I just visited The Nepal Digest ( www.thenepaldigest.org) site after a very long time, and found out -- much to my dismay -- that it has ceased publication as of last March.

The parting editorial implies that the editorial team quit over its supposed inability to implement free and fair editorial decisions, and hurls veild blame at other people (whoever they might be!)

My question: What happened, guys? Were the differences of opinion so great that
the publication had to, well, die out like this?

************

Likewise, sometime late last January, The NATION newsweekly in Kathmandu died out after the editors and the publishers had a falling out after only a few months together.

My question: Again, were the differences of opinion so great that the patrika had to be killed?

*********

My observation: While working in Nepal as a business advisor, one thing I noticed
again and again was this. That most business partnerships (among Nepalis), started
with great hopes among friends, eventually soured to bitterness . . . so much so
that people who were earlier friends had become sworn enemies by the time the
ashes cooled off from the corpses of their business.

********

My question: Are most of us Nepalis fundamentally incapable of working on a team that has people who hold different ideas from us?

Alternatively, when the going gets tough, is it easier for us to fight with one another than address the problems at hand so that at least minially amicable solution can be found?

******

My comment: Isn't it ironic that while we do everything nice and polite with one another to avoid conflicts and confrontations, our lives in Nepal and Nepali societies might well
be mired in unaddressed and simmering conflicts . . . ranging from that of the Maoists
to businesses gone sour?

oohi
ashu

:)

Nepe ji,
There could be no disagreement on your view that the perpetrators of Madi massacre and likewise killings should be brought to justice. COndemnation is not just enough. Yeh thats why those who condemned the killings have termed that barabaric attack as 'crime against humanity'. You might note it in my comment as well, and ICJ at The Hague is the body to deal with major International crimes against humanity.

Your idea of collecting evidence of such atrocities are infact already in place, albeit not extensively, by HR organisations like Informal Sector Service Centre in their HR year book. There are many details in such reports. However, as you said, a more credible and detailed collection of evidence can only force justice to the criminals.

Newuser jee,

You are right that annual reports and chronicles by our domestic HR organizations do serve the purpose.

And as you recognized, the stress here was for a co-ordinated, comprehensive and determined campaign- that transcends politics and political compromises in the future- to bring the perpetrators, whoever they are ( going upto the head of the government and rebels), to justice and serve justice to every victims.

This involves not only documentations but also works to pave the way to be able to use international justice system and experiences.

The most important of all is to let the Maoists and the security forces know that there are people determined to bring them to justice. The idea is to let them fear a genuine fear.

On a related note, I just got this interesting announcement. A good news towards HR.



Dear Friends:

Re: Nepali American Legal Defense Fund

The Nepali American Legal Defense Fund (NALDF) has been newly incorporated
to provide legal representation and needed funding to Nepali citizens who are
being detained by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. The funding
will be provided on the basis of financial need.

It will also do the following:

- Monitor issues of human rights in Nepal and react accordingly, including
international litigation.

- Monitor judicial corruption in Nepal.

- Assist in funding the legal representation of individuals jailed by the
Nepali government on political grounds.

- Provide scholarships to Nepali students attending U.S. universities based
on financial need.

NALDF will also advocate for equal treatment for Nepali living in the United
States and help provide information about U.S. government procedures as
needed. Everyone is due equal rights. Sometimes it is simply a matter of having
thorough information. Other times it may involve legal action. We are working
on TPS along with other Nepali Organizations and individuals.

NALDF will constantly monitor changes in U.S. immigration laws and policies
and keep people informed through our Web site and other means of information
distribution.

We are advocates who encourage that all individuals be involved in their
communities both here in the U.S. and overseas in their native country. Through
such activity we become visible and strong, and we are more capable of
improving our lives and those of future generations.

To learn more, log onto www.naldf.org (http://www.naldf.org/) (website is
on the making) or write to

Keshab Raj Seadie, Esq.,
55 John Street, 17th Floor,
New York, NY 10038.

With the new turn of events in Nepal with the pro democracy political parties agreeing to join hands with the Maoists, as Houston put it aptly, the demasculinized anti-king group (previously disguised as the pro democracy group), betrayed by their political parties, are now masturbating to the beat of each others hands, hoping some outside agency like the ICJ is going to help their cause. What more can they do anyways besides hoping someone else will do the job for them while they enjoy the luxuries of the west.

