Nepal - Where PEOPLE Demand a Voice !!
Hey Folks,
A while back I posted about the situation in Nepal. Part of that posting included an analysis by a friend of mine. He's commented again, and I've included it below.
We in America, "the greatest Nation in the world," a "Shining City on the Hill," "the home of the free and the brave," the "Cradle of Democracy" where Emperor Bush acts as if he is annointed to rule by "Divine Right" could learn something from the people of Nepal - people who, by the force of their will and their actions have driven out THEIR self-annointed, god-preferred monarch !!!!
- Uke Man
The recent period has been marked by historic events involving millions of people taking the stage of history, here and around the world.
In France, the rebellion of French youth of Arab and North African descent and the mass movement against government attacks on job security by students, supported by labor have shaken the Chirac regime.
In the U.S., the immigrants' rights mobilization of millions offers the promise of reshaping the political terrain in significant ways. In addition, 350,000 marched in NYC against unjust war and occupation in Iraq.
Then there is the situation in Nepal. Events have moved rapidly since my last post on the popular effort to oust the monarchy and establish a democratic republic.
The mass demonstrations of hundreds of thousands in Kathmandu, called by an alliance of parliamentary parties and the Maoists ( who control three quarters of the countryside and have significant support in the capital as well), forced the King to bow to pressure from his Indian and U.S. backers and reconvene parliament.
The joint program of the opposition calls next for the establishment of a constituent assembly to decide on the fate of the monarchy and schedule nationwide elections.
As the King's political capital approaches zero and that of the opposition, particularly the Maoists', soars, the revolutionary/democratic movement in Nepal faces both dangers and opportunities.
Here are some new resources for those who are interested in the latest developments there, developments which may have broad significance for South Asia, particularly India:
First, from the, highly recommended, MRzine, "Monthly Review's" online vehicle, several articles:
http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/ (edited by Columbus academic and activist Yoshi Furuhashi)
OSU English Professor, International Socialist Organization (ISO) activist , Parnav Jani , writes on recent events in "Whither Nepal?": http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/jani010506.html
Baburam Bhattarai, Maoist leader, on the "historic revolutionary tsunami going on in Nepal": http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/bhattarai260406.html
Article on speech by "underground" Maoist student leader on their resolve to establish a democratic republic: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/SP24176.htm
Finally, for deep background, a lengthy interview from February 2000 with CPN(M) Chairman Prachanda that demonstrates, even then at an early stage in the development of the revolution in Nepal, the vision, perspective and self-confidence of the revolutionary leadership. (Interviewed by Li Onesto, reporter for the RCP's "Revolution" newspaper)
http://www.lionesto.net/
A while back I posted about the situation in Nepal. Part of that posting included an analysis by a friend of mine. He's commented again, and I've included it below.
We in America, "the greatest Nation in the world," a "Shining City on the Hill," "the home of the free and the brave," the "Cradle of Democracy" where Emperor Bush acts as if he is annointed to rule by "Divine Right" could learn something from the people of Nepal - people who, by the force of their will and their actions have driven out THEIR self-annointed, god-preferred monarch !!!!
- Uke Man
The recent period has been marked by historic events involving millions of people taking the stage of history, here and around the world.
In France, the rebellion of French youth of Arab and North African descent and the mass movement against government attacks on job security by students, supported by labor have shaken the Chirac regime.
In the U.S., the immigrants' rights mobilization of millions offers the promise of reshaping the political terrain in significant ways. In addition, 350,000 marched in NYC against unjust war and occupation in Iraq.
Then there is the situation in Nepal. Events have moved rapidly since my last post on the popular effort to oust the monarchy and establish a democratic republic.
The mass demonstrations of hundreds of thousands in Kathmandu, called by an alliance of parliamentary parties and the Maoists ( who control three quarters of the countryside and have significant support in the capital as well), forced the King to bow to pressure from his Indian and U.S. backers and reconvene parliament.
The joint program of the opposition calls next for the establishment of a constituent assembly to decide on the fate of the monarchy and schedule nationwide elections.
As the King's political capital approaches zero and that of the opposition, particularly the Maoists', soars, the revolutionary/democratic movement in Nepal faces both dangers and opportunities.
Here are some new resources for those who are interested in the latest developments there, developments which may have broad significance for South Asia, particularly India:
First, from the, highly recommended, MRzine, "Monthly Review's" online vehicle, several articles:
http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/ (edited by Columbus academic and activist Yoshi Furuhashi)
OSU English Professor, International Socialist Organization (ISO) activist , Parnav Jani , writes on recent events in "Whither Nepal?": http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/jani010506.html
Baburam Bhattarai, Maoist leader, on the "historic revolutionary tsunami going on in Nepal": http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/bhattarai260406.html
Article on speech by "underground" Maoist student leader on their resolve to establish a democratic republic: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/SP24176.htm
Finally, for deep background, a lengthy interview from February 2000 with CPN(M) Chairman Prachanda that demonstrates, even then at an early stage in the development of the revolution in Nepal, the vision, perspective and self-confidence of the revolutionary leadership. (Interviewed by Li Onesto, reporter for the RCP's "Revolution" newspaper)
http://www.lionesto.net/
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