(1) Name (1.1) Mission Madhes (US) is the autonomous US chapter of the global organization Mission Madhes.
(2) Objective (2.1) To organize Madhesis worldwide to leverage the network for the benefit of the members. (2.2) To contribute to the equality, dignity and prosperity of the Madhesi population in Nepal. (2) Organization (2.1) Mission Madhes (US) will have a nine member Executive Committee. President, Vice President - 5, General Secretary-2, Treasurer. (2.11) Five Vice Presidents: The duly elected presidents of the five regional committees will be the ex officio Vice Presidents of the central committee. (2.2) Seven strong regional committees are to be formed as feasible in the following regions. President, Vice President - 3, General Secretary- 2, Treasurer.
Northeast
Midwest
Southeast
Southwest
West
(2.21) The duly elected presidents of the three largest metro committees in a region will be ex officio vice presidents of their regional committees. (2.3) Five member metro committees are to be formed as feasible in the following metros. President, Vice President - 2, General Secretary, Treasurer.
New York
Los Angeles
Chicago
Houston
Philadelphia
Phoenix
San Antonio
San Diego
Dallas
San Jose
Detroit
Indianapolis
(2.2) Open elections are to be held by email, phone and in person for all Officer positions. (2.3) Until elections are held for the first time, an ad hoc committee recognized by the central executive committee can conduct business for maximum one year at which point their term can be renewed for another year or until elections can be held. (2.4) Elections are to be held for all levels in June 2010 for the first time. Elections will be held for all Officer positions in the organization at the same time in June.Those who became members by the end of May that year will be eligible to vote. (2.41) Member Of The Year: The member who refers more members than anyone else in a particular year that get verified by an Officer will be declared Member Of The Year and will be honored at the Annual Picnic. (2.5) It would be possible for one person to hold Officer positions at all three levels. (2.6) Metros and regions that don't have enough members will not have committees. (2.8) Officers will stay in office for two years. (2.9) Board Of Advisors: The president, in consultation with the Executive Committee, will nominate a five member Board Of Advisors. A person has to be a member of the organization to be nominated. The Board's term expires with that of the president, or before if deemed necessary by the president. (3) Principles (3.1) Democracy and transparency are the two fundamental principles that Mission Madhes (US) shares with Mission Madhes chapters worldwide. (3.2) Leaders will hold regular consultations with members and fellow Officers. (3.3) All book keeping is to be kept transparent and online. The treasurer will publish online quarterly statements. The bank account will be handled by the signatures of the president and the treasurer. All transactions will have to be shared with the committee within a week and with members through the website within 10 days. (3.4) Plentiful use is to be made of social/digital media to cover all events that the organization might host or be part of.
(4) Members (4.1) Membership is free. (4.2) Members are to submit their contact email addresses, phone numbers and their location: city, state, country. (4.3) Members can be referred by any existing member, and must be verified by an Officer either by email or phone call or meeting in person.
(5) Global Reach (5.1) Mission Madhes (US) is a member of the International Coordination Committee (ICC) of the global organization Mission Madhes. (5.2) The president and one vice president chosen by the president are ex officio members of the ICC.
(6) Events And Programs (6.1) The committees at the three levels are encouraged to do events so as to add to the vibrancy of the organization. (6.2) Events can be organized solely or in coordination with other local organizations as determined feasible and necessary. (6.3) Programs can also be launched. All book keeping will have to be kept transparent and online.
We will keep the constitution short and simple. We will need a national executive committee, nine members. We will need an executive committee for each of the five regions, seven members each. And we will need one for each major metro region, five members each.
We will have a five member Board of Advisors, to be appointed by the President in consultation with the Executive Committee.
The committees have to be as diverse as possible.
We don't want to overstretch ourselves. We have to have a limited agenda, and we have to learn to deliver well.
Holi event
Summer picnic
Events for the visiting Madhesi dignitaries
Education project for kids in Nepal
That last one is of special interest to me. We should be able to raise money from interested members and other sources to sponsor the education of select kids in those members' homevillages in Nepal.
And then we have to host monthly tea parties of the active members to do phone banking so as to ensure a rapid expansion of the organization. Could we get 500 members in America? Could we launch chapters in at least five other countries, and in all the Terai districts? That is the question.
