been actively advocating against the SPA's decision that led to the Third Amendment to the Interim Constitution declaring Nepal a federal republic.

Acharya has been in the legal profession for the past decade. He thinks the country will disintegrate with a federal system. Acharya spoke with Puran P Bista and Kamal Raj Sigdel of The Kathmandu Post on why Nepal should not become a federal country.

Excerpts: Q: Federalism has become the buzzword. You are not in favor of it. Why is that?

Bhimarjan Acharya: There are three reasons why Nepal should not have a federal system. Federalism has certain pre-conditions that are not suitable to this country. For example, federalism is derived from the Latin feudus, which means treaty or an agreement between or among states. This certainly indicates a coming together of separate states after reaching an understanding. This is one of the pre-conditions for going federal. In Nepal's case, it is not a number of states joining to form a country. Secondly, federalism is a concept which is related to colonial states. Most of the states that have adopted a federal system came into being after obtaining independence from their colonial masters. So federalism is directly linked with colonialism. America, for instance, was a British colony; and there were several distinct states before they came together to become what is called the United States of America. Similarly, Switzerland has got its own history of how it became a federal country. Canada is another example. It has a different federal system. India became federal after it became independent in 1947. Argentina and Brazil are other examples. We are forcefully trying to make Nepal a federal country which has existed for centuries as an independent state. Many of us justify making Nepal a federal country because of its heterogeneity and diversity. Here, we must keep in mind that the approximately 24 federal countries in the world became federal not due to heterogeneity or diversity as such. I think that heterogeneous or diverse countries are most prone to disintegration. We can see homogeneous countries having a federal structure of governance. There are less chances of disintegration when a federal county is homogenous. Germany is a homogenous country - one language, one culture and one religion. Australia is another example. Americans speak one language. Countries such as Sudan, Ethiopia, Belgium and even Iraq have been facing serious internal conflicts though they are federal states. What is the reason behind the failure? It is just because of heterogeneity. So, Nepal cannot survive if it opts for federalism. We cannot federalize it if we look at our ground realities. It is impossible, even though our elite continue to advocate making Nepal a federal country. This is impossible. Federating an independent country is an unnatural task. See how Sudan, Ethiopia and Belgium have been on the verge of disintegration. The survival of these countries has been threatened. Secondly, if we examine our geo-politics and even culture, it is impossible to federalize this country.

Q: How are you going to make this country inclusive which is the new buzzword?

Acharya: Yes, our main concern is to make this country inclusive, and not to federalize it in order to make it inclusive. We just talk about inclusiveness on the basis of federalism. But federalism is just the opposite of inclusiveness. The main thing for inclusiveness is to devolve power in order to empower the people at the grassroots level. We have to have mechanisms which will redistribute the resources.

In a federal structure, you divide the strength of the country rather than the resources. Federalism divides power on the basis of resources. This system will not be inclusive, but it will make certain states exclusive. Demanding a federal state is to be exclusive so that it can break away at any time or provide space for external interference. Every community will be excluded from the benefits. A few elite in power will continue to play with the division of power. A developed and modern country does not allow the Madhesis to collect tax and spend it for their benefit or the hills to develop hydropower and spend it for the development of the hills only. An inclusive or developed state should redistribute natural resources for the benefit of the masses or share the economic burdens equally. Dalits consist of 13 percent of the total population of this country. Will this community ever enjoy the benefits of the country's economy when you talk about the income of Madhes for the Madhesis? So, let us not try to think of making Nepal a federal country. It will just lead to a bloodbath.

Q: The SPA has already amended the Interim Constitution declaring the country a federal republic. How will it be possible to reverse that?

Acharya: Yes, we can amend the Interim Constitution. The Seven-Party Alliance (SPA) decided to hold the constituent assembly elections within June 2007. Why couldn't the polls be held in June? The SPA again announced that they would be held on November 22, 2007. Why did the SPA fail to hold the CA polls on that day too? The SPA had promised to fulfill several demands of the people. It has signed pacts with the Janajatis and the Madhesi People's Right Forum. Why did it fail to implement the agreements? The question is not the amendment to the Interim Constitution. What has been decided so far may jeopardize the political course. All political commitments made by the SPA so far have been based on personal interests. No party has actually worked to fulfill the needs of the people. Why did the SPA raise the number of CA seats from 205 to 497 to 601? Did the people give them such a right? You cannot amend constitutional provisions to suit your own interests. You have to respect the political document and fulfill the needs of the people. After all, the people fought for their rights, and not the few political misfits who are reaping the benefits of the April movement. Secondly, the people of this country have not been demanding a federal Nepal. Can any politician prove that the people fought for a federal country? These politicians have been delivering verdicts instead of debating on the core issue. I was personally involved in the fight against King Gyanendra's autocracy. I have not yet read any news story that says that the people wanted to make this country a federal state. Why did the politicians decide something which was not the people's demand? Every individual talked about democracy and republic, but none uttered the word federalism. So it is easy to amend the Interim Constitution because federalism is not the people's demand. The politicians should not make wrong decisions. They cannot create a nation-state by making such wrong decisions. You cannot correct the wrong. I know the so-called elite are actively involved in turning this country federal. It was they who influenced the political decisions in this country. They must know that they do not represent the people's aspirations. They crave for power and think that federalizing this country would provide them a greater political stake. The main concern is to transform the political system of this country. How? The spirit of the April movement was not to make Nepal a federal state. So they should not work for that objective.

Q: Many defend federalism as the way to empower the people at the grassroots level. Is this assessment wrong?

Acharya: This is a wrong concept. There are differences between the unitary and federal systems. A unitary system tries to unite the country, while a federal system divides sovereignty and encourages disintegration. The necessity is not to partition sovereignty, but to devolve power within the unitary system. Why is the number of federal countries not increasing? Can you imagine Nepal remaining an integrated country if you federalize it? A federal state shares judicial, legislative and parliamentary powers. This is to divide power among the states. Such power divisions will encourage separatist movements as we have seen in Sudan, Belgium, Ethiopia and even in India. Professor Dias says federalism is suitable for homogeneous countries. It will not bring any unity in diversity. If we want to see unity in diversity, the unitary system is the best one. What we are doing is artificially trying to disintegrate the country before bringing it together. Q: But the Janajatis and Madhesis have been demanding a federal Nepal. How do you assess their demands when you know Nepal will disintegrate once it becomes a federal country? Acharya: As I said, it is not the demand of the Madhesis and Janajatis. A few elite who have been sidelined for years have come forward with such a demand. Honestly speaking, they want to seize power and become chief ministers of such federal states. They want to become another autocrat. Autonomy and the right to self-determination are again linked with colonial powers. No country has colonized Nepal. The 1960 UN Declaration clearly mentions certain provisions on self-determination and federal states. The people of a certain region enjoy the right to self-determination only if the country is under a colonial power. Or the people enjoy the right to self-determination only if the country is ruled by an external power. Where can you find such rights to self-determination applicable to territory when it has not been ruled by any external power? Madhes wants to be a separate state, which means the right to self-determination applicable to individuals and the state. This means the right to secede at any time. However, for the sake of simplicity, I said the right of self-determination applicable to individuals and the right to self-determination applicable to the community and not the state. The demand made by the Madhesis and Janajatis are the right to self-determination applicable to the state. This cannot be possible in an independent country like Nepal. If you are talking about the right to self-determination applicable to individuals, then it is possible. Even the UN declaration mentions that. But it is unnatural to break up a unitary state in order to federalize it. Federalism, by its very virtue, is division of power and sovereignty. Do you think the country will survive if you divide its sovereignty? The demand for the right to self-determination clearly underlines secession. If you want to form an independent country, then you can have the right to self-determination and advocate a federal Nepal. We are not fighting for independence. Are we going to lose our sovereignty? Again, self-governance and self-determination are totally different entities. You cannot equate the two ideas. We must know that unitary and centralized systems are not identical either. A unitary system can address the needs of the people, empower the local people and redistribute the available resources while the centralized system will not. I know the unitary system is something totally different and we can go for it.

Q: How will the unitary system devolve power to the people at the grassroots level?

Acharya: Certainly, there are several examples. A number of countries have adopted a unitary system of governance. We can decentralize power. If you think that federal countries have a better system of decentralizing power, why is the number of federal countries not increasing from 24 to 25 out of 230 countries? Federalism is an outdated 17th-century model. It is not applicable to Nepal.

Q: Why has federalism become the new buzzword?

Acharya: There are three reasons. There is a conviction among politicians that a federal Nepal will be a better option. Secondly, I wouldn't call them anti-establishment, but some people are raising the issue of federalism just to gain political mileage as they have been ignored or sidelined for a long time. They see this period of political transformation as an opportunity to destabilize the country. This group is very powerful. They move around politicians exerting influence on key political decisions. The prime minister announced at midnight on Magh 10, 2063 that Nepal would be a federal country. Nobody knew until then that the country would have a federal system. Who decided that - you, me or the people? Unfortunately, the Madhesi movement gained currency. The SPA amended the Interim Constitution, and again recently the SPA added a clause to it declaring that Nepal would be a federal republic. Federalism is a highly technical word. People are unaware of it. Yet the politicians under the influence of a few so-called intellectuals decided to make Nepal a federal country.

Source

FAQ commentary on Nepalese Women Leader

By Krishna Hari Pushkar, a FAQ commentary on Nepalese Women Leader

FAQ on Sujata Koirala

I would like to extend my sincere congratulations and warm greetings to Hon. Ms. Sujata Koirala for her outstanding political achievements.

Who is Sujata Koirala?

Newly appointed Hon. Minister Ms. Sujata Koirala is a strong and active women personality of Nepal Congress Party of Nepal, who holds special expertise in national and international political arena. She has been working as a capacity of chief: International Division of Nepali Congress Party. She is executive member of central committee of Nepali Congress Party and member of Interim Parliament too. Besides, only she has got a grand opportunity to observe the evolution of political and democratic development in Nepal since her childhood by empirical observation through the eyes of G.P Koirala. She is informally in active politics since her uncle BP and father GP Koirala were actively involved in the democratic revolution in Nepal despite of living and exiled life in India and after 1990 she adopted officially active political career.

Why Sujata is appointed as a Minister?

Basically her appointment is considered as a part of state commitments towards women inclusion in the overall State affairs & decisions making system. She holds more than enough political, legal and professional capabilities and is emerging as a most eligible candidate for Minister, in the Nepali Congress Party and nation too. Before blaming her as a part of nepotism or favouritism, one can also compare her with other existing and past women members of minister council. Obviously, she would be more eligible than others (7 indicators to conclude this.)

Beginning of political affiliation and activities, academic ground, professional capability, contribution for social development and welfare (She has been contributing more than the local State mechanisms through her NGOs/charity/foundations in various sector and part of Nepal), capabilities of international relation and political diplomacy, political and social hold in respective area and sector, popularity in national and international affairs, & Personal and political performance.

However, these comparisons must be based on the span of age and his/her achieved political productivity.

What are her major exclusive political contributions in Nepali Congress Party?

