Thursday, April 13, 2006

No Room For Monarchy In The 21st Century: King

The King Set To Declare Date For Elections (April 10)

Kin Gyanendra: "We believe that there is no alternative to multiparty democracy in the 21st century and the verdict of the ballot alone is legitimate."

NEPAL’S KING MIDNIGHT CALL FOR ELECTIONS TOO LITTLE, TO LATE

KATHMANDU, NEPAL
April 15, 2004

At midnight from the Royal Palace King Gyanendra broadcast his annual New Year’s
Message to a sleeping nation.

The King restated earlier promises to hold general Elections in April 2007, called for the “active participation of all parties,” said that “Democracy demands restraint and all forms of extremism are incompatible with democracy.”

There was no mention of the Maoist insurgency that has claimed more than 13,000 lives since the inception of the People’s War in 1996 and which now controls large sections of the country, or of the ongoing demonstrations by the 7-Party Alliance to restore democracy and create a Republic.

The King called for dialogue with all parties and said “ may the efforts at ensuring sustainable peace and meaningful democracy in the interest of the nation and the people bear fruit during the New Year.”

Against a background of massive and growing nationwide demonstrations that have paralyzed the country and are being supported by almost all sectors of Nepalese society there was hope the King would provide some meaningful message that would stop the daily bloodshed.

With the condemnation of unrestrained violence against the demonstrations from the EU, US, Canada, and India among others including, human rights organizations, and the United Nations, the cancellation of a high level US mission headed by US House of Representatives, Dennis Haster (R-Il) “due to ongoing violence, curfews, and widespread insecurity in Nepal,” and the US Embassy in Kathmandu cutting staff to a minimum while urging Diplomat’s families in Nepal to consider leaving the strife ridden country, Nepal seems to be headed toward all-out civil war.

Police-Riots have taken as many as 4-lives and caused many injured to disappear after having been thrown in police vehicles. Unrestrained violence has included the indiscriminate firing of live and rubber bullets into peaceful demonstrations, gouging the eye out of a demonstrator being treated by medical staff, entering of private homes and businesses, looting, launching tear-gas, shooting children at point-blank range as they huddled in their school, beating disabled and street-children, arresting tourists, and constant baton attacks. The pro-Democracy demonstrators are in no mood to accept anything less than the restoration of Parliamentary Democracy and the end to the autocratic rule instituted by the Monarch on Feb.-1, 2005.

The first reactions to the King’s address by the pro-Democracy demonstrators are summed up by the statement of one young member of the Nepali Congress., “This is the same thing we heard before. We demand the immediate and unconditional restoration of democracy, and the establishment of a Republic. This is too little too late.”

D. Michael Van De Veer-Freelance Journalist
Contributor to UnitedWeBlog,
& Pacifica’s Free Speech Radio News
Member South Asian Journalist Association (SAJA)
Co-Host OUT OF THE BOX KKCR-FM www.kkcr.org
Tel:4700632 Thamel, Kathmandu, Nepal
Beloved Countrymen,

On the occasion of the advent of the New Year 2063, we extend best wishes for peace, good health and prosperity of all Nepalese, living in the country and abroad. We appreciate the understanding and patience of the Nepalese people, conscientiousness of the civil servants and the perseverance, courage and discipline displayed by the security personnel during the past year.


Democracy demands restraint and consensus as all forms of extremism are incompatible with democracy. While facing the challenges confronting the nation, democracy also emphasises acceptance of the preeminence of the collective wisdom in charting a future course. Aware of our traditions and sensitivities, as well as the self-respect and self-confidence of the Nepalese people who have always remained independent throughout history, dialogue must form the basis for the resolution of all problems. We, therefore, call upon all political parties to join in a dialogue, which we have always advocated, to bear the responsibility of and contribute towards activating the multiparty democratic polity. We believe that there is no alternative to multiparty democracy in the 21st century and the verdict of the ballot alone is legitimate. It is our wish that in order to reenergize multiparty democracy, there should not be any delay in reactivating all representative bodies through elections. We are in favour of sustainable peace and the people�s right to vote. Democratic norms and values demand a commitment that the goals set forth by the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal-1990 can be achieved only through constitutional means. It is, therefore, our desire that with the active participation of all political parties committed to peace and democracy, a meaningful exercise in multiparty democracy be initiated through an exemplary democratic exercise like the general elections.


May the efforts at ensuring sustainable peace and meaningful democracy in the interest of the nation and people bear fruit during the New Year.


May Lord Pashupatinath bless us all!

Jaya Nepal!

Home Work Time For The Seven Party Alliance

The king is going to stick to his roadmap. He is going to go down in defeat. He is not going to change his mind. So you can keep inviting more and more people out into the streets ad infinitum, and earn more martyrs on behalf of the movement, or you can get proactive and take some initiative.

Zero Tolerance Policy Towards Monarchy
Interim Constitution, Revolutionary Parliament

A revolutionary parliament is it.

Physical Protection For The Revolutionary Parliament

If the idea is to integrate the two armies down the line, why not start a little early?

Interim President: Madhav Nepal

That is what we are looking at. I think. But it is for the seven party alliance to collectively decide as to what.

Propaganda Assault On The Police, The Army

Got to win them over.

Invite The King For Dialogue

Come into exile. The eight party alliance wants to talk to you in Raxaul.

