Dedicated to Daniel Pearl

Nepali journalists Friday morning took out a rally marking the 52nd anniversary of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ), an umbrella organization of Nepalese journalists. At least the situation of journalists is not so bad now as it was during the king’s direct rule. Unfortunately, I couldn’t manage my time to attend the rally, as I was extremely busy in the morning. I have my strong moral support for the cause, for which the FNJ has been working in Nepal. Hope the journalists will never have to face any problems in the days to come. And the Year 2007 will be absolutely fine for the Nepali journalists.

As the political parties couldn’t agree on sharing ministerial portfolios yesterday, they are against sitting on Friday to reach consensus. Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala seems to be under pressure to form the interim government before he leaves for New Delhi on Sunday to attend the SAARC summit. Maoist has its previous stance of getting the Deputy Prime Minister whereas the UML has strongly claimed for the Home Ministry. I don’t think the NC will give up the Home Ministry. At the same time, the NC’s claim on defence, home and finance doesn’t look much justified. It should share the major portfolios otherwise it will bring further differences among the parties. I think the UML will agree with the Finanace ministry and the NC shouldn’t delay in providing the DPM to the Maoist. I think there should be two DPMs and both the DPMs should be equal–no senior and no junior. If there will be the DPMs with equal authority, it won’t create any problem further. It does mean that the prime ministerial position will naturally shift to NC’s DPM in case PM Koirala passes away.

While writing a news for The Kathmandu Post yesterday, I talked to Maoist leader Dr. Baburam Bhattarai and UML leader Jhalanath Khanal. They were much hopeful of forming the interim government following the eight party meeting today. I also think the interim government will come in place because it has been urgent before the SAARC summit. Otherwise, what PM Koirala will tell the regional leaders. How he can claim to be a successful political leader in the South Asian region. The Maoist and the UML have the point that the formation of the interim government will depend on the NC. They say it will be possible only if the NC presented itself positively. It does mean that the NC should give up either Home or the Finance ministry.  

Unfortunately, the 11-year Maoist insurgency has given rise to the indiscriminate attacks on journalists in Nepal. It’s so pathetic that the journalists these days are threatened by anyone, whether it is Maoists or the royalists or any criminal gangs. I havent’ yet forgotten how the Maoists killed Gyanendra Khadka, a journalist in Sindhupalchowk. The state has also taken the lives of journalists in the past. It draws a very gloomy picture of media in Nepal. Last time, I had received an email from one of my journalist friend in Pakistan, in which he had written how the terrorists had stormed into his office. If he was found in the office on that day, he would be killed on the spot. Luckily, he was out of his office.

We frequently hear news in Nepal that journalists are being threatened. They are abducted and sometimes killed for no reason. Those who fight for freedom are never safe in Nepal. I appeal to all such groups which threaten the journalists to try to realize the fact that the journalists are not working for their own benefit, but they work so hard at a meager salary for others. I also hear sometimes that some groups and individuals target the journalists because they think the journalists wrote against them. But the journalists speak what they notice. They are the mirrors in our society. They write positive stories about those who contribute to the society positively and the journalists must have written negative of those who don’t think good about the society. In fact, journalists promote for the well being of the society.

I was shocked to hear that Umesh Shrestha, a blogger of MySansar.com, was threatened against writing anything that supports Maoists. In fact, Umesh has many times criticised the Maoists, when he notices something wrong about them. He never writes anything either in support or in opposition of anybody in an arbitrary way. And no journalists do that. It is not the ethics of journalism. I request the groups which sent the following email to Umesh to make a sort of self realization into themselves and try to improve their attitudes and respect media, democracy and human rights.

Following is the email sent to Umesh

From: Maoist Defense Group < maoistdefensegroup@yahoo.com>
Date: 02-Mar-2007 15:13
Subject: आन्तिम जानकारी
To: salokya@gmail.com
उमेश जी,
माओबादीलाई प्रत्यक्ष वा अप्रत्यक्ष रुप सहयोग वा हौसला वा आतन्कारी समुहलाई सहयोग पुग्ने कुनै पनि कुनै पनि समचार आजैका दिन देखी Post नगर्नको लागी तपाईलाई आन्तिम जानकारी गराइन्छ! यो मेल लाई कुनै Junk Mail वा फर्जी Mail को रुपमा लिएर नियम उलङ्घन गरेमा त्यसको कार्बाही २४ घन्टा भित्रमा देख्न पाउनु हुनेछ!