A. She must be congratulated for the greater role and contribution in women empowerment, and women mainstreaming works inside the parliament, government and her own male-dominated traditional political party of Nepal. B. She must be accredited for the Institutional development and internationalization of Nepali Congress party and its mechanisms. C. Her one of the major achievement is constitution and effective expansion of the various wings of Nepali Congress Party in various part of the world including Europe. D. She is only one the non-Madheshi central members of Nepali Congress Party who has been boldly raising and advocating the Madheshi and issue of minorities ethnic groups and harmoniously coordinating with various Madheshi and other ethnic leaders and parties to resolve the contemporary ethnic issues. & E. She has been maintaining very good relations with various donor agencies, global renowned personalities, international political leaders, diplomats and institutions on behalf of the Nepal Congress Party.

What are her major strengths for her political career?

A. She became top-brass women political national leader; B. She has an exceptional political backup C. She has a greater sympathy from women, and new generation’s political cadres and their supporters; D. She has one of the most strong and productive national and international political network and access E. She has emerged as a successor of existing Head of the State/Government, F. She has a strong political hold among the people and specially with the voters in respective constituency, & G decades long direct and active affiliations in social service, welfare and development through NGOs are also considered as her huge political strength

What are her major weaknesses?

A. She trusts anyone easily and speaks frankly in informal issues and ways in good faith without digging detail and analysing the people’s ground and environment B. She is considered little short tempered, highly emotional with less longanimity. C. She is straightforward and performs non-buttering/western behaviour which is still indigestible in Nepalese traditional societies and political culture D. She has failed to build an inclusive personal and professional advisory/assistive network and connections which are crucial in present context since she belongs to Madhesh region of Nepal. E. Her inefficient affiliation, role, tackle and interventional touch in national controversial issues. F. She has often difficulties to follow up, renew and maintain update for political relation and people to people interpersonal contact due to her unmanaged political and social daily schedule. & G. Until now, she is nor much strategic neither very tactful

Why Nepalese media often highlights & affiliates her name in corruption, smuggling, and intervention, illegal and un-democratic activities?

A. Normally it is being contempt due to political ideology and basically by communist and anti- Koirala family medias due to jealous and various self-centred grievances , however, they never ever have submitted or presented any officials proofs for her any bad-doings. B. They consider Ms. Sujata as successor and synonymous image of Mr. Girija Prasad Koirala, so all the personal and political enemies and competitors of Koirala’s consider her in similar way. C. Many political leaders as well as Nepalese anti-Koirala Medias don’t like to see Koirala family anymore as a national political power and sources. They are afraid of her emerging political strength and Nepalese circumstances of political transition. They think their controversial misinterpretation and unwanted accusation on her in various issues could badly damage her personality and finally they would be able to push down her political career, & which would later make it easy to achieve their self-centred individual interests. D.She is highly active and takes deep interest in various national issues of public interests, so it is obvious that the level of mistakes could possible in the quantity-quality of performance delivery and activities ratio. & E. The prejudiced Nepalese media and her opposers often present her only as a nutcase daughter and successor of existing Prime Minister of Nepal Girija Prasad Koirala, despite the fact that she has also her own exclusive active political role, contribution and affiliation in Nepali Congress Party since decades.

Why some people consider her as hated personality?

There are no any special reasons for such pathetic perception or feeling, though her prejudiced opposers claims that She does not have any political contributions in democratic movements of Nepal despite the fact that She holds decades long political contribution, affiliation and sacrifice in various personal, political and social phenomena. In addition, they also claim, She unwontedly intervene the decision making process to fulfil her personal interest by abusing the power and authority of her father, which is black and white lie because PM Koirala has his own world where Ms. Sujata rarely gets even a chance to have an access during the decision making process in kitchen cabinet of Mr Koirala. However, the relationship as father and daughter should be considered in natural manner. People should understand it is not her fault and neither should be considered as a disqualification for anything.

Who hates her?

I have asked plenty of her opposers that why you hate her? Unfortunately no ones were able to give me even any single satisfactory reasons for why he or she hates her! Most of her haters have either misinformation/misunderstanding or no idea who is Sujata in her real personal or political ground, her qualities, her capabilities, her activities and so on. They simply say I have heard or read something nonsense about her in media, so I hate her. I think it is totally insane to hate someone without knowing him/her.

How her haters are changing to her supporters/lovers?

In my observation, she is really nice, honest, friendly, cooperative and very social person. To be honest, it is hard to have a direct meeting with her but once you get an opportunity of direct conversation or access, you will certainly change to a supporter of her. She listens and considers all rational and legitimate problems and issues in natural manner, once she is convinced, she immediately approaches to help through all possible means without knowing your political and other grounds. She has not any nonsense habits like other Nepalese certified corrupt politicians who ask first about several grounds e.g. relation, contribution, political ideology, recommendations, address, cast, sources, money, and more before to listen your problems.

Why most of her supporters very often annoyed with her?

It is just due to her poor kitchen cabinet. Her secretariats or something similar and its affiliated actors are nor good neither efficient. They bar unwontedly even important people and visitors beyond the interest of Ms. Sujata. They do not often convey your serious message or issues of public interest even to Sujata and neither properly implements the orders and instructions of Ms. Koirala. They often put her in shadow and fulfil their own personal interest by misusing the name of her. It is also pity that she is not being able to monitor and supervise the true performances of her affiliated and recruited staffs and its mechanisms.

What should Ms. Sujata immediately do for her effective, efficient and productive performance?

A. She should immediately reform her personal kitchen cabinet and secretariats and its people with relevance to contemporary perspective of Nepal B. She should make inclusive team in official and personal secretaries and advisory team because it is must for her as she belongs to the Madheshi constituency and represents national women. C. She should develop a special election oriented master strategy with reference to the help for women mainstreaming, mobilization and resolving the crucial issue of Madhesh and Madheshi and other ethnic minorities too. & D. She should include direct and effective public relation and grievances handling schedule as a part of her compulsory daily activities and routine works

What are her major challenges for the election of constitutional assembly?

For instance, one of her major challenges is Madhesh issues and to get supports from the large number of Madheshi voters in her constituency, which is not an easy job. As Madheshi doesn’t consider her as a Madheshi ethnicity and neither seems until now in the mood to support the non-Madheshi candidate in the Madhesh. However, she has huge sympathy form the Madheshi and non-Madheshi women groups and communities and she is also exceptional non-Madheshi leader who has strong and good personal coordinative relation with Madheshi leaders and parties including the leader of MPRF, Sadbhawana, TMLP, RPP, NC, and UML etc. She also significantly raises and advocates the voices of Madheshi and other deprived ethnic group’s need and interests in various official and non official national and international forums. Therefore, it would not be impossible to manage the challenges, if she uses good and systematic efforts.

Another challenge is a high expectation of women from her leadership. In addition, there are plenty of existing Parliamentarians and future political cadres who have also huge expectation from her for parliamentary tickets, pecuniary supports and more. Hence, it is natural challenges and seems manageable for her, however, urgent dynamic role and visionary steps are essential.

(Author is a peace and conflict management professional and lives in Berlin, Germany, he holds special expertise about Nepalese affairs)

Supporters rally for Nepal's king

Supporters rally for Nepal's king

The king's supporters have recently had little to cheer about

Hundreds of supporters of King Gyanendra of Nepal have staged a protest in Kathmandu against plans to abolish the monarchy.

Correspondents say it was the first public show of support for the king since he was forced to give up his absolute powers in 2006.

Nepal is due to be declared a republic after elections scheduled for April.

Gyanendra's dynasty dates back to 1769, but he lost popular support when he sacked the government in 2005.

Angry

"Save the nation! We love our king!" shouted about 1,500 protesters as they paraded through the centre of Kathmandu, blocking traffic for hours.

Police kept a close watch over the demonstrators but there were no reports of violence.

Gyanendra has only months left as king

The protesters congregated outside the prime minister's office where they waved flags of the monarchist National Democratic Party of Nepal (NDPN), which organised the rally.

They were angry over the decision last month by seven of the country's main political parties to turn Nepal from a monarchy into a republic after the April elections.

The vote in parliament was part of a peace deal with former Maoist rebels who left the government in September, vowing not to return unless the monarchy was scrapped.

They rejoined the coalition government last week.

Overwhelming majority

"We were quiet and patient for a long time, but we have been compelled to come out in the open to save our nation," demonstrator Kamal Thapa of the NDPN told the AP news agency.

"How can these so-called main political parties decide for the entire nation to remove a 240-year-old monarchy from the country?" he asked.

King Gyanendra has been keeping a low profile

A spokesman for Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's Nepali Congress party said the protesters had the right to demonstrate, but that it would not save the monarchy.

"In a democracy every individual or organisation has the right to express their views in a peaceful matter... But the decision we reached in removing the monarchy is what the people want. If they (the monarchists) don't like it, they can challenge it by taking part in the election," he said.

The decision last month to make Nepal a "federal democratic republican state" was taken by an overwhelming majority - 270 MPs out of 371 voted to abolish the monarchy, with only three against.

The king has now been stripped him of his powers, his command over the army, his immunity from prosecution - and is soon likely to lose his title.

Source:

Is Maoist Leadership Losing Control Over its Cadre?

Is Maoist Leadership Losing Control Over its Cadre?

