Saturday, April 02, 2005

To: George Soros


Subject: Requesting a Round 1 investment of $100,000 into the Democratic Cause in Nepal

Hello Mr. Soros. You are a progressive billionaire. The idea of making this request came to me first when I read about your involvement in the Ukrainian movement in this Wikipedia article: Orange Revolution. If anything, the need in Nepal is much greater, and the sum requested is much smaller than what you put into Ukraine and I request your Open Society Institute to step in, please.

As to how this money will be spent. I intend to quit my current job and base myself in New York City and put in about 40 hours a week into coordinating the activities. I will pay myself $2000 a month. And the rest of the money will go to fund the activities that are outlined at this blog entry: eDemocracy, 4S Campaign, 24/7 Vigil For Democracy: Take Over Tundikhel. This will be a non-violent movement that will rely on extensive use of communications technology and superior organization and coordination to outdo an illegitimate regime. I have already been building contacts, from the US to Delhi to inside of Nepal. I will keep the bookkeeping transparent right at this blog, and furnish all details of the expenses also directly to the Institute, preferably in person, since I notice you are based out of New York City. Open Society Institute, 400 West 59th Street, New York, NY 10019, USA, Tel. 1-212-548-0600.

If by January 2006 democracy has not materialized in Nepal, I would consider moving over to Delhi to get closer to action. I do not expect the project to take more than a year or two. Likely it will be over in months if done well. If there is leftover money, I will return it to the Institute.

I believe a total spread of democracy is the best hope humanity has of unleashing its potential to address the problems and challenges faced by the poorest of the poor. I believe democracies like India, those in Europe and elsewhere, and the US can play major roles, but an individual like you might be in a position to play much greater roles, because you can afford to be much more flexible than the states.

The west can wait for the wound to fester in places like the Middle East and get struck the 9/11 way and then mindlessly react like in the case of Iraq, spending hundreds of billions of dollars and causing much mayhem. Or we have the option of able and willing individuals like yourself spend a few strategic millions here and there to let the indigenous democratic movements do their work, non-violence their weapon.

I see a successful movement for democracy in Nepal providing blueprints that can be copied elsewhere in the region: Maldives, Burma, Bhutan, Pakistan, even China, why not.

Will you please step up to the plate? Please find my phone number in the body of the email.

With much hope.

Paramendra Bhagat

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