Nepal Seeing Major Political Crisis

There are serious undertones to the Maoists saying they will shut the country down indefinitely from May 1. I still don't fear renewed civil war, but the political paralysis is bad enough news.

UCPN (M) Announces Indefinite General Strike From May 2

The Maoists Have The Right To Peacefully Protest

Vandalism can not be tolerated. And the government has the right to not allow the protesters to enter certain areas of the capital city. So this announcement primarily puts the onus on the Maoist party to make sure their party cadres stay peaceful during the protest programs. They can shut the country down. They can take out processions. They can organize mass rallies.

By now it is too late to ask the Maoists to call off the protests. Now the attempt has to be to engineer a soft landing to the whole thing.

Best Case Scenario

The country is shut down for a week or less. An all party round table conference is organized. It would be best to organize such a conference at the earliest. There is no point in waiting for even a week. I think the parties have to agree to a change of government. That is the way out. But the parties should not simply cave in. The new government should involve the 10 largest parties in the constituent assembly. And the parties have to make it absolutely clear that they are not agreeing to a Maoist government or a Prachanda government. This is still a democracy. And they should put down a non-negotiable demand that they will not accept Prachanda's leadership to that 10 party government, that they want Baburam Bhattarai's leadership, and they can say that because it will not be a one party government of the Maoists. If it were a one party government of the Maoists, the Maoist central committee gets to decide who will lead that Maoist government. But in a 10 party government, it is for all 10 parties to decide who their leader will be.

A 10 Party Government In Baburam Bhattarai's Leadership

Equally important, a 10 party steering committee will have to be formed. Otherwise there will be no guarantees that the Maoists will not repeat the bad behavior that they exhibited during the army chief episode. The army chief could have been legitimately sacked back then, but only with the consent of all parties in the then coalition government.

Another Six Months For The Constituent Assembly

Agreeing to a new government will go hand in hand with agreeing to give six additional months to the constituent assembly to complete its work.

Saying No To One Party State Mentality

Many Maoists talk of an eventual revolution as a prelude to some kind of a communist utopia. That is a dead end. The world figured that out in the previous century. The Nepali Maoists are going to have to figure that out one way or the other. Violence is not an option. A violent revolution is not an option. A one party state is not in the cards. Dictatorship is not happening.

Multi-Party Democracy Is Not Tactics

Multi-party democracy in Nepal is here to stay. Talk of state capture has to go away. There has to be talk of winning elections, and implementing land reform, and taking education, health and job opportunities to the people, to the masses.

The Two Philosophies Of The Last Century: Capitalism And Communism

It is very curious that Nepal has become the playground for the tussle between these two competing political philosophies of the last century. Here the Maoists have consistently refused to take a step that might be the middle ground, a fusion between those two competing philosophies that will also cure communism of the excesses and unintended consequences that the Maoists themselves have admitted to and have disapproved of. That step would be to turn Nepal into a multi-party democracy of state funded parties. But the Maoists will not do that because they have too much money. Prachanda has become too accustomed to slapping super expensive watches around his wrist. When he was Prime Minister he slept in a bed that he bought for 100,000 rupees. That does not strike me as someone who aspires to lead the poor. His ways have been not that different from the corrupt Congress people of the 1990s.

A Multi-Party Democracy Of State Funded Parties

Neither camp is wanting to take this final step that the April Revolution 2006 asks for. Without this step the Maoists will keep dreaming of a revolution some day, they will keep dreaming of a one party state. And the opposing camp will keep up with its suspicions of the Maoists.

Neither camp is willing to make this ideological leap.

The step to take before that leap is to pass a law that requires all political parties in the country to make and keep all their book keeping public. And also there all political parties are opposed to the idea.

The Maoists And Multi-Party Democracy
I Give Madhav Nepal Six Months
The Army Issue Has To Be Discussed In The Parliament
Nepali Diaspora: Rethink Time?
Prachanda Messed Up
Lesson For Maoists: Rule Of Law
ICG: Nepal's Faltering Peace Process
CPN (Maoist) To CPN (Deng)?

Standing Up To Prachanda

Agreeing to everything Prachanda wants could ultimately lead to civil war. You don't appease a dictator. Prachanda has dictatorial tendencies. But you do have to deal with the party that is the largest in the parliament. Without cooperation from the Maoists, there will be no new constitution. But that party has to be treated like the minority party it is. That party alone can not decide who will lead the next government. And the next government will have to be steered by a steering committee composed of all member parties to that government. That check and balance was missing the last time around and allowed for Prachanda to act like maybe it was not a coalition government.

A 10 Party Government In Baburam Bhattarai's Leadership

Worse Case Scenario

Prachanda might opt for a game of brinkmanship. The smart thing for the rest of the parties to do is to publicly declare that they are okay with the idea of a 10 party government lead by Baburam Bhattarai and then let the rest of the country watch Prachanda oppose that idea for a week or so. His standing among the people will go down. It will look like he is keeping the country hostage for no reason other that he is opposed to Baburam Bhattarai, a Maoist, leading the government.