The decision to launch the organization Mission Madhes has already been made. But we have not formally launched it yet. Homework is being done. I expect the formal launch to take place in a few weeks. We will issue a press release when that happens. Everyone who joins before the formal date of launch will have been a founding member. We want there to be many founding members, preferably in many countries. We will register the organization in a few months.
This is to be a global organization, not a diaspora organization. We will have chapters also in Nepal. Each national chapter will be autonomous, but will have the same name. Mission Madhes (US), Mission Madhes (UK), Mission Madhes (India), Mission Madhes (Nepal) and so on.
Right now it looks like I will be president, and Amit Shah will be Vice President of the US chapter. We ar
e also looking for someone to be Secretary, Treasurer, and so on. And there will be members of the Executive Committee. But this will be an ad hoc committee. The first elections will be duly held in June 2010. The elections will be open, transparent. All members will have the option to vote by email, or phone even. Who voted for whom will be kept transparent. We would want as many members as possible to vote. That elected committee will host the picnic on Roosevelt Island the first Saturday in August, weather permitting.
This is not ANTA splitting. We will want to work in close cooperation with ANTA, ANMUK, AIMSA and all other Madhesi diaspora organizations. We will not be affiliated with any Madhesi political party, but we will actively work with all political parties that might be working for the equality, dignity and prosperity of the Madhesi population in Nepal.
The first draft of the constitution of the organization will be circulated soon enough. Please give feedback.
There will be an international coordination committee. The president and vice president of each national chapter will be ex officio members. The committee will ensure that the basic principles of the organization like democracy and transparency are being respected by all the national chapters.
We will have a major event in New York City to coincide with Holi. That will be our biggest event of the year. We will invite non Madhesi Nepali guests, and also non Nepali guests for that event.
Our annual picnic on Roosevelt Island will be our biggest event of the year for the Madhesis. Madhesis from outside New York who might want to attend, we will try and find local Madhesi hosts for them for the weekend.
We will also do events for the visiting Madhesi dignitaries.
Membership is to be free and global.
All book keeping it to be kept transparent and online.
Maximum use is to be made of digital technology and social media.
It is not just about what we can do for Madhes. It is also about what we can do for the members of the organization in terms of leveraging the network for them.
Hamro Nepal is a global organization. It is not a diaspora organization. We have quite a few members from Nepal.
The number one thing I have done as President of Hamro Nepal is the work I have done through my blog Democracy For Nepal. I am the only Nepali in the diaspora to have put full time work towards the April 2006 revolution and the two Madhesi movements. My work was always transparent, and it remains archived for anyone to see. I was not engaged in journalism. I was doing hard core political work. I was suggesting political moves and strategies.
Digital, political, global.
As a New Yorker I have gone to many Nepali and Madhesi events put together by many organizations. Nobody in ANTA has my kind of political background. Nobody from ANTA put as much time into the two Madhesi movements as I did. My commitment to the Madhesi caus
e is second to none. And my organization just so happens to be larger than ANTA. We have more members. We run the largest Nepali online gathering place in the world.
There are people who treat their involvement with the various diaspora organizations as second careers. I am not one of them. The ANTA, NAC, NRN structure means a lot to them. They put much effort into climbing up the various organizational ladders. I have zero interest in that.
I don't have to do what you wish to do. Hamro Nepal is the only vehicle I have needed so far for the hard core political work I have put into the April 2006 revolution, and the two Madhesi revolutions. Compared to the Nepalis under dictatorship, and the Madhesis under Pahadi dominion in Nepal, the diaspora Nepalis are an asleep bunch. There is little consciousness and effort to try and attain equality in their host countries. And for someone like me who feels strongly about immigration rights, the larger national political landscape in America is of greater interest than Nepali diaspora politics.
ANTA should attempt symbiosis with my organzation Hamro Nepal. That is wh
at is in ANTA's best interests. After all I am the guy who launched ANTA in New York where ANTA still has its largest presence.
ANTA should attempt symbiosis instead of keep sending me little feelers to join ANTA. I can't be part of the ANTA, NAC, NRN framework, that is why I can not join ANTA. That does not mean I do not wish it all the best.
