Sunday, December 30, 2007

UNMIN Jobs for Madheshi

Dear ANTA Members, Fellow Teraians and Friends of Terai:

We have been contacted by UN Mission in Nepal (UN MIN) for assistance in seeking suitable candidates for the National Social Affairs Officer positions at UN MIN. There is an urgent need to hire qualified candidates on an expedited basis. Qulified candidates who are familiar with Madheshi issues as they have emerged in different parts of Nepal are encouraged to apply. UN MIN is currently recruiting for 5 positions in the 5 regional offices in Biratnagar, Kathmandu, Pokhara, Nepalganj, and Dhangadi. The UN MIN has indicated special interest in hiring Maithili candidates, women candidates, Madheshi candidates... thus far, there have been very few applicants from these groups. Please click here for the vacancy announcement for the Nepalganj office (it's the same for each office).

More details at:
http://www.un.org.np/job/local.php
http://www.un.org.np/headlines/pressrelease.php

Regards,
Ratan Jha
President, ANTA

(Source : terai.org)

Saturday, December 29, 2007

Murder Of Madhesh



Murder of Madhesh By Dr. Ram Dayal Rakesh ( terai.org)

नयाँ मधेशी पार्टी गठन गरिएको घोषणा

शुक्रबार राजधानीमा पूर्व मन्त्री महन्थ ठाकुरको नेतृत्वमा तराई-मधेश लोकतान्त्रिक पार्टी नामक नयाँ पार्टीको घोषणा गरिएको छ।

अप्रत्याशित रुपमा आ-आफ्नो पार्टी, मन्त्री र सांसद पद त्यागेर एक छुट्टै मधेश समूह गठन गरिएको घोषणा गरेको झण्डै तीन हप्तापछि नयां पार्टी गठनको घोषणा गरिएको हो।

सो नयाँ पार्टीले आत्मनिर्णय सहितको स्वशासित तराई-मधेश एक प्रदेश र गणतन्त्रात्मक लोकतान्त्रिक संघीय नेपाल आफ्नो लक्ष्य भएको जनाएको छ।

आफूहरु संविधानसभाको विरोधी नभएको वताउँदै सो पार्टीले उसकै शब्दमा सार्थक, न्यायपूर्ण उपस्थितियुक्त र उपलब्धिमूलक निर्वाचनको वातावरण बनाउन माग गरेको छ।

अन्तरिम संसदमा संविधान संशोधनबारे चर्को बहस चलिरहँदा पहिचान, स्वाभिमान र सम्मानको नाराका साथ सैयौं सहभागीकाबीच ठाकुरले राजधानीमा आफ्नो नयाँ दलको उद्घाटन गरेका थिए।

तराईबाट नेतृत्व गर्दै आएका रामराजाप्रसाद सिंह सहित विभिन्न नेता तथा पद्मरत्न तुलाधर, खगेन्द्र संग्रौला लगायत नागरिक समाजका केही प्रतिनिधिहरुसमेत सो समारोहमा उपस्थित थिए।

सभालाई संबोधन गर्दै नयां दलका नेता ठाकुरले क्षेत्रीय विभेद कायम रहेको बताए।

उनले भने, “अब मधेशीहरु शिर निहुराएर होइन शिर ठाडो पारेर बाँच्न चाहन्छन्, मधेशीहरु मधेशी सरकार चाहन्छन्।”

आरोप

आफ्नो पक्षमाथि विखण्डनकारी भएको आरोप लगाइएको बताउँदै ठाकुरले त्यसको कडा प्रतिवाद गर्दै भने, “वास्तवमा विखण्डनवादी त ती हुन् जो अरुको कुरा सुन्न चाहँदैनन्। हामी समतावादी हौं।”

ठाकुरले सात दलले हालै गरेको २३ बुँदे सहमतिले तराईको समस्या समाधान नगरेको बताउँदै संविधानसभा निर्वाचन गर्न तराईमा शान्त र सहज वातावरणको माग गरे।