Rajan Pokhrel

Is the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) gradually losing its control over its grass-root cadres and combatants? CPN-Maoist chairman Prachanda admitted on Friday that cadres of the pro-Maoist Young Communist League have not given up their unruly activities. "It was reported that the YCL cadres have improved their conduct, but this is not true," Prachanda said while visiting Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital at Maharajgunj to meet pro-CPN-UML student leader Deepak Gautam who is fighting for his life after being severely beaten up by YCL cadres in Kavre. ANNFSU central member Gautam was injured in the YCL attack on Monday. Talking to the media, Prachanda reiterated his hackneyed statement that he had issued strong directives to Maoist cadres not to attack any body. While he was crowing, "They will follow the directives," YCL cadres were merrily beating up traders in Baitadi district the same evening. At least a dozen traders were injured by YCL cadres in Khodpe Bazaar of Baitadi. YCL went on a rampage after traders took to the streets protesting against its highhandedness. In Sankhuwasabha, a group of Maoist cadres led by a district committee member severely beat up police inspector Amrit Thapa on Saturday. "They charged me with snatching their posters," Thapa said adding that he never did so. On Tuesday, three pro-Nepali Congress students were injured in an attack by the YCL in Ramechhap district. Two months ago, Maoist cadres thrashed a Swiss tourist Steve in Kaski in October for allegedly refusing to pay "tourist fee". Steve said: "I had read in the newspapers that Maoist chairman Prachanda had said that his party's policy forbade extortion" adding the Maoist cadres started hitting him with bamboo sticks on his head when he said he could not pay the fee. According to news reports the Maoists are still collecting donation from tourists in the area after setting up checkpoints at different places. Maoist cadres abducted journalist Birendra Shah from Dhodiya Pipra bazaar of Umzam VDC of Bara district on October 5 and killed him the same day. His body was recovered on November 7. After a huge international and national outcry, the Maoists in a press conference in Kathmandu admitted that party cadres Kundan Foujdar and Ram Ekwal Sahani shot Shah after abducting him. The Maoist brass itself expressed commitment to bring the culprits to book within a month but the murderers are still at large. Maoist cadres abducted Kanchanpur-based journalist Prakash Thakuri from Bhansi Bazaar of Mahendranagar on July 7. His whereabouts is still unknown. Probe panels have already tabled their reports to the government saying Thakuri was abducted and is feared killed e by YCL cadres. The Maoist leadership has kept mum till date about the incident. Another horrific incident was the abduction of a doctor and officials of the Biratnagar-based Nobel Medical College. Young Communist League (YCL) cadres kidnapped Dr Gyanendra Giri from Kathmandu and the officials and they were severely beaten up. Each time, the Maoist leadership refutes allegations, then admits these and vows not to let such acts be repeated. The series of atrocities continued, with a group of Maoist cadres looting weapons from the Fikuri police post in Nuwakot district in the first week of August and revolting against their party to form their own Janbadi Yuva Samuh. Rajkumar Regmi 'Sandesh' said that they revolted against the party to protest unequal treatment by the leadership. CPN-UML cadres were attacked in Ramechhap last week while scores of other unruly activities by Maoist cadres were reported in 2007. In 2007, newspapers publication houses and businesses were targeted by Maoist cadres though its leadership kept parroting that it has no policy of attacking media houses. A few months ago, 10 Maoist Peoples' Liberation Army (PLA) men left the Sindhuli camp and joined the Janatantrik Tarai Mukti Morcha (Jwala Singh) in Siraha district. The incident raises the question what step will the 12,000 combatants who have been disqualified from the PLA take in future. Will they turn into to political cadres easily? Pro-Maoist Tharu leader Roshan Tharu quit the party and formed a front of Maoist dissidents. Some district cadres revolted against the Maoist leadership in Sindhuli. YCL chief Sagar has threatened to revolt if the party top brass ties up with "nationalist" royalists. There are cogent reasons behind these incidents: unequal treatment, immature schooling in political ideology, reluctance to give up arms and other rude habits, emergence of new armed groups, impunity, lack of security bodies' effectiveness and transitional phase, among others. Most of the businessmen, common people, teachers, students and farmers among others who were contact for their opinion asked to remain anonymous due to fear of revenge, but the majority of them averred that the Maoist leadership was losing control of its cadres. A senior police officer said it was difficult to book guilty Maoist cadres. "If we arrest any accused Maoist cadre, hundreds of his comrades gherao our office demanding his unconditional release," he said. Speaking at a programme in the capital on Saturday, CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal said the Maoist cadres have not given up their 'looter attitude'. Nepal commented that the grass-root level cadres of Maoists were out of the leadership's control. Continuing unruly activities by the Maoist cadres were harmful for both the peace process and the constituent assembly elections, he added. (Source)

Federalism & National Integrity in Nepal

Federalism & National Integrity in Nepal
Prakash Bom
Federalism generally implies federation comprising a member of partially self-governing states or regions united by a central "federal" government. However, in the government level the self-governing status of the component states or regions is constitutionally established and no unilateral decision of the central government can alter it. Primarily, state or regional governments must consist of a unit of partially self-governing local governments in which people have constitutional right to govern their own constituencies. It is the partially self-governing local level of governments that play vital role for the stability, prosperity and national integrity of a federal democratic nation.

It is said that Mahatma Gandhi had deeply regretted with the constitutional provision of federal republic Indian because it has excluded the primary structures of federalism that could have set the system for local people to govern their constituencies with their constitutional rights. It was forced by the ruling elites who could not trust people capable of governing their local constituencies. Therefore, Indian federalism gives all power to the state government and to the chief minister to run the whole state affairs. If Nepal without scrutiny adopts Indian model of federalism then Nepali people will be deprived of their constitutional rights for governing their own constituencies.

On the contrary, there is no such a federalism, which has states or regions with full self-governing or full autonomy status. If there is then what is the purpose of institutionalizing federal democratic republic? In that case, such a state if it is rebelling for independent then should become independent nation. Constitutionally, just as central or "federal" government cannot alter the partially self-governing or self-autonomy status of states or regions with even unilateral decision so as the states or regions cannot alter partially self-governing or self-autonomy status of the local units of governments. Constitutional compliance of the central and state or regional governments establishes the right to partial self-governance or self-autonomy of the state and local governments. Therefore, as long as federal democratic republic exists in the nation this constitutional provision cannot be amended.

A parliamentary federal democratic republic nation's federal government consists of the Parliament with both Houses. Therefore, federal Parliament can only make amendments of the constitution. The state and local governments have legislative assembly, which under the provisions of the constitution legislate policies and regulations for their state and local governments. But state and local governments do not have their separate constitution. They must comply with the federal democratic republic constitution of the nation.

For example, under the constitution of the United States if any undocumented human alien has been living in the country the police cannot issue ticket for his or her arrest unless he or she has allegedly committed crime. But under the federal immigration law undocumented are considered illegal immigrants. However, it is up to the state or local governments to implement federal regulation. Therefore, there are many states and local government like New York City, which have given protection to undocumented immigrants. Some mayors of New Jersey local governments have welcomed undocumented immigrants if they comply with the rule and regulations of the local government and pay the taxes. These are the examples of implementing the provisions of the partial self-governance or self-autonomy of state and local governments under the federal constitution.

Under the other provision of the federal democratic republic constitution states and local governments must have electoral institutional establishments for the right to self-governance or self-autonomy. A centrally or stately nominated legislative, executive and judiciary bodies are not legitimate to have right to self-governance. Therefore, members of state legislative, executive and judiciary must be elected from respective constituencies of the state. This means assembly members of the state must be elected. The executive head (governor) must be elected to form the state cabinet. State judges, attorneys, and law enforcement officers also must be elected from among the professionals of the state.

Similarly, local governments are illegitimate without the electoral institutional establishment. The assembly members must be elected; the local government head (mayor) must be elected to form the cabinet; local (district) judges, attorneys and law enforcement officers must be elected. Electoral representation is one the mandate of the constitutional right to self-governance. All feudal political tradition of nominations must be terminated. Therefore, through the electoral competition electorates of all constituencies must have constitutional right to choose their representatives who are capable to oversee bodies (legislative, executive & judiciary) of their governments.

It is very important to understand the rational of the federalism regarding its self-governance provision for units of the governments. Particularly, those political parties and organizations, which are resurrecting federalism with the demand for full self-governance or self-autonomy, must comply with the basic principles of federalism. Similarly, SPA leaderships must respect the fundamentals of federal democratic republic. By just declaring it does not mean it has the structures of governance. Political leaderships and their cadres must have to work hard to create such a new structures that is off of our socio-political mindset. It is therefore unfamiliar and intellectually overwhelming. But if any political leader or professional elite out of his or her own unwillingness calls federalism a wrong governance system for Nepal then it is irresponsible statement. We must not disrespect our own consensus for the federal democratic republic declaration.

We must therefore consider our nations' diverse geographical and diverse ethnicity. Federalism is a national necessity not only for the sake of diverse ethnicities but also for all electorates of Nepal to have their right to self-governance in their constituencies. This means annihilation of the easy and merry-go feudal politics that indulge nominating and appointing tradition of ruling elites. Also, gradual abolition of 'First Past the Post' electoral system is must for the electoral system of the federal democratic republic of Nepal. This is essential to adopt "Proportional Representation" electoral system for the inclusiveness of diverse ethnicity representations for the self-governance participations in all state and local governments.

The federal democratic republic constitution of Nepal thus must establish the rights and duties of its partially self-governing units of the governments. One of the basic 'self-governance' rights of the local governments is to conduct elections to form their bodies of the governments. Local governments under federalism are fully responsible for their local administration, law enforcement, justice, developments, infrastructure maintenance, school management, local tax and revenue regulations and so on. Except for policymaking, funding and overall state infrastructure development the state has no control over the local governments' right to self-governance.

Any state proposal that attempts to disrupt the national integrity must require the political consensus of all local governments in that state under the federal democratic republic constitution of Nepal. Therefore, the self-sustainable self-governing local governments' fundamental constitution right is to protect the national integrity if the state leaderships tried to betray the nation. In a nation like ours', which has diverse geography and ethnicity, it is mandatory to make local governments in the grass-root level self-sustainable with their constitutional right to self-governance. That's the structure in the future Nepal can guarantee and secure the national integrity of the nation.
Source:globalpolitician.com

The Extremists Are Undermining Democracy

By Kamla Sarup
Terrorism is not over. Extremism is not over. The extremists, and terrorists are forging a front to eliminate democracy. One cannot ignore reality. Worry is not a solution. Things cannot go back to what it was. Need innovative thinking to match the new and emerging reality.

"Should be" is not the solution. Focusing on "what can or could be" would be more realistic. The real controversial issue is the retention or ending of violence and extremism. The question of the role of the people is valid only if a decision to retain the violence-free, extremist-free or leftist-free society is made. A sustainable system has to be that which evolves from practice not prescribed in terms of ideology. Here again, the term "should be" should be replaced by "can be".

A culture of impunity exists. we need to give equal attention to such violations and not based on which side or which persons have committed such crimes. All violations and violators need to be brought to justice.

So naturally, the role of the extremists, terrorists, are always decisive. Renouncement of arms is not a terrorist's, or leftist's agenda. They will participate overtly in the capacity of being able to implement their will fully. Like for example they are already participating unofficially in various countries. The difficulty lies in the fact that the total number of arms are not known. Extremists do not have armory. Their weapons are kept in the houses / huts of their supporters, in the caves in the mountains spread out throughout the country and in dug-outs.

The freedom to be rich and the assurance of the safety of one's wealth and property must be guaranteed, to motivate and encourage people towards economic activities, as a precondition.

Fragmented land sizes, ( see data on land size, it has been the major problem) which are not economically viable, need consolidation, by policy to allow the freedom to accumulate and own wealth and land, without policies to restrict the scope of such activities.

Population pressure on Land has to be reduced, by family planning and by encouraging job creation in industrial and service sectors, by tax reductions, removal of restrictive licensing polity of the government, and limitations or control on domestic and foreign trade of the government (local as well as central).

There is a need for checks and balances to be ensured in the system. With specific rights and duties explicitly stated, based on previous experience. It must be based on the needs of the country based on the will of the people.

If the system is bad nobody will be able to take action to provide law and order in the terrorist controlled areas or any where extremists, leftists or Maoists may be involved. If the government is bad a different group will emerge. But the point is things are happening, and there is no force to streamline or guide the unpredictable changes. Looks like things are just falling apart in some African countries and in Nepal. Law and order is getting worse. And, with one type of violence or another, by one group or another, in one place or another, for one cause or another, the nation is being strangled economically. Worse days are coming to the people.