Worst Case Scenario

Things could get violent here and there in unplanned ways. The regressionists might make their moves and create incidences to sow confusion. The state security agencies might have to come into play. Things might get a little out of hand.

It is best to avoid such possibilities by exercising the political options right away.



How Do You Know The Maoists Are Willing To Play Ball?

The Maoists not willing to consider someone other than Prachanda to lead a 10 party government will be a clear sign that they still are not willing to embrace a coalition government culture. At that point the ruling alliance will have no option but to continue in government because the government still has the confidence of the parliament.



Don't trigger crisis, EU tells Nepal Maoists
Maoists call indefinite Nepal bandh from May 2 Times of India
Maoists set for indefinite strike to topple Nepal government Daily News And Analysis
Soon, a 550-km long India-Nepal trade route: Chidambaram Economic Times
Prachanda to govt: Step down by May 1 Indian Express
Maoists announce indefinite strike The Hindu
Nepal's Maoist leader calls for massive public protest Sify
Maoists set for indefinite strike to topple Nepal government Daily News And Analysis
Search for Prime Minister other than Prachanda www.reviewnepal.com A new form of storm has emerged in Nepali politics especially in the UCPN Maoist following the statement made by Prime Minster Madhav Kumar Nepal. PM Nepal has clearly stated that he would quit his post for the consensus candidate other than UCPN Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda.
Nepal Maoists train cadres for 'decisive war' Hindustan Times
Prachanda moves SC on CC move Himalayan Times

Organizing Nepalis In America: Conversations With Simon Dhungana

Simon Dhungana is currently serving his two year term as president of the Association of the Nepalese in the Americas, the ANA. Most people know ANA for the annual convention it puts together the July 4 weekend. It just might be the largest Nepali organization in America.

Simon dai was a few years senior to me at high school. And so we have a personal friendship going back long years. These past few weeks we have been in conversation on the topic of how to best organize the Nepalis in the Americas. I will not talk about everything we have talked about, but I think it is okay to touch upon some topics that have been publicly talked also by others. And there are some topics I will bring up that I hope to bring up with Simon dai himself in some of our future talks.

Nepali Diaspora: Rethink Time?

Superior Management Skills 

I have great confidence in his management skills. I think you will see evidence of that at the convention in Boston. When the convention runs smoothly, it feels like it is so easy to put one together. Most people are not aware of the months of work that goes into putting together one.

Not only has he been doing a good job with all that the ANA has traditionally done, he has also been breaking new ground. Just a few days back the ANA opened up its offices in Kathmandu. There seems to be this telemedicine initiative that is in the works. He has put together an impressive national team.

Nepalis In America

There are 300 million people in America. There are perhaps 150,000 Nepalis in America. That is one small crowd. But we have our needs. Those needs have to be met. There is the need to bond. There is the need to serve the community. There is the need to give back to the country of origin.

My Personal Involvement

Showing up for a Nepali event in America as a Madhesi is like being a Madhesi in the Nepal Army, or being a Madhesi student at Budhanilkantha School. (The Word Madisey: Madisey Bhanne Shabda) Usually there are one or two in a room if that. You could argue Upendra Mahato, a Madhesi, served as the founding president of the NRNA - Non Resident Nepali Association - for years. Simon Dhungana himself succeeded a Madhesi - Naveen Dutta - as the ANA President. I myself was the only Nepali in America to have worked full time for Nepal's democracy movement a few years back. There were many, many part timers who did great work, but I was the only full timer. So it is not like I have been passive. But my involvement has been political and digital. My digital democracy organization Hamro Nepal has been my vehicle. Other than that I have not joined any organization. I am strong on Madhesi rights, and I am the person who introduced ANTA - Association of the Nepali Teraian in America - into New York City, but I never joined ANTA.

My organization Hamro Nepal is completely digital, but it is not a diaspora organization. It has members also in Nepal. It is a global organization. It has been a perfect vehicle for the political work I have done for Nepal so far, and will be for some more work I hope to do. It suits my needs. Yesterday I saw its Google Groups page had had almost 5,000 visitors in four days. That is not counting the people who access that mailing list entirely through email.

The digital nature of the organization also means I can stay camped in New York City. Like I said to Ratan Jha back in 2006, ANTA is social, cultural, I am political, I wish you all the best, but I can't join.

Nepalis In America, Madhesis In Nepal

When I think about Nepalis in America, I think about political issues like immigrant rights. But Nepalis are not exactly Beer Gorkhalis on that topic. They are largely missing in action. I find myself instead claiming my South Asian identity in New York City. I am half Indian anyway.