प्रचार बिभाग सचिब
प्रतिका(बिदेश बिभाग)

Remark:
यो सङठनको बिस्तार १२ वटा देशमा भैसकेको,५९ सदस्य केन्द्रिय कमिटि रहेको र केन्द्रिय कार्यालय चितवनमा रहेको र माओबादी बिरुधको पहिलो चरणको कर्बाही १-३ चैत्रमा गरिने जानकारी गराइन्छ!

The Maoist lawmakers on Wednesday disrupted the regular session of the Interim Legislature-Parliament in Nepal demanding the formation of an interim government.

It can be fairly understood that the Maoists lost their temperament after Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala yesterday proposed to remove the post of the Deputy Prime Minister in the soon-to-be formed interim government.  

The Maoist has now forwarded another proposal that the government should either announce the date for the Constituent Assembly poll or seven political parties, which represent in the current coalition government, should decide for the republic. In an informal meeting, held yesterday in Kathmandu, the Maoist also decided not to join the interim government until the government takes decision over one of their issues.  

The Maoist has also held Nepali Congress responsible for the delay in announcing the date for the CA poll and going for republic. I talked to Maoist Central leader Barasa Man Pun aka Ananta yesterday and he said the Maoist will stand with their recent decision.

I talked to him today also and he said the Maoist will soon call their central committee meeting and will announce their protest programs against the government.

I don’t know how the government has taken the Maoist stance but it is for sure that their protests will again take away the breath of already-tired Nepalese people. We want peace, just peace but no any protests.

I am not much aware what was the agreement in the past when the parties were competing for the election of the Speaker and Deputy Speaker in the past. As I had talked to Maoist leaders during that time, they had told me that they agreed to select UML leader Subas Nemwang for the post of Speaker and Nepali Congress (Democratic) leader Chitra Lekha Yadav for the post of Deputy Speaker on condition that they would be given Deputy Prime Minister in the interim government. The Maoist leaders had also told me that they, being an equally powerful party along with Nepali Congress, Nepali Congress (Democratic) and the CPN-UML, had also agreed to continue NC president Girija Prasad Koirala as the Prime Minister. If it was the agreement, the political parties should not change their stance and the Deputy Prime Minister should go with the Maoist. But if it was not the condition, the Maoist should agree with a junior Deputy Prime Minister and a powerful minister in the cabinet.

Otherwise, it’s not a fair deal with the Maoist and the Maoist is justified to disrupt the parliament session. It also can fairly be understood that Koirala’s deteriorating health is the major reason for other political parties to provide the DPM to the Maoist. The current interim constitution has in a way made the PM much autocratic because he can’t be dismissed in any ground. A vote of no-confidence can’t be tabled against the PM. It shows that the PM can do whatever he wants.

The worry with other political parties is that the DPM, in case it goes with the Maoist, and if Koirala passes away, will be more autocratic as the Prime Ministerial power shifts down to the DPM. And other political parties, especially NC, NC-Democratic and the UML think that the Maoist DPM, who will be in fact an ad hoc PM will be autocratic and will start undermining other political parties and he will take decisions in the favor of his party only.

I think it is the issue of trust among all political parties. It clearly shows that either the Maoist hasn’t yet been able to win the trust from other political parties or other political parties will never take Maoist in their confidence. The Maoist’s recent activities of extortion, abduction and some sorts of taking law in their hands, are in fact raising strong doubts over their commitment to democracy and human rights. Whatever the reason, the parties should soon form an interim government and announce the date for the CA poll. Otherwise, it will invite further chaos in the country and we Nepalese people don’t want to see such political deadlock again. 

As soon as the session began today, Dev Gurung, on behalf of the Maoist lawmakers, strongly criticized the government for the delay in forming the interim government and announcing the date for the CA poll. He also urged the Speaker not to continue the regular session of the parliament until these issues are settled.

 “The government is conspiring for not forming the interim government and also not holding the CA polls,” Gurung said.

 He also said the government must dismiss the recently constituted Election Constituency Delimitation Commission (ECDC). “The government formed the commission without consulting other political parties. And the ad hoc government has no right to take decisions on its own,” he said.

 He said the Maoist lawmakers wouldn’t allow the parliament session to continue until the interim government is formed, the ECDC is dismissed and the date for the CA poll is announced.

 The Maoist lawmakers also picketed the parliament rostrum and chanted slogans against the government.

 Amidst such hue and cry, Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitauala tried to speak on behalf of the government. But the Maoist lawmakers held him from speaking by chanting slogans.