Journalist and Story Writer Kamala Sarup associates and writes for www.mediaforfreedom.com/. She is a regular contributor to United Press International - Asia News. She is specializes in in-depth reporting and writing on peace, anti-war, women, terrorism, democracy, and development. Some of her publications are: Women's Empowerment in South Asia, Nepal (booklets); Prevention of Trafficking in Women Through Media, (book); Efforts to Prevent Trafficking in for Media Activism (media research). She has also written two collections of stories.
Source:theconservativevoice.com

राजतन्त्र समाप्त भइसकेको छैन – सूर्यबहादुर थापा

राजतन्त्र समाप्त भइसकेको छैन – सूर्यबहादुर थापा, अध्यक्ष, राष्ट्रिय जनशक्ति पार्टी

संसद्मा सात दलले गरेको निर्णयलाई कसरी लिनुभएको छ? जनताको सर्वोच्चता कायम गर्छु भनेर हिँड्ने नेताहरूले जनताको अधिकारमाथि आक्रमण (अतिक्रमण) गरे। सात दलको अतिक्रमणको विरुद्धमा तपार्ईंहरूले पनि जेहाद छेड्न सक्नु भएन नि? हामीहरू बोलिरहेका छौं। यहाँभन्दा के बोल्नु? तपाईले किन त राजतन्त्रको पक्षमा मतदान गर्नुभएन नि? म जनताको अधिकारको कुरा गरिराखेको छु। अरू केही कुरा गरिरहेको छैन। तपाईंहरू अझै पनि राजाको पक्षमा लाग्नुभएको छ? छोड्दिनु–छोड्दिनु बचाउने कुरा बेग्लै अध्यायको कुरा हो। यसमा राजाको कुरा जोड्नै मिल्दैन। जोड्ने भए म कुनै पनि जवाफ दिन्न। सबै बिगार्ने काम राजाबाटै भइरहेको छ भन्ने कुरा आएको छ नि? आफू गल्ती गर्ने अनि अरूलाई दोष लगाएर उम्कन पाइन्छ? जनता अब त्यति लाटा छैनन्, सबै कुरा जनताले बुझिसकेका छन्। नेपालमा राजतन्त्रको अन्त्य भएको होइन र? राजा छ कि छैन भन्ने कुरा मैले भनिरहनु पर्दैन। अन्तरिम संविधान हेरे नै पुग्छ। राजाले यो यो काम गरेमा उनलाई दुई तिहाईबाट हटाइनेछ भन्ने लेखिसकेपछि उनीहरूले नै भनुन् राजा बाँकी छ कि छैन। संविधान आफैंले बोलिसकेको कुरामा म के बोलिरहुँ? त्यसो भए राजतन्त्र कायमै छ? राजतन्त्र छैन भने संविधानमा किन लेखिएको हो त? नेताहरूलाई नै सोध्नुहोस् न। तपाईंले किन मतदान गर्नुभएन? मैले कतै पनि मत दिइंन, जनताको अधिकार खोस्ने कुरामा मतियार नबन्नका लागि मैले मतदान बहिष्कार गरेको हुँ। यो कुरा मैले त्यही बेला संसद्मा नै प्रष्टसँग भनिसकेको छु। अब नेपालबाट राजतन्त्र समाप्त भएको घोषणा गरे हुन्छ त? यो कुरा गिरिजालाई सोध्नु, प्रचण्डलाई सोध्नु। अरूलाई सोधिरहनु पर्दैन। र, संविधानमा हेर्नु। राजतन्त्र समाप्त भएको हो भने संविधानमा किन राखेको त? गणतन्त्रको घोषणा गर्दा पनि राजाको पक्षमा त कोही पनि देखिएनन् नि? कसको पक्षमा को छ भन्ने कुरा समयमा देखिनेछ। अहिले देखाएर देखिने कुरा होइन त्यो। नेपालको राजनीतिक भविष्य के होला? नेपाल कसरी अगाडि बढ्दछ भन्ने कुरा चाहिँ सात दलका नेताको जिम्मामा छ। संविधानसभाको चुनाव चैत्रभित्रै होला? संविधानसभाको चुनावको लागि वातावरण बनाउनुपर्‍यो। वातावरण कसरी बनाउने त? वातावरण बनाउनका लागि कुटपिट गर्ने, तोडफोड गर्ने, अर्कालाई आक्रमण गर्ने, अरूका विचार जनतामा लैजानै नदिने जुन कामको हर्कत गरेको छ। त्यो तत्कालै बन्द गर्नुपर्‍यो। एकले अर्कालाई आदर गर्नुपर्दछ। यो हर्कत कसले गरिरहेको छ खुलासा गरिदिनुस् न? यो सबै काम नै सात दलको नेताको हो। जे भइरहेको छ त्यो सबै सात दलका नेताहरूबाट भएको छ। तालाकुदी लिएर सबै गद्दीमा बस्ने अनि आउरेबाउरेलाई चाहिँ दोष लगाएर हुन्छ। त्यसबाट सात दल उम्किन पाउँदैन। जनता फेरि सात दलका विरुद्ध सडकमा आउनुपर्छ भन्न खोज्नुभएको हो? मैले भन्ने कुरा भनें। जनता सडकमा आउने–नआउने त्यो जनताले जान्ने कुरा हो। जनतालाई सडकमा ल्याउने कुरा पनि सात दलले नै गर्दछन्। ज्यादती गर्न थालेपछि त निस्कन्छन् नि। जे गर्ने हो सम्पूर्ण कुरा अब सात दलकै नेतामा निर्भर छ। तपाईंको रणनीति के छ? मेरो रणनीति के छ भने अहिले गएर राति १० बजे सुत्दछु। बिहान ५ बजे उठेर तयार भएर मर्निङ वाकमा निस्कन्छु। तपाईंको पार्टी संविधानसभा जान तयार भएको हो? हामी चुनावमा जाने तम्तयार भएर बसेका छौं। चुनावमा नजाने प्रश्नै छैन। चुनाव ठीक समयमा हुनुपर्छ हामी भाग लिन्छौं। सात दलको सरकारले गराएको चुनावमा भाग लिनुहुन्छ? सरकारले चुनाव गरेर देखाए भइहाल्यो नि हामी भाग पनि लिन्छौं। र चुनाव गर्ने निर्णयको स्वागत पनि गर्दछौं। कुरामात्रै गरेर हुँदैन चुनाव गराएर देखाउनुपर्छ। संसद्बाट राजतन्त्रको अन्त्य र गणतन्त्रको घोषणा भइसक्यो अब चुनावको आवश्यकता छ र? जनताको अधिकार खोसेको परिणाम त सात दलका नेताहरूले भोग्दछन्। त्यस कारणले चुनाव भनेको समयमा गराएपछि सबैले भाग लिन्छन्। सात दलका नेताहरूले के अपराध गरेका छन् र परिणाम भोग्नुपर्ने? यो कुरा म जान्दिनँ, उनीहरूले नै जान्दछन्। त्यो सात दलका नेतालाई गएर सोध्नुहोस्। जनताको अधिकार खोसेपछि तिमीहरूले के भोग्नुपर्दछ भनेर सोधुन्। उनीहरूले नै बताउँलान् मलाई थाहा छैन। मैले कसैको अधिकार खोसेको पनि र भोग्ने कुरा थाहा पनि छैन। नेपालको राजनीतिलाई सबैभन्दा बढी बुझ्ने त तपाईं नै होइन र? तपाईंले फुर्क्याएको मात्र हो। म केही पनि बुझ्दिनँ। यसबारे भाङभुरी मलाई केही थाहा छैन। अब सात दलको औचित्य नै समाप्त भन्न खोज्नुभएको हो? हेर्नुहोस् यस्ता सस्ता कुरा गर्ने मेरो बानी पनि छैन। सात दल नै अहिले सरकारमा छन्, चुनाव गराउँछौं भनेर उनीहरू हिँडेका छन्। २३ बुँदे सहमति इमानदारीका साथ त्यो लागू गर्नुपर्दछ। कार्यान्वयनलाई व्यवहारमा उतार्नुपर्‍यो र चुनाव समयमा गराउनु पर्‍यो। गिरिजाप्रसाद कोइरालाले चुनाव गराउन सक्नुहोला? गिरिजापं्रसाद कोइरालाले त वातावरण बनाउने हो। चुनाव गराउने काम त भोजराज पोखरेलको हो। गिरिजाप्रसादको कोइरालाको अब विकल्प छैन त? विकल्प त ईश्वरको पनि हुन्छ। संसारमा विकल्प नभएको कुरै छैन। जसको पनि विकल्प हुन सक्छ। वर्तमान प्रधानमन्त्रीकै नेतृत्वमा चुनाव हुन्छ त? त्यो उनीले नै जान्दछन्। यो मैले जान्ने कुरा होइन। मधेसको समस्या कसरी समाधान होला? सात दलका नेताहरूले विवेक बुद्धि ख्याउनुपर्‍यो। अर्कालाई हेप्ने काम छोड्नुपर्‍यो। Source: weeklyneal

लालबुझक्कडका काधमा मधेस

लालबुझक्कडका काधमा मधेस
तर्राई चिनौं / By : चन्द्रकिशोर

द्रुतगतिमा विकसित राष्ट्रिय राजनीतिले लामो आरोह-अवरोहपछि सहमतिको गोरेटो समातेको छ । जनआन्दोलन- ०६२/६३ को एउटा प्रमुख आदेश थियो- सहमतिको राजनीति । पछिल्लो सहमतिको प्रक्रियापछि राष्ट्रिय संकल्पका रूपमा रहेको संविधानसभा निर्वाचनतिर राजनीतिक मूलधार मोडिएको छ । राजनीतिको संस्थापन धारमा रहेका जनताका प्रतिनिधिले नेपाली जनताको पक्षमा मन्दगतिमै सही- आफ्ना तमाम सीमाका बाबजुद अग्रगामी ऐतिहासिक कार्य गरेका छन् ।

अब निर्धारित महिनाभित्र संविधानसभा निर्वाचन होला - संस्थापन पक्षका कोही 'निर्धारित समयभित्र चुनाव हुन नसके बरु हालको व्यवस्थापिका संसद्मै अन्य सरोकारवाला पक्षलाई सामेल गर्राई त्यसैलाई संविधानसभाको स्वरूप दिनुपर्ने' तर्क गरिरहेका छन् त कोही 'संविधानसभा निर्वाचन हुन नसके बरु संसद्कै निर्वाचन ठीक' भनिरहेका छन् । सबै एकढिक्का भएर संविधानसभा निर्वाचनका पक्षमा बोल्न सकेका छैनन्, आफ“ैमा आत्मविश्वासको कमी देखिएको छ । संस्थापन शक्तिबीचको यो अन्तरविरोध निर्वाचन मैत्री वातावरणका लागि ऋणात्मक छ ।

