Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Maintaining Perspectives On Ethnicity, Race And The Good Old Dollar

English: Nitish Kumar
English: Nitish Kumar (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
(published in Vishwa Sandesh)

Maintaining Perspectives On Ethnicity, Race And The Good Old Dollar
By Paramendra Bhagat (www.paramendra.com)

All you have to do is meet a few bad mannered Madhesis in New York City, and that really gives you perspectives on ethnicity and race. Madhesis are not Bahuns, not Pahadis, Madhesis are not white. All you have to do is meet a few bad mannered Bahuns in NYC and you come out ahead on the social dynamics of the situation. Bahuns are not Indian.

There is the immediate, and then there is that which happens or needs to happen 10,000 miles away. There is the New York City thing, the city that is the Kathmandu of the world, the capital city where every town on earth is represented. And then there is Nepal.

I have fond memories of putting my efforts into Nepal’s democracy movement a few years ago. And I have vivid memories of seeing deep hostility from some of the comrades of that same movement when the Madhesi movement took off. It is sad that the constituent assembly was not able to give Nepal a new constitution in two years, or even four. I have a feeling neither of the two sides might cross the two-thirds majority mark, and all the major parties will end up facing a similar situation to what they faced in the last assembly, which is that compromise is essential to how democracy works. You can’t get everything you want, and so you also have to listen to the other side and try and seek common ground.

When I personally drew a map for a federal Nepal in 2005 it had three economic states: Koshi, Gandaki and Karnali. The Terai got a proportionate representation in the parliament based on population. And I drew that map because I have recognized as far back as I can remember that poverty is the number one political issue in Nepal. It is number one, number two, number three. There are Arab states where you draw a handsome annual salary for simply being a citizen. I am a believer in Nepal’s hydro potential. There’s the petro dollar, and then there’s the hydro dollar.

But over the years I have come to appreciate the need for ethnic federalism. I have personal experiences going back to my high school years in Kathmandu that more than convince me the systemic disadvantages faced by the DaMaJaMa – Dalit, Madhesi, Janajati, Mahila – in Nepal are very real. A compromise would mean Nepal might end up neither with a pure geographic federalism, nor with a pure ethnic federalism. And I would rather the map came out sooner rather than later. The longer Nepal takes to finalize its constitution and the federalism question, longer the delay to focusing on economic issues. Right now Nepal is missing out. China is forging ahead. India is forging ahead. Nepal sadly lags behind. What Nepal needs more than anything else is a Nitish Kumar, someone who would make a singular focus on economic development and give double digit growth rates, year in year out. The longer we dwell on issues of ethnicity and federalism, greater the delay to such years of rapid growth.

I had never imagined Bihar would see the day it is seeing today. This is like Alabama became the top American state economically. That same Bihar depends on Nepal to become flood free and energy rich in the future. But Nepal and India have never so far managed to reach such heights of cooperation. Nepal and India are friendly as in the two countries are not likely to go to war, but cooperation has been poor over the decades. In Nepal the false nationalism is suspicious of everything that looks Indian, and that sentiment has permanent hold on a segment of the population. In India the bureaucrats running the foreign policy machinery spend too much energy on being a regional hegemon and not enough on aspiring to be a global power by taking the immediate neighbors into confidence.

But the economic engine is a beautiful thing. I f diversity is the reason for civil wars, New York City would shame Bosnia, but it does not. It is because people in NYC are too busy chasing the dollar. A laser like focus on the economy is the best way for Nepal to get past its ethnically complicated past. All you need is a simple, progressive constitution, basic law and order, and an honest government leadership that calls the shots on investing in education, health and infrastructure, and providing planks for massive inflows of foreign investment.

There is the hydro sector, there is the tourism sector. Nepal could do well in becoming a regional education hub for having a wonderful climate at least in the hills. Planned urbanization could be another boost to the economy. Wireless broadband over metro areas could spew a host of knowledge industries like software and long distance learning. Get federalism, get the constitution, and get going, I say.
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Monday, July 08, 2013

The Only Alliance The Madhesi Parties Need

English: politician of nepal
English: politician of nepal (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The only alliance the Madhesi parties really need is with each other. The Madhesi parties have to go to the people with the confidence that they will go into power no matter who forms the government at the center. Despite the Madhesi movement the Madhesi parties only got one third of the seats and votes in the Terai the last time around. It was because there was no hope they might go into power. Now the Madhesi people have seen that the Madhesi parties are the party of power. That opens doors. Should a Madhesi alliance be formed with the bottomline that there will be only one common candidate in each constituency the Madhesi parties might be able to cross the 50% mark in both votes and seats in the Terai. That will be a major victory. I think they stand to further weaken the Congress in the Terai and they will eat into the Maoist votes. The Maoists will eat into the UML votes and will still emerge strong in the Terai, and that is a good thing. The Madhesis and the Maoists are both federal forces.

