Tuesday, January 02, 2007

NepalPAC: A Great, But Limited Idea


Announcing the Establishment of Nepalese American Political Action Committee (NepalPAC)

Dear Friends, Happy New Year 2007.


We are pleased to announce the establishment of the Nepalese American Political Action Committee (NepalPAC) in the U.S.A. The goal of this new organization is to solicit contributions from anyone in the general public who may lawfully make a contribution in connection with a
federal election and to make contributions to federal candidates, party committees, or other Political Action Committees (PACs) in the U.S.A. NepalPAC is expected to usher the Nepalese Americans into the American political mainstream.

NepalPAC is the first organization founded by Nepalese Americans in the U.S.A. under the Federal Election Campaign Act. It acts in a bipartisan manner and is not affiliated to any political party – Democratic or Republican. In order to make the voices of Nepalese Americans heard
among U.S. leaders including Senators and Congressmen or Congresswomen, it is imperative for us to organize ourselves into a critical mass so that these leaders are resourcefully informed about Nepalese Americans in the U.S.A. as well as the common people in Nepal.

You are invited to become a Founding Member or a Member of NepalPAC. The admission fee for Founding Member is $300 and for Member, it is $100, which also includes the annual dues for 2007. The annual renewal fee for both categories of membership is $100 per year.


Although membership in NepalPAC is legally limited to U.S. citizens or permanent residents, we ask the general Nepalese community in the U.S.A. for its broad support in our efforts to make meaningful impact on the lives of Nepalese Americans in the U.S.A. or the common people in Nepal.


Please visit our website
www.NepalPAC.org for details. We urge you to fill in the membership application form and send it with your check to the address shown. As always, please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or concerns.

On behalf of the NepalPAC Adhoc Committee,

Prahlad D. Pant, Ph.D.

Coordinator
The Matrix, Vision, Spread Democracy, Revolution

NepalPAC is a great, but limited idea. It had to be done, and I am glad it is being done. But of the 100,000 plus Nepalis in the US, how many are citizens? A handful. Are there even a thousand? Most are permanent residents.

Political empowerment can be more truly and widely achieved by helping build The Matrix. This will be the way for the Nepalis to earn voting rights in New York City en masse. And then you are talking. We also need to build The Matrix to put Obama in the White House. We need some Third World blood in the White House. And then we have to help this country reimagine the whole concept of immigration in this day and age of globalization and the internet.

And we have to mass organize the Nepalis. We have to expand and democratize the existing Nepali organizations.

ANONYC: Proposed Constitution

Right now there is too much elitism going on.

What we don't have in numbers, we can more than make up for with quality of organization. And The Matrix is it. If we get in early and strong, we could become the nucleus of The Matrix. And then we will be talking.

It pains me no ends to see Nepalis who did so much for the democracy movement in Nepal to not even have the vocabulary to describe the current powerlessness of the Nepalis in the American context. Those who don't know that they don't know.

Salvation is simple. Build The Matrix.

In The News

Over 100 Jana Aandolan activists arrested, released NepalNews
Tension brewing between the government and the Maoists
Talks on freed Kamaiyas’ resettlement demand inconclusive
Ministerial committee still 'studying' the Rayamajhi Commission report
Parties, rights groups condemn arrest of civil society activists
Maoists will be responsible if CA polls are not held on time: PM Koirala
Over 60 civil society activists arrested from sit-in at Baluwatar
Bar Association calls for review of interim constitution
NRNs dissatisfied over their exclusion in CA polls

US not yet ready to remove terrorist tag on Maoists: Moriarty NepalNews
Cold spell claims three in Rautahat
Freed Kamaiyas capture land in Tinkune
Maoists padlock municipal, VDC offices in Jhapa
No agreement on restoring all police posts: Mahara
Leaders call for inclusive interim constitution
Prime Minister Koirala taken ill
Saddam execution draws widespread condemnation in Nepal
Sitaula asks Maoists to act responsibly
PM wants to settle problems with JTMM, too, through talks The Singh-led JTMM has imposed December 16-31 prohibition on non-Madhesis from plying vehicles in Terai road. Just two days ago they shot one bus passenger to death in Saptari for defying their ban. The cadres of JTMM also frequently clash with the Maoists in the eastern Terai region, particularly in Siraha and Saptari districts. ...... Ian Martin ... said that the responsibility of resolving the problem with the JTMM rested with the government.
Six UN arms monitors arrive; Martin concerned over obstruction of RPP activities
Koirala for curtailing some powers of PM in interim constitution
Leaders call to provide immediate relief to Nepalgunj victims
Govt pledges compensation to Nepalgunj riot victims
Maoists seize documents from VDC secy, attack policemen
MoIC minister Badu reading the political decision