मुलुक युगान्तकारी परिवर्तनको सम्भावनासहित राजनैतिक संक्रमणको विशिष्ट अवस्थाबाट गुज्र“दै छ । ऐतिहासिक जनआन्दोलनको गर्भबाट जन्मिएको यो संक्रमणकालको सुखद् अन्त्यका लागि उत्पन्न चुनौतीको जनआन्दोलनमा प्रकट भएको भावनाअनुरूपको समाधान आधारभूत र्सत हो । नत्र संक्रमणकाल ००७ सालको जस्तो असफल र ०४६ को जस्तो अपांग हुने अवस्था पनि आउन सक्छ । जनआन्दोलन- ०६३ बाट निर्देशित अग्रगामी दिशा र मधेस व्रि्रोहले तय गरेको कार्यसूची हो- संक्रमणकालको अन्त्य र संविधानसभा -स्वतन्त्र, निष्पक्ष, भयरहित तथा व्यापक जनसहभागितासहितको) मार्फ् समावेशी लोकतन्त्र स्थापना ।

सातदलको वर्तमान नेतृत्व जिम्मेवारीपर्ूवक नआउने र आफूले गरेका निर्ण्र्ााकार्यान्वयन नगर्ने, उदासीन हुने एवं सहमति बारम्बार फर्ेर्दै जनतालाई सधै“ झुक्याइरहने स्थिति रह“दा मुलुकमा अनेकौ“ समीकरणको जन्म हुन सक्छ । सातदलभित्रका राजतन्त्रवादी शक्ति एकै ठाउ“मा गएर व्रि्रोह गर्न सक्ने सम्भावना हाल देखि“दैन तर ती तत्त्व स्थिर भएर पनि बस्दैनन् । किनारीकृत समूहहरूको आवाजलाई सम्बोधन गर्न, आश्वस्त पार्न, विश्वासमा लिएर अगाडि बढ्न संस्थापन शक्तिहरू चुकिरहेका छन् ।

नेपाली राजनीतिको सबैभन्दा महत्त्वपर्ूण्ा पक्ष बनेको मधेसमा अहिले सबै ठूला दलले आ“खा गाडिरहेका छन् । मधेसी दल भने संविधानसभा निर्वाचनका पक्षमा खुलेर लागेका छन् । तर्राई-मधेस लोकतान्त्रिक पार्टर्ीी अध्यक्षले प्रस्तुत गरेको आधिकारिक अभिमतमा भनिएको छ- 'संविधानसभाका हामी विरोधी होइनौ“ । सबैको र्सार्थक र न्यायपर्ूण्ा उपस्थितियुक्त, उपलब्धिमूलक संविधानसभा हुने वातावरण हुनुपर्‍यो । सहज र शान्तिपर्ूण्ा तरिकाबाट अभिमत प्रकट गर्ने जनअधिकारको सम्मान गछौर्“ तर बल प्रयोगबाट समाधान खोज्ने मानसिकतासित हाम्रो पर्ूण्ा असहमति छ । र्सवप्रथम मधेसमा शान्तिपर्ूण्ा अवस्था र स्थिति बन्नु आवश्यक छ ।' महन्थ ठाकुरको यस दृष्टिकोणलाई कदापि गैरलोकतान्त्रिक र उक्साहटको अभिव्यक्ति भन्न मिल्दैन । मधेसको बोली यही हो ।

यतिखेर मधेस आन्दोलनउन्मुख देखिएको छ । मधेसी संगठन आ-आफ्ना स्तरमा मधेसी असन्तुष्टिलाई आन्दोलनमार्फ् अभिव्यक्त गर्न गृहकार्यमा छन् । एउटा र्सार्थक र सम्पर्ूण्ा मधेस व्रि्रोह-२ को तयारी भइरहेको छ । यस पर्रि्रेक्ष्यमा सात दलले चैतमा निर्वाचन गर्न मधेसका सशस्त्र समूहलाई मूलधारको राजनीतिमा ल्याउनै पर्ने चुनौती मात्र छैन, शान्तिपर्ूण्ा राजनीतिको दाबी गर्ने दलहरूलाई पक्षमा लिन पनि उत्तिकै अपरिहार्य छ । मधेसका दललाई बेवास्ता गरियो भने यिनीहरू नै संविधानसभाका लागि ठूलो चुनौती बन्नेछन् । मधेसका दलहरूलाई उपेक्षा गरेर चुनाव गराउन सम्भव छैन ।

तर मधेसका दलहरुले पनि संविधानसभापर्ूव राज्यले के-के गर्नुपर्ने हो, साझा सूची प्रस्तुत गर्नुपर्छ । संविधानसभामार्फ् मधेससहित समग्र नेपालको अग्रगामी रूपान्तरणका लागि मधेसका सबै संर्घष्ारत शक्तिबीच संवाद भई न्यूनतम मार्गचित्रमा मोर्चाबन्दी नभए राजनीतिले सकारात्मक दिशा पाउने सम्भावना तुहिन सक्छ । मधेसमा सामाजिक ध्रुवीकरण बढ्दै गएको छ । समाज पहाड र मधेसबीच विभाजित हु“दै गइरहेको छ । सामाजिक अलगाव गर्ने तत्त्वहरू नियोजित रूपमा क्रियाशील छन्, हिंसाको क्रम बढ्दै छ । मधेसबाहिर पनि हिंसाको प्रभाव छरिएर जाओस्जस्ता अभ्रि्रायलक्षित हिंसाचक्र थालिएको छ । आम जनताको मनोभावना एकतिर छ, चलखेल गर्नेहरू अर्कोतिर सक्रिय छन् । यता राज्य केवल बल प्रयोग गरेर निकास खोज्न आतुर छ किन - बुझिसक्नु छैन ।

मधेसको न्यायपर्ूण्ा र जायज मागनिम्ति संर्घष्ारत पक्षको पनि जिम्मेवारी बढेको छ- मधेसलाई कमभन्दा कम क्षति पुर्‍याएर मूलप्रवाहीकरणको प्रक्रियाका निम्ति दबाब-माध्यम बन्ने । मधेसको सामाजिक रिक्तताले समग्रमा मधेसी समुदायको हित गर्दैन । कुनै पनि समाजविशेषको उन्नयनका निम्ति सामाजिक बहुलता चाहिन्छ । एकल समाजको उन्नयन गति मन्द हुन्छ । मधेसभित्र केवल पहाडे मात्र होइन, स्वंय मधेसी समाज पनि विविधतायुक्त रहेको छ । यो नै यस भूगोलको पु“जी हो । मधेसले एउटा भूगोललाई प्रतिनिधित्व गरेपछि यस क्षेत्रमा बसोबास गर्ने सबैको साझा सोच विकसित गर्नु-गराउनु नै बुद्धिमानी हुन्छ । नया“-नया“ शक्ति प्रकट हुनु आफै“मा नराम्रो होइन तर प्रतिरक्षामा संगठित भएका शक्तिले परिस्थितिलाई विकराल नै बनाउ“छन् ।

संविधानसभा हुनर्ुपर्छ, मधेस यसको विरोधमा देखिनुहु“दैन र राज्य पनि मधेसको विरोधमा रहेको देखिनुहुन्न । लोकतन्त्र प्राप्ति र मुलुकको नवनिर्माणका लागि विगतमा मधेसले ठूलो बलिदान दिएको छ । मधेसी जनताले आफूलाई राज्यले 'धोखा' दियो भन्ने भावना राखे भने यसले मुलुकको स्वास्थ्यका लागि हितकर गर्दैन । जिम्मेवारीको भार राज्य र सातदलमाथि त छदैछ, त्यत्तिकै भार मधेसी दलको का“धमाथि पनि छ । दुइटै पक्षले मधेसको कार्यभार बोक्नमा असन्तुलन गर्‍यो भने त्यसपछि ठूलो दुघटना हुन सक्छ । राजनीति गर्नेहरू आफै“ लालबुझक्कड हुन्, अरू नै के भन्नुपर्ला र !
स्रोत: NayaaPatrikaa

DANCING WITH THE FOX

BY: Prem Raj

PRELUDE

Dancing with the Fox & playing on its tune would mean the Fox to turn her in to Lion that has been the policy of India to rule the Asia, as well to govern her own subjects. But this can only be possible when there is supremacy of Jungle's laws prevailing all over. For the Fox it is quite vibrant to change the circumstances by uprooting the values, destroying the systems and injecting own theories to dole out the faith and constitutional norms. Not to let others live in peace, keeps her in a self illusion and gives her an impression of an inflated ruler of a super power.

CLASSICAL DANCING

NEPAL

India fully understands the next world war if erupts this will be basing on capturing the water resources of any country. This may not happen even but yet the same concept has been materialized by the Fox arresting the water sources of Nepal, Pakistan, Bangla Desh & Bhutan to turn their land arid & create energy crisis. This in Nepal is being done on behest of the multi party rule which has already foregone its rights in favour of the Fox to rule its silver wealth (handing over of remaining rivers to India) and it is being done solely on the basis of petty gains of sticking on to the government chairs, that too at the cost of national interests. It has also been learnt through reliable sources that the eight party government is all set to gift the Arun-3, Upper Karnali & Tamakoshi hydropower projects to India, how enslaved the leadership of Nepal is which is always ready to sell its motherland.

The people of Nepal are seriously facing the crisis of petro-products due to the non payment of billion of rupees to IOC (Indian Oil Corporation) which has cut down the supply of products to Nepal. India compels Nepal to purchase the products only from her so the government of Nepal acting like a slaved nation bow before her acceding to its dictates thus not even allowing its private sector to import the petro-products from any other country on a much cheaper rates to break the hegemony of India. The leadership of Nepal is fully involved in the kick-backs & is now bent upon inviting the private sector of India to provide petro-products to Nepal. The very precious assets of Nepal are being hijacked by India like the Bansbari Leather Shoe Factory is under the feet of Indian ownership & the tragic part is the story of a Royal Nepal Air Corporation which is withering due to the cold weapon (commission accrued) used by the governmental instruments of Nepal.

It is very strange with all the miseries having faced by Nepal lashed out by the Fox is still harbouring the Indians to accord them the rights of citizenship. Tomorrow these Indians will mount on the back of Nepal to act like a parasite thus eating the total economy of the country.

Madhav Kumar & Ram Chandra Poudel's daughters are becoming doctors by the kind courtesy of Lainchour Durbar without spending a penny of their own. Many political leaders are running behind the Indian Diplomats for want of the bone to be thrown by them. The RAW has gone so deep in to the secret files of Nepalese ministries like Home, Defence, Water Resources, Commerce,

Communication & the Foreign Affairs, which have been presented in a plate by the respective heads of the ministries, how pitiable it is & how tragic it is! These Nepalese officials are receiving additional pay from the Lainchour Durbar and lead an aristocratic life style. This also applies to the journalists in Nepal who work for the Fox to get money in reward.

In 1989, the Indians came up with the idea of bringing Nepal in to the security umbrella which was strongly opposed by the King Birendra. But now the mess has been created in the name of democracy to safeguard the interests of India. Now the Indian embassy has provided 3 million rupees in aid of forming a Madhesh Brigade being launched in Terai by the Rajendra Mahoto group of Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP) as logistics support. More over India is preparing to take and organize training of 200 fighters that too on its own soil.

