Saturday, November 26, 2005

Every Sunday 11 AM Union Square



Tomorrow will be the third Sunday in a row. Granted the first Sunday was in Chinatown at the Dumpling House on Lafayette. But the last one was at Union Square. My emphasis was on dumplings, momo. Sarahana knew of this place called Darbar East at 14th Street and 1st Avenue. It is a Nepali restaurant, officially Indian, but run by a Nepali, some Dhruba. But it only opens at noon on Sundays. So we met at Union Square until 11:40 then we walked over to the Darbar. Anil knew the owner. He called in advance. So we had hot plates of momo waiting when we got there. No wait time.

Darbar East - NYC Restaurant & Menu Guide. Menus, Ratings, Reviews ...

Looks like two of the original numbers Sanjaya Parajuli and Anil Shahi can not make it tomorrow. Both are the leaders of the Alliance group that has done some credible job of event planning in town, hosting guests passing through town and such. But both have pledged $100 each to the Nepal 1000 effort. I expect them to become Leaders for the same down the line, perhaps Senior Leaders.

But then today I met Dr. Binay Sah for lunch at his place, a fellow Janakpuriya. And he is interested in coming. I am hoping the Sah couple will show up. He also pledged to become a Leader for the Nepal 1000 effort.

Divita Mehta could not make it last Sunday, but she emailed a few days back saying she will be there this Sunday. Divita is from Birgunj. She came to the US when 13, and now is on Wall Street. She has not pledged yet, but I am sure she will. She is the most militant Madhesi I ever met.

I think we should turn this into an open, every Sunday thing, 11 to noon. Then people will have the option to walk over to the momo place, or not. We are hoping a large crowd will gather there in Kathmandu, day in and day out, like in Ukraine last year. I think doing it at a small scale here in New York City will be a nice way to express solidarity. To send the message, we are with you.
If we can only grow to 10, maybe 30, maybe 100 people, every Sunday, for an hour. Maybe more people. When Nepal finally hits the world headlines, this Sunday crowd will be facing TV cameras, or so I would hope. But we don't have to. We will be video blogging on our own. The rest of the world can catch up at its own pace.

I like things open. I had a falling out with the closed Nepal Democracy Google group, 106 members, a few days back. (Nepal Democracy Google Group Does Not Believe In Free Speech) So I started my own open Progressive Nepal group. The theme is as follows: Peace, democracy and social justice have to go together to ensure a rapid economic growth for the country as a whole.

Openness and democracy go together. My idea of an organizational structure for this group does not look like a pyramid, it feels more like a cloud. There is this loose network. There is no center. The glow of an individual is that person's activity level. The most active are the brightest stars in the galaxy. And the glow is self determined. All book keeping is transparent, all discussions are transparent.

And the whole thing is also part of an experiment. If it will work in Nepal, it can work in other countries that are also clamoring for democracy. And the entire movement will be blogged. So the footprints will all be there. Future movements in other countries will have ready access to all the material. I feel like we are digging gold.

This is an experiment in non-violennce, also an experiment in democracy, because there is a major emphasis on internal democracy inside the movement, it is pretty much open source. This is an experiment in a war with communications technology. This is an experiment in effectiveness. This is an experiment in political innovation. This is an experiment in a seamless global effort: people in New York City should feel almost as involved as the people in Kathmandu. This is an experiment in reaching out. This is not just about Nepalis, but also friends of Nepal.

Orange Revolution - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
TIME Europe Magazine: The Orange Revolution -- Dec. 06, 2004
BBC NEWS | World | Europe | Ukraine marks Orange Revolution
Orange Ukraine - Journal of Ukrainian Current Events
The New York Review of Books: The Orange Revolution
Orange Revolution || kuro5hin.org
Foreign Affairs - Ukraine's Orange Revolution - Adrian Karatnycky
Orange Revolution
ORANGE REVOLUTION :: Main Page
Ukraine: The Face of the Orange Revolution - Worldpress.org

Ukraine struggles to make Orange Revolution work - Taipei Times - Nov 24, 2005
One-year anniversary of Orange Revolution turns bittersweet - National Post - Nov 23, 2005
Ukraine celebrates Orange Revolution - New Zealand Herald - Nov 22, 2005


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In The News

Maoists still undecided over extension of ceasefire NepalNews
India played behind-the-scenes role in Parties-Maoist understanding: TOI
Moriarty leaves for the US
12-point understanding installs new hope: Dr. Panday
Maoists, security forces exchange fire
Their Majesties in Tanzania
Understanding between parties and Maoists can’t be ignored: Thapa
Nepal says will continue to get arms from ‘friendly nations’
Indian Express, India
China sends arms to Nepal: Paper Calcutta Telegraph
India embargo in place, Nepal gets arms from China Newindpress
Guerrillas, security forces exchange fire in Nepal
People's Daily Online, China
Nepalese Army committed to provide security for municipal polls People's Daily Online
Guerrillas continuing atrocities: Nepali Defense Ministry People's Daily Online
The Economist and The Times of India on Nepal’s new political ...
United We Blog, Nepal
Top Indian dailies welcome ‘Nepal breakthrough’ Kantipur Online
Will Nepal go Maoists? Kathmandu Post
violence against women increases in Nepal: report
Xinhua, China
US envoy called back to discuss Nepal issues
Kantipur Online, Nepal
Moriarty Leaves Nepal for Consultations with US Govt NewsLine Nepal
Envoy Moriarty Flies to Washington Himalayan Times
Moriarty leaves for the US Nepali Times
China Has Supported Despotism: Nepal
NewsLine Nepal, Nepal
No preconditions for constituent assembly election: Nepal Kantipur Online
Understanding On Our Own Feet: MK Nepal NewsLine Nepal
UML Asks China to Stop Arms Supply to Nepal Himalayan Times
‘India not behind Nepal uprising’
Newindpress, India
Nepal will be a rich and powerful country
PeaceJournalism.com, Nepal
A reporter’s experience for conducting a survey for Nepal ...
United We Blog, Nepal
Ranabhat Hits Out at Clause in Parties-Maoist Deal
Himalayan Times, Nepal
Accord With Maoists Only a Rumor: Shiv Sena
NewsLine Nepal, Nepal

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