And my startup keeps me plenty busy: JyotiConnect Inc.. Thanks, but no thanks. And hello from New York City.
I have written about my dissatisfaction as a Madhesi with Budhanilkantha School, and my dissatisfaction as a nonwhite person with Berea College. Then I move to New York and interact with the Madhesis and the Nepalis and my conclusion is these groups suffer from
Internalized Racism
Internalized Prejudice
Mental Slavery
There is a happy equilibrium between the oppressor and the oppressed. And the mental slavery gets vehemently reflected in the way these groups self-organize.
Ordinary members express little enthusiasm to claim their identities. Those aspiring for leadership positions seem to want to disrespect the basic democratic process. You are not a leader to anyone who never voted for you. That humility is missing. Organizations are reluctant to go mass-based.
Ratan Jha: "I agree with Divita, Subhash ji, Lalit and other Members of this esteemed Forum...."
Ratanji. This is your usual tactic of listing a bunch of names to try and show a lot of people are behind you. Divita Mehta: "I personally think that the discussions in this forum are extremely valuable and should be made public...." It was Subhash Shah who brought up the idea of structure for this forum and I responded with this: http://madhesi5.googlepages.com Lalit Jha and Ram Shah talked of "taking this forum to the next level," and I responded with this: http://madhesi5.googlepages.com I came up with a set of ideas, put them out for public discussion, respected the resulting majority voiced opinion, and settled on a creative resolution. But that nowhere ever meant I said bye bye to the Bill Of Rights for me. Free speech still rings true.
" ....Paramendra's "*His Way or Highway*" approach. If I recall correctly, it was his similar approach that led to removal of his membership from the ND Forum couple of years ago. Personally, I do NOT receive Paramendra's mail as I've marked them "SPAM". Nonetheless, I do get some of his mails in conjunction with other members' e-mails"
The prejudiced Pahadis of the ND Forum became extremely uncomfortable that I intended to play a central role into Nepal's democracy movement - which I did, thanks to the digital democracy ways - and they did the cowardly thing of kicking me out. Which other Nepali in America, Pahadi or Madhesi, worked full time for the April Revolution? Name one other. You can't. There is no other. But the Pahadis still felt the need to disrespect me. The question is, why do you feel the need to join them?
Let's face it. You have made a second career out of getting along with the prejudiced Pahadis of the diaspora. It is the Mr. 1% mentality. We Madhesis are 1% of the Nepal Army, and 1% of the Nepali diaspora. So we try a little too hard to get along. We try not to offend.
Rakesh Mishra also got kicked out of that ND Forum recently. What do you make of that?
The curious thing though is what we Madhesis are in Nepal - disenfranchised, marginalized, powerless - the Pahadis are on the global stage. They mirror the mental slavery ways of the Madhesi on the global stage. They need help and they know it.
"Regarding your comments about ANTA and its ELITE members, I feel happy when people feel that I'm rich (or elite). I rather be rich than poor. Won't you like to be the same? Otherwise, why would you be involved with one of the most riskiest type of investment venture?"
I don't know you are rich. But if you are, I am happy for you. I admire successful people, especially those from backgrounds that put major hurdles in the way, like the Madhesi of Nepal. I don't begrudge anyone's success. What I do have issues is with the elitism, this attitude that we intend to speak on behalf of the Madhesi masses, but think they are too beneath us to be part of our conversations.
True, my tech startup is a high risk venture, and the potential rewards are correspondingly huge, but what really drives me there is the vision statement: to con
"Lastly, with respect to our time commitment, we have our family, then our job/business, and then only ANTA/Madhesh Think Tank/ ND/NRNA/NAC,etc. We, the ANTA Executives, very well know how to prioritize our time, and we feel extremely proud and content about what we have achieved with ANTA and other similar social organizations. Nevertheless, I do agree that a lot more can be done, and we'll continue to do our best."
You are talking to the guy who launched ANTA in New York where ANTA has its largest presence, although the credit for expansion goes to ther people. I was part of the conversations that launched the Madhesi organizations in India, and Britain. You happened not to be. But it is a good thing you have interacted with them later.