An evening with Dinesh Tripathi

Host: TUPOCC & NLG-SF
Location: Home of Renee Sanchez
85A Sanchez Street, San Francisco, CA View Map
When: Friday, April 14, 7:00pm
Phone: 415-431-7532

The National Lawyers Guild Executive Board and The United People of Color Caucus invite you to a reception with guest of honor Dinesh Tripathi, radical Human Rights attorney from Nepal and international friend of the Guild. The reception will take place this Friday, April 14 at 7pm. Wine and food will be served.

Mr. Tripathi is visiting the United States to draw attention to the repressive political climate in Nepal where tens of thousands of demonstrators have taken to the streets to protest the monarchy's hard line rule. Journalists, protestors, attorneys and students are imprisoned, tortured, and/or killed. Please join us for a discussion and reception with Mr. Tripathi.

TUPOCC National Co-Chair, Renee Sanchez, is hosting this event at her flat located at the corner of 14th & Sanchez Streets. Please allow time for parking, or take public transportation--accessible on the F Market, J, K, L,M, N trains and the 22 Fillmore bus.

Dinesh Tripathi, Your Worst Nightmare


Kanak Dixit, Editor Himal South Asian and Publisher Himalmedia, was arrested in Kathmandu on Saturday, April 8, with a host of other professionals for defying curfew to press for democratic rights in Nepal. He remains in detention. This column was smuggled out of jail.

All over the subcontinent, every day, the most disadvantaged fall through the cracks. They are pummelled by the forces of state, market or feudalism. The middle class, the political parties, or those linked to the state have recourse although it may not be always available or efficiently delivered. The tragedy of Southasia is that those who are left out are not the exception but the rule.

This abuse can cover a whole spectrum of activities, from displacement of tribals from forest reserves which has been their traditional homes, to trans-boundary missiles that land in the middle of shanties of NWFP, to street-side youngsters devoured by the security machinery of an autocratic state bent on repression.

Taken in by Kathmandu's royal regime with two dozen other protesters last week for willfully (and with prior announcement) breaking the curfew order, this writer had opportunity to see how a 'militarising' autocratic state machinery can ride rough-shod over some of the weakest members of society.

What we have seen during our incarceration is something that the privileged with contacts in high places or money to buy oneself safe passage rarely care to see or understand. Of the types of inmates in this makeshift detention centre at the Duwakot armed police barracks outside Kathmandu the relatively well-known human rights activists have little fear of violence once they are taken in.

But there is an entire category of true innocents. Most of these young adults are migrants who have left their families in faraway hills and plains, to work in menial jobs.

Firstly, it is the chase on the streets, the attacks by batons and staffs, the abuse, and the bundling into the back of trucks. Once in the holding centre, the toilet facilities are non-existent, then they are transported from one detention centre to another, provided with no information whatsoever. No food is provided for more than a day, and when it is it is of the lowest grade imaginable. There is fear that authorities in need of proving Maoist 'infiltration' of the democratic movement can with the flick of a pen declare you an insurgent and do away with your life prospects.

Who will tell the family, who will inform the employer? Who is to defend you, and to charge the regime with wrongful imprisonment, and seek a writ of habeas corpus, and demand release and reparation?

Dambar Nepali, is 14, from Udayapur in the hills of the east. He works as a construction labourer and was taken in and beaten while coming home from work. Ramesh Basnet, 23, from Dhading, was returning from the printing press where he works. Ram Kumar Tamang drives a microbus, license plate No 4266, and was crossing the road during a curfew when he was detained. Biraj Sharma, 18, was loitering outside a roadside shop in an area outside curfew limits. "The policemen were like demons," he recalls, "they kicked my head as if it was a football."

Some policemen can be fine, sensitive individuals. But they take orders from an insensitive state run by a ruler who has sought again and again to prove his contempt for the people of Nepal.

This is one more reason for a quick return to democracy, pluralism and peace.

Ramesh Basnet told me the day before yesterday before he was taken away: "This turns out to be the kind of country I was born into. I love my country, but I hate the government. I have not picked up a stone, I have not burnt a tyre in protest, why am I here, and where will they take me?"

Kanak Mani Dixit, Rhoderick Chalmers

A Reader Writes

I am sure you know that after the second world war the British gave a huge quantity of weapon to Nepal as a gift for helping them control the people's uprising in India. The arsenal contained canons and automatic rifles, among other items, that were the very high-tech weapons of that time. Well, the weapons got obsolete with time and then they became antiques. During 2000-2001 when king Birendra was still alive a resolution (supposedly suggested by the current king) to sell these weapons was drafted and passed at the royal palace. This was the actual meaning of "Sell old weapons and bring in new ones to help fight the Maoists". In 2003 (after king Birendra died) the weapons were taken to the US and auctioned. There was a total of 430 tonnes of weapons and it sold for millions of dollars. The weapon was transfered from the arsenal at 'Bhote bahal' in Kathmandu to US. I tried to get holf of some pictures of that auction but I was not even allowed to look at it.

Now I am inclined to think: Where in the hell has that money disappeared and why doesn't anyone know about it. Why didn't the USA say something about it. I mean I am sure George Bush knows about it because there is no way you can bring in 430 tonnes of weapons into the country without the president knowing about it. ..... Its all about money after all isn't it?


World's First Digital Org Now Has a Constitution
Hamro Nepal: The World's First Digitial Democracy Organization
Global Voices Online, Harvard Law School: Revolution In Nepal: Monarchy On Its Way Out

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