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RAM KUMAR KAMAT
KATHMANDU: Four major political forces — the Unified CPN-Maoist, Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and the United Democratic Madhesi Front — today continued discussing federalism, ‘broadly and frankly’ as the leaders claimed, but nonetheless failed to reach an agreement.
After today’s meeting, the leaders said they would resume the talks tomorrow at 1pm.
NC negotiator Ramchandra Paudel told this daily that his party proposed to carve some districts of far east and far west out of Madhes, respecting the sentiments of the residents of those districts. UML representatives in the meeting seconded NC.
“Even the Maoists are in agreement with us on our proposal. Though the Madhesi parties said they would not give up on their One Madhes Pradesh demand, they added that they did not want to be a stumbling block to the constitution-drafting process,” Paudel told THT.
According to Sarvendranath Shukla, Spokesperson for the Terai Madhes Democratic Party, the NC and UML proposed to carve Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Kailali, and Kanchanpur out of Madhes.
Paudel claimed that the gap among the parties on number of federal units was gradually narrowing. “We will probably agree on six to seven pradeshes,” Paudel said, “The proposals that we discussed today were, to some extent, reformed than earlier ones,” he added.
But contrary to what Paudel said, Maoist lawmaker Khim Lal Devkota said there might be 10 pradeshes because it would be difficult to pacify indigenous nationalities, Dalits, Madhesis and other excluded groups if fewer pradeshes were carved out.
“We dwelt on issues of federalism and forms of governance. A new constitution will be promulgated and our role will be supportive,” said UDMF leader Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar, but stopped short of going into detail.
Sources said the UCPN-Maoist put its cards on the table at the today’s meeting, proposing for the first time to keep the area between Daunne (Nawalparasi and Chure range in Makwanpur district — approximately 130 kilometers) with non-Madhes region. But UDMF continued lobbying for an autonomous Madhes province. Apart from Chitwan and surrounding areas as buffer, the Maoists did not propose to divide Madhes vertically as advocated by the NC and UML.
Shukla said the Madhesi front in no circumstances would lose Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Kailali and Kanchanpur from Madhes.
CC seeks two more days
KATHMANDU: The Constitutional Committee of the Constituent Assembly on Wednesday decided to seek two more days to reach consensus on contentious issues of the new constitution. Following a meeting of four political forces, Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal and Nepali Congress leader Krishna Prasad Sitaula held separate meetings to work out issues related to federalism.
Posted on: 2012-04-26 06:24:35
Dear EDitor, First of all we should convince- Federalism is the Worst Issue for Anarchism in Nepal In Nepal, there are three types residents in the country viz An-adibasi (those who are living from immortal time), Aadibasi (indigenous caste), Aaprabasi (migrants). Brahmins, Chhetri and few Newars are Anadibasi. Magar, Gurung, Tamang, Rai, Limbu, Sherpa, Rajbansi, Tharu and Dhimal etc are indigenous castes. Unlike, migrants are Muslims, Bengalis Marwadis, and Madhesis, the new citizens of Nepal who came to Nepal from India extending their business, trade and workers, servents especially-UP and Bihar. And then some antinationalist political leaders and Madhesis are creating a dangerous condition of conflicts among these three groups of residents. It is self understood that federalism and racism are neither issues nor solutions of Nepal. Who lives if the country's identity dies and who dies if the country's identity lives? So, our realistic issue is to assure their equal and active participation in every sector of nation building. Maoist leaders’ disguised appearance is obvious. They have used the selfish political leaders, particularly the Maoists, to destroy Nepal’s dignity, unity and identity. The question of saving the nation from such pressure and conspiracy has fallen on the shoulders of patriotic Nepalese, army, security organs and constitutional heads. However, I loath even to utter the names of some non Maoists as Nepali Congress late leader Girija Prasad Koirala, leaders Sushil Koirala, Ram Chandra Poudel, Krishna Sitaula, Sher Bahadur Deuba, Narhari Acharya, UML leaders Madhav Nepal, Jhalanath, Subash Nemwang, Bamdev, Khadga Oli, Madhesi leaders Bijaya Gachedhar, Jayaprakash Gupta (Since 21 Feb.2012, he is in jail), Mahantha Thakur, Rajendra Mahato, Hridayesh Tripathi, former Panchas (royalists of the Panchayat system before democracy) Surya Bahadur Thapa, Pashupatishumsher, Lokendra Bahadur Chand and so-called civil society activists Padmaratna Tuladhar, Devendraraj Pandey, Krishna Pahadi, Krishna Khanal, Dr. Sundarmani Dixit, Subodh Pyakurel, Krishna Hauche and Khagendra Sangraula. .These groups have not carried out one work in the interest of Nepal but unnecessarily have helped in drowning this nation. Why should we talk of such characterless leaders? They have no shame whatsoever. They are traitors and foreign stooge. Under the influence of foreign economic incentive many media houses are playing with Nepal’s existence. They are spreading