If it is okay to criticize the Madhesi political parties, it is okay to criticize the Madhesi diaspora organizations. Why are you getting so defensive? Unless you criticize, how will you take them to the next level?
The summary phrase for this whole discussion is mental slavery. People have the option to disagree with me, people have the option to not even read my thoughts, and people have the option to outvote me, and people have exercised all those options at one time or another, but people still get agitated. It is because I am challenging people's mental slavery thought patterns and that makes them uncomfortable.
The major Madhesi parties give us hope like the Madhesi members of the three big Pahadi parties don't. But we have to engage those Madhesis also. Our immediate goal is Ek Terai, Ek Rajya. For that we have to seek a coalition not only of the Madhesi parties, but also the Madhesi MPs of the three Pahadi parties.
(2) Second Goal: National Leadership
After Ek Terai is achieved, and Nepal gets a new constitution, the Madhesi Movement's next goal is going to be to get a popularly elected Madhesi president/prime minister for Nepal. For that goal to be met we are going to have to work to unify all Madhesi parties. We might start with that goal and still not manage to rope in all of them. But even if we manage to rope in most and not all of them, the goal could be achieved.
In a democracy, it is not age or wealth that decides who the leader is. Right now as the leader of the largest Madhesi party, Upendra Yadav has a just claim to the leadership position. It is not Mahantha Thakur, much as I respect the guy. He is a "parosiya" from Sarlahi.
But after unification if at a party convention someone like Hridayesh Tripathy, Rajendra Mahato, Jay Prakash Gupta, Bijay Gachhedar, or some fifth person gets elected party president, that new person gets to lead. It is for the democratic process to decide who the leader is going to be.
(3) Immediate Goal: A New Madhesi Identity
Manjil Ek Aur Rahi Do, Phir Pyar Kaise Na Ho? The Madhesi want Ek Madhesh, Ek Pradhesh, the Tharus want Ek Tharuhat, Ek Pradesh. We go for Ek Terai, Ek Rajya. We have to seek middle ground. We have to work for equality for the Dalits, the Muslims, and upward socio-economic mobility for them and the Tharus and the other Janajatis. Just like the Nepali identity so far has not been inclusive, the Madhesi identity so far has not been inclusive. The Madhesi women so far have not been treated equal. That has to change over time. We have to reinvent the Madhesi identity so that the Dalit, Muslim, Women and Tharus feel at home in that identity, because it is the Tharus that will make a Madhesi-Janajati coalition possible. Laloo created the Muslim-Yadav coalition, we have to create a Madhesi-Janajati coalition.
(4) Madhesi Diaspora Organizations
There is not enough democracy and transparency in the Madhesi diaspora organizations. They are almost allergic to the idea of going mass- based. They suffer from elitism. They have an exaggerated sense of how much they matter to the Madhesi movers and shakers in Nepal. They suffer more from homesickness than from a strong urge to serve the masses back home. They don't talk to each other enough. At some level they are fundamentally disrespectful of the leading Madhesis in Nepal who are working under tough conditions. At least they are there in the trenches. We are not.
Purushottam Shah: "I have seen you advocating for unification of three Madhesi parties very strongly in several of your write-ups and discussion forums. You have also presented a proposal that looks fair and democratic enough for all the sides involved who have stakes. Madhesis, as a whole too want this. So, as it must be apparent, what is stopping them from uniting? Are the egos and sense of pride over being the party chairman of a party of Nepal stopping them from doing so? In their mind, are they thinking that being the party chairman of a 3 MP party is better than being the secretary-general or party spokesperson of the party that would command nearly the second largest numbers of MPs or aggregate votes? ............ Who should push in this regard? I see that you (Paramendra) do know the party-heads personally, what was their explanation for not moving forward for a unification?"
Right now I am busy with my own stuff, but over time I hope to start working the phones to make this happen, or at least give it a good try. I might be the best person to work on this. One, I am neutral. Two, I have no career interests the way I might have had if I were in Nepal and politically affiliated and active. I might be that one person who personally knows the top leaders in all the Madhesi parties, and I garner political respect and admiration across the board. Maybe I will get listened to. I don't think we are running late on this one. But I do need to pitch in.