There has been some talk of an alliance with the Nepali Congress. Unless the NC makes a clear ideological move and comes forth for a two state map for the Terai, I don't see how any alliance is possible, either pre-poll or post-poll. The NC's anti-federal stance is the reason the last Constituent Assembly died without completing its task.

Poll alliance elusive in dearth of Madhesi parties’ ideology
There cannot be a UCPN (Maoist) without Baburam Bhattarai
Dishanirdesh with Upendra Yadav - Mar 28, 2013
Dishanirdesh with Gagan Thapa- June 20, 2013
Dahal in ‘crisis’ as ‘pressure’ mounts

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UCPN (M) straining every nerve to take in ‘carefree’ Bhattarai
Dahal at Dhulikhel contemplating organizational proposal

TMDP renews Madhesi unity call
Madhesi parties' unification plan hits roadblock
Unification talks moving ahead positively: Thakur

I am not Rambo, says Nitish Kumar
Nitish Kumar does not believe in doing 'nautanki' like Narendra Modi: JD(U)
Two-third majority in CA poll must: Bhattarai
Bhattarai resignation won't affect polls: Agni Sapkota
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Govt allows Super Madi Hydropower to bring foreign investment
Bolivian leader's plane rerouted on Snowden fear

Armed outfit, Sadhbhawana merge
Dahal-led FDRA fails to form poll alliance
SJTMM, Sadbhawana Party merge
NC‚ Madhesi forces may join hands for polls
Can Madhesi parties unite to form a single force?
Madhesi parties aspire to become national parties
Madhesi parties eyeing hill districts

Violent polls on the cards
Sadbhawana parties to unite: Jha
MPRF-D merging with TMDP: Gachchhadar
Giri's SP, NSP and TMDP-N set to unify
Single Madhesh province not possible: Gachchhadar
Bhattarai threatens to quit party vice-chair
Big parties trash 'One Madhes' idea, support separate Mithila state
Madhesi parties eyeing hill districts

Dahal meets Baidya, urges latter for party unification

Gachchadhar tries to woo FSP as alliance of poll-opposing parties starts to disintegrate
FDRA hails announcement of poll date

JP Gupta likely to join TMDP

Madhesi leaders rule out alliance based on sentiment
Just 4 Madhesi parties will survive: Analysts
Upendra Yadav´s Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum Nepal (MJF-N), the Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum (Loktantrik) of Bijaya Gachchhedar, Mahanta Thakur´s Tarai Madhes Loktantrik Party (TMLP) and Nepal Sadbhawana Party (NSP) led by Rajendra Mahato
MPRF-D, MPRF-R merger on cards, claim Madhesi leaders

The Koirala complex

BJP leader Advani resigns
Prabhu launches largest merger in banking sector

Bypoll loss would not impact NDA alliance: Nitish Kumar
Morcha ready to quit stance against threshold: Gachchhadar
Madhesi, Janajati alliance issues 7-day ultimatum to govt
Nitish Kumar hands out huge raises in Bihar

Baban Singh, other Madhesi leaders join MPRF
Mahato for separate poll alliance

Predators and prejudice

YCL to be reactivated as CA poll nears

Dahal steering party toward mass base
Majority Madhesi leaders snub Thakur's gathering
Sadbhawana Party calls off protest
The situation is not favorable for polls

महन्थ ठाकुरको नेतृत्वमा नयाँ पार्टीको सम्भावना छ : शरत्सिंह भण्डारी (अध्यक्ष–राष्ट्रिय मधेश समाजवादी पार्टी)
मधेशमा अलगाववादी र पलायनवादी चिन्तनको विकास हुँदैछ : रामेश्वर राय यादव (वरिष्ठ उपाध्यक्ष–मधेशी जनअधिकार फोरम, नेपाल (लोकतान्त्रिक)
As UML falters, party rank and file miss Madan Bhandari

Madheshi forces deliberating unity
NEFIN drops demand for single ethnic identity based
Sharif poised to form next Pakistan government

Pressure on Madhesi parties to go to polls in tandem
Electoral alliance of Madhesi parties unavoidable
Mahato hints of Madhesi alliance
Alliance forging: Easier said than done