In any direction the fox likes Nepal to dance that has to go on and on until meeting death or there is still time to pave its own path to liberate from the shackles & touch the morning star to illuminate the lost beauty of Nepal.

SRI LANKA

Why are you making the water dirty, inquired the wolf, Well am at down stream how can I make it dirty, replied the little lamb, Oh, your father might have made it so last year, hence I have to eat you up, roared the wolf angrily.

This has all along been the philosophy of the Fox to grind the axe. To reach up to Sri Lanka has been its dream thus came with the idea to build a bridge across the Indian Ocean exactly at a place where Lord Ram had built it from the eastern coast of India to Sri Lanka. Thanks to the religious clerics of India which filed the petition in the august Supreme Court while challenging the project on the ground of faith, stating the pursuing of the project by the government would mean destroying a historical bridge that was built by the monkeys' army of Lord Ram. Otherwise it would have been difficult for any one to stop the Fox from building a bridge from the eastern coast of India up to Sri Lanka. Thus in the garb of friendship it would have captured the trade routes while dominating the waters of Sri Lanka & construction of bridge would have meant an intrusion on Sri Lanka.

This is a well known fact that the mother of LTTE is no one else except India who is always ready to give a moral & material support to this rebellious group while at the same time acclaims its sincerity for Sri Lanka. But this was dawned on Sri Lanka that LTTE could launch a successful air raid while covering a distance of 600 Km without being detected by the Indian version radars installed all along the route in Sri Lanka. Instead of being ashamed of its act of cheating the Fox started dictating a sovereign state of Sri Lanka that she can not buy the weapons from Pakistan or China except India. This bossing attitude is a self illusion having intoxicated in the realm of being super power demonstrated by the Fox, which has no force when an independent sovereign state stands on its feet to defend its integrity.

Dancing with the Fox on its tune is nothing but getting entangled in the ropes soaked in cheating, baffling & hoaxing.

PAKISTAN

Muslims have always been the victim of traitors like Jafar of Deccan, Sadiq of Bengal & most recent name which stands out prominently is Ayesha Siddiqa an author of the book 'Military Inc' who performs Kathak Dance on the tunes of Fox against Pakistan. When the whole country was in a state of gloom and despair on 16th of December she went on writing against the Army to commemorate the fall of Dacca. She passes the compliments to herself, while writing in the same article, "the bulk of the military and its intelligence agencies are geared towards the external threat and perceive India as the most important, in fact the only, enemy. Anyone not favoured by the military is still touted as an Indian agent". There is no doubt about it being an agent of India, Ayesha's writings speak for itself that she has nothing to write but to strike on the back bone of her country. She writes more in the same article, "for the army, every thing that is wrong with Pakistan today is due to India. The conflicts in Swat, Waziristan and Balochistan are attributed to India's intelligence agency, RAW, which is said to be funding and supporting the militants. What is also necessary to understand is if India were supporting all insurgents the Pakistan military would have bled more than it has……….!" And on 28th Dec in the DAWN news paper once again she comments instead of appreciating upon the statement of Pakistan Army Chief who is quite optimistic of the view of calling the year of 2008 as the year of the Pakistani soldier so to be looked after and confidant of awarding more facilities. But this remains indigestible to Ayesha as she can not see the soldiers of Pakistan army prospering or hailing in their life time.

This is also a fact that India after bluffing America has inducted herself in to Afghanistan and rolling on the path of subversive activities. Abdullah Mahsud a Pakistani Taliban fighter kept confined for 5 years in Guantanamo Bay, and then handed over to Afghan government, only returned home to kidnap Chinese with the sole purpose of creating a dent in the strong relationships enjoyed by the two friendly countries. Saboteurs are continuously being trained by the RAW & CIA in Afghanistan to destabilize Pakistan.

As writes Mr.Ahmed Qureshi, in his recent article, "The Plan To Topple Pakistan Military" (Nov 29, 2007), "that book named 'Military Inc' authored by Ayesha Siddiqa was launched with a perfect timings when grounds against the Pakistan Army were softened being gunned down by some of the Pakistani & foreign media to exploit the situation in Pakistan. The book portrays the Pakistani military as an institution that is eating up whatever little resources Pakistan has. Pakistan military's successful financial management, creating alternate financial sources to spend on a vast military machine and build a conventional and nuclear near-match with a neighbouring adversary five times larger - an impressive record for any nation by any standard - was distorted in the book."

In the same article it has been dawned that the author Ayesha developed friendship with the lady Indian diplomat, made frequent visits to India & also stayed in London at a place owned by an individual linked to the Indian diplomat, while leaving her car in the house of the diplomat located in Islamabad. The point here is this: Who assigned her to investigate the Pakistani Armed Forces and present a distorted image of a proud Pakistani nation?"

It is the joint venture of CIA & the RAW, who provided funding for the book and brought her on to the status of writing with an authority on the subject of blackmailing the Pakistan Army every week on the sacred day of Friday for Muslims in the DAWN news paper.
The most disturbing point in the same article is, as he writes, "Another worrying thing is how American officials are publicly signaling to the Pakistanis that Mrs. Benazir Bhutto has their backing as the next leader of the country. Such signals from Washington are not only a kiss of death for any public leader in Pakistan, but Americans also know that their actions are inviting potential assassins to target Mrs. Bhutto." And that's how Mrs. Bhutto was trapped & laid to rest in peace.
The traitors of Asia who are always ready to sell their mother land for their petty gains must remember that the Oxygen of a country will still remain a debt on you even if the country has given you nothing but few ounce of dust in your fist to bury your luck lines.

FOX'S INTERIOR

Fox has a chicken pox face due to its malice running in its blood, this not only speaks of its inner self but has been proved from its acts as well. It is terribly involved in the ethnic, sectarian, linguistic and moreover in the caste ism. The higher class dominating the lower and the rich grumbling on poor is the mass tragedy. Dalits are being treated like dogs and so are they killed in the same manner to be cut in to pieces by all the villagers. Raping a Dalit girl is considered to be an act of valour & virtue. Rather any one belonging to a minority class has to face the dilemma of class discrimination. Such like heinous offences have become a routine in the Hindu dominated society. The story of a young hood days when the Fox praises the voice of a crow to sing a song that held a loaf of bread in its beak, thus loosing the same in favour of the Fox is a constant character of a Fox, which has always tried to snatch the bread from the poor of her country as well as from its neighbours, sometimes by praising & at times by giving threats.

Double standards & inequalities by the Indian Government are the standard norms of India. Atrocities on dalits are on rise. In Khairlanji of Maharashatra a dalit family was paraded naked. In M.P., heads of dalit women were shaven, paraded naked in Kanpur & made to sit on donkeys. The tragic part of the story is the oppressors represent the higher class of Hindu society & are occupying the vantage positions of government, public service & are said to be the big shots.

In the year 2005, there were a total of 967 cases of atrocities against Dalits in Gujarat alone where many were murdered, raped, burnt and seriously injured. In many of these cases FIRs against the criminals, were not registered by the police.

And the fact is that after every four hours, one Indian woman ends her life over dowry. India on record had 218,000 people who committed suicide since 2005 & more than 15 million rural household are landless.

Echoing an ordinary dream of 58 million poor people of India, who are ruled by 15 million corrupt, impotent, and mentally sick feudal, Brahmins & caste maniacs is a sole interior of the Fox. Dalits dancing with the death angel is a favourite prey of the Brahmins.

Few lines from the poem written by Varavara Rao (b. 1940) on "The Caste Ism in India" are unique in its form which describes how the Fox compels Dalits to dance in their lives.

You are born rich
Your agitation sounds creative
Our agony looks violent

You are meritorious
You can break the glass of buses
In a shape
As symmetric as sun's rays

The beautiful roads
Are all yours

We are bare footed
Sweat stinking road rollers
What if we built the roads?
The merit of plan is yours
The credit of contract is yours

We sweep, we clean, our hands are broom
Our sweat is water
Our blood phenyl
Our bones are washing powder

Is menial labor
What merit it has?
What skill?

We are the desolate mothers
Who can give no milk
To the child who bites with hunger

Our births & deaths
Except for census statistics,
What use they have
For the national progress?

But
You are lucky
You are meritorious

EPILOGUE PRANCE

To quote some of the lines of Allama Iqbal, a great philosopher & a poet of the East:

Cut your path with an axe of
Your own,

It is sin to tread the beaten path
Of others,

If you achieve something original
And unique,

Even a sin becomes a virtue

Email: premlaliguras@hotmail.com

Source

NATURAL DEATH

NATURAL DEATH

When an institution loses its substance, the fall of its edifice is usually a matter of time. Nepal’s monarchy had long become an anachronism in this age of mass politics. Given the rising public sentiment against it, even its ceremonial existence, like that of the British monarchy, is now politically and morally untenable. Events since last year’s pro-democracy movement have made the people’s will abundantly clear. The interim government of Girija Prasad Koirala has now reflected the spirit of the age by agreeing to abolish the institution after next year’s elections to the constituent assembly. It would be wrong, though, to see it as a victory for the Maoists. The former rebels may have articulated the anti-monarchy sentiment more strongly than the country’s other political forces. But the decision is only a logical sequence to the hiatus between the king and the country that has been evident over the past two years. Ironically, King Gyanendra himself stymied the future of the monarchy with his persistent resistance to the people’s democratic hopes. Specious arguments had been offered in order to try and save the constitutional monarchy. Doubts still linger over the Maoists’ motives and long-term strategies. But none of these could be a good enough reason to save the monarchy and imperil the democratic experiment. However, the abolition of the monarchy is only the first step in a long road ahead. The government’s other decision to rebuild Nepal as a “federal democratic republic” is the real challenge. A new constituent assembly and a new constitution will help strengthen the democratic institutions. But the experiment with federalism could be a harder issue to tackle. Yet, neither the democratic parties nor the Maoists can afford to ignore it. The violent upheavals among the ethnic people in the Terai region could be a major source of future trouble if the issue is not addressed seriously. The demand for a higher representation for ethnic people in parliament has its merits. It need not necessarily be a threat to Nepal’s territorial integrity. Even if some ethnic groups show fissiparous tendencies, the only remedy will be a truly inclusive democracy. Having cleared the doubts about the monarchy’s future, Mr Koirala should waste no more time in announcing the poll schedule. Only a return to democracy can save Nepal from falling completely into the Maoist trap. Source:telegraphindia

Nepal and Desire for Ethnic Autonomy

Nepal and Desire for Ethnic Autonomy

- Bishnu Pathak, PhD *

Genesis

The history of human race records hundreds of struggles for emancipation against injustice, inequality, restriction, repression, absolutism and so on. In the ancient period, struggles were confined for the means of human survival, for instance food, housing, clothing and so forth. Along with these, as human beings became aware of their basic needs and considered them as basic rights, the forms of struggle changed one after another. The dissident politico-ideological domination in 20th century has now turned to identity-based, cultural, or ethnic conflicts and also as Western versus non-Western blocs in 21st century.