अचम्म ! राजाको तीन वर्ष राज्य गर्ने हुकुमलाई मौसुफका अधिकांश नेपाली रैतिहरुले भक्तिपूर्वक समर्थन गरेका छन् भनेर 'नुआन्सड राजावादी' आशुले झ्याली पिटेको दुई रात कट्या छैन, यी 'सापेक्षिक राजावादी' भईटोपलेका सरोज नानी भने "लौ न माओवादी र गैर माओवादी पार्टीहरु मिलेर राजतन्त्रलाई निमिट्यान्न पार्ने भए बाबा" भन्दै छाती पिटी पिटी रुन्छन् ।


Ashu wrote:
Only the King, for better or worse, seems to be saying, "I am in charge. For three years. Leave it to me."

Sure, the King's message might be wrong in the fundamental sense. But except for unemployable intellectuals, who cares about fundamentals? King's message seems to have been grasped by most people . . . so much so that few want to go behind political parties and rally against it.

सरोज नानी नरुम । लु हेर राजाका शासनलाई पार लगाउने सुलोकप्रिय सुविख्यात, सुछविधारी, सुप्रेरक भारदारहरुको लिष्ट । आशु जस्तो चलाख मान्छेले त्यत्तिकै राजाको झ्याली पिट्छ ?

- http://www.kantipuronline.com/Nepal/aabaran.php


प्रभुशमशेर
शरद्चन्द्र शाह
प्रभाकरशमशेर
रविशमशेर
सुरजशमशेर
वीरेन्द्रबहादुर साह
डीबी राणा
महेश्वरकुमार सिंह
शान्तकुमार मल्ल
भरतकेशर सिंह
मोहनबहादुर शाही
सच्चितशमशेर जबरा
नीरशमशेर
नरशमशेर
ताराबहादुर थापा
डा केशरजङ्ग रायमाझी

Have you noticed medals they have on their chest.???????

It is not surprising to see monologue writings from those, who are against democratic norms and values. They usually fall in altercations---especially during the periods of their falling. This is what going here in Sajha too. They, by nature, try to speak harassly, propagate their FALSE propagandas, deviate and mislead the truth to defend their BOSS or GOD not only by praying BHAJANS, but also engaging in a low-standard accusations to the democratic fighters. They are really slaves by nature and they just want to be loyal to their GOD FATHER, not to the general people. They do not speak from their own minds, hence, they repeat what their BOSS has fed in their minds. They just care only 2 things: personal well-beings (SELFISH) and taking advantages of the situation (OPPORTUNIST).They are all seasonal as the frogs of the monsoon seasons--- just appear when an opportunity comes. Once they get a point, they just continue to bark and repeat 100 times in their centuries old styles. Their philosophy is---repeat a FALSE propaganda many times and force a general mass to believe on it. Unfortunate for them, this strategy is no longer helpful for them.

They were behind the curtain during the last 13/14 years to make the plans for destroying all democratic norms of civilized societies, because they could not argue or challenge democratic fighters in a proper and scholarly manner when the situation does not favor them. When the situation changes as per their wishes, they change their colors (छेपाराले रुप फेरे जस्तो) and mingle with others to take advantage of the changed situation. 15 years' experience is already enough to know who they are and what they want to do. Differently, even in the difficult situations, democratic fighters fight for the general people's rights, freedom, legal justice, and democracy---essentials of human society. Democrats, by nature, never care who rule them but believe in the social values and personal rights. Democrats are always against WRONG-DOERS--- no matter who they are but, there is a complete ZERO chance that royal slaves speak even a word against their GOD. If one carefully analyzes the Nepalese politics during the last two and half centuries, it is open truth that Narayanhiti is a BIG trouble-maker. Gyanendras are no less than Maoists in atrocities. Gyanendras are killing more people than the Maoists in a day. Gyanendra has never made any self-criticism but the Maoists have made time to time. Even though both are against the democratic norms and values and if we have to choose among the worst, Maoists are better than Gyandndras. But --- we do not need both of them.

Current trends of bashing over democrats from these foxes is because they are taking the advantage of BALANCED words of Democratic fighters. But, it is better for them to know that their is always a limit. When the limit exceeds, they have to find the holes, as Saddam did in Iraq. A good lesson for the future democrats---unless democrats insert flames in all holes and burn them to ashes, a civil and democratic society can not be imagined. This is a today's need.

