Where are you guys?

Has the all knowing conceded? Isn't this the time for a solid discussion. Why are you guy(s) hiding your tail(s) these days?

What is Ashu's take?

I can clearly say Nepe was a republican, but Ashu has always put himself in the grey matter, which is also acceptable. KP Oli, who in now the DPM was of similar state and now with his new position, he's turned colors.

Where do you stand Ashu, I mean what do you see in the coming months, what is your analysis.

It does look like what ever is happening has come inline with Nepe's analysis.

I would like to hear your say at this juncture Ashu.

Nepe.. "However, for a pure luck or some other reason, for more than two decades of my solitude political meditation, I happened to have a political conviction that has not YET required a revision, although the moment of truth is yet to come."

Yeah, right! We all know where your convictions lie and within the last 2 decades we've clearly seen the mighty Soviet Union crumble to pieces. China, while claiming to be a communist state, for all practical purposes, has become a capitalist state. So, we can clearly see that communism is not a viable system anywhere, period!

Ashu,
Good luck with your Blog project......keep us posted!

Chipji,

It's quite irritating to see that you appear to be in impression that I subscribe to communist ideology. Where did you get that stupid impression ?

I have been a staunch democrat and republican since sometime around 1985-86. My growing faith in democracy and freedom and disillusion with communist ideology was exactly what made me quit ANNFSU with which I was associated around that time. Since there were no democratic republican parties around, I did not join any political parties and I have been an independent person throughout my life since then.

I have shared this story in this forum for umpteenth time. Did you never come across this or you simply not trusting what I said ?

In any case, please give final rest to your misunderstanding about me. I will appreciate that.



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Kalekrishnaji,

My speculation is that, if everything goes as it is, candidates who publicly declare their support for republic are going to win, with overwhelming to clear majority, in the election of CA. Ceremonial monarchists will fill the rest. There will be no or negligible score for active monarchy or status quo. Even if "proportional" or "mixed proportional" voting system is adopted for CA, the result will be similar.

Now, if you are asking whether the Maoists will accept "ceremonial monarchy" despite clear victory of "democratic republic", then my answer is No. In fact, I think the Maoists will have to do nothing. The voters themselves will reject it. We will probably see some kind of popular agitation right when they learn this kind of compromise/manipulation is going on.

If you were asking what if election of CA does not bring majority votes for republic, then I think he circumstances in which this would happen will determine Maoist's position.

If this happened in a relatively "fair and free" election, which I think is very unlikely, the Maoists will be under the pressure and obligation to accept monarchy.

On the other hand, if this happened in a "dhandhalipurna" atmosphere (a likely scenario would be GP Koirala using state resources, like Surya Bahadur did in 2036 ko Janamat Sanghaha, to defeat republic candidates), then the Maoists will not accept the result of the election of CA. Once again, pro-republic mass and the Maoists will be together and we will probably see Jana-andolan III.

One thing that I see important is, CA is now not really necessary to make monarchy a "ceremonial" one. Because, after Jana-andolan II, right now, de facto, monarchy is already "ceremonial". So the Maoists are not going to take/accept CA as a gamble with equal chance for "ceremonial monarchy" and "republic". They will accept CA's procedure, election , result, proceedings, and final product only when they increase the chance for "republic". And the Maoists have all the trump cards this time.

Nepe

Nepe wrote:

"I have been a staunch democrat and republican since sometime around 1985-86."

Where did you get that combination of democrat and republican in Nepalese context in mid eights? I am sorry but I do not believe you.

This is something like Nepali congress Democratic (Deuba) is advocating constitutional assembly these days. If you remember well it was at the time of Deuba's premiership Maoist broke the dialogue with government because they cannot even discuss about CA at that time. Now they are big advocate of CA.

Nobody should be shy to admit that they learned about Republicanism and Constitutional Assembly from the Maoist Movement even they do not agree with their ideology.

"I have been a staunch democrat and republican since sometime around 1985-86."

HA HA HA HA. what a joke!!!

I don't believe in it either. if someone has been a staunch republican since mid-80's then he/she surely end up being under baburam and prachanda's campaign which started from mid-90's.

i m sorry if i am being judgemental here, but c'mon give me a break.

astu
loote

''Where did you get that combination of democrat and republican in Nepalese context in mid eights? I am sorry but I do not believe you.''

Jawalaji and loote bro, believe it or not but there're loads of kangressis who aspired for just that....not from mid eighties but from a long time before that.

Sorry but it seems to me that you've recently heard the concept.

I was at school in those days....even then I disliked monarchy and also disliked communists......what does that make me? Democratic republic??