 
Following the strong protests from the Maoist lawmakers, Speaker Subas Nemwang announced that the adjournment of the House till Friday.

Last Sunday I and my journalist colleage Puran Bista visited Dr. Mathura Prasad Shrestha, a veteran human rights defender. Dr. Shrestha had recently returned from a visit to Gaur, where at least 29 persons were brutally killed. We wanted to carry his interview on the Monday Interview Section of The Kathmandu Post. Dr. Shrestha gave shocking acounts of the Gaur carnage. He looked much move emotionally, due to the incident. Following is the link for the interview.

Another significant account, what we didn’t mention in the interview is that the Gaur visit this time in fact changed Dr. Shrestha’s perspectives towards federalism and the right to self-determination. He said he was planning to make a presentation on federalism and the right to self-determination in Kathmandu. He had already prepared slides for the presentation. He also said he always advocated for federalism and self determination. “But the Gaur visit changed my perspectives and now I am thinking the right to self-determination may not be appropriate at such time in Nepal, though the federalism is much important. He said he talked to an educated Madhesi woman during his visit to Gaur. The Madhesi woman was compelled to discontinue her studies and was staying idle at home. The woman told Dr. Shrestha that the armed gangsters are very active in Rautahat. The woman also told him that the democracy and freedom are in fact not for common citizens in Rautahat, but the common citizens have to act as per the orders from those armed gangsters. She also said Gaur would go into the hand of those armed gangsters if the government provides the right to self-determination for the people in the terai. Once the state mentions this provision int he constitution, the armed gangsters will force people to support them and the whole terai region will go into the control of such gangsters. Interestingly, Dr. Shrestha removed some of the slides which were related with the right to self-determination. He told us that he found his advocacy for the right to self-determination was in fact not absolutely correct and he said it’s not the right time to provision the right to self-determination now. He now says the federalism is a must but the right to self-determination is not good for Nepal at the current situation. I was really amazed to know how the Gaur carnage changed the whole perspectives of Dr. Shrestha to see the issue of the right to self-determination.

Read the interview… 

The Gaur carnage which saw the death of 29 Maoist cadres looks like the beginnig of civil war in Nepal. The incident conspicuously shows that the Madhesi People’s Rights Forum (MPRF) hired professional killers, who killed the Maoist cadres. The incident is quite serious because the state was unusually absent when an armed group was killing another group. It’s also much heartening to feel that the incident failed to underscore larger sympathy for the Maoists. I was returning on a three-wheeler after attending the condolence meet, organized by the Maoist at Tundikhel in Kathmandu. A woman made a comment that the Madhesis killed 29 cadres of the Maoist. A helper in the three-wheeler made a quick comment: “The Maoists killed innocent people in the past and they are paying its price now.” It really shocked me to feel the public response over the incident because the statement holds a partial truth. But it doesn’t mean that the people should kill the Maoists for they killed innocent citizens in the past. It’s the time to promote mutual harmony and brotherhood among people to hold the Constituent Assembly polls in June.

The absence of state in such gory incident clearly speaks alot about the beginning of civil war in Nepal. It is also much frightening to feel what will happen if the irate and shocked Maoist cadres will begin killing the Madhesi cadres. It will start the full-fledged civil war. All should take it much seriously and work from all sectors to stop the escalation of violence.

It will otherwise give rise to the culture of imputy and we will again plunge into the vicious cycle of killings. We don’t want to see more violence.  

I was literally shocked when I read this month’s issue of Himal magazine and found out how corruption takes place in Supreme Court. How the judges, officials including chief justice are involved are comprehensively exposed by an article investigated by Shiva Gaule of Himal magazine. Fortunately, Shiva Gaule and I together came to Finland to cover the parliamentary polls here. When we took a flight for Delhi, Shiva dai gave the issue of the magazine and i quickly read the investigative article and was way shocked to find how our chief justice Dilip Kumar Poudel is also involved in the corruption. Rajesh, a person in the story looks much frustrated as he has provided bribery to the court officials but loses the cases. He then decides to tape all the conversation and keeps on bribing the officials in the court. In course of his attempt to bribe the official in the court, judges including the chief justice are also involved. Gaule exposed the involvement of judges, chief justice and officials of the judiciary in corruption. It’s a national shame for us to know that even judiciary is involved in corruption.