तीन हप्ताअघि उनीहरुले गरेको दावी विपरित राष्ट्रिय राजनीतिमा प्रभावशाली तराईका थप नेताहरुलाई नयां दलले आकर्षित गरेको देखिएन।

तर मधेशी जनाधिकार फोरम गुप्ता समूहका महासचिव जितेन्द्र सोनल सहित सो समूहका केही नेताले नयाँ पार्टीमा प्रवेश गरेको बताएका छन्।

नयाँ दलका केन्द्रिय नेता हृदयेश त्रिपाठीले आफ्नो पार्टीमा १६/१७ सदस्यीय कार्यसमिति रहने बताए।

(source : bbc.co.uk/nepali)

INTERVIEW WITH UPENDRA YADAV

Excerpts of an interview with Upendra Yadav, chairman of the Madhesi People's Rights Forum (MPRF) from Nepal magazine. Q. You secretly went to the US and returned at a time when the Forum is suspected to have American support. Why? Yadav: I was not invited by the American government. I went there on the invitation of an organization of Nepalis residing there. I could only arrive there a week behind the scheduled date as the (US) Embassy did not issue the visa on time. As far as the Madhes agitation is concerned, it is an agitation launched by the Nepali people, and not by America or India. Q. Who did you meet in America?

Yadav: I met with the local leaders of the Democratic Party, that too, on the initiation of the Nepali diaspora.

Q. You used to meet US ambassador James F Moriarty here. What issues were discussed? Yadav: What he used to say publicly, I also said the same thing. He had said he wanted to see the Constituent Assembly elections held in a peaceful manner, and the Loktantric/ democratic process move ahead, successfully. Q. Why does America perceive Maoist advancement in Madhes as a threat? Yadav: To state that America senses a threat from the Maoists is like saying a rabbit poses a threat to a tiger. Is there any reason for America, which is bracing for Star Wars, to get intimidated by the Maoists wielding a few weapons? Q Don’t you think that the Forum is being used against the Maoists by someone? Yadav: When there is an agitation, different types of people try to take advantage of it. Those elements tried to instigate the Maoists. We have to learn from such incidents. The Maoists, we and all other democratic forces must try to protect ourselves from that, lest the country suffers a negative fallout. Q. What is your take on the Maoists’ argument that the plot was hatched, considering the threats a Maoist advancement in Madhes poses to India? Yadav: Nepal poses no threat to India. Q. It is even suspected that the Madhes agitation was launched at India’s behest to destabilize Nepal. What is the link between the Forum and India? Yadav: Had the Madhes agitation been staged on India’s behalf, Nepal’s geographical structure itself would have changed by now. Secondly, the people of Madhes were ready to lay down their lives for their rights in the course of that agitation. Could they have been ready to die in that way had the agitation been prompted by America, India or China? Leaders ranging from the Nepali Congress to the Maoists had lived or taken shelter in India due to adverse situations. Then, why are our intentions being questioned just because we stay in India? Q. Don’t you feel that the Jantantric Terai Mukti Morcha, which is conducting armed activities, is getting shelter in India? Yadav: One’s policy, what one is up to, is more important than where one lives. A lot of criminals in Nepal have settled in India and a lot of Indian criminals have settled in Nepal. Q. Prior to your US visit, you convened a joint meeting with the JTMMs in Patna and discussed the agenda about separating the country. Are you involved in politics of disintegration? Yadav: Someone could have a policy of dividing the country. But, it is our belief that the problems dogging the country need to be addressed without hurting national sovereignty and integrity. We have sought federal governance and autonomy within Nepal, and not by separating from Nepal. We can’t even imagine a division of the country. We also do not accept the policy of the organization waging an armed struggle in Madhes, including the JTMMs. The discrimination in Madhes needs to be address peacefully. It is futile to look for the answer outside the country. Q. At the Patna meeting, Jwala Singh even said ‘Now we can't expect (anything) from Upendra, hence Ramraja Prasad Singh needs to assume the leadership’, right? Yadav: Much like the way the JTMM does not expect anything from us, we also cannot expect anything from the JTMM. We don’t think the JTMM can lead the Madhes agitation, positively. Our paths are separate. Q. Then, how do you define the relationship between the Forum and the JTMM? Yadav: The relationship does not exist. Many organizations in Madhes were formed after dissociating from the Maoists. It is unknown where the other organizations came from. We also do not know the purposes behind the formation of such organizations. Q If the relationship does not exist then on what basis do both the factions of JTMM take the responsibility for the attack on the Maoists using the Forum activists as their “cover”? Yadav: We do not want such organizations to attend our programme. Even if they have to organize a programme, let them do it separately. Let there be no infiltration. However, accidents do occur despite our wishes. Many organizations take responsibility for them for cheap popularity.