Koirala for curtailing some powers of PM in interim constitution NepalNews it is not appropriate to give unlimited powers to the Prime Minister including appointment of the Chief Justice ...... Commenting on recent nomination of ambassadors in different countries, Koirala said that the government will not withdraw the nominations. ....... He further informed that the Maoists had agreed not to create obstacles for re-establishing displaced police posts and the return secretaries of village development committees to their respective villages. ....... Commenting on the recent violent activities of Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM), a breakaway faction of Maoists, Koirala said that the government will be compelled to take strong action if they continued such activities. ...... Nepali Congress will decide the agenda for the elections of the constituent assembly after party leaders return from the districts
The transitional period will be difficult to manage by this constitution: Acharya the constitution finalized by the political parties has failed to reflect the people’s aspiration expressed during the April movement. ..... The interim constitution established supremacy of politics, neglecting the supremacy of constitution, the internationally recognized principle. ........ The source of authority of the present constitution is the Jana Andolan (People’s Movement) II but the preamble has not mentioned it ...... Though the constitution has the provision for corruption control and ending of impunity, there is a provision of pardon in Article 151, which will promote impunity and there is no mechanism for ending corruption. ...... in a parliamentary system, the same person cannot be the head of the state and also the head of the government. ...... the constitution has assumed that there will be parliamentary system even after the election of the constituent assembly ...... Article 82 of the constitution has mentioned that the constituent assembly will be dissolved after the constitution drafted from the CA comes into force, but it also has the provision that the CA might work till a new legislature is formed ......... the Prime Minister will be the head of the state and the government, which means there is no role for monarchy. If the constitution does not give recognition to the crown, there will be no monarchy in the country. ...... the situation will be complex after the election of the constituent assembly. The first provision is that the Prime Minister will be appointed through consensus, but if that does not happen, the leader of the political party with majority will be the Prime Minister, who might misuse his power. The misuse of power is one concern, but there is also confusion in principle as to what kind of government it will be. ........ If the Prime Minister is to appoint the CJ, there will not be independence of Judiciary. ....... all the court’s decision and the annual report of the Supreme Court could be discussed in the parliament, which is also against the principle of independence of Judiciary. ....... Article 86 of the constitution states that no voice should be raised against the decision of the legislature and if someone does so, s/he can be detained for three months or fined 10 thousand rupees and there shall be no review of the punishment. ........ In any penalty given by any court, judicial or semi-judicial authorities, the cabinet may give pardon. Based on this provision, pardon can be given against the people who were found guilty by the report of the Rayamajhi Commission. Similarly, there will be no punishment for violation of human rights and humanitarian laws in course of the 11-year long Maoist insurgency. ........ all people will get citizenship on the basis of birth, which is objectionable. The constitution also made the provision that all people who have naturalized citizenship will be eligible for the appointment in all constitutional bodies, which is against the national interest. The naturalized citizenship is given to foreigners, so under this provision, any foreign citizen will be eligible for the post of President, Prime Minister or Chief Justice of the country. ........ provision of six members in the constitutional council, which is not correct, as the even number keeps no meaning in legal term. ....... Independence of Judiciary is the international principle, but the constitution is trying to create controlled or committed Judiciary. ...... Based on the interim constitution, the proposed constituent assembly will not give good results and the constitution to be formed from the constituent assembly will not be inclusive. There was no need of an interim parliament ahead of the constituent assembly polls. ....... The interim legislature does not have authority to take decision about the interim constitution as well. ....... a person holding public post or receiving remuneration will be disqualified for being a candidate in the election, but the constitution has made the provision that elected and nominated people will be able to be the candidates, which means, a person who is a member in interim parliament will be able to fight the elections of the constituent assembly and member of the constituent assembly be able to fight for the next elections, which is against the electoral norms. ....... the 425-member constituent assembly is not appropriate as the number is not manageable. The mixed election system is also not a good concept.
Maoist atrocities are crossing all limits, says Nepal Nepal today visited Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu where Bibek Shrestha, president of Dang district unit of pro-UML student wing All Nepal National Free Students Union (ANNFSU) is hospitalized.

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