Wednesday, February 14, 2007

Madhesh State Now


You can not wage a major mass movement whose end goal is the Home Minister's resignation. You have to shoot for something much larger. Krishna Sitaula is not worth a movement. Krishna Sitaula is a nobody. Krishna Sitaula ka to Jhapa men jamanat jabt hoga.

If Krishna Sitaula were to resign now, the Madhesh state can wait a few months. We go to the Madhesi voters with the agenda of a Madhesh state and we sweep the elections, the Madhesi Alliance does. But if he does not resign, the ground rules change. We wage the second phase of the Madhesi Movement that will only conclude with the declaration of a Madhesh state, and a new interim parliament, and new interim government. The seven Pahadi parties will get 50% of the share in that new interim parliament and interim government. The Madhesi and Janajati movements will get the other 50%. I guess I am thinking the Janajatis will finally catch up with the Madhesis. The Madhesi Movement moves ahead with or without them, but it would make sense for them to join in.

Girija will likely not lead that new government. It will be Upendra Yadav. The seven Pahadi parties, on the other hand, may vouch for a Deputy Prime Ministerial berth, and half the seats in the cabinet.

Girija ka to Biratnagar mein jamanat jabt hoga.

If the Janajatis do not want their own states now, they are more than welcome to wait, but the Madhesh is not waiting.

Madhesh State NOW!

Interim federalism NOW!

I welcome the idea of all of Terai not being one state. We can have the Rapti river as the boundary of the two Terai states. That is fine. Janakpur will be the capital of one, Nepalgunj of another. Works for me. The Tharu sentiment has to be respected. The Tharu are both Madhesi and Janajati. Through the respect for the Tharu, it will be possible to build a strong Madhesi-Janajati coalition that will last decades. That will be a beautiful power equation.

I know what the federal map for the Terai will look like. It is for the Janajatis to decide what it will look like in the hills and the mountains.

The clock is ticking. Girija has a few more days to decide. The choice is between letting Krishna Sitaula go and risking an all out movement that will only stop with his ouster. The fundamentals will change.

Girija Koirala's Callous Attitude Towards The Madhesi Martyrs

In his first speech Girija spends about eight minutes talking about himself. And for the final two minutes he finally addresses the Madhesi Movement. Mostly he talks about his health. He is a sick, old man. We know that. He makes his case that he is the leader because he is sick and he is old. Those are his two qualifications.

I am fundamentally offended that these Bahuns continue to be so disrespectful of the 38 martyrs of the Madhesi Movement.

The martyrs gave their lives to the Madhesi Movement. The least we can do for them is be ready to launch the second phase of the Madhesi Movement.

Or Krishna Sitaula can resign, and the seven Pahadi parties can sit for talks with all the agitating Madhesi and Janajati groups. We want a constituent assembly that looks like Nepal in its ethnic and gender composition. How else will we be able to trust it to give Nepal a fair constitution?

The ball is in Girija Bahun Baje's court.

Sucheta Pyakurel's False Claim To Women's Rights
Alok Bohara: On Regional Autonomy And New Nepal
Kiran Sitoula Is A Short, Fat Idiot
Ram Sah: Concern Over State Excesses, And Diaspora Politics
Madhesi Legal Defense Fund, Madhesi Aawaz, Madhesi Movement II
Anand Jha At SEBS: Loha Lohe Ko Katta Hai
B. K. Rana And The Madhesi Janajati Question
Krishna Sitaula Not Going Risks Everything
NYC Gremlins
Mahendra Lawoti On Constituent Assembly
38 Martyrs = Go, Krishna Sitaula, Go
The Ghost Called ND Forum
NYC Nepali Are Madhesi, Powerless
The New School Event: Madhesi Question: Photos 2
The New School Event: Madhesi Question: Photos
The New School Event: My Speech To Be Delivered
How Not To Get Back Onto The Streets
Bipin Shah: Belated But Popular "Madhesi Revolt"
Inbox 15
िवजयकी सुगन्ध अा रही है
49% Seats For Terai In Constituent Assembly Is A Fair Deal
समानता अौर अिधकार पर्याप्त नहीं हैं, हमें तो शक्ित चािहए
Brikhesh Chandra Lal: Meaning Of Inclusive Democracy
Pankaj Karna: Awakening Of Madhesh
Inbox 14
Photos From Janakpur: Santosh Bhagat 3
Photos From Janakpur: Santosh Bhagat 2
Photos From Janakpur: Santosh Bhagat
Protests Will Continue, Big Time
Proposed Constitution
Braindead Girija: The UML Needs To Walk Out Of This Government
Why Krishna Sitaula Has To Go

Stage Two, Stage Three
Preeti Koirala And Mainstream Pahadi Prejudice
Madhesi Movement: Intensifying The Protest
Paudel Bahun Is Lying
Dhruba Adhikary: Your Typical Pahadi Liar
Proportional Representation Might Work With DaMaJa Reservations
Guiding The Madhesi Movement
Open Letter To Surendra Devkota, Shiva Gautam
The Accurately Named Krishna Pahadi
Girija Has Proven To Be A Cruel Joke Upon Nepal
Compromise: Add 45 Constituencies To The Terai
Nonviolent Madhesi Movement For Equality Or Violent Ethnic Riot
King's 3 Years, Girija's 3 Years: Not Happening
Sukhdev Shah: Terai’s Fate—Looking Within!
Pahadi Bias Colors Global Media
Butchers, Stop The Killing, You Will Get Tried
Action Plan: 5 + 5
Gyane In April: 3 Speeches, Girija In Magh: How Many?
सत्ताधारी सात पहाडी पार्टीको घैंटोमा अझै घाम लागेको छैन