A trend to release press statements owning up to such incidents to garner publicity is on rise in Madhes.

Q. What can you say about the Gaur carnage?

Yadav: Since Jwala Singh has taken up the responsibility for the incident, one can see that the MPRF was not responsible. To summarize, the Gaur incident was a conspiracy against us by those who wanted to defame the MPRF as a group committed to violence, like JTMM prohibiting us from coming to the mainstream.

Q. You were scheduled to address the Gaur mass meeting. But you didn't attend it despite the fact that you were present in a nearby area. Later, the killings of the Maoist cadres took place. Doesn't it give the impression of the picture being preplanned by the MPRF itself? Yadav: When the incident took place, I was not there- I was here in Kathmandu. At the time of the Gaur incident, there was a gathering of thousands of people. How could we know what kind of people were hiding in the crowd? If the Maoists had not made the decision of attacking the MPRF, the incident would never have taken place. Second, the administration is also responsible. Because, the administration already knew that such an incident was going to take place. Q. What do you say then about the MPRF activists from a royalist background? Yadav: There is no place for royalists in the MPRF. Our andolan is for a federal democratic republic. Q. Talks with the prime minister's daughter Sujata have become frequent these days? Yadav: She is a Nepali Congress leader. I know her personally. She also knows me. We used to meet occasionally in the past. Q. So the MPRF's demand that the Home Minister should quit is the result of those meetings? Yadav: It is also the demand of two-thirds of the people within the NC. Girija (Prasad Koirala) has himself confessed during our meetings that there isn't any purpose of carrying (Home Minister Sitaula) while walking forward. Personally, he would be a good and honest person, and he may have played a good role in the peace process too. However, as a Home Minister he tried to suppress the Madhesi agitation and failed to maintain law and order. So that's why, we have asked for his resignation. Q. Do you think that the demand to put a ban on the YCL (Young Communist League) is logical? Yadav: They have also demanded that the MPRF should be banned. Under these circumstances, if we also make a similar demand then it's not such an unusual demand. Today, even the head of the state has christened the YCL as the Young Criminal League. The "Criminal League" should either reform itself or stop its activities. If the Maoists continue to move forward in this way, then the Constituent Assembly elections won't take place- even democracy can’t be sustained. That's why the Maoists must truly democratize themselves. Q. Why don't you make a similar demand regarding the JTMM as well?

Yadav: The JTMM should also reform itself. The manner and the way of their struggle haven’t had a positive impact on the Madhesi andoaln. However, their activities have defamed the agitation. The Madhesi people are tired of armed groups like the JTMM. Every group should enter the political mainstream.

Q. Do you think the MPRF is itself in the political mainstream? Yadav: We are in the political mainstream. The proof is that we've already registered the MPRF as a political party to take part in the upcoming CA polls. Q. Why do you think many old MPRF activists have left? Yadav: Earlier, there were people of various political parties in the MPRF. However, the MPRF has become a separate party today. If those friends want to do politics for the parties they belong to, then there is no point in continuing with the MPRF. Q. How many of your demands have been fulfilled by the government?

