Monday, March 05, 2007

Madhesi Janajati Kranti: Confusion, Clarity



I must admit I have been wading through some confusion recently. Social change is a complex thing. In some ways, in many ways, the Madhesi Janajati Movement for equality is more challenging than was the April Revolution for democracy and human rights. Who leads? What is the vision? How do you wage the movement? When do you conclude it and how?

The Maghe Kranti produced more martyrs than did the April Revolution. And the Home Minister has still not resigned. Those in power continue to refuse to call the Madhesi Movement by its name. They call it the Terai unrest. They like to suggest it was a law and order problem. It was not a political movement at all. The basic disrespect continues.

The Madhesi Janadhikar Forum was a rather small outfit before the Madhesi Movement began. Now it has a massive organizational base. It is now poised to perhaps emerge the largest political party of the future Madhesh state.

The Bahunist strategy is to sow confusion. Their lies are outright and brazen. It was no Madhesi Movement, but rather royalist and Hindu supremacist foul play, they say. And they continue to say that today. The disrespect has continued.

The Madhesi Movement wants a federal republic declared right now. Girija is opposed to declaring the country a federal republic now. Actually he has never gone on record for a republic. The only times he has gone on record is for a ceremonial monarchy. But that Girija sees a royalist hand in the Madhesi Movement.

The Madhesi Movement has produced a disproportionate number of Muslim martyrs. Girija is a Bahunist. Prachanda is a Bahunist. Baburam is a Bahunist. Bahunism is an ideology, much stronger than feudalism or Maoism, definitely much much older. And these Bahuns accuse the Madhesi Movement of being Hindu supremacist.

There is confusion also among the Madhesis. Recently Rajendra Mahto and Bimalendra Nidhi went on record saying there is no need for further agitation, that the Home Minister need not resign, and that the Prime Minister's last speech fulfilled all the Madhesi demands. I know those two people very well, personally, and have thought of them as pillars of Madhesi political empowerment. But now I am having to do a rethink. How can they not see that the Home Minister has to resign! The ball does not move unless he resigns.

The Janajati came late to the movement, but they are getting there now. Still there is no solid alliance. That is confusing.

Getting 49% of the seats in the Terai was victory enoug for the Terai, but the Madhesi Movement has to and has been willing to let go of that and come around to the Janajati agenda of having all seats to the constituent assembly elected through proportional representation.

Right now is the time to think in terms of a basic common minimum program and a final, decisive movement. The Madhesi Movement has to come around to the agenda of proportional elections. The Janajati Movement similarly has to take up the demand of the Home Minister's resignation. And then the entire country has to be shut down until the basic demands are met.

It is not true the Maoists speak for the Janajati. Prachanda has not allowed that. If Prachanda were for a federal republic, he should see common ground with the Madhesi Janajati Movement, but he does not. If the UML were for proportional elections, they should see common ground with the Madhesi Janajati Movement, but they do not. What is going on is Bahunbaad is going on.

This movement is necessary. If we do not end up with a constituent assembly that looks like Nepal in its ethnic and gender composition, we are going to end up with a constitution that is not satisfactory, and then we are going to have to struggle for a generation to make amendments. We should not put that burden on the next generation. We should instead work now. Better to shut the country down for a few weeks now than to play foul by the next generation of Madhesis and Janajatis.

The Madhesi Janajati Movement is about making sure the first president of Nepal is either a Madhesi or a Janajati, nothing less. The Bahuns know they are only months away from being shovelled into oblivion, and that is why they resist. They resist hard. But then the king also resisted. Their better option is to cooperate with the inevitable and be gracious. That way they avoid total marginalization down the line.

One person, one vote democracy with equality among the Khas, Madhesi, Janajati, Dalit and Mahila will be good for all concerned. The leaders will crop up out of the entire population and not only from among the Bahuns. That will mean the best possible leaders will go to the top, and that will be good for the entire country. That will be good also for the Bahun masses.

But right now looks like there is avoiding one, final, decisive round of street agitation. The Bahuns have not been listening at all. They have not been responding to reason and dialogue. The Janajati tried dialogue. What did they get? Nothing.

