A thread on the same subject from Nepal Democracy Forum (nepaldemocracy google group). Enjoy ! Nepe **** **** **** **** **** **** From: X To: nepaldemocracy@googlegroups.com Sent: Monday, December 18, 2006 10:14 PM Subject: [ND] ambasador nominations kathmandu was shut down once again today by the maoists over ambassadorial nominations. Here are my thoughts on this latest duel. I think it was silly and petty for the 7 parties to nominate ambassadors without consulting the maoists. the SPA had accumulated some public goodwill, but this will set them back in the public estimation because this move reveals their less noble side all over again. Just when the maoists were beginning to feel like insiders in statecraft, this move reminds them rudely that they are still outsiders. If the maoists continue to feel like outsiders, they will behave like outsiders in my calculation. Hence, handing them the responsibility of coming up with good consensus-based ambassador nominations, along with SPA, would have confirmed to the maoists cadre that they were now on the way to becoming insiders. this would have helped in exacting more responsible behavior from them. I agree with no maoists in government until arms management receives more teeth and bite. But in the meantime, it would have been a token of good faith for future negotiations if the SPA had publicly consulted with the maoists about these nominations to important countries. I have a feeling the maoists are going to make the SPA eat their hats over this. my dui futti, X **** **** **** **** **** **** From: Y To: nepaldemocracy@googlegroups.com Sent: Monday, December 18, 2006 11:19 PM Subject: [ND] Re: ambasador nominations Dear X, Because the eight parties of Nepal signed several agreements and the interim constitution despite enormous challenges in hammering out differences and finding common ground on various contentious issues, I mentioned in one of my recent articles that the “politics of consensus-building is slowly emerging in Nepal.” However, the nomination of ambassadors was quite contrary to my reading. As we all know, so far the promise of giving them a stake in the political process has helped to normalize the Maoists on the issues of arms management. So, I think that the effective arms management and the improvement in the security situation at the grassroots level cannot be ensured unless the Maoists feel that they are now the part of the state and no outsiders anymore. One of the reasons why the Maoists are not allowing the destroyed/moved police posts to be reestablished is that they argue that they are not yet the part of the new regime and the current government can only restore the police posts only after they join the interim government and all of their “JANA SARKARS” are dissolved. I think there are two parts of the problem. The appointment in vacant ambassadorial posts was a long-overdue task. The government shouldn’t have made a mistake delaying it to the date. Second, I agree with XJee that the government could and should have discussed the issue with the Maoists because the interim constitution has just been signed by the eight parties and is ready now for promulgation and the Maoists are eagerly waiting to join the government and be a part of new Nepal. The Maoists’ eagerness to join the government or their sense of belonging to the new Nepal was very obvious when the Maoists recently said that the alternative mechanism for arms management should be explored in order to expedite the interim government formation process. Warm regads, Y **** **** **** **** **** **** From: Z To: "nepal democracy" Sent: Tuesday, December 19, 2006 10:33 AM Subject: [ND] Re: ambasador nominations The mandate for this "unelected" body of government is to deliver peace process, not get bogged down in petty indulgence. Issue with GPK has always been his failure to deliver at most critical of times. We put him on a pedestal, and look at what he does... Like the saying goes "Kukur ko puuchhar barha barsha dungro ma rakhepani jasto ko testai... " SPA alliance has plenty of petty politicians, what it still lacks is statesmen/women. Regards, - Z **** **** **** **** **** **** From: "Deepak Khadka" To: Sent: Tuesday, December 19, 2006 2:01 PM Subject: [ND] Re: ambasador nominations Friends, I disagree with all who are condemning the government for the appointments of the ambassadors [ wait, wait ... let me finish ], but not the ambassadors themselves who are accepting the posts in full awareness of the situation. If I have to choose between a FOOLISH giver and a GREEDY taker, I'll choose the former. But the point is, why our dear Nepal so terribly lacks intellectuals with integrity, principle and idealism. Among the 14 of these brightest Nepalis (Dr Suresh Chalise, Dr Navin Prakash Jung Shah, Bhagirath Basnet, Tanka Karki, Dinesh Bhattarai, Pramesh Hamal, Surya Kiran Gurung, Pradeep Khatiwada, Ganesh Yonjan, Hamid Ansari, Suryanath Mishra, Guna Laxmi B.K, Bal Bahadur Kuwar and Sailaja Acharya), there wasn't a single wise one to refuse the offer for greater cause of giving continuity to a culture of political consensus so painfully and slowly emerging ! Dhikkar ! And Sailaja Acharya giving her negative role in Jana-Andolan was a tasteless choice at this point of time, in my not so humble opinion. Deepak **** **** **** **** **** **** From: Z To: "nepal democracy" Sent: Tuesday, December 19, 2006 2:27 PM Subject: [ND] Re: ambasador nominations Deepak Ji, How about the notion that the "greedy" takers may have lobbied the "foolish" to act even more foolish? I don't think all these wonderful names appeared in Giraja's "topi" as if by magic. So these people must have lobbied for it - this is purely my speculation. I do agree that all these nominees are extremely talented people, and valuable members of the civil society. Unfortunately, our civil society always seems too eager to drop its guard for petty personal gain. I wish these people would realize that their ambassadorship will be a personal gain for few years, but what they can contribute collectively today to form a stable, peaceful "Himalayan Republic of Nepal" will be a gift to the Nepalese people for ever. I have no doubt that most of the people on the list will make great ambassadors, but for now timing is everything. Regards, -Z **** **** **** **** **** **** From: A To: "nepal democracy" Sent: Tuesday, December 19, 2006 3:56 PM Subject: [ND] Re: ambasador nominations Hi: I hate to be defending one of my relatives here, a very close relative in deed, but I will be very happy if Dipak can explain why 1. He thinks Dr Dinesh Bhattarai is not wise, and he terribly lacks integrity, principle and idealism (this is same for Surya Kiran Gurung and Ganesh Yonjan) 2. And why Zji thinks he(they) must have lobbied for it. How good are we when we lump everybody at the same place? There are three bureaucrats in the list, lifelong civil servant. Can civil servants say 'no' when government says 'go to this place'? What kind of govt will we have then? what are these people supposed to say, 'no. send a maoist trade union leader who has killed xxx souls in the past so that we will have peace in our country?' == The Maoists are just asking for bhag-banda. Is it good to close the valley for this small bhag-banda question? It is such a childish behavior. I know that there are a lot of appointments that are galling. Girija Koirala is not the sole person responsible in these appointments, both UML/NC have received their fair share in these appointments. But to call for valley bandh in this small stuffs foreshadows a lot more trouble to come. == The parties who have given us dream of 'new nepal' should be more liberal, and broadminded. If I were Girijababu, I would give all the ambassadorial positions to the Maoists. All. The ambassadors are not very powerful and influential people anyway. **** **** **** **** **** **** From: "Deepak Khadka" To: Sent: Tuesday, December 19, 2006 7:33 PM Subject: [ND] Re: ambasador nominations A, If you are defending certain individuals and think that that's the whole point, then you are missing the point. As I think the point has been well explained in my, Z-jee's and other poster's messages, repetition will be redundant. That said, I agree with you that the Maoists should not have resorted to "Banda". Nepali people are long waiting to see the end of this curse called "Banda". A culture of negotiation and political consensus is what was supposed to cure this national disease from it's root. Unfortunately, Both NC/UML and the Maoists tottered this time. And our hopeful ambassadors did not help either. That exactly was the point I and Diwas-jee were making earlier. Deepak **** **** **** **** **** ****