Reshma Saujani Courts South Asian Voters in Upper East Side Congressional Race (I have been quoted.)

Work At Hand

When we had dictatorship in Nepal, I worked full time for democracy. I did not work just for the Madhesi. Then I worked for the Madhesi movement. The lack of Pahadi moral support was noticeable. Equality has not yet been achieved for the Madhesi in Nepal, and I will continue my work, but for that work my digital ways are the best. It makes more sense to pick up the phone to talk to someone like Jay Prakash Gupta than to even hobnob with the few Madhesis in New York City who are better at having mastered the ways to happy being the Token Madhesi in the room than to being the Madhesi who questions why he - and it is almost always a he - is the only Madhesi in the room.

More importantly, I have moved on. Internet access is the voting right for this 21st century. And that is not a Nepal or Madhesh level thing. That is a Global South level thing. It is about the Blac identity, Blac as in Black, Latino, Asian Coalition. That is what my tech entrepreneurship is about. I might have to take a detour and work a job for about a year or so, and then relaunch my startup. (Union Square Ventures Job Opening: I Am Applying) I was done raising round one money and then most of my investors walked away last February reacting to the worst economy in 70 years.

Not Too Impressed

I have not been too impressed with the Pahadis in America. I was the only full timer Nepali for democracy in Nepal, but I was not asked to address even one democracy gathering in New York City of that time period. One event that was co-organized by my organization and I was to be the speaker, the Pahadi emcee managed to get my name off the list and tactfully introduced the final speaker and himself left the premises. The Madhesi movement in Nepal was met with outright hostility by some of the Pahadi democracy activists in New York. The anti-Madhesi prejudice is well and alive.  

Most Nepalis working odd jobs in New York City have Indian bosses. There are some genuine workplace issues that have to be addressed. But we also lack the political consciousness to embrace the South Asian identity to empower ourselves.

Events

I go to Nepali events I go to. I go to Madhesi events I go to. I am friends with people I am friends with. But my digital organization (Hamro Nepal) is the only organization I see me involved with. I went to the ANA Convention in DC in 2002 because I was in DC that summer. I went to the ANA Convention in New Jersey in 2006 because it was nearby and I really wanted to meet Upendra Mahato in person, which I did. I might go to Boston for a day, if only because Simon dai and I have been in conversation. But my constant desire is to want to see 35 Madhesis in a room of 100 Nepalis, either in Nepal or in America. That will not be brought about by anything I might do in America. It will be done through political work in Nepal. Hello Nepal, America calling.

Madhesi Self Hate

To me it feels like I dropped out of high school in 1989 and I dropped out of college in 1997.

A 10 Party Government In Baburam Bhattarai's Leadership

The way out of the ongoing political paralysis in Nepal is a 10-party government under Dr. Baburam Bhattarai's leadership. Of course the Madhav Nepal led government has to be duly ousted by a no confidence motion in the parliament. That is the only way. And the 10 largest parties have to cobble a new coalition.

Dr. Baburam Bhattarai has exceptional personal qualities. He has intellectual heft that Prachanda does not. He has a clean image that he maintained as Finance Minister. A 10 party coalition will not coalesce around Prachanda, but it will around Bhattarai.

The 10 party participation will keep the Maoist excesses in check. A government with a two third majority in the parliament will be able to more fruitfully work on the new constitution.

Giving the constituent assembly another six months to complete its work might be a good idea.

Girija Koirala: Half A Century Of Struggle For Democracy

Washington Post: Nepal Leader Who Helped End King's Rule Dies At 86

Xinhua: Nepali Former PM Passes Away

Sify: Nepal's Peace Architect G.P. Koirala Dies At 85

BBC: Nepalese Ex-Leader Girija Prasad Koirala Dies

Half A Century Of Struggle For Democracy

Girija Koirala spent much of his adult life struggling for democracy in Nepal. Most of that half century was spent in the political wilderness, away from the country. Almost a decade of that was spent in jail. He was in power several times after 1990, most recently leading the government that came into power after the April 2006 revolution.

Much work remains in Nepal. There is the issue of internal democracy in his party, the issue of corruption in Nepali politics at large, the issue of federalism, as yet unachieved, the issue of equality for DaMaJaMa, far from achieved. The country does not have its new constitution yet. But the basics of democracy have been laid out. And Girija Koirala made major contributions to those foundation stones. Within the framework of democracy, work on the rest of the issues can be done.

Personal Moments

I had a phone conversation with Girija Koirala when the king was in power. I blogged about it. And for the past few years this blog was the first result when you googled up his name. I don't know if that is still true since this blog is not as active as it used to be, but I relished that number one status for this blog.

December 17, 2005: Phone Talk With Girija Koirala: Meeting History Itself

Gopal Siwakoti, Kunda Dixit At The New School

March 9th
Tuesday
4pm-6pm
Lang Center
55 West 13th St.
The New School


India China Institute and the Asia Society
a special afternoon discussion


The Challenges of Nepal's Peace Process:
Transitional Justice Amidst a Culture of Impunity?