The idea is right. The formula is fair. But the work will have to happen over the phone, and it will take a little time.
Otherwise I am in good standing across the board. For a few years between high school and college I was politicking in Nepal. I was Vice General Secretary to the Nepal Samajwadi Janata Dal that had two MPs. Hridayesh Tripathy was General Secretary. Sarita Giri was yet another Vice General Secretary. Rajendra Mahto was Central Committee member, and he made a point to publicly state that fact at a Madhesi event in Jackson Heights when he was in NYC as a Cabinet member. I am friends with Hridayeshji's wife, I know Rajendraji's wife. I know some of their children. I mean, it is not all political. We have a friendship that goes back a decade and a half. I know other leaders in those two parties, people like Anil Jha.
When Upendra Yadav landed in Los Angeles in July 2007 for the annual conference of Nepalis in America, his first words were "Where is Paramendra Bhagat?" They took him to the hotel. He again asked, "Where is Paramendra Bhagat?" They had to fly him over to NYC to meet me.
The first time I called up Jay Prakash Gupta, he said, "Ye to mera ahobhagya hai ki aap ne mujhe phone kiya." I had never met him before, never called him before, never corresponded.
I personally don't know anyone from the Dalit Janajati Party, or the Nepali Janata Dal, but that can change fast after I start working the phones, which might be in a few weeks, or a few months, depending on how much space I can make and how soon.
I would probably tap on a network of volunteers to work the phones. We diaspora Madhesis are in a unique position to help bring together the various Madhesi parties.
Along those lines, I have two other related stories.
I was at a Nepali event in Jackson Heights in Queens. Some MPs from Nepal were on stage. I was sitting in the front row. Hundreds were in attendance. In the middle of the program one MP got off stage to come sit one seat from me to get his picture taken with me. Then he got embarrassed and said he was trying to get the crowd into the background of the picture.
In February 2006 Madhav Nepal, then leader of the largest political party in the country, was put under house arrest by the royal regime. A month later he managed to come online wireless. His brother lived in the house next to his. The first person he contacted was me. We chatted on Google Talk. Madhav Nepal is a Pahadi.
All the top politicians in Nepal know me or of me, and that is a good standing to have if you are going to work to unify the various Madhesi parties.
I know politics and group dynamics the way Binod Shah knows medicine, the way Ratan Jha knows engineering.
When Bill Gates was 19, he launched a company. When I was 19, I launched a political party.
I am a digital democrat. That is my newest political incarnation.
Apr 8, 1:28 pm From: paramendra Date: Wed, 8 Apr 2009 10:28:11 -0700 (PDT) Local: Wed, Apr 8 2009 1:28 pm Subject: Re: Re- mdheshi: all round development to Paramendra
Kritji.
Mahanta ki baat nahin hai. I could not operate on somebody, I am not a surgeon. But if a surgeon were to circulate his resume, would he be flaunting, and being immodest?
Madhesi diaspora organizations are subject to criticism just like Madhesi political parties. We should have open, healthy discussions so as to make them better.
"....who writes your material..."
This is a strange question. I write my stuff myself. Who do you think writes my material?
"Ek Pardesh ek Terai is absolutely bad for the general public of Terai"
Ok so we disagree on this. I have said why I am for Ek Terai, Ek Rajya, but you have not said why you are against Ek Terai, Ek Rajya. Would you like to share your reasons?
"Madheshi leaders are as bad as Pahadiya leaders"
Political leaders are public figures subject to criticism. Sure. But it shows your political naivete to lump all politicians together. That is kind of like saying all western women are "loose!" Which is a sexist thing to say, and exhibits ignorance.
"Doesn't racism and discrimination exist in the Terai"
If you have been reading my recent posts, you will realize I have time and again empathized with the Dalits, the Muslims, the women, the Tharus of the Terai. But because all that inequality exists, and so there is no point in fighting for equality for Madhesis on the national scene, that line of thought is exactly what the Khas rulers want you to have. You are making them happy.
"Please do Think about what are you saying and consider what will be the impacts of the action on general public"
I do that ALL the time.