illusions. If we are to select these criminals and put them before the book and to indict them for corruption and treason, such elements will not be born in this holy land for next thousand years. Similarly, the well-wisher of Nepal, Hon. Harsoon Rashid, and former Ambassador of Nepal from Bangaladesh said that monarchy replaced by worst form of anarchy in Nepal. Similarly, General Secretary of the Indian Communist Party, ML, Mr. K.N.A Ramchandan, says in an interview- 'The expansionist policy of the Indian government is attached with the American imperialism. The Indian government has used the expansionist policy in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives and Nepal. We should not endorse a system based on ethnic lines but extirpate it. The communists must end ethnic problems. A system that is based on such ethnic lines is inhumane. The communists must side with decentralization. There are opinions prevalent in Nepal that emphasize on creating ethnic federal states and Madhesi state. This is not a communist way.'(Naya Patrika 9 April, 2012). It seems unlikely Nepal has historical base for adopting federal state apparatus. Since the beginning, the ethnic groups of this land have survived in natural harmony. Most of the nations in the world have unitary government. Among the countries with this system, Britain, France and Japan have carried out sustained development programs. The constitution of Japan provisions limited autonomy to local administrative officer. In France every locally elected unit is provided with the authority to monitor the centre. The citizens of Great Britain, Japan and France do not exercise less right that those exercised by citizens of countries with federal setup.' (Dr. Niranjan Adhikary, Kantipur Daily, 26, February, 2012,) Likewise, veteran journalist Yubaraj Ghimire writes, “The royal institution was deposed under foreign support and direct involvement and without any role of the people. They have now made the national army, the Supreme Court and independent judiciary the target. Those advocating the democratic slogan of the army are supported by British, Norwegian and Danish donor agencies. They are providing economic support to isolationist forces with their paramilitary wings in Terai, Hill and mountainous regions. Those who are conspicuous in this campaign are PM Baburam Bhattarai and Constituent Assembly chief Subash Nemwang. After the royal institution, the army, judiciary, the Hindu and Buddhist religion and Nepal language will be destroyed. This is a game under which 22-24 ethnic states will be created,” (30 December, 2011 Annapurna Post daily). The analyst Yubaraj Ghimire points that certain donor countries such as Denmark, Norway, Switzerland and Britain have provided assistance to ethnic organizations that espouse extreme views in the name of ethnic empowerment. According to him, such assistance has increased the danger of social and ethnic tension and social violence (Annapurna Post, 3 Feb. 2012). I had commented in Gorkhapatra, 3 Feb.2012 that there is increasing concern among foreigners in promoting ethnic federalism. As an example of how foreign aid agencies try to influence Nepali organizations, and takes the example of DFID threatening to halt funding to an indigenous people’s NGO if it didn’t call off a “Nepal banda(close).' A top Nepalese scholar Prakash A. Raj exposes-'The British ambassadors in the recent past who had worked as anthropologists studying some disadvantaged groups in Nepal. It’s natural for them to be sympathetic to their plight. This might have resulted in channeling a generous amount of British aid in empowering backward groups. That’s when many donors began supporting ethnic federalism. What they failed to anticipate was the impact that ethnic federalism would have on the national interest.'-(6 March 2012, The Kathmandu Post) Similarly an analyst Ram Bahadur Rawal writes- ' How it promoted the formation of caucuses for the discussion of ethnic and communal issues, disbursing millions of rupees to ethnic organizations and convening discussions on issues that have little relation to ethnicity?'(4 Mar.2012, Nepal weekly). Literary Krishna Dharawasi writes- 'Nepali-speaking of hill origin, living in Jhapa in the eastern-most Tarai, an area claimed by both the Madhes and Limbuwan. No one deny the rights of one group while safeguarding the rights of other groups. Ethnic consciousness, which entered Nepal after a republican Nepal, is being distorted.' Another political analyst Aditya Man Shrestha notes- 'Medhesi uprising is nothing but 'a beginning of the end of Nepal. Madhesis have no mandate from the Tarai people to decide their destiny.' (6 March 2012,The Kathmandu Post) Jalbir Sunuwar writes in Purnajagaran weekly, “The issue of federalism is creating instability in the nation. The symptoms of disintegration can be seen in federalism. The nation is about to be divided into pieces before our very eyes. The Constitution Council members are appearing as executioners. Rajendra Mahato was born in India. He worked as a loader in Sugar factory in Parsa and as a loader in Tribhuvan airport. He took the citizenship from Sarlahi. Mahantha Thakur and Rajendra Mahato are more inclined to be a Madhesi than Nepali. These people who have entered Nepal from Bihar-India do not want to be called Nepali. Rajendra Mahato spews venom of chasing people of hilly regions to hills from Terai plain. In this way Bihari