In The News

SC orders govt to free Kamal Thapa NepalNews the Home Ministry sent a written clarification to the apex court saying there was no need to examine Thapa’s case as he has been sent to preventive detention under the Peace and Security Act 1989 after sufficient evidences that he was involved in fueling unrest in Terai region during the agitations organised by Madhesi people.
JTMM (Goit) 'rejects' govt's talks offer ruled out dialogue with the government saying the latter has failed to create conducive atmosphere. ..... Jwala Singh-led JTMM, Madhesi Janadhikar Forum and Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities have expressed readiness to hold talks with the government over their grievances.
NSP-Anandidevi to stay away from government meeting of the party's national working committee made this decision .... the NSP-Anandidevi had expressed solidarity with the Madhesi agitators during the recent unrest. It has said that until the interim constitution is amended to address their concerns, the party will remain out of government. .... the NSP-Anandidevi has become the first party to have broken off from the SPA alliance

‘Terai unrest costs economy Rs 29b’ Kantipur
I'll quit if PM wishes: Home Minister Sitaula Home Minister Sitaula said his ouster was not a matter for any great debate but was up to the discretion of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala. ...... Sitaula, however, said the ongoing peace process sill has a long way to go. "A lot of things are yet to be done for the full implementation of past accords with the Maoists," said Sitaula. "It is somehow connected with my role as well." He said he is emotionally attached to the success of the peace process. ...... said he was a bit surprised and feels regret as the demand for his resignation came from a member of the party and the Prime Minister's daughter. "I think the demand was made without taking into account the gravity of the country's situation and without analyzing the circumstances," he said. He claimed that the demand by the PM's daughter does not have anything to do with the PM, though. Sitaula said Koirala has asked him to ignore the demands and continue ahead with greater enthusiasm and stronger morale. ..... Sitaula also urged the Madhesi leadership not to waste any time setting preconditions for talks but put the rest of their demands openly at the dialogue table. "It is in their interest to sit for talks with an open mind as the demands of Madhes have been fundamentally addressed," he said. ...... said he was accused of being anti-Madhesi just because the security forces exercised force in some places to maintain law and order. "I also remember that I was labeled pro-Madhesi when I took concrete steps for the passage of the Citizenship Bill a few months ago." ........ Sitaula said an interim government inclusive of the Maoists was likely to be formed by next week.
माओवादीद्वारा बृहत् सभा
सय मेगावाट बिजुलीको प्रस्ताव
संविधानसभा बिथोल्न थापा सक्रिय’
जनतान्त्रिक वार्तामा बस्न तयार
माक्र्सवादी विभाजित

I'll quit if PM wishes: Home Minister Sitaula Kantipur Online, Nepal
Sitaula under fire for "Terai neglect" DailyIndia.com
NEPAL:Sitaula in the eye of storm; Maoists come to his defense PeaceJournalism.com
MPRF demands resignation of home minister People's Daily Online
Solution To The Terai Unrest
Gorkhapatra, Nepal
Acute hearing
Nepali Times, Nepal
Main group suspends violent protests in s. Nepal
Jerusalem Post, Israel
MJF's ultimatum draws closer; Yadav threatens to intensify agitation
Nepalnews.com, Nepal
Nepal protest leader demands minister’s resignation
Daily Times, Pakistan
Leaders Demand Sitaula's Resignation
Himalayan Times, Nepal
Sitaula's Resignation Demand Meaningless: Dr Koirala Himalayan Times, Nepal Nepali Congress (NC) central member Dr Shekhar Koirala said Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula's resignation could make it difficult to solve the Maoist
MPRF will sit for talks if Sitaula resigns: Raya Kantipur Online, Nepal
Nepal: Madheshi people reject marginalization Toward Freedom, VT
Nepal's minorities raise the stakes BBC News, UK the agitation is not over yet, it is merely suspended for 10 days, insists the chairman of the Madheshi Janadhikar Forum (MJF), Upendra Yadav. ..... He refuses even to talk to the government unless Home Minister Krishna Sitaula is sacked and the deaths are investigated at the highest level. ..... He told the BBC there would be "strict action" if the 10 days passed without results. ..... Most of the victims of the recent violence were Madheshi and were killed in what the UN has called excessive use of force by the police. ..... Nepal's politicians, most of whom are indeed people of hill origin, have struggled to respond to all this. .... The Maoists seem confused. ..... Prachanda's initial reaction to the Madheshi violence was that he would "not negotiate with criminals and gangsters" - ironically echoing King Gyanendra's description of the Maoists. ..... Even though some commentators now favour regionally-based federalism, many criticise the Maoists' ethnic model. ...... NEFIN told the BBC it wants to discuss an ethnic federal system with the government.







No comments: