>Nepe - If you ever run for the president of Nepal, just give me a holler, >I try and round up as many folks as I can to the cause... re kya :) :P Captain, The only time I ever run for the president and won was the "student council" of my campus in Israel. Otherwise I have lost two elections of "student union" in Nepal--enough to dread running in the election. Thank you for your generous offer to help, though. >With the Monarchy practically gone, and a new nation in its infancy, >a booming economy in the south, a generally favorable international >climate, there is a lot to be optimistic, albeit cautiously, about. Besides these, I am also looking at the possibility of "reverse immigration" of Nepali migrant workers and particularly the new "work ethics", entrepreneurship and eekh (envy) these workers working in harsh conditions in various countries might bring and their potential impact on social and economic transformation of Nepal. Some two months ago I had a conversation with a fellow Sajhaite in Nepal Democracy Forum in which I had chance to share these thoughts. The same conversation also carries my thoughts on the political status of PM Koirala and the overall situation of political leadership for the transition and transformation of Nepal, I am sharing the whole conversation (with some irrelevant items skipped) here. I have color coded some key concepts for easy quick scanning. Here it is. ____________________________________________________ From: "Deepak Khadka" To: Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2007 9:10 PM Subject: [ND] Re: nation and state X-jee, Having been a sahayodda in our cyber freedom fight for Ganatantra over the years, it is my privilege and obligation as well to share all my feelings with you. I will talk to you soon in private for more account of what I think regarding your questions. Here are some starters. 1. [skip] 2. PM, Koirala: Hmmm.. well it's hard not to hummm when you take his name. Anyway, before I say what I think about his remarks of yesterday, I will need to explain what I think what role/power/influence Koirala has at this moment because basically that is what determines the value/influence of what he says. I think it's been several years already Koirala does not have real power in his hand. And more so since Jana-andolan II. All the historical changes that has happened were beyond and often against what he wished and how he wished them. He has not been and has not been able to be more than a "speed breaker". Most of the time he is just a helpless straw trying to go upstream but unable and just flowing downstream with the current with fake reaction or reactionlessness on his face. He is what would be best described as "Nimitta Naayak". Then who are the real Naayaks to all these changes ? Nobody. It's both amazing and beautiful and perhaps a little bit scary too that there is no DISTINCT political leadership to all the changes we are witnessing. The momentum and direction for the change is provided by signals from a subtle, near-quite and almost abstract complex of evolving popular aspirations. The politicians are not providing "political leadership". What they are providing is rather "political followership". Koirala's yesterday's remark is just one of that "followership". It is his "Aakhira shreekrishna rahechha eka". The only difference is that Devkota probably had lost his sanity (enlightenment is insanity too, so I am safe to say that, I guess) when he said that. However, Koirala did it under tremendous pressure from both popular pro-republic sentiments and unpopular pro-republic forces (!). I don't think he is genuinely punishing the King. He doesn't have a genuine case against the King to begin with. I mean I don't think they have found evidence for King's intention for another coup d'etat or political disruption yet. Maoist's evidence looks pretty weak and Falgun 7's statement will be an excuse rather than a reason for punishing the King. In any case, as the time (the people) is much ahead and irreversibly so of what Koirala said yesterday, it won't have more than a symbolic effect/meaning. Koirala is already irrelevant to the direction of Nepal's change. Now the speed breaker is breaking down. And also for this reason, he is going to remain a "Nimitta Naayak" for some time, perhaps his whole life. 3. Stable republic Nepal: To speculate this, I will first consider our current situation with politicians in passenger's seats and an auto-driver controlled by the road-map and popular vigilance driving the train. I can not make up my mind regarding whether the situation is riskier or actually safer than the usual/familiar situation with politicians on the driving seat. We have some unexpected risk factors to consider. The major one among them is the armed situation of the Maoists. I have shared during my exchange with Anga-jee and Gaury-jee my frustration regarding how GP Koirala screwed up the peace by his gambling to save the continuity/role/space for the King. Regard this. There was a time (not just a time but a very long time) when Prachanda was proposing to disarm the Maoists in exchange of the acceptance of republic. Koirala kept refusing. Now, republic is almost there. And the Maoists are still armed for all practical purposes !!!!! Koirala failed us where we were not supposed to fail at all. [skip] Now, if I have to confess, I had not expected this kind of tricky situation. I was hoping for the disarmament of the Maoists and republicization of political parties/state to occur simultaneously. We still have time for miracle to happen. But I am not hopeful. But what I am certain about is that we will survive this transition. We have the rail, we have the train and we have the map of the stations we have to stop on the way. After the election of CA, situation will be more defined and less arbitrary with legitimacy and the law ruling. [skip] It is the establishing the rule of law as the overriding value. All things will then stabilize, equilibrate and move ahead. [skip] So X-jee, I basically think that once we succeed to conduct the election, that will be the day one of a better Nepal. Of course I did not answer your question. What about Madhesi and Janajati's agitations ? When will the Maoist arms be decommissioned ? Restructuring of the army ? I think the agitations are about to be over. More on this later (I hope to have more opportunities to share my views in coming days). I would like to see the declaration of republic and the start of the decommissioning of Maoist army before the election. But we have so jhoor and khattam negotiators they might declare republic without any concession from the Maoists. However, first several weeks/months after the election can be expected to work in priority to decommission the Maoist arms and to restructure the national army. I would count that as the day one for the stable republic Nepal. As for prosperity, our friends with background in economy can give authoritative speculation. However, there is one thing I think might happen and have great impact on economic activities. That is "return home migration" of all laakhau Nepalis working in harsh condition and meager pay in foreign countries. They will be returning with never seen before "work ethics" and emotional capital like "eekh" and "love". They will change Nepal beyond recognition in a very short time. Revival of older stagnant economic sectors that is waiting for peaceful and stable time and possibly spill-over of Chinese and Indian economy ta chhadai chha. So I have a picture of a wonderful Nepal within next 2-3 years. Too optimistic ? Deepak ----- Original Message ----- >From: X >To: "nepal democracy" >Sent: Monday, March 12, 2007 9:33 PM >Subject: [ND] Re: nation and state >Deepak-jee, >Three quick questions: >1. [skip] >2. What do you make of PM Koirala's comments on the king today? >3. When do you believe that Nepal is going to be a prosperous/ >harmonious federal republic of Nepal? >You can write a personal reply to me. Please bear in mind that you >can't be honest without expressing what you feel. I hope you will >reply to me because you have always done. >regards, >X ____________________________________________________ Nepe