Interview: How Ray Kurzweil Plans To Revolutionize Search At Google
Marissa Mayer Explains Yahoo's New Approach To Advertising
Poll deal could make Imran Khan PM
On Pakistan's campaign trail with Imran Khan
Imran Khan on election campaign trail

HLPC won't become legitimate if we join

FDF puts 13 demands before govt
Maoists and Madhesi alliance is unholy, claims Madhav
Will UCPN-M gain at cost of Madhesi parties?
Dahal suffering cataract problem, says Mahesh Basnet
Nepal: Maoists and Madhesi alliance may split nation, opines Rawal
UCPN (Maoist) will take nat'l leadership: Dahal
Madhesi Maoist leaders press for ‘respectable posts’
Electoral alliance of Madhesi parties unavoidable

More trouble for Sanjay Dutt, non-bailable warrant issued
Sanjay Dutt not willing to go to jail, finally challenges SC
Nitish Kumar's secular credentials surprise me: Akhilesh
Iran condemns the Boston bombing, with a caveat
Outrage in India as a billionaire receives special police protection
Reese Witherspoon arrested: report
Minister positive about talks with MJF-N-led alliance
It's UCPN (Maoist) Vs NC from now on: Dahal

Authorities announce Boston bombing suspect in custody
Electoral alliance with UML possible: Poudel

Breakfast with Maggie
China's concern with federalism is disintegration risk: Dahal
No statute without prez, speaker from our party: Bhattarai

Does Nitish Kumar Need the B.J.P.?
Hillary Clinton pens tribute to Obama
Musharraf Flees a Court–and Puts Pakistan’s Generals in a Quandary

No alliance with UML, Maoists, or Madhesis
Why Maoist parties have jumbo CCs
Baidya under fire over proposed CC nominations

Madhav Nepal's lone fight for punctuality
'Madhes key to NC glory'
Bhattarai rules out prospect of partylessness in country
Regmi says polls in mid-Dec
The human Thatcher
UML responsible for CA's demise
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Wednesday, March 20, 2013

How The FDRA Could Bring In Baidya, Yadav, Rai

English: Sketch portrait of Pushpa Kamal Dahal...
English: Sketch portrait of Pushpa Kamal Dahal, President of the communist party of Nepal-maoist Français : Pushpa Kamal Dahal, président du parti communiste népalais-maoïste Italiano: Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Presidente del partito comunista del Nepal-maoista (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The FDRA should leave no stone unturned to bring in the break away Maoist group, and Upendra Yadav's coalition and the two parties that broke away from the CPN(UML) and the NC as well fringe parties like those led by Sarita Giri.

The promise to turn Nepal into a multi-party democracy of state funded parties should bring in Baidya. A fair share of seats and a promise to form a two thirds majority government, not a simple majority government should bring in Yadav and his coalition. The same might work for the two Rais.

Already the FDRA is poised to hit 55-60%. But 60% is not enough. You need 66%. And the FDRA expanding to include Baidya, the Yadav led coalition and the two Rai led parties would suffice to bring forth a two thirds majority in the next assembly for a coalition of federalists.

Dealing With The CPN(M)
The State Of Nepali Politics: A Diagram

Ashok Rai's party to take to streets against Regmi govt
UCPN (M), 19 parties to have common manifesto
the main contentious issue of election manifesto is the issues related to Madhes. Madhes-based parties have pressed the Maoists to give priority to their agenda, while preparing the election manifesto ..... The meeting also entrusted FDRA head Pushpa Kamal Dahal to hold talks with other parties and bring them on board, forging election alliances.
चुनावमा जान नेकपा-माओवादीका पाँच सर्त
एमाले नेता झा एमाओवादीमा प्रवेश गर्ने तयारीमा
Google Fiber Expanding Superfast Internet Service to Olathe, Kansas
Why Android home automation could top Google Glass
How Larry Page and the Knowledge Graph helped Ray Kurzweil decide to join Google
Marissa Mayer Backlash Reveals Double Standard for Women CEOs
Elizabeth Warren: Minimum Wage Would Be $22 An Hour If It Had Kept Up With Productivity
Katie Holmes Hot On Allure Cover, Talks Having More Kids And Becoming An Attorney (PHOTOS)
Google Hosts Narendra Modi at Tech Summit
A Nitish Kumar model for India or a Modi model for Bihar?
Modi declared that the business of governments was not business. He talked of harnessing solar energy by installing panels over canals and he suggested partial privatization of that holy cow, the railways .... Presently, 11 states have the special-status tag: the seven North-eastern States, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. .... The gap between the per capita income of Bihar and the national per capita income has kept widening since 1950-51 ..... “For Bihar, acceleration of the rate of growth of around 11 percent during the Eleventh Plan to around 13 percent during the Twelfth Plan will require a massive increase in total investment (public and private)—from around 29.9% in Eleventh Plan to around 45% during the Twelfth Plan period. This has got to be financed by domestic and government savings.”
Nitish Kumar’s coalition idea
Nitish Kumar lays out a new game plan
Bihar tops in per capita income growth; Gujarat at 11
Cyberattack shakes South Korea: Could North Korea have pulled it off?
Asteroids: Senator at space-threat hearing calls for Bruce Willis
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FDRA's Awesome Move

