Hello guys, who do you think will be a probable candidate for the "President" of new Nepal Republic, if happned so? Last night, I was just wondering about it. Unfortunately I couldn't trace out anyone suitable for the position. Thought that Sajha will be a good platform to make discussion. In fact I was thinking - "Clean" "Good Personaility" "Intellectual (like Kalaam in India)" "likely to be Respecful", so so.....!! Lets share your views!

There will be no separate president of Nepal ... it will be the president of India.

Captain,

I haven't have chance to give you compliments myself. However, I have been quietly witnessing how you have been so meticulously and patiently explaining to not so easy audience of Sajha the complex and often chaotic and yet amazingly steady transformation Nepal is going through and have found myself in awe with your intellect, perseverance and ability to explain ordinarily unexplainable things, not to mention the first rate information and discussion you bring here on art, money matters and current affairs. I have become one of your great and silent admirers in Sajha.

And whoever said it, "stretcher diplomacy" does capture the uniquely Nepali yet damn successful strategy employed by our under-appreciated political leadership -- to have things done in adversity and with limited resources. Might not be as glorious as this one, however the "oxygen politics" of the senior Koirala also seems to have done wonders at times.

If I have to name three unique wisdom for the world to learn from Nepal's recent experience, I will name "Stretcher Diplomacy", "April Revolution" and "Oxygen Politics" :-)

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

Chicago Bull,

Thanks. I do hope so. As for our leaders' physical or otherwise fitness, what one friend in Nepal Democracy forum said strikes me. He said our leaders are a sample of ourselves.

Brought me this sher by my favorite Shayar Nida Fazli immortalized by the voice of Jagjit Singh,

जब किसी से कोई गिला रखना
सामने अपने आईना रखना

And if our politicians are a sample of ourselves, they are our mirror, no ?

Nepe

Wah Nepe daji, well said, you are the man to pick proper word to describe the phenomenon exactly.

"Stretcher Diplomacy", "April Revolution" and "Oxygen Politics"

There are very few gems in sajha, who puts their intellect arguments in very beautiful ways. Both Nepe daji and Captain are among those.

Nepe - Thanks. It's always good to read your insights. I wish there were more people like you around.

"There will be no separate president of Nepal ... it will be the president of India."

Bineet - I hope not. But let me say this, for a country that even the natives have had a hard time governing, good luck to any foreigners with dreams to rule over Nepal's somewhat unruly masses :) . It's one thing to bring up India as a political boogeyman - and everyone from the King to Maoists to Congress has done it - but it's quite another thing to practice everyday politics based on such fear. The politics of fear is bound to loose out in the end : case in point the collapse of the Panchayat and the paranoid elements of the Nepali right.

Chana Tarkari - That's very nice of you to say that :)

Chicago Bull - To your originial question, my guess if I were to speculate is there is a good chance it will be Girija Koirala if he lives to see the day or Sahan Pradhan or someday Madhav Nepal or Comrade Prachanda. If the new political system continues to give party bosses total hegemony over the leadership process, it might be a while before we see fresh faces rise to the top. My best speculation of course is President Gyanendra! :P But I'm just being a bit miscievous there I suppose :)

Nepe dai wrote:
In the issues with conflicting interests between the people and the foreign powers, popular pressure can be expected to prevail. In the issues with no conflict of interests between the people and the foreign powers, it does not matter whom our politicians go to appease.

I'm confused what do you mean by popular pressure will prevail? If you haven't forgotten, India came to Sikkim with just intention (so called) of taking just border security. But the political turmoil ( ofcourse due to lame politicians) became so intense, over 95% of countrymen decided to annexed Sikkim as the state of India. Are you talking about that kind of pressure? Eventhough Londup Dorje now heavyly regrets it, it only takes few leaders to make favourable condition for foreign country to overcome public pressure, that's all I'm saying.Exchanging support for Sikkim with Tibet is another tactics played by India shows how desperate truely India was though they always claim they gained Sikkim with popular vote. With literacy rate less than 50% in Nepal, do you think people are able to make right judgement without truely patriotic leadership? Does nepalese need true guidence in current situation or they are sufficient to guide the leaders? I'm really pessimist about the later one. True that we are the mirrors of politicians but I havn't seen any country that rose quickly without formidable leadership in the beginning. Leave you with quote - "Leaders are born not made".