I think there are lot of people from the Left background who have emerged from the communist ideology to a democratic one, but they have not left the republican idealism. Now they don't fit in any of the Communist party (some wish UML would change their name so that they don't have to call their pals Comrades). and they have been anti-Congress from when they were babies, so they never can jump to the other side. These people don't have anyone to lead them, so mostly they vote the left, but they do not like themselves to be called commies.

I don't know where Nepe falls, but I think he could lead the Republican Democrats of Nepal very well.

Jawala and Loote,

What I wrote about myself was a FYI. It was not meant for convincing anybody of anything. Feel free to make your own opinion.

I am not particularly worried about being misbranded. It's just that I thought Chipji genuinely mistook me, because we know real each other.

And this is also just a FYI, I never lie and misrepresent anything by any means for anybody in public. I am a man of principle. A case in point, I have registered only one nick in Sajha. My principle- if I can not say things with my own name (everybody knows Nepe is Deepak), they probably are not right. And I never want to say things that are not right. Sorry to go to this ego trip. But since my sincerity was suspected, I could not help it.

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Sardarsing,

I can easily fit in Nepali Congress, if it gets led by republicans like Narahari Acharya, Gagan Thapa etc. Otherwise, I am homeless. I am allergic to communist brand and rhetorics. So UML is not to my taste. The Maoists are not going to better than UML.

It is frustrating to see there is no political party that is a pure democratic republic party.

That said, I do not have real ambition in career politics. My interest is limited to activism and I am content with it. I have told republican friends of Nepali Congress that if they ever dared to rebel against monarchists of their party, I will come to "Jhola bokna" of theirs. But I don't see that kind of things happening in NC.

So I will probably live and die a bachelor (independent) in politics. This reminded me the final scene of "Rang De Vasanti". I don't know why.

Nepe

Nepe Sir,

Seems like you have this big scar called monarchy and cannot seem to get rid of it no matter how much "malam" you put on it. Monarchy in any context makes you sick from inside. After JA-II, constitutional monarchy is pretty much dead and let us not even talk about absolute monarchy. However, I failed to fatom what the problem is with ceremonial role as I understand it? Well, as long as they walk around like bunch of boka and bokis, cutting ribbons and posing for that Kodak moment ONLY, I don't see any problems. But then really what the hell is ceremonial monarchy? Maybe we ought to have a clarification on that first. Are republic and ceremonial monarchy mutually exclusive by standard definition? do they even have to be?

Nepeji:

I have been always a silent admirer of your writing ability. Many Sajha readers think Ansu and Nepe are two prominent writers in Nepalese Political subject matters in Sajha but I find Nepe way more logical and visionary than Ansu.

To be honest, I also thought you are a socialist until I read your positing in this thread. I was surprise to read some of your phrases in this thread like ..... " I am allergic to communist brand"........."I subscribe to communist ideology. Where did you get that stupid impression ?"

It echoed me somewhat Padman Rantan Tuladhar of post 2046 political change. He used to say I am left I do not belong to any political party. He used to give speech like UML at UML’s mass meetings and as Janamorcha at theirs.

Why do you have to allergic to any so called in communist party in Nepal ? I do not think there is any orthodox communist party in Nepal - not even Maoist. They have also openly admitted they want a democratic system like in Western Europe. I have admitted they will accept open democratic process.

Somewhat I cannot understand these logics. I like the issues raised by Maoist but I do not like their ideology. I like Narahari Acharya and Gagan Thapa but I do not like Nepali Congress Party. I like Pardeep Giri but do not like Deuba Congress.

Here comes Jawala, who talks about politics as if he is an expert adviser to any political leaders, but he lacks is his clear vision. Let me come back to the Nepe and Ansu's view. Until and unless they are declared mouthpiece of any political parties- they deserve the right to like, dislike or sometimes critically review any view on politics or any other matter. This is not strange that Nepe may be allergic to Communist brand or any of such type.

Second, what a irony of people in Nepal, that they like some political figure of their choices but they don't like the parties, eventhough there is no reason not liking them. They feel themselves great stating that they don't belong to any parties- like Jawala is giving such impression. It is saying like- I like communist but I can't be a communist. I like Girija, unfortunately, I donot belong to his party or I dislike his party and so on... You people are afraid to declare your political view, which reflect that you are suffering from the political depression in Nepal. This is a common syndrom in Nepalese particularly in Nepalese diaspora.

To call Maoist as accepting democratic process is Irony. How do you define their Armed rules in Nepalse villages, including forced donation, participation and involvement.

Hi Jawala, believe me, I am not a communist.