English: Pushpa Kumar Dahal (also known as Pra...
English: Pushpa Kumar Dahal (also known as Prachanda), prime minister of Nepal, during av visit to Norway in March 2009 ‪Norsk (bokmål)‬: Pushpa Kumar Dahal (også kjent som Prachanda), Nepals statsminister, under et besøk i Norge i mars 2009 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
To contest with one candidate everywhere is awesome. This will bring about a victory to the federalism cause. The FDRA should go one step further and bring in many other federalist parties under the FDRA tent. Upendra Yadav, Sharad Singh, Sarita Giri, Ashok Rai, Gopal Rai come to mind.

FDRA to go to polls with single manifesto
common manifesto, common candidates and a common agenda. .... FDRA leaders have been arguing that the alliance is a new force favoring federal states based on ethnic identity. ..... The meeting on Tuesday also decided to expand the FDRA in all districts. It will decide through consensus which alliance party will head the alliance in which district.
प्रमुख दलहरु 'चुनावी मैदानमा होमिदै'
Every political party in Nepal has sought support from intelligence agencies in India, the US and Europe: Prof. SD Muni
It’s a hobbyhorse in Nepal to go on beating about RAW and intelligence agencies. Yes, RAW and intelligence agencies are there. They work. They sometimes work correctly, sometimes incorrectly, sometimes they vitiate the problem, sometimes they are unable to do anything. You can’t peg all your decision making, all your developments in Nepal just on intelligence agencies. That shows the level of understanding of the Indian political system. Tell me actually how many Nepalese are understanding or reading or studying the Indian political system how it works? Intelligence agencies are not the only factor, only force in the political system.
Regmi takes oath as poll govt head amid protests
Yadav's front protests reduction of PR seats
No polls by June if preparations delayed: EC
Parties still hold all the power: Bhattarai
Muslims' rights are a far cry in Nepal
Their literacy rate and human development index is lesser than Dalits and people from backward districts in the Karnali region. ..... Muslim women have their distinct identity in terms of religion, ethnicity, culture and rituals and they have been facing triple discrimination –first, in terms of being women; second, in terms of being Muslim; and thirdly, being discriminated against among Muslims for being Muslim women. .... there are really good provisions in the Quran relating to Muslim daughters/women. It says both sons and daughters be given education or trained equally; if it’s not done, it is a sin. .... Muslims are found in most of the 75 districts of Nepal even though they are concentrated mainly in Tarai and western hill districts. ..... Muslims form the largest single population groups in five Tarai districts - Banke, Rautahat, Kapilbastu, Parsa and Bara. .... Muslims form the single largest group in five other districts - Dhausha, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Sunsari and Siraha. ..... Muslims are worse off than other groups especially in health indicators such as antenatal care, total fertility rates, and early childhood mortality. ..... Nepali Muslims are mostly Sunni but a small minority is Shia .... 96 per cent of Nepal’s Muslims live in Tarai. ..... despite the fact that Muslims commonly refer to verses from the Quran and Sunna such as ‘Seek knowledge from cradle to grave’ and ‘Every Muslim boy or girl should pursue his or her education as far as possible.’ ..... the national level political parties continue to treat Muslims as token representatives. While most of these national parties have formed Muslim Fronts as their parties’ sister organizations, the lack of representation of Muslims in the central committees indicates that the gesture of creating the Muslim Fronts is to only exploit the Muslim vote bank.
The symbolic of disorder
Hegemony works because its subjects accept it not just willingly but enthusiastically. ..... for the BCN ‘patriots,’ Binod will forever be a Marwari who manipulated his way to the top. The billionaire’s achievements then become the cause of jealousy and resentment rather than admiration and inspiration. ..... The most happening place in Bhairahawa, the gateway to Lumbini, is the Devkota Chowk. ..... Awadhis try their best to impress officers manning outposts of the state in the frontier district by speaking in Nepali and repeatedly fail to properly express themselves. ..... It was King Mahendra who killed the diversity of the country and sapped the creativity of the countryside with his one-language, one-culture, one-religion and one-dress formula. ..... Macaulay manufactured the Brown Englishman and enchained the Indian mind for a long time to come. ..... Mahendrism has produced Nationalist Madheshis who refuse to realize that they would perhaps be better Nepalis by being what they are rather than wasting their energy in becoming what they can never authentically be. ..... Despite the wave of the Madhesh Uprising, voters of Kapilvastu sent Dip Kumar Upadhyaya (Lamichhane?) to the dissolved Constituent Assembly where he spent more time running down Madheshi aspirations for federalism and inclusion than in protecting, let alone promoting, their interests. ..... An influential section of Madheshis has been conditioned to accept their humiliation (“the enforced lowering of a person or group, a process of subjugation that damages or strips away their pride, honor or dignity”) as normal and are frightened to emerge out of the mainstream mask. Recognition of difference is perhaps the point of departure for empowerment.
Dahal-Bhattarai rift persists
I will quit in three days: PM
E/J for PM?
SC seeks another clarification on CJ-led govt