MR Truth:

Yo political Science padne bela hoina. Yo time ho surti nakhaikana furti ra aat le sabai Nepalese ko man chuney ani desh rangeen banaune. Jumla basi le timro quote bujdainan na ta baitadi ka Nepali le. Ghanaghasya ko ukalo katna sakchau? Sakchau bhane euta gaau banau. Sakdainau bhane surti khayera basa!!!

Chakchake kancha kahile k bhancha bhancha.....

Mr. Truth-jee,

Very valid questions and concerns. I really appreciate them.

As for general pessimism/optimism, as you can see I was speculating that there is not going be a significant, let alone dramatic, improvement in the quality of political leadership in Nepal for some time to come.

Our politics is under the grip of vicious cycles and network of individual FINANCIAL DEPENDENCE of career politicians to legacy and baggages of major political parties.

There simply is not enough room for independence, creative thinking and courage for our politicians which invariably leaves them to be the struggling "follower" of popular pressures rather than the standing "torchbearers" to the mass.

It is probably more appropriate to talk in terms of "collective wisdom" of the people rather than "popular pressures", because at the end of the day, it is the SUM not the isolated individual pressures that goes to work.

And if you are asking about the quality of the "collective wisdom" of Nepali people, I can say in all seriousness and subjectivity that it is dependable.

To support my assertion, I have got pretty mature looking three electoral mandates (1191, 1994 and 1999) and one revolutionary mandate (2006) and impressive restraint and, one that I have been extra-ordinarily impressed, APATHY to senseless revolution and agitations (certain aspects of the Maoist revolution throughout the "people's war" and the socalled "anti-regression agitation" of our political parties during 2002-2005, cases in point) with me.

It will be too long a story to explain how these electoral and revolutionary mandates and other things in between look coming from a very thoughtful and mature people. However, even at a quick glance, it is easy to see that Nepali people makes a good judgment when it comes to when, how, whom and why to reward, punish, encourage and discourage, when it comes to whom and when to trust and mistrust, when it comes to what to ignore and what not to, when it comes to when to wait and when to get on, when it comes to in what and how much courage to show and so on.

It might sound jingoist, but I really think Nepali people are intelligent people and all they need is chance- chance for their voice to be heard and listened to. Since we are embarking on exactly that path, I am optimistic about our future. I am confident that we will be doing fine with just about any aaure-baaure-dhupaure as our president.

If somehow, God forbid, we failed to establish a stable state and a progressing country and we came to a situation where only a handful of warlords will be having good lives and the rest of the people will be suffering from the bloodshed, anarchy and hunger, the state of Nepal will lose it's justification and the intelligent Nepali people will make a decision accordingly. I won't be complaining at that time. And nobody should. What is right is what people decide.

However, I am pretty sure these nightmares are in no way in our way.

From now on, Nepal will either see a patriotic and strong leader or it will never see an unpatriotic and strong leader.

So it won't be our politicians if we ever have to meet the fate of Sikkim.

Mero dui suka bhanuparyo.


Nepe

This is to thank Chana_Tarkaari-jyu and Captain Saheb. Thank you dear friends for you kind words and encouragement to me. Hope I could still be living up to your expectation when I will be joining Nepal's politics shortly.