Yadav: We've reached consensus on a few demands, but they are yet to be implemented. Like- providing compensation to the families of the martyrs, medical treatment to the injured, a dismissal of all legal complaints, and proportional representation of Madhesi, indigenous, and ethnic people.

Q. From the MPRF perspective, do you think that the CA elections are possible on November 22? Yadav: Today, neither has the government shown any real activity to hold the CA polls, nor have the necessary preparations been made. A sense of peace and security is crucial for the CA polls. Besides, the government should hold talks with various agitating groups to create an amiable environment for the CA polls. However, these things are yet to be done.



Posted on: 2007-07-17 08:06:23

(Source : ekantipur.com)

INTERVIEW WITH JWALA SINGH

By Tilak Pathak

Excerpts of a telephone interview with Nagendra Kumar Paswan alias Jwala Singh, the coordinator of one of the three factions of the Jantantrik Terai Mukti Morcha, which has been waging a separatist armed struggle in the Terai region:

Q. Will you come to the negotiating table or not?

Jwala Singh: Why should we come for talks? We have already declared Terai as a separate state. No chance of talks with this government. Q. So there is no possibility of talks at all? Singh: No. Why should we come to the negotiating table when the army has been mobilized? On the one hand, the Home Minister warns of suppression, while on the other Ram Chandra Poudel stages a drama of talks. Q. But the government has said it is in touch with you? Singh: This is simply false. No contact has been made with us. We are not in the favor of holding talks and there won’t be any talks. Q. Won't you sit for talks even if the government invites you seriously? Singh: The Pahade monopolist state has been continuously exploiting the Madhesi people for the last 240 years. While the Rana and Panchayat regimes always suppressed the Madhes, we had to begin an armed struggle after we realized that the current democratic government, too, does not want to give us our rights. Earlier, we had declared a ceasefire as a rebel group. But we were ignored even after declaring a unilateral ceasefire with clear demands. Now, we are already running a separate state. Now even if talks take place, then it will be only for demarcating the borders. Q. Don't you think your statement is totally out of place? Singh: We have been contributing 85 percent of the country’s total revenue (to Nepal government). The transport system is in Terai. We are ahead in terms of geography and population as well. We don't need to hold dialogue with the Pahade monopolist state and the Pahade terrorists. Now, they need to hold talks with us. Q. The issue of separating Terai from the rest of the country is being opposed from within Terai itself. What do you say? Singh: There were some Indians who were against India’s struggle for freedom (from the British). In the same way, a handful of power brokers and thugs, who have been fulfilling their vested interests banking on the Pahade monopolist state, have stood against us. We plan to contain such people. Q. You stay in India and raise the issue of a separate Terai. Is India encouraging and protecting you? Singh: This is absolutely false. We don't stay in India. Though the cell phone on which you are right now talking to me has an Indian number, I am actually talking to you from within Nepal by connecting an antenna to mislead the Pahade administration. I have nothing to do with India. Our relationship with India is limited to only a few districts and certain Indian nationals. And this relationship is concerned only with marriages and livelihoods. It’s not that we are being operated by India. I can't be pro-Indian at any cost. Nor can I become a royalist either. Q. You may not have any relation with the Indian establishment, but it seems you have some kind of nexus with the regional/ local Indian leaders? Singh: We don't have any relations with any leader, administration and state of India. If anyone finds any evidence (of such relations) then I am ready to hang myself. Q. What about the royal palace? Singh: It's not us, but the eight parties themselves are royalists. Q. But the way you were freed from army custody is considered suspicious? Singh: Leaders do get arrested and released. Two of the five of us who were arrested had managed to escape. The army had chased and killed the remaining three. Q. What is the chance of your alliance with the other Madhesi groups? Singh: Some time back, a meeting was held in Patna (Bihar, India) at our initiative. The campaign to form a broader political front by including the Madhesi Tigers, (Madhesi People's Rights) Forum, Goit (faction of JTMM) and other existing groups is moving ahead positively. Q. How are you relations with the Madhesi Forum and the Goit faction? Singh: My front and I extend moral support to any group fighting for the liberation of Terai. I will also support the ruling Sadbhavana Party-Anandi Devi and Upendra (Yadav) if they come up with good programmes. Q. What then are your capabilities? Singh: We have enough soldiers to protect Terai. We have trained our fighters and have kept them in a standby position. We won’t allow the Constituent Assembly elections to take place. If the Pahade government tries to forcefully hold the elections then the consequences will be grave. And the Pahade rulers will be responsible for that.