Nepal is not unaffected from such movements either. Its history has recorded dozens of ethnic revolts against the state and its rulers. If we look at the 250 years' history of modern Nepal, we find that ethnic conflict or liberation movement had taken place when Drabya Shah had become the king of Gorkha by defeating the then king Ghale Gurung in a race competition called Lig Lig. His immediate descendent Prithvi Narayan Shah introduced the campaign of "territorial integration" and expanded the boundaries of Nepal. Shifting the capital from Gorkha to Kathmandu , he started feudal rule and proclaimed Nepal as a Hindu state which is still in force.

As Prithvi Narayan Shah strongly believed in Hindu religion and culture, he took steps to impose the belief on the people [1]. He prescribed "one nation and one Hindu Varna system" for all. That may be the reason why he ordered to slash the tips of nose and ears of the people of Kirtipur, his arch opponents, that eventually weighed 18 dharnis [2] (Bhattachan:2000:140). Slavery and bonded labor were widely practiced during his reign, but his descendants banned the practices for bahuns and chhetris by promulgating an act in 1803 [3]. With that, only lower caste people were compelled to work as slaves and bonded laborers. Since then, t he structure of political opportunities in Nepal has been unduly favorable to bahuns and chhetris as against other castes and ethnic groups. When we look at the history of 250 years, we find that they were able to capture more than 80 percent of the seniormost positions in all political, executive, judiciary, legislative, and security dimensions. That has widened the gap between the rulers and the people and it still continues.

The Tamangs revolted twice against King Rana Bahadur Shah and King Girvan Bikram Shah in 1873 [4], but they could not succeed. Yakha Rai says that the region of Majh Kirant also revolted twice against the State in 1807 [5].

Through the bloodshed and violence of Kot Parwa and Bhadarkhal Parwa , Janga Bahadur Rana emerged in the history of Nepal and his brothers ruled the country for 104 years in succession. His younger brother Badri Narsingh, along with Prince Upendra Bikram Shah, had made the first ever secret plot against him but it was all in vain. Later, Janga Bahadur also exposed the plot made by the soldiers of Gurung Regiment for his assassination in May/June 1857 and got the conspirator slashed into pieces by a Gurung soldier at Tundikhel [6]. This action made the Gurung community to revolt against him.

Jamadar Sripati Gurung of Lamjung, a leader among the Gurungs, revolted against Janga Bahadur in 1857 during a military parade at Tundikhel. Later he was killed. Shuk Dev Gurung proclaimed himself a Baudha King against Ranaism. He was sentenced to life imprisonment. He died in 1876 in prison because of inhumane torture. After his arrest, another Gurung led the insurgency against the then Rana ruler proclaiming himself as the Baudha King of Gorkha and Lamjung, but he was later arrested and could not succeed. Thus, successive Gurung revolts were suppressed by force.

Lakhan Thapa, an ex-soldier and the follower of Saint Gyani Dildas of Joshmani faith, opposed discrimination and intolerance of Janga Bahadur under the shield of Manakamana Mai in 1876. Both Thapa and Dildas were taken into custody and their weapons were seized. Lakhan Thapa, Aj Singh, Achhami Magar and seven others were hanged to death, whereas Kanu Lamsal was excused from capital punishment because he was a bahun. Six months later, Gyani Dildas was released from the jail and sent to Darjeeling [7].

Kancha Lama, a Tibetan Guru who visited Kathmandu to pay homage to Swayambhu, initiated Dhamma Sabha. Seeing increasing participation of Bhikshus and people at the Sabha, many of them were taken into custody and forcibly exiled in 1925. Thus, Ranas suppressed the movement of Buddhism as well.

The lower caste in Hindu Varna system called untouchables such as kamis (iron and gold smiths), damais (tailors), and sarkis (shoe-makers) also raised their voices, but soon they were arrested and tortured inhumanely. Protesting against such moves, Ranu Damai from Darjeeling dispatched a letter to Chandra Shamsher pleading how kamis, damais, and sarkis had been living in a miserable situation in the land which was no better than the territory without a king [8].

Besides, the issue of linguistic equality was raised even during the Rana period. When Shiri Thebe Limbu tried to teach Limbu script, he was exiled to Sikkim [9]. The Madhesi (tarai dwellers) people demanded that Hindi be given the status of a national language. K.I Singh's ministry passed a resolution, but could not implement it [10]. Similarly, Madhesi Liberation Front also launched an armed revolution against Panchayati system at Taulihawa in June 1963 [11].

There is no record to show who was the first person to advocate for ethnic and regional autonomy in Nepal. But Janak Lal Sharma writes that Khagendra Jung Gurung, an ex-minister, was the first ever man in Nepal for the cause of ethnic and regional autonomy. As a result, he was kept in jail for 7 years during the Panchayat era. He was once again taken into custody even after the restoration of democracy in 1990.

In order to promote and strengthen their communities and languages, some ethnic organizations were set up during the partyless Panchayat system but they could not function effectively. These were: Tharu Kalyan Kari Sabha in 1950; Nepal Buddha Dharma Sangh in 1953 which later changed into Nepal Tamang Committee; Nepal Manka Khala in 1979; Nepal Magar Langhali Sangh in 1982; Sarbajatiya Mancha in 1982; Utpidit Jatiya Sangh in 1987 and Se-Ta-Ma-Gu-Ra-Li (Sherpa, Tamang, Magar, Gurung, Rai and Limbu). Despite their different interests and objectives, some of their demands were similar with the present Maoists' demands such as the right to self-determination, autonomy and secular state. However, such issues did not come up in a public debate as only one language Nepali was recognized as the official language in the Hindu state. Besides, the repressive policy of the state was always there.

After the restoration of democracy, dozens of ethnic groups, organizations, languages, and religious practices have come into public lime light as the Constitution has guaranteed equality in all quarters. The constitution has envisaged for uplifting the living standards of all the disadvantaged ethnic groups and vulnerable communities belonging to any ethnicity, color, and belief, disallowing all kinds of existing economic, social, political, and cultural discrimination and inequalities. His Majesty's Government has also constituted a National Ethnic Development Committee (NEDC) in 1997 to formulate policies and programs necessary for the socioeconomic uplift of the janajatis.

As a result, a considerable number of ethnic organizations and liberation fronts have come up in the last 17 years to pressure both the government and civil society for the cause of autonomy, secularism, self-determination, and federal structure of government. But, the rights to self-determination and ethnic and regional autonomy have been made most controversial as all the mainstream political forces, particularly Nepali Congress (NC) except CPN (Maoist) are against such liberty for the fear of secession.

Ethnic Policy of CPN (Maoist)

In the process of winning confidence, the pro-communist forces established Nepal Federation of Nationalities (NEFEN) – the umbrella institute of ethnic communities under the founder convener Suresh Ale Magar. Due to different communist ideologies and some tactical differences on the methods of their emancipation, the revolutionary communist wing formed a separate organization called Akhil Nepal Janjati Sangh (All Nepal Nationalities Association) in November 1994 under the convenorship of the same Suresh Ale Magar. As the sizes of the ethnic communities engaged in the People's War got enlarged, the central committee meeting of the CPN (Maoist) decided to put forward the issue of ethnic autonomy along the party's policy of 'Develop Guerrilla Warfare in a Planned Manner' with the advancement of the Second Plan. Later, the politburo meeting of the CPN (Maoist) was held in December 1996 ( Poush 2053 BS) and decided to raise the issues of regional and ethnic autonomy as major issues in their forthcoming movement. Though they are not secessionists, the Maoists have used this assurance to bring together ethnic activists to their ranks. As a result, great numbers of ethnic people are involved in the People's War and the demand of autonomy has become the heart and soul of the Maoists.

After the fusion of some communist revolutionaries of Nepal on November 23, 1990, the First National Unity Convention (FNUC) of Unity Center (UC) was held in November 1991. To extend and heighten the New Democratic People's Revolution, the party put forward class, cultural, religious, linguistic and regional issues as a matter of right to attract greater number of poor, disadvantaged, marginalized, and vulnerable (PDMV) communities. The UC adopted the following policy and program:

• A secular state would be established by ending the dominance of one particular religion. Religious and linguistic freedom would be guaranteed to all.
• Instead of establishing one particular language as the national language or the main language, linguistic and ethnic equality would be practiced. The language which is found suitable for the majority of the people would be used as the main language for the purposes of new democratic system. But the policy of promoting it would be discouraged [12].

When UC split into two, the revolutionary line of CPN (Maoist) adopted it as their own party policy, but the party did not have a clear-cut policy on ethnic issues. Later, the party refined its policy on such issues, including the rights of all ethnic communities. The Maoist leader, pseudonymph Comrade Sangham, presented the proposal on Ethnic Policy in Nepal at the First National Conference held in Kathmandu in July 1995. The conference passed the following policies on ethnic matters of interest:

• Free education in all languages. Media, communiqué, government notices and documents should be available/printed in all languages.
• Special privilege given to Hindu religion should end. Religion should be separated from the state and secular nation should be declared. Equal freedom should be provided to all religions.
• Special privilege should be provided to the Dalit community in sectors like education, administration, health, and development works.
• Ethnic Academy should be established for the preservation and uplift of the language and culture of ethnic communities.
• Special privilege given to Hindu religion at present in terms of religious festivals and government holidays should end. Instead, equal freedom should be provided to all religions to celebrate their social customs and festivals.
• Equal opportunity for all the languages should be provided for their uplift and preservation against the present system when there is special support for the Khas language. Likewise, no particular language should be made compulsory. In government works and education sector, the choice of language should be left to the will of the respective ethnic community.
• Special focus should be given to the communities like Chepang (which are in the verge of extinction) and backward communities like Raute, Raji, Majhi, Darai and Kumbhal. Various programs should be run for their uplift.
• Discrimination towards the tarai people should be ended. Special efforts should be made for their wider participation in political, administrative and economic sectors without any prejudice. Likewise, socioeconomic programs should be run in the backward sectors of tarai [13].

The 40-point demands put forward to the His Majesty's Government (earlier government) by the United People's Front (UPF) on February 2, 1996 are believed to constitute the core content of the People's War in Nepal , which is divided into three parts such as nationality, democracy, and people's livelihood. In the demands concerning people's democracy, the UPF has given special attention to non-discrimination and the right to self-determination of ethnic communities as follows:

· Declare Nepal as a secular state (Demand No. 18);

· Install self-government for ethnic communities and stop racial discrimination (Demand No. 20);

· Ensure equal opportunity to all dialects and design courses up to higher education in them (Demand No. 22); and

· Abolish regional discrimination and establish autonomy (Demand No. 25).

Talks I, between the government and the Maoists were held at Thakurdwar, Bardia from August 30 to November 9, 2001. Right to self determination; national/regional autonomy and secular state Nepalwere forwarded to address the ethnic, regional and caste contradictions, the negotiation team of CPN (Maoist) put forward the following demands on September 13, 2001 :

Talks II, the CPN (Maoist) slightly modified these demands in the first round of talks which was held at Shankar Hotel, Kathmandu on April 4, 2003 as follows: right to self-determination, ethnic and regional autonomy, and secular nation. The goals and objectives of the CPN (Maoist) were:

• To address the regional, ethnic, caste, gender, and classical contradictions through progressive and radical, political, social, and economic changes. And also to develop a democratic and prosperous Nepal by seeking solutions to the problems associated with nationality, people's democracy, and livelihood.
• To create a strong and pro-people national unity by developing democracy and nationality as inseparable parts and accordingly to protect national integrity and sovereignty.