To be "Allergic to Communist Brand", more than likely, is too harsh a comment from a person of Nepe' standing. Having had met several Akhilay friends at Pulchowk Campus, I must maintain that there are some good and rational Nepali communists. I opine this alone obviates the need for someone to be a full-fledge Communist Brand allergic.

I would consider it a glitch on Nepe's part. But, if Nepe persists on his statement, who am I?

Nepeji

sorry if i hurt your sentiments. i was not trying to misbrand you or anything. i truly appreciate your idealogies. in fact, i sometimes find myself in awe to read your postings, your views are no different than mine most of the time. it's just that you are more articulate and analytical in expressing them.
keep it up, i mean it.

loote

Friends,

It feels great to see that finally we are talking about ourselves, about real us, about our dream that does not fit the name made available to us- NC, UML, Mao.

We have talked about Gyanendra, Girija, Deuba, MKN and Prachanda so much, we have completely forgotten about ourselves.

Trust me what Jawala, rajankhanal and Loote talked about is real description of the overwhelming majority of 6-10 million Nepalis that took to streets for those 19 days that shook Nepal and (hopefully) changed it for ever. Proportionwise, there were very little NC, UML and Mao in that crowd. Most of them were like you and me- who is for democracy, but allergic to brands, parties and personalities and most of all to their records. That's the way it was.

I know the old personalities and habits is to remain in Nepal for a while. However, I can feel the slow drift towards fresh being, fresh thinking, fresh actions. It's slow. But that's the way it has to be, perhaps. Perhaps that's the best way. I am giving benefit of doubt to this slow but certain change.

Our problem was "fear of new" and "inability to dream". Almost everything was simply impossible to Nepalis. Nepali Maos, desipte of their flawed dream and method, dreamt impossible and showed it was actually possible. If these flawed Maos can dream impossible and make it possible, why the fcuk we, normal and legitimate dreamers, can not make our dream come true if we really dream ?

Believe me, people like us in Nepal are starting to dream. And time is with them. Monarchy is gone. Maos are ending their insurgency, Girija is dying (I don't mean to disrespect, hai). If we can not be hopeful and optimistic now, then when ?

There will be an all powerful CIAA, all powerful "truth commission" (no, not Rayamajhi commision, we need a commission that is not limited to post Feb 1 history) to clear the account of our corrupt and abusive history. Then our present and future will be like an unstained writing paper, a blank check. What more than that can we ask for ? The rest is upto what we dream and how determined we would be.

If Prachanda, who has not read anything except "Collected works of Chairman Mao" and quotations from Marx, Lenin and Stalin, can change Nepal for good, we, with our state-of-art knowledge in law, economics, management, IT, science & technology, sure can change Nepal. Can't we ?

Sorry, I flew with my emotion. But really, I feel this. I feel we are going to see a completely different Nepal- peaceful, optimistic and motivated to catch up with China's and India's economic growth- within next 5 years.

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Haude ko Bhaiji,

I am glad you asked this question. Because it is really important. Or, let's say, it's really not unimportant.

In a nutshell, I think Nepali people never should feel they had to "compromise" with monarchy. A sense of compromise particularly due to it's mere power rather than it's merit will put a weak stone on the foundation of the nationhood of new Nepal, will instill 'lack of confidence' in Nepali people's psyche. It will poison our mind and handicap us.

With the same line of reasoning, a monarchy genuinely desired by people (against imposed one) will do no harm. So, if CA election gives majority votes for "ceremonial monarchy", it should be fine for everybody.

It is only "imposed" monarchy (voted out by CA election but voted in by CA proceedings, in our case) that is a No No.


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rBaralji,

Ask your Akhiley friends at Pulchowk Campus if they ever have read accounts of what Stalin and Mao had done in their countries during their reins. You will understand your friends not being uncomfortable with party office walls hanging portraits of Stalin and Mao.


Nepe

may be some one is being a little toooo optimistic.
i do hope what u said is all true though.

Three quick arguments for a Republic against Ceremonial Monarchy. Agree or disagree...

1. For such a poor country like Nepal, to me, it is impractical to have to maintain the institution of monarchy. We'd have to pay for their "bhattaa"; we'd have to pay for their trips; we'd have to pay for their food; basically, we'd have to pay for their living and the maintenance of their institution. When majority of the poulation suffers from abject poverty, hunger and disease, WE SIMPLY CANNOT AFFORD even a Ceremonial Monarchy.

2. It is morally incomprehensible to me that just by the virtue of someone's birth into a certain family, clan, caste, "kul" or "bansha", that s/he be awarded with a special privilege or respect. For every Nepali man, woman and child to be accorded such privilege and respect based solely on their merits, we'd have to reject even the slightest hints of monarchy altogether.