Binod Chaudhary enlisted in Forbes' global billionaires list
Fifty-seven-year-old Chaudhary, who skipped college to join family business at the age of 18, is listed as 1,342nd richest person in the world and has been termed as the richest person in Nepal ..... Chaudhary shares his global billionaire ranking with 84 other individuals who have also been ranked 1,342nd richest people on the Earth. ..... “Chaudhary is Nepal´s first billionaire but built most of his fortune overseas,” the Forbes said on its website. “His Cinnovation/Chaudhary Group, owns among much else, popular instant noodle brand Wai Wai, a controlling stake in Nepal´s Nabil Bank and a string of luxury hotels with India´s Taj hotel chain.”
Chances of CJ-led govt slim: Koirala
CJ-led govt within two days: PM
Gupta files contempt of court case against PM, DPM
Veep-led govt demanded
Paras starts communicating, taking water sips
CPN-Maoist to boycott election under CJ-led govt: Gajurel

Step in right direction
The Burma Road

Rahul Gandhi initiates transparency in Congress, trying to understand organisational problems
Taskforce proposes 11-member neutral cabinet under CJ

Parties closer to deal on poll govt
FDRA partners mull severing ties with Maoist
Citizenship for Madhesi: A matter of state headache or of right and justice
CJ-led govt India's brainchild: CPN-Maoist
Overwhelming majority against CJ-led govt
UML top brass ready for CJ-headed govt

'विकल्पमा छलफल गर्न सकिन्छ'
गगन थापासंग-13.02.13

PM tells ministers to be ready to quit
Entire Madhes, single province unacceptable

Nitish Kumar boasts of impressive 20% increase in state’s plan size
Thai queen's offer of 100kg gold to build Buddhist dome raises security fears for Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar
No Body Can Dance like Prabhu Deva
Takes two to make or break an alliance: Yashwant Sinha to Nitish Kumar
Nitish's Bihar overtakes Modi's Gujarat as fastest growing state in the country
In a huge turnaround, Bihar has emerged as the fastest growing state in the country with figure of 10.9 per cent, overtaking Gujarat whose growth has dipped. ..... Gujarat was the fastest growing state between 2001 and 2005 with figure of 11 per cent. But during 2006 and 2010, its growth dipped to 9.3 per cent and was overtaken by Bihar and four other states -- Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Maharashtra and Orissa. .... Chhattisgarh grew from 7.7 per cent in 2001-05 to 10 per cent growth, Haryana grew from 8.4 per cent to 9.7 per cent, Maharashtra from 8.2 per cent to 9.6 per cent and Orissa from 7.8 per cent to 9.4 per cent. .... Average GDP growth of top five states was 9.10 per cent in 11th five year plan, up from 7 per cent in 10th plan and 5 per cent in 9th plan. .... Bottom five states also saw a significant average growth, with figures of 8.58 per cent in 11th plan as compared to 6.76 per cent in 10th plan and 4.12 per cent in 9th plan. ..... The period between 2004-05 and 2011-12 also saw an average increase of 300 per cent in consumption in rural areas, bridging the big divide witnessed in the earlier five-year period and highlighting the inclusive growth. ..... In the 12th plan period, the Centre is set to increase its assistance substantially over the previous period for various programmes..... Among them, Integrated Child Development Service (ICDS) is going to be the biggest beneficiary with Rs.1,08,503 crore, marking around 396 per cent increase...... For National Health Mission, the increase in allocation will be 278 per cent from Rs.66,127 crore in 11th plan to Rs.250,000 crore in the 12th plan.
Didn't ask BJP to announce PM candidate in advance, clarifies Nitish Kumar