Posted on: 2007-07-30 09:49:35

(Source : ekantipur.com)

INTERVIEW WITH HRIDAYESH TRIPATHI

Hridayesh Tripathi is one of the lawmakers and influential Madheshi leaders who recently quit parliament and the major parties including the Nepali Congress (NC), CPN-UML, CPN-Maoist and Rastriya Prajatantra Party to form a new party in the Terai region. In a recent interview with ekantipur, he shared the reasons behind the decision to launch a new regional party to be led by former NC leader Mahantha Thakur, its demands and future moves. Excerpts:

Q. What’s the rationale behind the decision to set up a new regional party in Terai?

Hridayesh Tripathi: The three major parties—the Nepali Congress, the CPN-UML and the CPN-Maoist— not only failed to address the problems of Madhesh, but also completely failed to comprehend them. The government, the state and parliament, too, have proved ineffective in this regard. Similarly, the achievements of the last Madhesh revolt, too, were not commensurate with the sacrifices made by the Madheshi people. This was chiefly because of the lack of a proper and mature leadership. As a result, only minimal gains could be achieved since the revolt was not organised. Even today, Terai lacks a strong party with clear political agendas. Most importantly, the mindset of the state to opt for a military solution or the use of force to tackle the Madhesh problems stirred us to take this decision.

Q. How can you say for sure that the state is mulling over using force to tackle the problems in the Terai region?

Tripathi: I am not making a guess when I am saying that the state is thinking of using force to suppress the Madhes problem. The government’s recent move to deploy the Armed Police Force (Special Task Force) in seven Terai districts clearly proves that the state wants a solution through the use of force. Similarly, Maoist Chairman Prachanda (addressing the anniversary of the People’s Liberation Army at Maoist cantonment in Chitwan) recently said that the Nepal Army and the Maoist People’s Liberation Army should be jointly mobilised in Terai. These developments are going to invite a big incident in the region.

Similarly, a few things that transpired during and after the Madhesh revolt early this year have really moved us. I want to narrate some of them here to show how insensitive the state and the major parties are. Of the 42 people who died during the Madhesh revolt, only one had succumbed to bullets fired by the Maoists. All others were killed in police firing. But the state has not even bothered to declare any one of them a martyr while all 22 people killed during the April uprising were declared martyrs. This shows the state practices discrimination not only against the living Madhesi people but also the dead.

Yet another ordeal: Six Madheshi people, who were severely injured during the agitation had been referred to a hospital in Kathmandu for treatment. But the Young Communist League cadres entered the hospital premises and threatened them. The injured people seeking treatment in the capital were so terrified that they requested us to take them to a hospital in India. Such incidents have reinforced our conviction that a new political force should be established to push for the cause of the Madheshi people. But at the same time we are also mindful of the fact that the agitation must remain peaceful and under control of responsible political leaders.

Q. So you want the agitation in Terai to be well under your control?

Tripathi: Yes. The people had led the last revolt and the leaders had rallied behind. Hence, it could not yield the desired results.

Q. It’s been speculated that the leaders of the major parties, especially PM Koirala himself, had been trying to set up a new Madheshi party so that the agitation in the region does not spiral out of control. Is your recent move part of the plan?

Tripathi: No, the Prime Minister is not at all involved in this. In fact, the major parties have become paranoid. They are desperately trying to defame us and our initiative. The Prime Minister has alleged that we took the step at India’s behest to destabilise the country. They are simply infuriated by our move.

