These are worth reading (from Nepalipost.com) A note: Is anybody noticing what the real agenda is? Dr. Govinda Koirala March 21, 2005 There are always some extreme political thinkers, who do not want to compromise. In stead, they try every way possible to convince others that they are right and everybody else is wrong. It should not be taken as unusual. If we are convinced ourselves, we like to bring other people in our side. Similarly, anyone with strong political convictions, there is no surprise if he, and only he, fantasizes of being the most right who is also voicing the majority. But the problem is that when the reality appears to be otherwise, he closes his eyes to dream and to bring others to agree with him. And, more dangerous part is when he goes further to start and harvests his lies with false pretensions in every way he can. But I think, this is nothing but to deceive himself. Take the case, for example, an appeal to join the rally in Washington, DC. In an appeal posted in Peace Media on March 11, 2005, the rally coordination committee has made an appeal to join the rally for the cause of peace, justice, rule of law and democracy in Nepal. And, with the fact that the democracy has been crushed, rule of law has gone wild, freedom and justice has been wiped out by the King, who would not agree to join the rally to denounce it ? According to the appeal, the rally was in support of restoring human rights, political freedom, and of course to give the peace a chance. But, everyone was deceived by the appeal. Because, the real agenda was not in favor of rule of law, human rights, democracy and justice, the rally was definitely to support what the dictator, the King, has done to the country. Of course, it is not anything new for those who have closed their own eyes to imagine that everything is going all right. The organizers were set to deceive; otherwise many people would not come out to the rally to support a dictator who has taken away the rights of the people. The appeal was beautifully crafted in such a way that the crowd can be fooled and the real agenda could appear in the rally itself. Some of my friends went even to say that the organizers were paid to organize the rally. But I don't want to go to that extreme, because, we all know that there are always some people who can go to the extreme with their own political conviction. They have the right to show their conviction. But, I guess a majority of the people in the rally were deceived. This also is supported by the fact that there were various groups chanting completely opposing slogans according to the reports (including the report in Nepali Post). But, I also have read a report justifying the opposing slogans in the rally. The reporter obviously has to be among the sympathizer of the rally who had to justify the opposing slogans by terming that as the freedom of expression. This is nothing but a laughing matter. A rally is supposed to bear one theme in which the slogans revolve around. If the views were of opposing nature, why could not there be another rally? They do not mix in the same. People were called for one theme and went for another. What is this then, if it was not a deceit? I have also heard that a similar rally is being proposed in New York. I don't know what the agenda are, but I suspect of the same. Here, I think, one has to warn of the real agenda of the organizers. If people with the conviction that the dictatorship is good for Nepal, democracy and human rights of people are of the secondary concern; then they should join the rally for support. I like to encourage them to express their feelings. They have the right to express their views. But why deceive people? Is not this a result of a defeat mentality? Come on, if you think it is right, say so. But please don't fool the people that the rally is to protest against the death of democracy and freedom of the people in Nepal but make the slogans in support of a dictator. If there is any rally in New York City, we have to watch who comes out: those with two tongues or those with real convictions for a dictator. As long as real diehard supporters of the royal interventions come out, that should be commendable and that is what their agenda also should be. But we have to be more careful of the so called friends with two tongues, say one thing and do the other, just like the King of Nepal. Yes, everybody wants peace and it does not matter where it comes from. But we also need to question ourselves: can it be brought by telling a lie and by silencing the truth? To cover a lie, you have to tell 100 more lies, but, still at the end the truth comes out any way. University of Rio Grande Ohio, USA gkoirala@hotmail.com King committed to remain wedded to wrong end of the logic Mathura P. Shrestha March 18, 2005 The present king of Nepal is digging his own grave deep and to inevitable obscurity with a series of antidemocratic actions. This is a natural behavior with any despot suffering from paradigm paralysis. This is also an expected natural historic consequence. How the end of despots would come otherwise? There is an old saying in Sanskrit , ? ljgf;sfn] lak/Lt a'l4 ? or ?vinashakale biparita buddhi?, meaning ?one possessing a wrong mental frame at a time of impending catastrophe?. His brother, king Birendra, got fame as wise, pragmatic monarch who took historic and courageous decision to surrender his panchayat autocracy mode of rule (totally) to multiparty democracy and constitutional monarchy. It was a difficult decision for a monarch surrounded by power addict, ruling feudals in the royal palace to become so brave and rational. He had a moral courage to have his paradigm shifted. That is why he became unexpectedly popular and loved one after that great surrender of April 9, 1990. When I was eleven, I was on the way to India with my parents to pass winter vacations. I still remember a night in an inn in Bhimphedi (a small town on the way to India) in 2002 BS (1945 AD). My parents had a chat about the future of Nepal and Rana Regime with a fellow traveler, a Subba (a high official in Rana regime) of Newar ethnicity and posted in Rautahat district in the Terai Plains of Nepal. The Subba had said, ?There is no future of Rana rule. The more you pump a worn-out football the more the risk of violent end with an out-burst. Rana rulers are but pumping