Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Federal National Democratic Forum: The Janajati Party


"My father's right hand does not know what my father's left hand is doing."
-- Uday Hussein on Saddam Hussein
PM Koirala says he is unaware about govt-NFIN agreement

Federal National Democratic Forum

Federal National Democratic Forum: that is the umbrella of the Rai, Limbu and Tamang parties that have been agitating for completely proportional elections to the constituent assembly. I think they should register as one party, the Federal National Democratic Forum. That way they will have the option to emerge as the party for all Janajatis, and not just the three listed groups. The name is also neutral enough that it can have a national reach. It can go into the Terai, it can hope to attract some progressive Bahun Chhetris.

And there is an urgent need for a Dalit party. They need a party of their own more than any other group in the country. Mayawati of Uttar Pradesh is a good role model. How about Dalit Forum? Would that be a good name?

Madhesi Janadhikar Forum. Federal National Democratic Forum. Dalit Adhikar Forum. That way you are going to end up with a strong Forum Alliance in the constituent assembly.

Roundtable Conference

I think the Maoists are doing the country a huge favor by holding a roundtable conference with about a dozen ethnic and regional organizations.

Armed Madhesi Groups

The roadmap is clear. You treat the Madhesi Maoists like you treated the Pahadi Maoists: with respect. You release all their cadres languishing in jail. You take back all cases filed against them. You put all their soldiers into cantonments. And then you get them to go contest the November election that you agree to hold on a completely proportional formula.

Goit just announced a four day Terai Band starting from November 20. I think the Band will happen if the political paralysis continues. And then you are looking at chaos: further political paralysis, further lawlessness.

Republic Now

What the heck.

Completely Proportional Elections

That will bring into fold all the unarmed ethnic, regional and Dalit organizations.

Respectful Dialogue With The Armed Madhesi Groups

We have done this before, with the Pahadi Maoists. We can do it again. We already have a well-oiled peace infrastructure in place.

November Fiasco

If these steps are not taken, instead of a November Election, we are looking at a November Fiasco. It is not going to be hard for Goit, Jwala and the others to make sure the election does not take place in the Terai. All they have to do is call for a Terai Band, like they already did.

In The News

Koirala, Deuba meet concludes; party unification ‘like’ to be announced on Thursday Kantipur
Maoist demands must be addressed within next few days: Speaker
JTMM-Goit announces Terai bandh coinciding with CA polls
PM Koirala reiterates his commitment to hold CA elections
Surya Nepal shut down following continued protests by the workers demanding permanent status for the last two days. .... Dabur Nepal ... Before that, the company was forced to halt productions on August 10 as well following the Maoist affiliated trade union's strike.
Maoists making joke of democracy: MPRF Madhesi People's Rights Forum (MPRF) Chairman Updenra Yadav Wednesday said it was disappointing that the ministers in the current government were themselves making statements against the upcoming Constituent Assembly elections. ...... Yadav is in Duhabi, the home village of rebel MPRF leader Kishor Kumar Biswas who had come down heavily on the government-MPRF 22-point agreement, to lead a victory rally in support of the agreement. ........ He also said that the government was not able to create an environment to hold the CA elections on the scheduled date. .... "First, there should be unity among the eight parties," Yadav said, "Then the elections can be conducted in more than one phase, if necessary." "The army could be also deployed (during the CA elections on November 22)," said Yadav.
CA elections monitoring committee organizing all-party gathering in Biratnagar

Speaker Nemwang for immediate dialogue on Maoist demands NepalNews the top leaders of the eight-party alliance should open dialogue on the 22-point demands put forward by the CPN (Maoist). ..... The Speaker also hinted that he was ready for announcement of republic - the key Maoist demand - from the House if the eight parties agreed on it. ..... the Maoists are organising a roundtable conference in Kathmandu Thursday involving some of the ruling allies, the dissident faction of Madhesi Janadhikar Forum, indigenous groups, Dalit organisations and civil society representatives
Koirala, Deuba discuss unity
Maoists to hold roundtable with around dozen organisations The Maoists are preparing to hold roundtable meeting with around one dozen ethnic and regional organisations and other interest groups from Thursday. ........ "We are holding the roundtable to end the current political impasse in the country," said Dr. Baburam Bhattarai. According to him, the Maoists will discuss issues of common interest as well as their 22-point demands at the roundtable. ....... Limbuwan groups, dissident group of Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF), ethnic organisations and leftist outfits. ..... Federal National Democratic Forum, a network of Limbuwan, Khumbuwan and other groups, have asked the Maoists to first walk out of the government to have an effective roundtable meeting.
PM Koirala says he is unaware about govt-NFIN agreement PM Koirala expressed his unawareness about the agreement, on Tuesday morning, when a delegation of NFIN led by its president Pasang Sherpa went to Baluwatar to submit a memo requesting the government to implement the agreement. ...... The 20-point agreement reached in the talks held in Godavari, Lalitpur, included constitutional guarantee of at least one seat to each indigenous group in the constituent assembly. ....... Sherpa said he was surprised with the PM's remarks and said it showed that the government lacked sensitivity to implement the agreement with ethnic communities.
Govt-Tharu Morcha talks inconclusive Samyukta Tharu Rastriya Mukti Morcha .... guarantee of ‘Tharuwan state’ after the constituent assembly election and proportional electoral system based on ethnicity. .... Yogendra Tharu ..... Ram Chandra Poudel ... Gyanendra Karki and Ram Chandra Yadav
JTMM-Goit vows to disrupt CA polls Even as Maoists gear up for a nationwide protest movement to create 'conducive environment' for constituent assembly polls, the Jantantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM, Goit faction) has announced various programmes to make sure the polls are not held in Terai ......... “the Nepali rulers have no right to hold constituent assembly election in Terai.” ...... the group has also announced a four-day general strike in Terai starting November 20, along with various other protest programmes. ..... normal life in many parts of eastern Terai has been crippled due to strikes called by the JTMM, Madheshi Mukti Morcha and other agitating groups since past one week. The strikes have shut down most of the educational institutions, businesses and factories while vehicles remain largely off the road.
YCL demonstrates by brandishing Khukuris
NSP dispute intensifies, 14 leaders to boycott party convention The leaders demanded that a fresh date be declared to hold the convention in a conducive atmosphere after settling the party's internal dispute. ...... Bharat Bimal Yadav, Hridayesh Tripathi and Govinda Tharu. ..... Khusi Lal Mandal, Dambar Narayan Yadav, Bishwanath Prasad Shah, Dilip Kumar Singh, Gobinda Chaudhary, Sriman Narayan Mishra, Rameshwor Roy Yadav, Raj Narayan Sah, Satyawati Kurmi, Ram Babu Yadav, Sunil Rohit and Raman Kumar Pandey
Deuba says only technical matter remains for unification
Jwala's men murder schoolteacher in Siraha
Experts call for alternative development models



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