" 4 weeks ago I was in Nepal and have seen the condition of the Terai Basi"
It would be more helpful if you were to be more descriptive in terms of what you saw on the ground. Would you like to share some of the revealing conversations you had with people?
Feb 26, 2:32 pm From: paramendra Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2009 10:32:10 -0800 (PST) Local: Thurs, Feb 26 2009 2:32 pm Subject: Re: Govt lists 92 caste groups as Madhesi
(1) Now the Bahuns don't get to claim they are also Madhesi. If they live in Terai, they are Teraiwasi. They don't become white when they live in America either.
(2) Tharu are Madhesi. Just like Madhesi Dalit is both Dalit and Madhesi. The Tharu are very much Madhesi.
Law And Order In The Terai
Feb 28, 12:28 am From: paramendra Date: Fri, 27 Feb 2009 20:28:21 -0800 (PST) Local: Sat, Feb 28 2009 12:28 am Subject: Law And Order In The Terai
The Pahadi power structure is systematically punishing the Madhesi population in the Terai by intentionally going slack on law and order in the Terai. The punishment is for giving a big victory to the Madhesi parties on April 10, 2008. The Pahadi police that openly sided with the Pahadi rioters in Nepalgunj in December 2006 are now doing something similar by acting absent while on duty. They used to practice active suppression during the Panchayat. Now they are punishing the Madhesi population by going passive in the line of duty and, worse, actively colluding with criminal elements to make life hell for the Madhesi population. This attitude is a recipe for a disintegration of the country. Remember Bangladesh?
Feb 26, 5:17 pm From: Paramendra Bhagat Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2009 16:17:28 -0500 Local: Thurs, Feb 26 2009 5:17 pm Subject: ग्रीन कार्ड भनेको भिसा जस्तो हो
उपेन्द्र यादव विदेश मन्त्री भएको बेलामा मधेसी पार्टीहरूले एक भएर अमेरिकाकालागि नेपाली राजदुत भनेर सुकदेव साहको नाम सिफारिस गरे। सुकदेव साहको नाम पहाडीहरूलाई बाँदरको हातमा नरिवल भएको छ। मान्छेलाई disqualified भन्न भएन। सुकदेव साहभन्दा qualified मान्छे नेपालमा छँदै छैन। अनि कोहीलाई के सुर्ता ज्वाईलाई खानैको सुर्ता भने जस्तो सुकदेव साहसँग त ग्रीन कार्ड छ भनेर they have started running up and down the street, बाहुनले च्याउ खाअोस् न स्वाद पाअोस् भने जस्तो।
Feb 24, 5:54 pm From: paramendra Date: Tue, 24 Feb 2009 13:54:39 -0800 (PST) Local: Tues, Feb 24 2009 5:54 pm Subject: Re: An Opaque Madhesh Think Tank
Bijay Raut: "we can do a democratic voting off the Think Tank group, and make a decision based on it. "
That would be the best way.
Feb 25, 10:18 am From: paramendra Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2009 06:18:35 -0800 (PST) Local: Wed, Feb 25 2009 10:18 am Subject: Re: An Opaque Madhesh Think Tank
I think Balkrishna has brought forth an important point.
Preserving the sense of community in this forum should perhaps be the number one priority.
As a strong proponent of making the archives public, I want to go on record to say I see the light in the opposing viewpoint.
But this new development also has helped me appreciate the value of an open discussion where people respectfully air their opinions and learn from each other.
Since we Madhesis are such a small portion of the Nepali diaspora, making the archives public might dissuade many from airing their views openly. Most abstain as is.
Perhaps we should preserve the original character of this forum and keep it private, those wishing to more publicly air their views might want to join this crowd here: http://ndforum.blogspot.com Those wishing to do both, it is as easy as copy and paste.
Make The Madhesi Think Tank Archives Public
Feb 19, 3:56 pm From: Paramendra Bhagat Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2009 14:56:46 -0500 Local: Thurs, Feb 19 2009 3:56 pm Subject: Make The Madhesi Think Tank Archives Public
Access http://groups.google.com/group/madhesh-think-tank/about Only members can view group content Only members can view group members list People can request an invitation to join Members can create and edit pages Members can upload files Only members can post
I can see why only select members may join this think tank, otherwise things would go out of hand, and the quality of the conversation would go downhill. But it makes no sense to not allow anyone and everyone to view the archives. There are many people who might not qualify to join this think tank, but who should have every right to follow the discussions here. Our current arrangement is undemocratic and opaque. It is too cliquish. "Only members can view group content." I request the group administrator Bijay Raut to please make the archives public. Thanks.