suppressions in Nepal at a time when people are already awakening.? I have never forgotten those words since then, spoken at a time when absolute autocracy was intact (or there was a total absence of democracy). Gyanendra was hastily crowned king by Ranas in late 1949 to replace his grandfather king who took refuse in India (but not abdicated) after the start of the first armed revolution of Nepali Congress. He was not recognized at that time as a king by a single country or even by an overwhelming majority of people. No wonder he inherited the traits of dying Rana rule the end of which was smelt even by a Subba, engaged to maintain ?law and order? on behalf of Ranas, several years prior. The king?s February 1 coup d??tat was a desperate attempt to save the monarchy stinking since ?Royal Massacre.? Many wonder why he chose to come out of respectable position of constitutional monarchy. None expected that abnormal behavior especially at such circumstance when an overwhelming majority of people of Nepal had a difficulty to dissociate his name from so many hated instances of trafficking and shady undertakings. He seems to have lost both hind and fore sights. Only a person of that compulsion could take that stand in a period when monarchy was becoming increasing irrelevant in Nepal. For that reason the king is never so isolated as today in international community and among his own people. There has been a lot of senseless killings and incidences of human rights violations. Editors and journalists are harassed with insulting interrogations by police; many are in jail or in non-justifiable custody. Almost daily, too many witch-hunts of many political and human rights workers are staged. Many are arrested or in custody without any opportunity to have communication with their families, friends or outside world. All writing papers, pens and even watches get confiscated or are not allowed to have. To have a smoke-screen during the ICHR conference the king has released recently sacked Prime Minister Deuba and few others. However arrests are very common all the time of days and nights and in all parts of Nepal. In spite of the false assurance of Ramesh Pandey in Geneva the draconian rule in Nepal continue to be stiff without any outlet. Yesterday only more than a thousand demonstrators, journalists, human rights defenders and women were arrested from all over Nepal. Naturally, there are growing political protests and demonstrations all over Nepal in spite of the strict bans. I will like to cite one case that happened recently in Parsa district: Maoists blockaded the roads there. In a point on a road there was a heap of boulders with a note that there is a bomb buried. An army detachment patrolling there saw that. In the mean time two persons belonging to a Tharu minority community was coming in their bicycles loaded with faggots of fuel woods from nearby forest. The army personnel forced the innocent victims to come down and clear the road. Result? The bomb went off instantly killing the both and three of the soldiers. The army or any other security personnel can not order civilians or untrained personnel to dispose a bomb or clear a site suspected to have a bomb hidden. That is a clear human right violation. The army-censored news appeared in daily papers the next day that two Maoists blew themselves off. The source of disinformation (the miscarried news) was the army itself. The army is now overseeing all unacceptable censures, strictures and other such actions of human rights violation. Why? Do its officers and commanders want to identify the institution wedded to a hated autocrat or alternatively to the country and its people? I do not want to blame other security institutions as army is leading the censors for so called ?law and order?. I am sure that the army personnel with glorious records of faith in democracy do not like to take up dirty roles of those kinds. I only think that they are bond with a false perception of army discipline. Any act that goes against their moral and social responsibility can?t be misnamed as discipline. If army personnel behave no better than Maoists what remains of their credibility. I strongly oppose human rights violations and similar senseless killings by the Maoists too. If they claim to be revolutionary they can?t afford to be engaged in such despicable acts of human rights violation. I also oppose senseless blockades being frequently imposed by both security personnel and the Maoists. I got rumor today that the Maoists have withdrawn their blockades in view of several upcoming festivals. I hope it is true. I also appeal them to withdraw their blockade programs of April. I am happy to note ever growing solidarity of the people all over the world for the people of Nepal fighting for democracy and against the king?s autocracy. We, the people of Nepal, cherish on so many demonstrations, support meetings and conferences, protest letters, press statements and media coverage all over the world. Nepal has become a test case for the international solidarity in the defense of democracy, human rights and transformed peace. That must be continued with further vigor and commitments. I am happy to note that many countries and international agencies have decided to discontinue military and other aids to Nepal. I also appreciate the Prime Minister of China for canceling his planned visit to Nepal. I expect that its Foreign Minister also would cancel the proposed visit. We are disturbed by the news that there is a possibility of arms aid or sale from China to Nepal. If true, it will be equal to stabbing the good faith the people of Nepal developed for the people of China on account of age old inter-country relationships and because of several people oriented development aids and grants that China provided to the people of Nepal. I also hope that the Chinese government will remain sensitive to the people?s love and struggle for democracy in Nepal. World community is with the people of Nepal. China can?t afford to ignore that. Relation is to be developed, but not that kind of relationship incompatible to the peoples of Nepal, just because Nepal?s autocrat wanted to have that way. The relationship existing between the peoples of Nepal and China for centuries should not be interrupted to satisfy a lust of a king turned autocrat against its constitution.