Rahul Gandhi steps up 2014 poll plan
The states where the Congress is looking for alliances in the run-up to the next Lok Sabha elections scheduled in 2014 are Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and some northeastern states. .... The Congress has been out of power in major states of Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar for decades, while it broke up its alliance with the Trinamool Congress at the centre and in West Bengal last year...... Among the 12-odd states where the Congress rules, only Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan and Assam are major. In Maharashtra, it is in an uneasy coalition with the Nationalist Congress Party.
People proposing me for PM not my well-wishers, says Nitish
The JD-U is the second-largest party in the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA)..... Last year, Panchayati Raj and Rural Works Minister Bhim Singh had triggered a controversy when he asked the BJP to declare Nitish Kumar as the NDA's prime ministerial nominee.
Pained at my name being floated for PM candidate: Nitish Kumar
Singh was also quoted as saying that more often than not the bridegroom never says that he is ready for marriage, in an apparent reference to Kumar's eligibility to be projected as the prime ministerial candidate by the NDA.
Nitish Kumar wants BJP to name PM nominee, later denies saying so
On August 16, last year, he had denied having given any interview to a magazine saying he will break his alliance with BJP if Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi is made its PM candidate in the 2014 polls. .... Jethmalani has said Modi is the best candidate and that he is "impeccably secular".
Gachchhadar rejects CJ for PM

Prez should endorse poll-related ordinances: SP
Mahato said the national consensus government should be formed under the leadership of an independent person..... the Madhes-based party has also decided to expand its organizations in all the 75 districts within next three months to accommodate leaders from all communities in the party.
Opposition agitation sans key agendas‚ says Madhesi leader
Nitish agrees with Anna that JP dreams remain unfulfilled
Missing Bisweshwor
Skyping dough
A tale of two Davoses
The World Economic Forum in Davos: Leaders without followers
Why the big gap between trust in leaders and the institutions they lead? Edelman suggests that leaders have been slow to adapt to the requirements of a world in which top down is no longer the best way to lead, or in many cases even a viable one. Suffice it to say, there is nothing more top down than trying to lead the world from high up a mountain.
Islam and science: The road to renewal
In 2005 Harvard University produced more scientific papers than 17 Arabic-speaking countries combined. The world’s 1.6 billion Muslims have produced only two Nobel laureates in chemistry and physics. Both moved to the West: the only living one, the chemist Ahmed Hassan Zewail, is at the California Institute of Technology. By contrast Jews, outnumbered 100 to one by Muslims, have won 79. The 57 countries in the Organisation of the Islamic Conference spend a puny 0.81% of GDP on research and development, about a third of the world average. America, which has the world’s biggest science budget, spends 2.9%; Israel lavishes 4.4%..... A Muslim scientific awakening is under way. And the roots of scientific backwardness lie not with religious leaders, but with secular rulers, who are as stingy with cash as they are lavish with controls over independent thought. ..... Between the eighth and the 13th centuries, while Europe stumbled through the dark ages, science thrived in Muslim lands. The Abbasid caliphs showered money on learning. The 11th century “Canon of Medicine” by Avicenna (pictured, with modern equipment he would have relished) was a standard medical text in Europe for hundreds of years. In the ninth century Muhammad al-Khwarizmi laid down the principles of algebra, a word derived from the name of his book, “Kitab al-Jabr”. Al-Hasan Ibn al-Haytham transformed the study of light and optics. Abu Raihan al-Biruni, a Persian, calculated the earth’s circumference to within 1%. And Muslim scholars did much to preserve the intellectual heritage of ancient Greece; centuries later it helped spark Europe’s scientific revolution. ....... Accurately calculating the beginning of Ramadan (determined by the sighting of the new moon) motivated astronomers. The Hadith (the sayings of Muhammad) exhort believers to seek knowledge, “even as far as China”. ..... Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, which opened in 2009, has a $20 billion endowment that even rich American universities would envy. .... The rulers of neighbouring Qatar are bumping up research spending from 0.8% to a planned 2.8% of GDP: depending on growth, that could reach $5 billion a year. Research spending in Turkey increased by over 10% each year between 2005 and 2010, by which year its cash outlays were twice Norway’s. ..... In the 2000 to 2009 period Turkey’s output of scientific papers rose from barely 5,000 to 22,000; with less cash, Iran’s went up 1,300, to nearly 15,000. Quantity does not imply quality, but the papers are getting better, too. Scientific journals, and not just the few based in the Islamic world, are citing these papers more frequently. A study in 2011 by Thomson Reuters, an information firm, shows that in the early 1990s other publishers cited scientific papers from Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey (the most prolific Muslim countries) four times less often than the global average. By 2009 it was only half as often. In the category of best-regarded mathematics papers, Iran now performs well above average, with 1.7% of its papers among the most-cited 1%, with Egypt and Saudi Arabia also doing well. Turkey scores highly on engineering. ..... Many Muslims are troubled by the notion that humans share a common ancestor with apes. ..... fewer than 20% in Indonesia, Malaysia or Pakistan believed in Darwin’s theories. In Egypt it was just 8%. ..... Theodosius Dobzhansky, one of the founders of genetics, saying that “nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution”. Science describes how things change; Islam, in a larger sense, explains why, she says. ...... according to Islam, the soul does not enter the fetus until between 40 and 120 days after conception—so scientists at the Royan Institute in Iran are able to carry out stem-cell research without attracting censure. ..... Muhammad Morsi, Egypt’s president, is a former professor of engineering at Zagazig University, near Cairo. He has a PhD in materials science from the University of Southern California (his dissertation was entitled “High-Temperature Electrical Conductivity and Defect Structure of Donor-Doped Al2O{-3}”). ..... The political storms shaking the Middle East could promote not only democracy, but revive scientific freethinking, too.