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In The News

Cabinet adopts Oli committee's counsel over Rayamajhi panel report NepalNews
UML refutes allegations over statute amendment proposal
8-party unity may break up if interim govt not formed soon: Nepal
Govt calls for end to strikes
EC holds discussion with Janajatis, Dalits the leaders of indigenous communities said that they would not accept mixed electoral system ..... translate the materials prepared for the CA polls into different languages so that people from all linguistic communities could understand clearly about the importance of the constituent assembly
Govt-NFIN talks deferred
1.2 million citizenships distributed
Civil society should initiate efforts to ensure participation in CA, says Ghai
RPP demands reservation; Prachand meets RPP chief Rana reservation for Janajatis, Madhesis, Muslim Dalits and other marginalised sections of the society in the interim constitution. .... The central working committee meeting of the party said that all should be given proportional representation in all bodies of the state. ...... the constitution should be amended after holding talks with the Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities and Madhesis. ...... Expressing solidarity with the demand of Madhesi people for the resignation of the Home Minister, the RPP said, it would be irrational to give protection to a person ignoring the sprit of a mass movement. ....... RPP chairman Rana urged the Maoist chairman to allow the party to hold its political programme in Sindhupalchowk. In reply Prachanda said that they are not obstructing any political parties to organise political programmes.

Eight party alliance fragile: Nepal
Kantipur Online Nepal claimed that there has been no allocation of ministerial portfolios among the parties as yet in addition to expressing suspicions regarding a “secret alliance” between Nepali Congress and CPN-M. ...... the demands of all the agitating sides were justified
Form Interim Govt by mid-March: Nepal Himalayan Times
UML leader threatens to quit from interim government People's Daily Online the unity of eight parties was only till CA polls v

Govt to begin departmental action against April Uprising suppressors Kantipur
Indefinite MPRF strike in 22 districts from tomorrow a closure of all sectors including transport, factories and industries, educational institutions from tomorrow in the 22 districts. ...... Forum secretary Jayaram Yadav informed that the MPRF would also organise peaceful rallies during the strike, adding that banners and placards would be used instead of swords and batons this time around. ..... press, human rights workers, ambulance service, among others would not be affected by the protests
Terai remains engulfed in strikes
Govt directs Sitaula, Lekhak to placate irate transport workers
Govt to cancel illegal citizenship certificates
INTERVIEW WITH RAM CHANDRA PAUDEL a founding member of the Nepal Students Union ...... I do not hesitate to say that there is still ambiguity in NC regarding the monarchy. ..... There is still doubt in the NC as to whether the Maoists have really given up their politics of arms. ...... the NC and CPN-UML had dictated the statement (king’s second statement through which he announced the reinstatement of House) and sent it to the palace through Pashupati Bhakta Maharjan (Royal Palace’s Principal Secretary) ....... There is no doubt that some people in the army are of traditional thinking. But legally all ties between the army and the palace have been broken. ...... the eight parties have expressed commitment for a federal set up. There will be discussions regarding its model however. ...... Is it possible to have just 3,000 weapons for 30,000 combatants? They (Maoists) talk about grenades. One combatant can carry ten grenades but he definitely has a gun. Even after the twelve-point understanding, ceasefire code of conduct, eight-point agreement etc, they recruited militia. ........ it is the NA that will have to go into battle, if it comes to that. ..... There is no doubt there must be unity. The Congresses' vote bank is not significantly divided. The division is more in the leadership. ..... Who will be shouldering this responsibility is not a matter of concern. This is a party that went along fine even after BP’s death. But at the moment, I believe we need to go for a collective leadership. But, after some time, someone or the other must take the lead. That will definitely happen.
गाउ“मै साढे १२ लाखलाई नागरिकता
गैरनेपालीले पनि पाए
प्रहरीमा भर्ती गर्न मन्त्रीको दबाब
मधेस बन्दले औषधि अभाव
माओवादीद्वारा र्सवसाधारणमाथि गोली प्रहार
यातायात बन्दले जनजीवन प्रभावित
नागरिकता टोलीलाई खानामा दोहोरो रकम
अबको नया“ नेविसंघ
जातीय संघात्मकता माथि उठेर हर्ेदा गरिबीको सबभन्दा खराब अवस्थामा पहाडे-दलित -४४ प्रतिशत), पहाडे-जनजाति -४१ प्रतिशत) र तर्राई-दलित -४१ प्रतिशत) रहेका छन् ..... एक करोड नब्बे लाखको कुल ग्रामीण जनसंख्यामध्ये ७० लाख -३५ प्रतिशत) गरिबीको रेखामुनि छ । ..... मधेसी बाहुनको तुलनामा मधेसी यादवको आर्थिक अवस्था निकै नाजुक छ ।

Over 1.2 Million People Get Citizenship Cards in Nepal since ... Nepal human Rights News, Nepal

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