kaalo jhanda - black flags

In April 2006, the unity, the concern, the years of grievances of Nepali people manifested itself in the People's movement. It was historic. People came together and undid more than 200 years of history to become the world's youngest Republic. Nepal and all Nepalis kicked open the door to a new era that promised freedom, dignity and justice. We showed the world that as one people we can take charge, we can shape our own future.

After three years, after the death of more than 13000 people, after a democratic movement, a Comprehensive Peace Agreement that was legitimized by the people, and a democratic election where do we stand now? How alive is democracy in Nepal, in our new Republic?

The democratic election elected an interim government that would lead the constitution assembly in writing a new constitution. The idea was to have an interim government and move forward with the constitution. We're stuck at the interim because of the same politicking that has been going on since the People's movement in 1990. For short term political gains, our politicians are destroying the one historic chance that Nepal has to rebuild itself. We are stuck in the interim due to lack of foresight in those who are supposed to lead.

Whoever leads the interim government will heavily influence the new constitution. The party that can legitimately do this is the Maoists, since they were elected by the people. Whether some people (and foreign powers) like it or not, that was the voice of the majority. Because the party leading the interim government wields its power on and influences the nature of the new constitution, it is in everyone's interest to either overtly lead the government or covertly manipulate it. Everyone has a vested interest in making or unmaking the constitution writing process. From the smallest of the ethnic groups who want their demands heard and to the Indian government who want a malleable party. The difference is that the ethnic group has the right to influence the constitution writing process, India does not.

Because the interim constitution is the foundation from which we can reform the state, we would expect the process to be spearheaded by the most competent leader, or at least the party that represents the majority of the Nepali population. While the competence of the Maoists and the CPN-UML is open to debate, it is the Maoists whose government was given legitimacy by the people. Instead, the person that leads us is the same person who lost in two constituencies - Kathmandu and Rautahat (the Pahad and the Tarai). How does Madhav Kumar Nepal have the legitimacy to burden the herculean task of writing the new constitution?

As the ideas of the interim government will shape the new nation, we would think that the ideas would be a detachment from the past ways, from the years of corruption, from the injustice that many people have experienced. But if the interim government is comprised of politicians who benefited from the old ways and its institutions and who will continue to benefit if the status quo remained, then how can we expect the same politicians to reform the old system?

We, as the public, as the civil society, stand at a point where we have to transcend beyond party politics. It is not the question of which party to support. It is the question of where the country is headed, what is our common future?

This is why we're protesting when Prime Minister Nepal visits the UN. Not against a party or a person. It is a protest for progress. For the politicians to stop the internal power politics and bring substantive change. It is protest to pressure
the politicians to deliver on the promises they made to write a constitution for an inclusive federal state. We need the constitution written soon, if not the political malaise that we are in will drag on . It may lead to increased violence and lack of security. The situation will exacerbate if nothing is done now.

Civilian supremacy needs to be enforced to keep the army in check. The government needs to investigate the disappeared people, which will reveal the extent of human rights violations committed by both sides of the civil war.

When your house is burning there are two options - you can either put it out with water or run way. Our home is burning and we have run away in one way or the other. But for how long will the Nepali diaspora stay quiet. We have to rise to the occasion, realize that we are citizens, we have voices and show that we care.

Please join us at the peaceful protest!

Here are some of the slogans that we will be chanting:

"Sambhidhan lekna dhilo nagar"
"Pradhanmantri ko kursi hoina, singo rastha ko chinta gar"
"Nepal ko ijjat lai bahira nabech"
"Desh ma surachya ko bandobasth gar."
"Bepatta nagarik ko khoj suru gar"
"Nepal Sri Lanka hoina"
"Respect people's choices"
"Chunau ko beijjat nagar"
"nagarik sarbochhatta, jindabad"

Venue: Dag Hammarskjold Plaza. It is located on East 47th Street between 1st and 2nd Avenue (UN Plaza), New York City
Date: 9/26/09 Saturday
Time 12pm to 3pm
Please wear a black t-shirt, for solidarity.

Feel free to make posters and bring them at the protest. NO STICKS CAN BE USED SO PLEASE USE PAPER OR CARDBOARD POSTERS.

Thank you,

Hope to see you there.

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