Moreover, why would any party empower us by weakening itself? We have taken this step being responsible. Forget a separatist movement; we are not even talking about any special rights for the Madheshi people. All we are demanding is equal rights. But the state remains insensitive to the just demands of the Madheshi people.

Q. What are your demands?

Tripathi: As I mentioned before, all we demand is equal rights to the Madhesh. A proportional representation based on population. Now you may say that the state has already agreed to this. Yes, there is a constitutional provision to ensure this right. But what is happening in practice? I want to cite an example to prove my point. Recently, the government came up with an Act to ensure reservation for the Madhesi people in the police force only after a massive recruitment of police personnel. Till date, there is no representation of the Madheshi people in the Nepal Army. The same applies to the Maoist army too. And what is happening in the civil service? A lot of secretaries were appointed only a few days back. Only two of them hailed from Madheshi communities.

The state wants to give our rights in credit, but we are demanding in cash. The major parties still seem reluctant to a true restructuring of the state. They are pushing for a proxy representation. The Reservation Act aims to overshadow the demand for a proportional representation. Some of them are arguing that federalism could lead to the disintegration of the nation. But we see that national disintegration is inevitable if the state is not restructured along federal lines. Prachanda is now saying that the true state restructuring means integration of two armies. But we are not going to settle for anything less than proportional representation in all organs of the state and a complete restructuring of the state to guarantee our rights.

Q. Do you also want the entire Terai as a single autonomous state?

Tripathi: Yes, that’s our demand but the Madheshi people have the final right to decide the number of states in Terai. Here I would also like to mention that the Madheshi people are completely opposed to a separatist movement.

Q. While the major parties have opposed your move, the Madheshi People’s Rights Forum and some armed groups in the Terai acted promptly to welcome it. Co-chairman of the Rastriya Janshakti Party, Dr Prakash Chandra Lohani, too, has written an article welcoming your move. What are we to make of it?

Tripathi: Any wise person or group that understands our rationale has hailed our move. But one cannot do anything with those who have ill intentions.

Q. The Madheshi leaders’ decision to quit parliament and their parties came like a bolt out of the blue. But it wasn’t at all a decision taken in haste, was it?

Tripathi: Yes, you guessed it right. It all started in the build up to the Madhesh revolt shortly after the interim constitution was promulgated. The NSP-A had even written a note of dissent against the discriminatory provisions in the constitution. The Madhesh revolt started after a month. The fringe parties in the Seven-Party Alliance had appealed to the major parties to address the problem immediately. But the appeal apparently fell on deaf ears. Then I resigned from the cabinet. Only then was an emergency meeting of the SPA convened. The Prime Minister then pledged to give some concessions in two installments (two addresses to the nation within a few days).

The MPs and leaders from Terai met several times and finally the decision to launch a new party was reached.

Q. When will the new party be launched?

Tripathi: Very soon.

Q. Could you be more specific?

Tripathi: The party will be formed within two weeks.

Q. Has the new party’s name been decided?

Tripathi: Not yet. We are brainstorming for a name at the moment. It will be finalised within the next few days.

Q. What about the party’s hierarchy?

Tripathi: So far, we have agreed that Mahanta Thakur will be our leader.

Q. What about your status in the party?

Tripathi: We are yet to work out the other posts in the party.

Q. Who else will join you? Could you name some other Madhesi leaders? Tripathi: I don’t want to divulge their names right now. They are under constant watch following our move. When we approached some of the influential Madheshi leaders from the major parties, they said that they supported our cause. They did not want us to meet them at their residences. They want to meet us secretly. They are also being lured with all sorts of promises. The major parties are also talking about reallocation of the ministerial portfolios to stop them from joining us. All I can say right now is that a significant number of Madheshi leaders from different parties will be joining us soon.

Q. What kind of a relationship do you intend to have with other Terai-based parties and armed groups such as the factions of the MPRF and JTMM?