Kevin Spacey Does An Incredible Impression Of Al Pacino — To His Face



Israel's Strike On Syria Was A Brilliant Tactical Move
"Syria is in such a bad state right now that an Israeli retaliation to a Syrian action would be harsh and could topple the regime," Moshe Maoz, a professor emeritus at Hebrew University who specializes in Syria, told AP. "Therefore Syria is not responding."
The Military's Deadliest Sniper Ever Was Just Shot Point Blank Right Here At Home
Interview With Hillary Clinton
Backstage Glimpses of Clinton as Dogged Diplomat, Win or Lose
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Saturday, February 02, 2013

The Former Chief Justice Would Be Least Controversial


The president should go ahead and appoint him. But polls can not be taken to November. They have to be conducted by June.

Ram Baran Yadav Should Go For It
Former Chief Justice Ram Prasad Shrestha
A Non Political PM?
A Non Political Cabinet Of Technocrats



Now or never: Dahal to opposition parties
Nepalis can now get foreign loans of up to $200,000
Read Shah Rukh Khan's article which appeared in Outlook Turning Points 2013
Bollywood's Shah Rukh Khan in spat over Muslim remarks

WorldLink introduces faster Internet

Dahal says his party ready for sacrifice
UCPN (Maoist) concludes district-level convention in 50 districts

Prez renews consultations with major parties
UDMF forms taskforce for people's mobilization
रामशरण महतसंग-23.01.13

Nepal risks being blacklisted: US envoy
UDMF no to alliance with UCPN (Maoist) for polls
Oppn parties unveil protest plans in valley

UCPN (Maoist) GC: Dahal's quest for regaining past strength
Watch your mouth, Koirala tells Dahal
NSU asks NC to hold GC in April
Jha assures resumption of closed factories
जसको नेतृत्व पनि स्वीकार्य: दाहाल
कांग्रेससहित ५३ दलले आयव्यय विवरण लुकाए
मैले प्रधानमन्त्री बन्छु भनेर ठट्टा गरेको : दाहाल

Businesses stunned as ruling party launches extortion drive
The business community has long demanded that donation campaigns launched by political parties be governed by law, with a cap on donation amount.
Clash looms as Maoists, oppn gear up for show of strength in Dailekh
NC won't bow to Maoist threats: Koirala

UDMF divided over continuing in govt

Dahal lays claim to PM post
Dahal hatching conspiracy to become PM
भट्टराईकै सामू दाहालले भने, 'प्रधानमन्त्री हुन तयार छु'