Nah, I am just kidding. No such plan yet. However, I certainly wish to be a part of writing our constitution which I had some two springs ago described in this way:

भाग्य आफ्नै, फैसला आफ्नै, लालमोहर पनि आफ्नै
लेख्तैछौं जनता मालिक भएको तमसुक अब

कम्तिमा फट्के किनाराको साछीमा ल्याप्चे लगाउने धोको छ ।

Nepe

Nepe - If you ever run for the president of Nepal, just give me a holler, I try and round up as many folks as I can to the cause... re kya :) :P

Hope all is well. I liked and agree with your latest analysis too. In my opinion, it boils down, for the most part, to something pretty simple: the answer to our future lies in our hands. So far I think the Nepali people have acted responsibly all in all- with the exceptions you mentioned and others have alluded to in their criticisms of the politcal process - and I can only hope something of lasting value comes out of this sense of responsibility. With the Monarchy practically gone, and a new nation in its infancy, a booming economy in the south, a generally favorable international climate, there is a lot to be optimistic, albeit cautiously, about.

Have a good one.

:)

Bhutrako Optimism... country is already india now.. optimism for India or Nepal? Think about it, guys.

bahun leadrs are to be BLAMED. That's for sure... So long these asssshole baun leaders are leading the country.. nothing good will come.. rather Nepal will bcome India.

Last I checked, it was an independent country recognized so by some 200 odd countries and the UN.

I dont absolve the current crop of leaders of blame, some of them sure share it, but shit has been going on in Nepal for much longer. It might be tempting to blame an entire caste to satisfy one's prejudice but such blame, usually driven by hate, is almost always misplaced - including in this case.

Power was for too long concentrated in the hands of Kathmandu's elites - who have shot themselves in the foot with their arrogance and ignorance - and boy, it has been a steep price they have had to pay for it.

Keep on believing that Nepal is an independent nation.... and in fact, realistically, it's not an independent Nation. Sorry... if it hurts.

>Nepe - If you ever run for the president of Nepal, just give me a holler,
>I try and round up as many folks as I can to the cause... re kya :) :P

Captain,

The only time I ever run for the president and won was the "student council" of my campus in Israel. Otherwise I have lost two elections of "student union" in Nepal--enough to dread running in the election. Thank you for your generous offer to help, though.

>With the Monarchy practically gone, and a new nation in its infancy,
>a booming economy in the south, a generally favorable international
>climate, there is a lot to be optimistic, albeit cautiously, about.

Besides these, I am also looking at the possibility of "reverse immigration" of Nepali migrant workers and particularly the new "work ethics", entrepreneurship and eekh (envy) these workers working in harsh conditions in various countries might bring and their potential impact on social and economic transformation of Nepal.

Some two months ago I had a conversation with a fellow Sajhaite in Nepal Democracy Forum in which I had chance to share these thoughts.

The same conversation also carries my thoughts on the political status of PM Koirala and the overall situation of political leadership for the transition and transformation of Nepal, I am sharing the whole conversation (with some irrelevant items skipped) here.

I have color coded some key concepts for easy quick scanning.

Here it is.


____________________________________________________


From: "Deepak Khadka"
To:
Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2007 9:10 PM
Subject: [ND] Re: nation and state

X-jee,

Having been a sahayodda in our cyber freedom fight for Ganatantra over the
years, it is my privilege and obligation as well to share all my feelings
with you. I will talk to you soon in private for more account of what I
think regarding your questions. Here are some starters.

1. [skip]

2. PM, Koirala:

Hmmm.. well it's hard not to hummm when you take his name.

Anyway, before I say what I think about his remarks of yesterday, I will
need to explain what I think what role/power/influence Koirala has at this
moment because basically that is what determines the value/influence of what
he says.

I think it's been several years already Koirala does not have real power in
his hand. And more so since Jana-andolan II. All the historical changes that
has happened were beyond and often against what he wished and how he wished
them. He has not been and has not been able to be more than a "speed
breaker". Most of the time he is just a helpless straw trying to go upstream
but unable and just flowing downstream with the current with fake reaction
or reactionlessness on his face.

He is what would be best described as "Nimitta Naayak".

Then who are the real Naayaks to all these changes ?

Nobody.

It's both amazing and beautiful and perhaps a little bit scary too that
there is no DISTINCT political leadership to all the changes we are
witnessing. The momentum and direction for the change is provided by signals
from a subtle, near-quite and almost abstract complex of evolving popular
aspirations.