Featuring, Dr. Gopal Krishna Siwakoti of INHURED, and renowned journalist Kunda Dixit. Each of whom will offer their perspectives and insights on issues surrounding the stalled and contested peace process in Nepal.


Dr. Gopal Krishna Siwakoti is the president of the International Institute for Human Rights, Environment and Development (INHURED), the first Nepali organization to enjoy Special Consultative Status with the United Nations. He also holds the position as the International Advisor of the Hague Appeal for Peace. A former political prisoner and torture survivor, Dr. Siwakoti has since become one of the most prominent advocates of human rights in Nepal.


Kunda Dixit is one of the most well known journalists working in Nepal today. He serves as the publisher of the Nepali Times and is also a co-publisher at Himalmedia. He has also authored several books. Among them, a trilogy on the conflict in Nepal - A People War, Never Again, and People After War - highlights the challenges facing media in post-war reconciliation.

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Adhikaar: International Women's Day

Adhikaar: International Women's Day: Photos

Adhikaar organized a near day long event yesterday at The Chian Federation in Astoria. I was glad to be on the panel. A few days before I had sent a brief bio to Narbada Chhetri upon request. Notice the third person.

Paramendra Bhagat is president of the digital democracy organization Hamro Nepal. The organization sends daily email to more than 8,000 Nepalis across the world. Paramendra worked full time for Nepal's democracy and social justice movements for more than two years, the only Nepali in America to do so. He was also one of Barack Obama's earliest supporters in New York City. He is one of the top 100 people in New York City on Twitter. He is a tech entrepreneur. His company wants to bring hundreds of millions of new people online. Internet access is the voting right for this 21st century, as he puts it.

Below is a summary of my talk.

Globalization And Nepali Women: Challenges And Opportunities

Globalization means what happens in Nepal affects America and what happens in America affects Nepal. The 19 days of the April Revolution 2006 in Nepal shook New York City.

Women are the single largest group on earth.

Nepal is the poorest country outside of Africa. It is that country that gave the world the April Revolution 2006. The provision in Nepal to have one third of the parliament female by law is something America could learn from.

I want to mention five points.

1. Sexism exists. 
2. Sexism is not just a women's problem. 
3. Local is global, and global is local.
4. Leadership matters, organizing is key. 
5. There is hope. 

(1) Sexism Exists

A lot of Nepali men get defensive when you bring up women's rights. They claim they worship goddesses like Durga and Kali. Why do you accuse them of sexism? That defensiveness gets in the way of progress. But there is no denying sexism, domestic violence, and human trafficking.

(2) Sexism Is A Problem For Both Men And Women

Martin Luther King built a coalition of both blacks and whites when he fought for voting rights for blacks in America more than half a century ago. That same spirit has to be applied in the struggle against sexism. Men also need to pitch in. That also applies to the larger DaMaJaMa issues, Dalit, Madhesi, Janajati, Mahila. We have to engage in issue-based activism so that people regardless of their background can participate in the struggle.

(3) Local, Global

Hillary's speech in 1995 in Beijing shook the world and still echoes today. She said, women's rights are human rights and human rights are women's rights.

The Maoist army in Nepal is 40% female. I have always been against political violence, but those of us who are so, when we build our companies, colleges and schools, why don't we make sure they are at least 40% female? Why don't we do better than the Maoists of Nepal?

Bidya Bhandari is Defense Minister today. I got to meet her in NYC a year or two back when she was not minister. I thanked her for her leadership role on the 1/3rd provision for women thing. We have to institutionalize that in Nepal and then teach America and countries like America to do the same.

(4) Leadership, Organizing

I was reading through the program for the day. My favorite item is one that says Guest Speakers From Nepal. I am really looking forward to it.

Progress does not just happen. If you women leaders who are doing grassroots work in Nepal were to stop doing what you are doing, there is not going to be progress. People like me would like to support you, but you are going to have to lead the way.

(5) Hope

The facts on sexism, domestic violence and human trafficking are depressing. The reality is bleak. But we can not let that pull us down. We have to objectively study the reality, and prepare a gameplan of action, and we have to organize, and take action. It is very important to be hopeful and optimistic. That is how we will create a better future.

Nepalese Women In New York Celebrated 100th International Women's Day
Nepali Jana samparka Samiti New York Women Celebrated Women's Day
Nepalese Women At UN Commission On The Status Of Women (CSW) At The UN Headquarters In New York

I noticed there was not a single Madhesi woman in the room. The Dalit, Janajati and Mahila movements in Nepal remind us the fundamental divide in Nepal is the Pahadi-Madhesi divide.

Adhikaar: International Women's Day: Photos

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