H1B-jyu, मेरो तिखो-खरो शैलीको बारे चाहि, I am guilty as charged. सक्रिय राजनीतिको सट्टा सक्रियतावादी (activist) राजनीतिमै सिमित रहेकोले तिखो-खरो शैली afford गर्न सकिरहेको हुँला भन्छु । जे होस्, धन्यवाद, तपाईको शुभकामना मलाई लागोस् । र "रोटी मिठा चिल्ला, कुरा मीठा खस्रा" भन्ने नेपाली आहानलाई झुठो रहेछ भनेर मैले कहिले महसुस गर्न नपरोस् । तपाईको शुभकामनामाथि थपिदिएँ मैले पनि :-) *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** Now, I would like to share a version of my posting above that I have posted to the Nepal Democracy Forum (nepaldemocracy google group). I know, it's redundant. But there are few points I have explained more. Besides, it might be interesting for Non-Nepali readers. So here I go again, ----- Original Message ----- From: "Deepak Khadka" To: "nepal democracy" Sent: Saturday, February 03, 2007 10:45 PM Subject: [ND] My view on Madhesi Movement > > My view on the articulated and unarticulated demands (aspects) of the > ongoing Madhesi movement, Koirala and his advisor's failure to grasp > them and also some confusion among Madhesi leaders and intellectuals > regarding their own demands. > > http://www.sajha.com/sajha/html/openThread.cfm?forum=2&ThreadID=41185#376499 > > Highlights: > > 1. The Terai unrest is not limited to the few political demands > floating around. It's more than that. It is basically common Madhesi > folks exploding their agony of national neglect and disrespect > accumulated over time. among them to articulate them as accurately and powerfully as he would > do. > > 2. The few political demands put by Madhesi leaders are just some kind > of attempt to articulate them (the movement ) politically, however > limited. These demands were already floating around so they came very > handy to sudden Madhesi leaders. However, these demands were/are also > already in near-accepted states. So fulfilling them won't bring much > difference. (The failure of Koirala's address to calm the agitation a > case in point) > > 3. Madhesis do not want just this and that political thing, they want > an accurate account of injustice done to them, a genuine apology and a > sincere commitment to make things right. This is what Koirala and his > advisor's failed to grasp. This is what was missing in his address. > And this is what made his address fail to do what it was supposed to > do. > > 4. Among the political demands floating, the "federalism" is already > accepted, the "republicanism" was already in a nearly-established > state and there really was not any dismissal for "proportional > election". And although, the demand related to the "electoral > districts" is in conflict with the first demand of "proportional > election", the existing electoral districts were not really terribly > discriminatory to Terai land. In any case, the government's > willingness to increase the number of electoral districts narrows the > gap. > > 5. The interim constitution has adopted "mixed member proportional > election" and further discussion has been going on between the > election commission and political parties. So an agitation is hardly > required for this point at this stage. But the biggest problem with > the demands of "proportional election" and population based "electoral > districts" TOGETHER is that it does not make sense. As much as I can > see, Madhesi leaders and the intellectuals are themselves confused > about the "proportional" systems and they are opposing the "mixed > member proportional election" adopted in the interim constitution > ignorantly. > > 6. All in all, the political demands are pretty easy and agreeable and > they are unnecessarily being presented as confronting ones. It can be > resolved pretty easily. But the movement is deeper than these ordinary > political scores. That's what our national leadership should be > cognizant about. > > Finally, Jana-anadolan II was essentially leaderless. But it managed > to remain disciplined and determined. Madhesi andolan too is > leaderless, although much less severely than Jana-andolan II. But it > does not seem to [to have been able to] keep itself disciplined. >It's time for able people to > come forward to show the quality leadership. Madhesi andolan is > potentially a great movement for social justice. But it will have to > connect to all victims of injustice. A narrow movement limited to the > issues of Madhesi is still good. But disciplined and peaceful it must > be. That's the challenge of the moment to all Madhesis in movement and > all justice-loving non-Madheis in solidarity. > > > Deepak Khadka ________________________