The politicians are not providing "political leadership". What they are
providing is rather "political followership".

Koirala's yesterday's remark is just one of that "followership". It is his
"Aakhira shreekrishna rahechha eka". The only difference is that Devkota
probably had lost his sanity (enlightenment is insanity too, so I am safe to
say that, I guess) when he said that. However, Koirala did it under
tremendous pressure from both popular pro-republic sentiments and unpopular
pro-republic forces (!). I don't think he is genuinely punishing the King.
He doesn't have a genuine case against the King to begin with. I mean I
don't think they have found evidence for King's intention for another coup
d'etat or political disruption yet. Maoist's evidence looks pretty weak and
Falgun 7's statement will be an excuse rather than a reason for punishing
the King.

In any case, as the time (the people) is much ahead and irreversibly so of
what Koirala said yesterday, it won't have more than a symbolic
effect/meaning. Koirala is already irrelevant to the direction of Nepal's
change. Now the speed breaker is breaking down. And also for this reason, he
is going to remain a "Nimitta Naayak" for some time, perhaps his whole life.


3. Stable republic Nepal:

To speculate this, I will first consider our current situation with
politicians in passenger's seats and an auto-driver controlled by the
road-map and popular vigilance driving the train.

I can not make up my mind regarding whether the situation is riskier or
actually safer than the usual/familiar situation with politicians on the
driving seat. We have some unexpected risk factors to consider. The major
one among them is the armed situation of the Maoists. I have shared during
my exchange with Anga-jee and Gaury-jee my frustration regarding how GP
Koirala screwed up the peace by his gambling to save the
continuity/role/space for the King.

Regard this. There was a time (not just a time but a very long time) when
Prachanda was proposing to disarm the Maoists in exchange of the acceptance
of republic. Koirala kept refusing. Now, republic is almost there. And the
Maoists are still armed for all practical purposes !!!!!

Koirala failed us where we were not supposed to fail at all.

[skip]

Now, if I have to confess, I had not expected this kind of tricky situation.
I was hoping for the disarmament of the Maoists and republicization of
political parties/state to occur simultaneously. We still have time for
miracle to happen. But I am not hopeful.

But what I am certain about is that we will survive this transition. We have
the rail, we have the train and we have the map of the stations we have to
stop on the way.

After the election of CA, situation will be more defined and less arbitrary
with legitimacy and the law ruling.
[skip]

It is the establishing the rule of law as the overriding value. All things
will then stabilize, equilibrate and move ahead.
[skip]

So X-jee, I basically think that once we succeed to conduct the
election, that will be the day one of a better Nepal.

Of course I did not answer your question. What about Madhesi and Janajati's
agitations ? When will the Maoist arms be decommissioned ? Restructuring of
the army ?

I think the agitations are about to be over. More on this later (I hope to
have more opportunities to share my views in coming days). I would like to
see the declaration of republic and the start of the decommissioning of
Maoist army before the election. But we have so jhoor and khattam
negotiators they might declare republic without any concession from the
Maoists. However, first several weeks/months after the election can be
expected to work in priority to decommission the Maoist arms and to
restructure the national army. I would count that as the day one for the
stable republic Nepal.

As for prosperity, our friends with background in economy can give
authoritative speculation. However, there is one thing I think might happen
and have great impact on economic activities. That is "return home
migration" of all laakhau Nepalis working in harsh condition and meager pay
in foreign countries. They will be returning with never seen before "work
ethics" and emotional capital like "eekh" and "love". They will change Nepal
beyond recognition in a very short time. Revival of older stagnant economic
sectors that is waiting for peaceful and stable time and possibly spill-over
of Chinese and Indian economy ta chhadai chha.

So I have a picture of a wonderful Nepal within next 2-3 years. Too
optimistic ?