Finally, to those who argue about continuing our tradition, i.e., of monarchy:

3. Traditions are not God-given. They are creations of those in power. The "mahaan-ness of Nepali Rajtantra" is no exception -- afterall, we were not subject to the tradition of monarchy before 237 years ago. Such traditions, as time requires, and as current conditions demand, must be subjected to abolition. We got rid of "sati prathaa", or the "daas prathaa" -- despite those were the traditions of the past -- and it is now time we got rid of "raajtantra" too, for it has proven to be the greatest impediment to the notion of free and prosperous Nepali nation, where each and every Nepali is sovereign.

Uncle Kunsang is talking about symbolism of royal statues. However, the point is the same.

- http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnepalinews.php?&nid=73274

यी प्रतीक मनोवैज्ञानिक ढङ्गले प्रजामाथि थोपरिने हीन भावनाका सशक्त मुहान हुन् । यिनले हाम्रो मानसलाई कब्जा गर्छन् । हाम्रा कलिला संवेगलाई गाँजेर, कुल्चेर र ठोकेर आफ्नो स्वार्थ सुहाउँदो आकारमा ढाल्दै हामीलाई आत्मिकरूपले पामर, पङ्गु र चाटुकार बनाउँछन् । यो संस्कारीकरणको चाप सचेत तहमा हामीलाई अनुभव हुँदैन । शासकका सालिक र तिनका नाम थोपरिएका वस्तु नित्य देखिरहँदा र तिनका स्तुति हर्दम सुनिरहँदा हाम्रा मानसमा यी ठूला, हामी साना, यी जान्ने, हामी नजान्ने, यी धनी, हामी गरिब, यी शक्तिशाली, हामी लुतुरे, यी भाग्यमानी, हामी अभागी, यी भगवान्का औतार, हामी धूलाका कण, यी जन्मजात शासक, हामी जन्मजात शासितजस्ता हीन भावनाको एक संरचना बन्छ । २ सय ३७ वर्ष होइन, हजारौं वर्षदेखि राजाहरू हाम्रो यही हीन भावनामाथि शासन गर्दै आएका छन् । त्यसैले यी प्रतीक, वस्तुमा थोपरिएका यी नाम र स्तुतिका यी पोथा राजतन्त्रको अस्तित्वका लागि शाही सेनाका लाखौं बन्दुकभन्दा पनि प्रभावकारी अस्त्र हुन् ।__

Nepe Wrote

>>There will be an all powerful CIAA, all powerful "truth commission" (no, not Rayamajhi commision, we need a commission that is not limited to post Feb 1 history) to clear the account of our corrupt and abusive history. Then our present and future will be like an unstained writing paper, a blank check. What more than that can we ask for ? The rest is upto what we dream and how determined we would be. >>

Keep on dreaming dude. You have every right to do that.

I am quite delighted to read Nepe's optimism. I hope "things" will turn out the way you are expecting. My fingers are crossed.

Ashu, where art thou? Let us hear your say on this. I have not read a lot from you on the present situation of Nepal. Please show up.

Best
Lonely

Nepe,

Your emotions are the rallying cry for millions of Nepalese who now hope that this be the defining moment and that peace and development be the prime objective. Hope yours, mine and millions of our fellow brethren's dream come true. Remember the speech of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. "I have a dream". He dreamt and he made it come true. We need a leader to lead us into a direction of hope and dreams. A hope that the coming years will bring a new soul to the nation, a dream that ten years from now we will be crusing into a massive domestic and economic recovery.

I think the problem with us before were that we were contempt to stay back and let the leaders guide us. But unless there is a nation-backing of an overall renovation to the constitutionalized checks and balance system, we will be heading a wrong way again. We cannot possibly sit back and let the leaders decide. We have to project a complete and thorough oversight on the C&B system and the decisions that our leaders make. Law and order should be the core of the constitution. It is imperative that we now begin our recovery.

Caste system and the system of giving previledges to one's own blood line for political or economic gains should end here. We are a nation at fear of being drained into massive hunger and poverty. Immediately this should be made a high priority. People need to be fed, its as simple as that. There is no explanation whatsoever on abrupt politician looting people's money and then there are hard working people who are now living in a fierce dose of hunger. Therefore necessity arises on giving high power to the CIAA. Funds must be appropriated on a basis of high priority. An oversight must be established on where the funds has been dispersed and how it has been used. Person committing any kind of frawd must be held accountable and punished according to the rule of law.

Lets get our constitution drafted. Enough time has gone on discussions. Lets move on.