In view of the main political agendas and the process to formulate a new constitution through an election for a constituent assembly, the Talks II proposal read: "The interim government should conduct an election to a Constituent Assembly (CA) within six months. The CA will be inclusive of different groups, castes, regions, and communities". The proposal stressed upon equal representation from all groups and communities in both the parliament and government bodies. It stated:

• As the supreme representative of the people, an elected people's house of representatives will be formed which will include representatives from all sectors and groups, such as women, dalits, janajatis, ethnic minorities, linguistic groups, different religions, regions, etc…. Accordingly, there will be representation of different groups in the government as well;
• Regional and ethnic self-governance should be implemented to give people the right to self-determination; and
• The country should be made a fully secular state.

Utilizing the four-month long truce in 2001 as an opportunity, the CPN (Maoist) formally set up its central level people's government called as United Revolutionary People's Council (URPC) and named its military force as the People's Liberation Army (PLA). Dr. Baburam Bhattarai was appointed as the Coordinator of the 37-member URPC which is a combined product of the Party, PLA, and the fronts representing various regions, nationalities and ethnic groups. In order to guide the armed struggle and to complete the New Democratic Revolution, the CPN (Maoist) had put forward the following 75-point minimum policy and program framed by the URPC. The policies and programs concerned with the ethnic and regional aspirations included in it were as follows:

• There shall be no discrimination against anybody on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, language, gender etc. and the state shall guarantee equal treatment and opportunities to all. Equal wages for equal work shall be guaranteed to all.
• The state shall be delinked from religion and it shall be fully secular. Religion shall be regarded as a personal matter of an individual and there shall be no favor for or discrimination against any religion. However, cheating, fraud, corruption, exploitation, oppression, subversive activities etc., on the pretext of religion, shall be curbed.
• The state shall guarantee equal treatment to all nationalities of the country and their languages. All the nationalities traditionally oppressed by the ruling Aryan- Khas people shall exercise the right to self-determination and their problems shall be resolved within the framework of national autonomy program in the People's New Democratic system according to which all forms of exploitation of the oppressed nationalities shall be ended and they shall exercise their own autonomous rule in the land they inhabit. If a nationality is distributed in more than one area, there shall be more than one autonomous area for it. The House of People's Representatives and People's Committees/Governments elected by them shall be the means of their state power. Except for the People's Army, foreign relations, finance, currency, measurements, communication, international trade, large basic industries, and large hydel projects, all other sectors shall fall under the jurisdiction of the autonomy which will be exercised within the framework of the approved rules and laws.
• In case of the areas with mixed nationalities, or if there are other nationalities in the autonomous area of a particular nationality, there shall be representation of all for the local state powers on proportional basis.
• All the oppressed nationalities shall have the right to join the People's Army and they may also form the People's Militia as a security force at the local level under the central command.
• All the oppressed nationalities shall enjoy the freedom to promote their languages and to preserve or reform their traditional values and systems. The People's Central Government shall assist the people of oppressed nationalities in their political, economic, cultural, and educational development.
• In the high Himalayan regions such as Karnali region and Seti-Mahakali region‚ which have been regionally oppressed because of unequal economic development‚ there shall be regional autonomy. The nature of regional autonomy shall be basically the same as the autonomy to be enjoyed by the nationalities.
• The issue of tarai‚ which is inhabited by the people of various linguistic groups, concerns with both: exploitation of the nationalities as well as the region. However, since it is primarily an issue of the exploitation of nationalities, there shall be separate autonomous regions for the nationalities speaking different languages ( e.g., Maithili, Bhojpuri, Awadhi etc.) and all the oppression and unequal treatment meted out to tarai dwellers in general and Madheshi people in particular shall be ended. The prolonged issue of citizenship to the Madheshi people shall be resolved in a scientific, just and democratic manner.

The Central Government of the CPN (Maoist) previously called UPRC that had formed nine autonomous republics [14] is now restructured into 11 federal state committees and 3 federal sub-state committees.

1. Limbuwan State Committee: Taplejung, Panchthar, Ilam, Terhathum, and Dhankuta districts.

2. Kochila State Committee: Jhapa, Morang and Sunsari districts.

3. Kirant State Committee: Solukhumbu, Okhaldhunga, Udayapur, Khotang, Bhojpur and Sankhuwasabha districts.

4. Newa State Committee: Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur districts.

5. Tamang-Saling State Committee: Chitwan, Makawanpur, Sindhuli, Ramechhap, Dolakha, Sindhupalchowk, Kavre, Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading districts.

6. Tamuwan State Committee: Parbat and all districts of Gandaki zone – Gorkha, Lamjung, Tanahu, Syanjya, Kaski and Manang.

7. Magarat State Committee: Rukum, Rolpa, Salyan, Pyuthan, Arghakhanchi, Gulmi, Palpa, Baglung, Myagdi and Mustang districts.

8. Bheri-Karnali State Committee: Humla, Jumla, Mugu, Kalikot, Dolpa, Jajarkot, Dailekh and Surkhet districts.

9. Tharuwan State Committee: Dang, Banke, Bardia, Kailali and Kandhanpur districts.

10. Seti-Mahakali State Committee: Darchula, Baitadi, Dadeldhura, Bajhang, Bajura, Achham and Doti districts.

11. Madhes State Committee : Saptari, Siraha, Dhanusha, Mahottari and Sarlahi districts as Mithila sub-state committee; Rautahat, Bara and Parsa districts as Bhojpura sub-state committee; and Nawalparasi, Rupandehi and Kapilbastu districts as Awadh sub-state committee [15].

The 10-year People's War made aware to PDMV on inclusion, proportionate representation and autonomy across the horizontal and vertical of Nepal. As the CPN (Maoist) deviated a little bit on such crucial issues on the course to assign in understandings, agreements and peace accord, they received profound pressure from their cadres at their extended plenary meetings, ethnic organizations, madhesis and dalits fronts. As a result, the Maoist leadership put forward the 22-point demands including proportionate election system (PES) before going for CA election scheduled for November 22, 2007 ignoring the constitutional provision of 50% first-past-the-post (FPTP) and 50% party-list proportional representation. The Maoists and the UML including a few others finally passed a resolution of PES for the CA by simple majority from the Interim Parliament (IP) calling a special session. The NC voted against the motion.

The Interim Constitution (IC) could not be changed due to the amendment provision of two-thirds majority. The much-awaited protracted negotiations of the 7-party alliance agreed to amend the IC declaring Nepal a Federal Democratic Republic (but first meeting of the CA shall implement the republic) signing 23-understanding on the night of Sunday, December 23, 2007. The political stalemate has finally ended following Maoist withdrawal from the government on September 18, 2007, even though; the resignations were yet to be accepted. On the principal Maoist demand of PES, the high-level meeting of 7-party alliance agreed to hold CA election by mid-April increasing the number of CA members up to 601 (in 2.5 million population): 335 to be elected under PES, 240 through FPTP and 26 cabinet nominees. It has mixed systems – FPTP and PES, to cover 42% and 58% respectively. The Maoists are able to increase the participation of ethnicities, madhesis, dalits and women in CA, but failed to incorporate the voices of PDMV in fully proportionate election system. The Civic Conference, which was organized under the leadership of Padma Ratna Tuladhar, did not succeed as much as it was expected. The Maoist leadership has been receiving heavy pressure from janajatis, dalits and madhesis not to leave their stand on PES. The caste/ethnic, regional and linguistic issues are recognized as issues of struggle of emancipation versus limitation of rights along with autonomy. Indeed, the Maoists led as the progressive force, whereas the NC appeared as the conformist force. It was the CPN (UML) between them that played the pivotal role to minimize the differences of both conflicting parties.

However, there has been a concern that the aspiration for autonomy and right to self-determination encourage ethnic movements for secession that may result in increased anxiety for the disintegration of the cultural/territorial/religious/linguistic unity of Nepal.

Endnotes:

---

* Dr. Pathak has extracted this update from globally circulated book Politics of People's War and Human Rights in Nepal. This update is prepared on the support of Chitra Niraula, Ganga Puri, Joseph Bergson, Rushma Shakya and Rita Chaudhary.

---

[1] Mulyankan. 2048. Year 10. No. 1. Kathmandu: Mulyankan Prakashan Griha P. Ltd.
[2]About 42 kg.

[3] Tamang, Sitaram. 2000. Marxism and Nationalities' Movement in Nepal . Kathmandu: Pragati Pustak Sadan.
[4] Neupane, Govinda. 2000. Nepalko Jatiya Prashna (Ethnic Question of Nepal ). Kathmandu: Center for Development.
[5] Adhikari, Neelam Shekhar. 2000. Ethnic Movement in Nepal. Kathmandu: Sri Kripashur Sherpa.
[6] Human Rights Year Book 1993. 1993. Kathmandu: INSEC
[7] Human Rights Year Book 1994. 1994. Kathmandu: INSEC.
[8] Human Rights Year Book: 1994
[9] Nepal Janajati Federation:2054
[10] Human Rights Year Book 1994
[11] Devkota, Grishma Bahadur. 2036. Nepalko Rajnitik Darpan. Kathmandu : Umesh Bahadur Devkota.
[12] Sharma, Sudheer. March 2000. " Helicopter Biruddha Maobadi (Maoists are against Helicopter)." in Himal. Year 9, No. 22. Kathmandu : Himalmedia P. Ltd.
[13] Sharma:2000.
[14] The Central Government of CPN (Maoist) formed nine autonomous republics during the People's War on the basis of ethnicity, geo-political and linguistic dimensions. Five of those are based on ethnicity, three are on based on regional location and one is linguistic: 5-ethnic: Kirat Autonomous Region (the mountain and hill areas of the present Mechi, Koshi, and Sagarmatha zones); Tamang-Saling Autonomous Region (the mountain and hill areas of present Bagmati, Narayani, and Janakpur zones except Kathmandu Valley); Tamuwan Autonomous Region (Gandak region); Magarat Autonomous Region (from Kali Gandaki region to the hill areas of present Dhaulagiri, Rapti, and Lumbini zones); and Tharuwan Autonomous Region (western terai areas from present Rapti to Mahakali zones); 3-regional: Bheri-Karnali Autonomous Region (the hill areas of present Bheri and Karnali region); Seti-Mahakali Autonomous Region (the hill areas of present Seti and Mahakali zone); and Madhesh Autonomous Region (Awadh area of mid- tarai and Bhojpur and Mithila Pradesh of eastern tarai); and 1-linguistic - Newa Autonomous Region in Kathmandu Valley. For details see Situation Update 26: February 22, 2007 .
[15] Situation Update: September 47, 2007