Deepak


----- Original Message -----
>From: X
>To: "nepal democracy"
>Sent: Monday, March 12, 2007 9:33 PM
>Subject: [ND] Re: nation and state

>Deepak-jee,

>Three quick questions:
>1. [skip]
>2. What do you make of PM Koirala's comments on the king today?
>3. When do you believe that Nepal is going to be a prosperous/
>harmonious federal republic of Nepal?

>You can write a personal reply to me. Please bear in mind that you
>can't be honest without expressing what you feel. I hope you will
>reply to me because you have always done.

>regards,
>X
____________________________________________________


Nepe

View/Share this post only

Nepe dai, thanks for thoughtful optimism, sorry for late reply. I surely will vote for you if you ever run :). I agree with you that Nepalese show good judgement when rewarding politicians, no doubt about that. But it's well known that the biggest priority for them is also peace at any cost. There are three major powers in country- Sena aka King, Maobadi and Janata as whole. My concern is politicians making favourable conditions for chaos for the sake of power as you know how quickly they forget their promises until the next election. Without major electoral reform, way of choosing leaders and with instant copy of indian politics , do we expect quick rise of Nepal? India is booming not because they had good leaderships, democratic but this phenomena called globalization and favours large young population. Our political structure is such that PM constantly responsible for parliament members not directly to Janatas eventhough he is the leader of country thus making government every year.If this continues it will take another 50/60 yrs. to see the true future but lets hope we will overcome the hurdles.

Mr. Truth-jyu,

You actually hit the bull's eye.

Electoral reform (to make the politicians as much responsible to the voters as possible) and the establishment of a strong rule of law ( to make the politician and everybody else accountable to what they do) are two things that will keep Nepal's boat (even when there are corrupt and incompetent leaders in it) afloat and moving.

भ्रष्टाचार हुँदै गर्छ, सजाय हुँदै गर्छ; खराब मान्छे चुनिदै गर्छन्, अर्को पल्ट चुनाव हार्दै गर्छन्, जथाभाबी आन्दोलन हुँदै गर्छ, जनसमर्थनको अभावमा सेलाउदै सुक्दै जान्छ; तोडफोड हुँदै गर्छ, अदालतको कठघरामा उभिदै जान्छन्, ठूलाठुला गाली गर्ने गरिरहन्छन्, साना साना काम गरेर वास्तविक योगदान गर्ने गरिरहन्छन् ।

हो यस्तो प्रकारको नेपाल हो मेरो भिजन । यति भए पर्याप्त छ र खासमा यो भन्दा अझ राम्रो चाही युटोपिया मात्र हो ।

Now the question is what kind of specific reforms we will be needing ?

I do have some ideas in my mind. However, what is a good news is that a lot of ideas are already floating in public, academic and political forums in Nepal and we hardly need and unknown, unthoughtof and untested ideas.

We do not need to invent a different kind of wheel. We just need to know where to attach the wheels and specially make sure that we use good quality nuts and bolts

Nepe

.corrected:
we hardly need any unknown, unthoughtof and untested ideas.

One may speculate on future presi...
but considering track record and present performance of the current politicians, it is still immature to think one of them as the first president of the country...
if one out of current flock becomes president then there wont be any class difference between gyanetantra and ganatantra....

kishnekale-jee,

If intelligence matters then the current flock do have people with this stuff. The problem is all of them are so inert they will only come forward only if someone brings the position to them on a silver platter and will probably not be able to protest if the old folks snatch that away again. Frankly speaking, these "good people" are as useless as the "bad people" in the flock. Unless some of these "good" people also decide to become "bold", it does not matter who becomes the president.

What matters is the system. A system which can withstand and work against illegitimate political interference is all we need and all we actually can have.

Forget about reforming our politicians or even about changing the guard.

GP Koirala does not have any serious competitor in his party and also does not have a credible threat from any other party yet.

Nepe

Absolutely...system matters....a performing system....a system that justifies its constitutional presence. As well, Nepejee would not mind an able administrator at the top!

An able administrator at the top ? Oh how badly I wish to see that. However, it seems we are fated to have the same mediocre administrator at least for one more election period. And I was trying to see how we might still be moving ahead.