Democrats did mistake in the past decade by not eradicating them all. They are now paying for their generosity.
------
OK

PS: Please take this writing as a COMPELLED one. My intension is not to write in this way.

बिचारा हाम्रो सरोजजीलाई आफ्नो अन्नदातालाई नेपाली जनता मिलेर डाँडा कटाउने भए भनेर रात मा निद्रा पनि छैन, दिनमा भोक पनि छैन। बिचारा चु... चु...।

हैन कोही छ यहाँ अलिक कोमल मन भको हाम्रो सरोजजीको पुकार सुन्ने? बिचरा, मलाई पो भित्रै देखि माया लागेर आयो।

पशुपति नाथले (यदि भगबान् हुन्छन् भने) हाम्रो सरोजको कल्याण गरुन्... कमसेकम निद्रा त दिउन्।
जय होस् ।

When the situation changes as per their wishes, they change their colors (छेपाराले रुप फेरे जस्तो) and mingle with others to take advantage of the changed situation.

How about implying Ok's same statement to so called 'democratic fighters' didnt NC-D, RPP,UML go to the government after kings dissolvement of the parliament??, and now they think they dont have a choice, they are putting all their 'morals and ethics' aside to favour an armed terrorist groep under the skin of Maoism and bringing down an autocratic regime.
What a mysery, non of them are right. And when wrong and wrong combines, u know the next.

Sense,

Thank you very much. Yours is very valid comment and you are completely right. Political leaders (Open) played many dirty games with the monarchy (Behind the curtain), and both of them are equally responsible for the last 13 years. My writing is not to safeguard the CORRUPTED leaders --- but to replace them with clean and talented ones. Alternative to democracy is not an autocracy and an alternative to CORRUPTED leaders is not Dictator-- Grandendra or Prachanda. We want to be free from, in a decreasing order, Granendra--- Maoist---BAD leaders. Our choice is--- Good leaders with full democracy.

Since our political situation is something like triangular, two of them should unite to throw the third one--- the worst one. I do not see any problem to join had with Maoists, if Maoists follow recent statement by Prachanda--- NO ATTACK AGAINST CIVILIANS.

DEMOCRACY UNDER GOOD LEADERS IS OUR DREAM.

------
OK

LMAO!!!

Saroj, a very fitting reply indeed! I can't stop laughing....

Ok,

How much are you willing to bet that Maoists are going to follow the statement of their leader Prachanda? There is no way in hell they are going to follow that statement. And that's the problem with the politicians of Nepal.

That's why I don't trust the politicians of Nepal. Yes new faces in politics would be good but where or how is that ever happen? My basic stand on this is mostly by the fact that I don't believe in war, and I don't believe the Royals are going to leave without a leaving a trail of blood, and I sincerely don't believe the people who live there want that.

I hoped you would understand but looks like you're ready to sacrifice them for ????

It's been an educational trip into the mind of few of the educated posters here. Alas misplaced hate can have it's toll.

लौ अर्का खास्सा राणाजी निक्ले, भारदार हुन लायकका । पत्रकार र FM Radio stations लाई सत्तोसराप गर्दैछन्- एक, पन्चैती सञ्चार अध्यादेशलाई जन्मनै नपाई तुहाउन खोजे भनेर र, २, श्री ५ महाराजाधिराज सरकारलाई सिधै अहंकारी र अन्धो स्वाँठ भन्ने बोल भएको गीत बजाउने आँट गरे भनेर ।

ल पढम यिनको चिठी कान्तिपुरबाट:
http://www.kantipuronline.com/nepali/kolnews.php?&nid=43449

राजाविरुद्ध पत्रकार


संसारमा कसैले कोही कसैको दमन सहनु हुँदैन । त्यसमाथि पत्रकारजस्तो सचेत वर्गले सरकारी दमनको विरोध गर्नु झनै आवश्यक छ । तर सचेत भनिने यो वर्गलाई मेरा केही सुझाव छन् । आशा छ, अरूलाई सुझाव दिएर नअघाउने वर्गले मेरा सुझाव पनि राम्रै रूपमा लिनेछ । सुझाव यस प्रकार छन्:

१) पत्रकारको काम सबैलाई सुसूचित गराउने हो । आकाश झर्?यो भन्नेजस्ता हल्ला सुनेर त्यसको पछि दौडिने र अरूलाई पनि त्यसै गर्न हौसला दिने होइन । अहिले सरकारले 'ल्याउन लागेको' भनिएको सञ्चार अध्यादेशको विरोधमा सडक तताइरहेका पत्रकार बन्धुहरूलाई अस्तित्वमै नभएको कुराको विरोधमा समय र श्रम खर्च नगर्न सुझाव छ । स्वयम् श्री ५ बाट आतङ्कको समर्थनबाहेक सबै लेख्न पाउने हुकुम भएको अवस्थामा राजाज्ञाविपरीत त्यस्तो अध्यादेश अवश्य आउने छैन भन्नेमा विश्वास गर्न आग्रहसमेत गर्छु ।

२) मलाई के लाग्न थालेको छ भने अस्तित्वमै नभएको कुराको विरोधमा सडक तताइरहेका पत्रकार बन्धुहरूले प्रजातन्त्र र खुलापनका नाममा नेपाली समाजले शदीयौंदेखि कायम मर्यादाका साँध-सिमाना पनि मिच्न थालेका छन् । २ असारको साँझ ८ बजे सबै एफएम (फाल्तु मनोरञ्जन) हरूले 'कहीं आफ्नै भुमरीमा आफैं पर्?यौ कि राजै' गीत बजाएको घटना यसको ज्वलन्त उदाहरण हो । एकजना वरिष्ठ पत्रकारको अगुवाइमा सुरु यो गीत बजाउने कार्यक्रमलाई "विरोध प्रदर्शन" भनिए पनि यथार्थमा यो एउटा व्यङ्गयात्मक अभिव्यक्तिमात्र थियो । र त्यो व्यङ्गय सीधै राष्ट्रिय एकताका प्रतीक श्री ५ प्रति लक्ष्यित थियो भन्ने लाटाले पनि बुझ्छ । बन्धुहरूसँग मेरो प्रश्न छ, के तपाईंहरूले राजालाई जानी-जानी व्यङ्गय गर्नुभएको हो ? हो भने राजालाई व्यङ्गय गर्ने हक कसले दियो ?

३) 'विरोध प्रदर्शन' गर्न 'कहीं आफ्नै भुमरीमा आफैं पर्?यौ कि राजै' गीत चयन गर्ने पत्रकारको बौद्धिक दरिद्रता देखेर मलाई दया लागेको छ । राजभक्ति गीतमा बाहेक नेपाली गीतमा प्रयोग हुने राजा, राजै, रानीजस्ता शब्द राजारानीलाई सम्बोधन गरिएका राजकीय मर्यादाका शब्द होइनन् भन्ने तपाईंहरूले बुझ्नुपर्ने हो । गीतमा प्रयुक्त 'राजै' शब्दका आधारमा देशको सर्वोच्च सत्ताप्रति लक्ष्य गरेर 'कहीं आफ्नै हेराइमा अन्धो भयौ कि' वा 'अहंकारको ज्वालाभित्र आफैं जल्यौ कि' जस्ता गाली प्रक्षेपण गर्नु नेपाली संस्कृति सुहाउँदो होइन । गीतमा प्रयुक्त 'राजै' ले नेपाली समाज र संस्कृतिमा राजतन्त्रका जरा कति गहिरो गरी बसेका छन् भन्ने बताउँछ । आफ्ना श्रीमान् वा छोरालाई 'राजा' वा श्रीमती वा छोरीलाई 'रानी' भनी सम्बोधन गर्नु पनि राजतन्त्रको महिमाको परिचायक हो । पत्रकारहरूले आइस्योस्, खाइस्योस् भनेर घर-घरमा दरबारी भाषा बोल्न थालिएको पनि दरबारी संस्कृतिकै सम्मानमा हो भन्ने बुझ्नु आवश्यक छ ।

४) यस्ता गतिविधिले समझदारीको वातावरण बनाउन होइन, बन्दै गरेको वातावरण बिगार्नचाहिँ बल पुर्?याउँछन् भन्नेमा दुईमत नहोला । त्यसैले राजालाई व्यङ्गय गरिएका वा त्यस किसिमले दुरुपयोग हुनसक्ने गीतमाथि सञ्चार मन्त्रालयले अस्थायी रूपमा मात्र भए पनि प्रतिबन्ध लगाउन उचित हुन्छ भन्ने मेरो राय छ । एफएमलाई तुरुन्त समाचार फुक्ने छुट नदिइनुको कारण पनि यही हो । पत्रकारहरूले मर्यादाका सीमा नाघ्दै गए प्रतिबन्ध अझ गाढा हुन सक्छ । चेतना भया ।