अध्यादेशको औचित्य छैन: संविधानविद्
दलहरुबीच सहमति भएर चुनावी सरकार बने धारा १५८ को बाधा अड्काउ फुकाउ प्रयोग गरि अड्किएका सवै विषयको गाँठो एकैपटक फुकाउने आफ्नो योजना रहेको राष्ट्रपतिले आफू निकटहरुसँग बताउने गरेका छन्। .... संविधानमा सन्तुष्ट भएमा राष्ट्रपतिले अध्यादेश जारी गर्न सक्ने उल्लेख छ।
Maoists ready for utmost flexibility over polls: Dahal
Bhattarai maintained that opposition parties were fearful of fresh elections and lambasted them for seeking power without winning elections. "There is no history in any country of an opposition party being handed the government leadership without holding elections," he added. He vowed to hold elections in May at any cost.
TRC to address cases related to insurgency: Minister Pun
an ordinance related to formation of TRC which is pending at the president’s office. .... around 32 countries have already formed TRC
DPM for law that bans protests at industries
increasing incidents of extortion in the pretext of raising funds for political parties have threatened the business community.
China becomes Nepal's fourth largest importer
more than 250 percent rise in exports to the northern neighbor..... massive commercialization of medicinal herbs farming in western parts of the country, sharp rise in demand for medicinal herbs, and hide and skins from mainland China .... China emerged as the fourth largest export market for Nepal after India, the USA and Bangladesh over first five months of 2012/13. ..... Yarshagumba is the major medicinal herb exported to China .... China´s liberal trade policy and positive impact of trade fairs between the two countries helped boost Nepal´s trade with the world´s second largest economy. .... Top five exports to China Medicinal herbs (+478%) Animal Hide and skin (+376%) Wheat flour by (+203%) Metal statutes by (+406%) Carpet by (+479%)
US interest in CPN-Maoist increases: Baidya
"It is possible to form separate joint fronts -- nationalist and federalist. But bringing them in one place will be a very big challenge"
Party ready for CA revival or fresh polls: Dahal
In a long and fiery speech against the opposition parties .... "Those against the decision to transform the country into a secular and federal system are trying to turn the clock back. So be prepared to fight such elements” ..... Dahal claimed that the CA was dissolved without producing the new constitution as NC and CPN-UML stood against identity-based federalism. ..... “They accepted federalism but not its essence.” ..... Dahal also accused NC and UML of betraying him and his party by not keeping their "promise to agree on the disputes in constitution writing within couple of days after the Maoists leaders would help integrate former Maoist combatants into the security agencies." ..... He claimed they [Maoists] took a bold decision to integrate the former combatants even as there was strong protest within his party. ..... "NC and UML leaders clearly said that there will be a bloodbath in the CA if the disputed issues are floated in the full House for voting," he said. He argued that the opposition parties stood against putting the issues to vote sensing that there was a two-thirds majority in favor of identity-based federalism.
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Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Saturday, January 19, 2013

The FDRA's Options



Considering what the NC and the UML are doing, and what the president has been doing, what are the FDRA's options?

(1) The UCPN(M) Should Transform The CPN(M), Not The Other Way Round

Some recent comments by Prachanda can be understood in terms of him competing politically with Baidya who is further to the left than Prachanda. It is understandable that he feels the compulsion. But the solution is not Prachanda becoming more like Baidya. The solution is to attempt political fusion.

Any revival of the YCL will risk a relabeling of the Maoists as terrorists by the US. Getting rid of that label was hard work. The Maoists should not do anything to get that label back. The Maoists going back to their old ways would be the surest way to undo the 2006 revolution.

Instead there should be an agreement on people's revolt - getting people out into the streets - as a legitimate political weapon. More important, the Maoists should take a stand that Nepal has to be turned into a multi-party democracy of state funded parties. That would give Nepal a political system unlike that in India, Britain, America or China. That political fusion is the solution to the Baidya-Baburam tussle. I am surprised Baburam is not waging a more vicious ideological struggle.

(2) Maoist Unification, Madhesi Unification

The two Maoist parties should seek to unite. All Madhesi parties should become one party. That would be best for the cause of federalism. That would also be good for post constitution writing. A two party alliance of the Maoists and the Madhesis would make it possible for Baburam to do in Nepal what Nitish is doing in Bihar.

(3) Home To NC, Finance To UML

The FDRA should make it public that that is as far as it is willing to go to form an all party government. That or the FDRA would launch a mass movement to pressure the president to pass the election related ordinances.

(4) Showing The Ceremonial President His Place

The president can not actively engage in politics. That is what he has been doing. The FDRA could boycott all meetings called by the president until he passes the election related ordinances. And the FDRA should get out into the streets. Mass meetings and mass street demonstrations would be a good idea. I mean, I am sad street action has become necessary. But if that is what the anti-federalists want, that is what they should get. Street demonstrations would be enough. Prachanda does not have to talk about reviving the YCL or the parallel government. For one, such talk will likely break up the FDRA. That is a no no.

No private schools in Valley next academic session
Mayors hail Hillary Clinton for 2016
Govt appoints consultant to design social security schemes
I will transform India, Rahul Gandhi says
'No reviving people's govt, people's courts, army'
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