But the next day I was further shocked to find that none of the newspapers carried such great news story published in Himal magazine. I was expecting that Kantipur would write an editorial on it and all other newspapers would carry such news and would take it as a campaign to expose such stinking thing of the judiciary. but none of the newspapers carried it and it hasn’t become a sort of national issue now. i think all newspapers make it a national issue and expose such corrupt persons of the judiciary.

I remember, the managing editor of The Washington Post, during my visit to The Post in the United States told me that his newspaper has number of times written editorials on the issues which the New York Times, his rival had carried. It happens in journalism and it should happen. But I was surprised to feel that the newspapers in Nepal ignored such a huge issue because it was carried out by another news magazine.

Then, the Supreme Court formed a commission to dismiss the issue and even the Chief justice asked the media not to carry the news. Isn’t it shit that the chief justice asks media not to carry the news and the newspapers obey him and just ignore such a huge issue?

I have been talking to Shiva dai and asking him how he got the story. Probably, I will get it all and write in my blog later.

When I arrived in Helsinki, the capital of Finland on March 15, I was much surprised to see how women and young dominate the Finnish society. As Finns will caste their votes for parliamentary polls on March 18, women and young candidates are overwhelmingly seen at every corner in Helsinki. They distribute leaflets, hoist baloons with their names printed on them and they convince pedestrians to vote for them. Interestingly, all political parties have selected 50 per cent women and 30-40 per cent young candidates for the parliamentary polls. The candidates as young as 23 to 35 are competing for the polls. The Finns are of the opinion that women and youth should go to the parliament for a change. They think women and youth bring change. I found it’s should be a lesson for Nepalese politicians. Nepalese politicians usually feel much miser in encouraging women and youth in politics. We can feel how Gagan Thapa and others are being discouraged and how Chitra Lekha Yadav was cheated to be the Speaker for the Parliament.

This morning, all the newspapers in Nepal were filled with Prime Minister Girija Prasad’s suggestion to the king to abdicate. Of course the news pleased majority Nepalese people. Koirala’s shot was very heavy because he was the only seniormost leader in Nepal advocating for ceremonial monarchy. If he also says we have entered the path of republic, there will be nobody left to save monarchy. 

But this morning, a colleage of mine said Koirala’s suggestion to King Gyanendra and Prince Paras to step down was in fact to replace them with Hridayendra, Paras’ son. The colleague also said international communities including US and India have advised PM Koirala to continue with monarchy by replacing Gyanendra and Paras by Hridayendra. The colleague also went on to claim that US and India floated the suggestion considering how unpopular are King Gyanendra and Crown Prince Paras. My friend also claimed that the international communities have the feeling that the Nepalese people hate King Gyanendra and Crown Prince but will accept if Hridayendra is made King. If it is true, I think international communities have seriously failed to read the mind of the Nepalese people. Nepalese people don’t want monarchy on any excuses. They want to get rid of it.

Isn’t it a good news for all that Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has suggested King Gyanendra to abdicate the throne for the betterment of the country? Koirala told reporters in his hometown in Biratnagar on Monday that it would be better if the monarch abdicated the throne. I think Koirala now spoke the mind of all Nepalese people. I also don’t see any relevance of the monarchy in Nepal. At a time when the British people have been discussing whether it is good or not to continue with monarchy, Koirala rightfully suggested the Nepal’s king to renounce the throne. The Britons practiced the monarchy for so long and they have come to a conclusion that monarchy has no any relevance for Britain. While the British people are against the monarchy, which always remained as a citizen, I can imagine the opinion of Nepalese people towards our monarchy. Monarchy in Nepal never worked for the people. It always conspired against democracy and always tried to grab power through military coups. Hundreds of people have died in the fight for democracy and civil rights in Nepal. Now it’s high time that all people should realize why we should continue the monarchy which always suppressed people, always seized people’s power and killed innocent citizens. The Britons hacked the monarch in the past and they tried it again and now they are realizing it useless to keep such expensive institution. Nepal being so poor country, should not think of keeping such expensive monarchy. Millions of rupees given to monarchy, will in fact be used to construct hospitals, schools and more over it can be used to feed and treat the ailing Nepalese people. We know hundreds of Nepalese people are dying due to hunger and disease in Nepal, as they don’t have money. Why shouldn’t we use that money being wasted for monarchy, for those poor Nepalese people. 

Enough is enough, we have to do away with monarchy and that money, collected from the taxes of poor people, can be used for better works in Nepal.

So thanks to Koirala, who has, in fact suggested all people to think to eliminate monarchy from Nepal.

Jay Republic.