- लोहित राणा
काठमाडौं

No no OK..there if u allow me to disagree, Why shud the parties go that far loosing the all of their remaining morals on the way?
If they still feel responsible for the people and they think the people is the ultimate power why not make themselves stronger first?
U see this has been a problem with our political parties from the very inception of democracy whether u call it during BP or now Girija....they never tried to find the power in the people but India, Royals,and now the Maoists (which will be the biggest mistake).

Be united for good and certainly not with an armed group which kills innocent civillians and do not even apologise without blaming.

Nepe, this may be the first time I am addressing u...
I have gone through ur postings..they are indeed informative..I mean a whole bunch of library and google search engines will have hard time finding out things that u have found ...but mostly I sensed a feeling of insecurity, complains, blamings and even personal attacks which may not be beneficial for a healthy discussion.

And the Question to u still remains """"whats ur point?""""" can u be more precise to the point what u r trying to convey or is it just all those adjectives that I used above enough.
Please prove me wrong.

Saroj,

Your Lord was begging dollars in Doha and here you are selling your Rectal Cavity. Should we put it on sale on Sajha? It may sell for few pennies that could buy few bullets. Call it a serendipity; you could be a good male whore in this desperate time.

A servant in need is a servant indeed.

Sense, I don't mind your questions. But you got be specific. I have been more or less a regular poster in Sajha for 4 years now. So I need to know what exactly are you asking ?

Ashu wrote:

"Only the King, for better or worse, seems to be saying, "I am in charge. For three years. Leave it to me." Sure, the King's message might be wrong in the fundamental sense. But except for unemployable intellectuals, who cares about fundamentals? King's message seems to have been grasped by most people . . . so much so that few want to go behind political parties and rally against it."

******

JUST A QUICK NOTE: The above was and is my reading of the situation in Nepal.

True, that reading of mine can be TWISTED and TURNED by the likes of Nepe to do
their best to paint me as a nuanced monarchist (whatever the hell that means!), but, rest assured that their desperation says much about their mindset than about mine.

My point was this: Nepali people, like voters everywhere, do NOT want complex
political arguments -- the ones that cockles the hearts of ideologues of all stripes.

Nepali people don't want to live in some abstract future, the ones relentless painted as the Utopia by the Maoists and by our own Nepe from Washington DC.

Nepali people want to live in the present with not much hassle.

And they want something simple, unambiguous and clear that they can understand
to get on with their lives. They dislike the Maoists because Maoists kill people. In fact, many Nepalis still say that they agree with most of the social-justice related goals of the Maoists, and are willing to give even the Maoists a chance, "if they give up violence".

This is how UNCONFRONTATIONAL Nepalis generally are.

For the past several years, the political parties have given Nepalis so many MIXED signals that Nepalis have STOPPED believing the promises of the parties.

In this confusion, the King has emerged as someone with a clear and simple message (quoted above).

True, just because the King has a clear and simple message does NOT mean that he is right.

BUT -- and this is my main point -- whether he is right or wrong in some fundamental sense is NOT of much concern to most Nepalis at this point.

It merely means that his message -- simple and clear -- seems to resonate more with most people in Nepal. And so, by NOT taking part against anti-king demonstrations in large numbers, most people are QUIETLY giving the King a benefit of doubt.

This is the reality.

Now, faced with this, the republicans can do two things:

First, deny that the reality is real in the first place and start calling me names, even turning my real name into a FALSE adjective (which, I might add, is a standard strategy of ex-communists).

Or, Second, they can looik fo ways to simplify and clarify their message so that it can be grasped by most ORDINARY people for whom the corruption of the netas is more vivid, real and causes for instant indigation at this time than the RELATIVELY abstract loot of the Shahs in the last 200 years.

Political theories are all about abstractions.
By themselves, they do not add to much.

BUT politics -- with its hustle, bare-knuckle fights, naked ambitions, lust for power. seizing of opportunities and playing the game to one's advantage -- is about keeping things simple in the constituencies' eyes.

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aaja lai yetti nai.

oohi
ashu