Tripathi: We want to forge an alliance with all groups, which stand for the cause of the Madhesh. Why only the parties and groups in Terai? We want good relations with all the major parties, including the Maoists. But that would depend on how they see the Madhesi issue.

Q. The existing parties and groups in Terai could also treat your party as a competitor?

Tripathi: We don’t see any competition. If (Nepal) Sadbhavana Party had genuinely taken up the cause of the Madheshi people then other groups would not have surfaced in Terai, and the region would not be torn by violence like now. Sadbhavana indulged so much in the politics of power that it lost contact with the Madheshi people. A few months back, I had urged the party leadership to launch a movement in Terai sensing the popular mood, but we failed to do so. It was a historic mistake. The Madhesh revolt started soon after. But the revolt also fizzled out. Had the MPRF been able to lead the Madhesh movement effectively then we would have already achieved what we are now striving for. They (MPRF) lacked the political will, maturity and sincerity to take the agitation to a logical end. The Madheshi people are also weary of the armed groups wagging a separatist movement.

Q. Still, don’t you think that the new party will only divide the Madheshi votes if you fail to bring the different groups together?

Tripathi: I want to clarify in the first place that we are not thinking about the politics of votes at all. We are not here to play politics for the sake of it. We are established political leaders who have come together to push for the agendas of the Madheshi people. And, we also want to see to it that there is no spillover effect from the Madhesh movement. Our party will also act as a catalyst to bring the different parties together for the good. We have not even set up our party and the three major parties have already stepped up efforts to bury their hatchets and evolve a consensus. This could be seen as an early achievement of our initiative.

Q. What is your take on the national agenda such as the Constituent Assembly elections?

Tripathi: Obviously we believe that an election to the Constituent Assembly is important to transform the nation. But it is unfortunate that everything is happening in this country, except the elections. This is because, I think, the King, Prachanda, Girija Prasad Koirala and Madhav Kumar Nepal do not want the elections. As they have nothing to lose now, they want the status quo to continue. The Madheshi people, janjatis, Dalits and women are the marginalised groups who are actually yearning for the elections since they want the state restructured to ensure their equal representation and participation in the state organs. If you ask me, I don’t think the major political actors even want a republican order in the country. The Nepali Congress leadership has now and then floated the idea of a ceremonial and baby king. The Maoists brought a superficial motion on declaring a republic as if they only wanted publicity. Now they have started to advocate unity with the royalist nationalists. The Madheshi people, however, do not favor the monarchy since the institution has nakedly discriminated against them for centuries.

Q. When are you going to launch the new Madhesh agitation?

Tripathi: It has in fact already begun with the Madheshi leaders’ decision to quit parliament and their parties. However, once we form the party, we will organise a national convention and announce a peaceful agitation, which will establish the rights and authority the Madheshi people.

(By Akhilesh Tripathi & Sanjeev Ghimire)

Posted on: 2007-12-15 09:39:47

(Source : ekantipur.com)

Nepal: Birth of a New Nation-State?

Who is Madheshi?

Madheshi is an identity of indigenous inhabitants of Madhesh who in general have distinct social, cultural, and physical structures than the people of Nepal with their origin other than Madhesh and the mother tongue of a Madheshi individual and his/her immediate descendant’s languages are, Maithili, Bhojpuri, Abadhi, Hindi, Bengali, Madwadi, Punjabi, Urdu, Tharu, Magadhi and is eligible to be a citizen of Nepal.
What is Madhesh?

Madhesh refers to the Terai region specific to Nepal,more

Nepal: Birth of a New Nation-State?

Who is Madheshi?

Madheshi is an identity of indigenous inhabitants of Madhesh who in general have distinct social, cultural, and physical structures than the people of Nepal with their origin other than Madhesh and the mother tongue of a Madheshi individual and his/her immediate descendant’s languages are, Maithili, Bhojpuri, Abadhi, Hindi, Bengali, Madwadi, Punjabi, Urdu, Tharu, Magadhi and is eligible to be a citizen of Nepal.
What is Madhesh?