people are instigating chaos in the soil of Terai.' The Health Minister who was Indian citizen, Rajendra Mahato and president of the Terai-based of Sadbhavana Party has been warning-'if the rights and representation of the Madhesi people are not secured in the new constitution and if the federal structure is not incorporated, the Madhesi people will be forced to launch a decisive struggle. Nepal's Terai plains are home to about half of the country's 30 million people, and the residents of the region, known as Madhesis, have long complained of discrimination by the country's hill communities.' This threatening is the voice of Indian intelligence. The teacher of Baburam Bhattarai and other Communists a communist party the old leader Mohan Bikram Singh sheds light on his friend Raghunath Singh of Nautanhawa (Lumbini-mid-westeren Nepal) who established Madhes Communist Party in 2018 B.S in accordance with Indian C.I.D's strategy of separating Terai from Nepalese territory. He writes- 'The Madhesi people firstly forwarded the opinion of autonomous federal state with right to self determination. Such an opinion will create a situation that would threaten Nepal's national disintegration. It is Indian grand design to gradually merge all states of Nepal under the federal system into its territory. Many Indian citizens have acquired Nepalese citizenship, and increased their influence in Nepal's national politics. Ramraja Prasad Singh has publicly said that such Madhesi leaders had requested him to accept the post of President of the separate Madhes state. It is a planned attempt to increase the number of Indians acquiring Nepalese citizenship and to turn Nepal into another Fizi" >www.nepaljapan.com< Similarly, political analyst Nhuchen Bhakta Kawan writes-'Maoist leaders Prachanda and Baburam Bhattarai had once called the agreement mediated by India between Nepali Congress and the monarch in 1950 anti-nationalist. The same leaders in November 2005 agreed on 12-point pact at the behest of India to establish republic in Nepal. Maoist became the Indian instrument and took part in the uprising under Indian investment. Nepalese people are irritated with the incongruous talks and acts of Prachanda and Baburam. Prachanda and Baburam are sticking to the slogan of new Nepal and have started raising talks of merging Nepal with either China or India. How corrupted they are? Prachanda has recently said,-'I have taken billions from state treasury in name of combatants that do not exist in camps.' An analyst Roshan Kumar Jha writes on the character of Madhesi party leaders in Madeshi Darpan-'What can Madhesi people expect from former minister Shyamsundar Gupta involved in kidnapping, Jayaprakash Gupta under corruption charge, B.P Yadav, Narmuni Rana, Gayatri Shah, Bisyandra Paswan, who sell diplomatic passports, Maoist Constituent Assembly (CA) member Indramati Yadav who steals electricity, Kiran Kumar who forces his daughter to appear for his School Leaving Certificate examination?' It is clear how leaders like murderer Baban Thakur and CA members that beat up Chief District Officer and stagger in the streets in drunkenness in daylight are deceiving Nepali people. The foreigners have made a blunder in supporting such wrong elements. Their mistake will prove counter productive for them. Similarly scholar Surya Subedi opines-'the so-called leaders of Madesh-based parties show their agony by threatening to separate Tarai portions from Nepal. In reality, they want to hide their corrupt face from the nationalist people of Tarai.. Such traitors should be punished.' Can we expect peace and prosperity in Nepal under such unsocial party leaders? To come to power Nepali Congress leader Girija Prasad Koirala and UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal submitted to Indian advice to bring Maoist in the mainstream politics through 12-point pact. They bore Maoists on their shoulders to instigate the people’s uprising in 2006. This criminal act is causation for consequences manifested in the instability of the nation. Leaders that have carried out such criminal acts are in the regime, some are outside it and barking worthlessly like mad dogs. The question of whether to tolerate the injustices of these leaders or to save the nation against them is in front of the patriotic Nepalese. Why is Nepal Army being a spectator to this retrogression? Historically, the responsibility of saving the nation has lied with the national army. None of the armies of the world has ever remained a mute spectator whenever nations have fallen under the grip of traitors. Nepal Army must look to China, Russia, Iran, Pakistan and Malaysia among others to play a decisive role. Even India may side with Nepal Army for it is not only the problem of Nepal. This disease may even spread to China and India. Tomorrow this disease may spread beyond and this region may become a land of terrorists as has been witnessed in Afghanistan. Peace and stability will be lost. May such situation never arise! Thank you. Dirgha Raj Prasai Kathmandu Email:dirgharajprasai@gmail.com Dirgha Raj Prasai, Kathmandu, Nepal
Posted on: 2012-04-26 14:53:37
Let the people of Jhapa, Morang, Chitwan,Kanchanpur, Nawalparasi, etc be given the choice to express their will by public hearing or referendom how they want to remain with which adjoining state or province in future. These leaders want their will or wish imposed on them. Harry Subba, Washington DC