Madhesh refers to the Terai region specific to Nepal,more

‘Madhesh Rakshya Bahini’ in public

BY SHANKAR ACHARYA

PARSA, Dec 5 - The much-hyped Madhesh Rakshya Bahini (Madhesh security brigade), the newly formed youth wing of the breakaway faction of Nepal Sadbhawana Party (NSP) led by Rajendra Mahato, made its first ever public appearance here at Birgunj Tuesday.

Over 100 cadres in azure jackets with the organization's logo on the front marched in various parts of the city. The "march-past" that began from Ranighat went through various parts of the city and returned to the same place, where a corner meet was organized.

Addressing the meeting, central level leader of the party Bharat Prasad Gupta, district chairman Nijamuddin Samani and secretary Shiva Patel welcomed the cadres to sincerely go to the "field of work".

Patel said members of the brigade would be mobilized in the Madhesh movement in order to control and make it disciplined. He, however, ruled out any armed activities by the cadres.

According to information given to journalists, such activists would be trained with physical exercise, judo and martial art skills and other baton battles.

Posted on: 2007-12-04 20:50:40 (Server Time)

(Source : ekantipur.com)



Yadav wants working unity with Madhesi democratic forces

Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum (MJF) chairman Upendra Yadav has stressed on the need of forging a ‘working unity’ with Madhesi democratic forces agitating in the Terai.

Talking to journalists upon arrival in Biratnagar on Friday to inaugurate the first national conference of MJF-affiliated Madhesi Students' Front, Yadav said, “Attempts are on to forge a working unity with Madhesi democratic forces agitating in Terai.”

He also said that for this he was holding talks with Madhesi leader Mahanta Thakur who leads the party made up of Madhesi leaders from various parties who have quit the parliament as well as their party posts citing government’s apathy towards resolving the problems ailing the Madhesh.

Yadav also said that his party was in favor of the CA election and added that it would contest it if it will be held by mid-April 2008.

"The election should be held by mid-April, otherwise the current government will come to an end," he said.

Saying that an all-party government should be formed before the CA election, Yadav said, "But first there should be implementation of various agreements reached between the government and the agitating Madhesi groups and that includes providing compensation to the martyrs of the Madhesi movement, covering expenses of the medical treatment of the injured and providing citizenship to Madhesi people.”

Yadav further said that the party would take initiative to bring the armed agitating groups in Terai to the negotiating table and also urged the government to call them for dialogues.nepalnews.com ag Dec 29 07

Related news
- Madhesi leaders form new party

( source : Nepal news.com

No Madhesi citizen has ever been posted at the decision making level in Nepal’s Police force

Retired Police official/Security Expert, Nepal

He is perhaps the first Nepali national from Madhesh to have occupied a senior level post at the Nepal’s Police Force.

His continued service to the nation for all along three decades plus deserve commendation. With the entrance into the Police force as a mere Assistant Sub Inspector, Mr. Sanandan Prasad Kurmi, at time of the retirement from the service was “Senior Superintendent of Police”, a rare honor made available to a national belonging to Madhesh. more
(Source : Telegraph Nepal)

Madhesi leaders shun celebration of new Madhesi party

The recently resigned Madhesi leaders from various national level political parties in Nepal have constituted a regional Madhesi party.

At a program organized to celebrate the formation of the new Madhesi regional party, named as “Terai-Madhesh Loktantrik Party”, among the invitees Upendra Yadav- president Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum and Anandi Devi- president Nepal Sadvawana Party—Anandi Devi stayed away from it, say reports.

The party is headed by none other than Mr. Mahanta Thakur- who had recently resigned as a minister from the interim cabinet, as a member of the interim parliament and also as a general member of the Nepali Congress Party.

Hridayesh Tripathi who has joined the new Madhesi party speaking on the occasion said that the names of the central committee members will be declared very soon.
( Extracted from : Telegraph Nepal )