Feb 20, 12:04 am From: paramendra Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2009 20:04:37 -0800 (PST) Local: Fri, Feb 20 2009 12:04 am Subject: Re: Make The Madhesi Think Tank Archives Public
I am not opposed to being liberal about who to let join the group and who not to. I think anyone so far has had the option to come to the MTT site and make a request with the administrator saying they wish to join. They can write a paragraph introducing themselves and making a case as to why they need to be allowed in. That arrangement has always been in place.
But not everyone wants to write and discuss. Most people seem to prefer to just read. Or there would be a ton of comments at my blog.
Feb 22, 5:47 pm From: paramendra Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2009 13:47:24 -0800 (PST) Local: Sun, Feb 22 2009 5:47 pm Subject: Re: Make The Madhesi Think Tank Archives Public
Dr. Binod has brought forth a valid point. He disagrees with my suggestion that the archives of this google group must be public. I think this small issue gives us an opportunity to hold a civil, open, transparent debate on the question. People should fully express their opinions.
I am glad we finally have a Global Madhesi Organization in Ram Shah's leadership. But it is for the 67 members of this group to discuss and decide, if necessary by vote, as to whether or not we should make the archives public.
Here is my rationale.
(1) This is not a private club, this is not a family group. This is the online watering hole for the leading Madhesis from all over the world. By definition this group and its discussions belong to the 12 million Madhesis on the planet. These message threads are not private emails. We can not take this group to the 12 million, but we should take it to as many as possible, especially when it is so easy to do, and free.
(2) I am opposed to Madhesis talking Madhesi rights with Madhesis but expressing internalized prejudice and mental slavery and subservience when among Pahadis. What are you afraid of?
(3) Making the archives public will get us more Madhesi readers, and we will also get more requests from Madhesis who wish to join the group and contribute to the discussions. We do want the widest possible readership.
(4) I also want interested Pahadis to read these discussions. Let them get informed of our raw feelings and opinions. Let's enlighten them as to our issues.
(5) Just like there are very few Madhesis in the Nepal Army, in the Nepal Police, in the state bureaucracy in Nepal, there are very few Madhesis in the Nepali diaspora, and for the same reasons. This particular google group so far has emerged as the best gathering place for those few. A wider readership will enhance the quality of discussions here.
(6) Too much is at stake as work gets done on the constitution. We stand next to a loud, vocal, prejudiced Pahadi majority in the diaspora. We have to fight back with words and ideas. This google group could play a key role in securing the One Terai, One Pradesh.
(7) Let's go mass based.
ICG: Nepal's Faltering Peace Process
Feb 23, 6:35 pm From: Paramendra Bhagat Date: Mon, 23 Feb 2009 17:35:32 -0500 Local: Mon, Feb 23 2009 6:35 pm Subject: ICG: Nepal's Faltering Peace Process
Feb 22, 5:28 pm From: Paramendra Bhagat Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2009 16:28:43 -0500 Local: Sun, Feb 22 2009 5:28 pm Subject: Kya Huwa
Access: Only members can view group content
I just found out that this tank has gone opaque again. Why?
If there are members of this think tank that are opposed to keeping the content of the discussions here public, they should participate in a discussion on the topic and convince the rest of us as to their rationale. This super elitism if offensive. 50 leading Madhesis in the world get together online but wish to discuss things in a way that denies access to other Madhesis who might manage to come online. That is beyond weird.
The decision making process is flawed. Lobbying through private phone calls! People should have open discussions.
Feb 22, 5:23 pm From: Paramendra Bhagat Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2009 16:23:17 -0500 Local: Sun, Feb 22 2009 5:23 pm Subject: Tank, Tara, Constitution, NAC, NRN
(1)
Because this think tank's archives are now in public, I have linked to it from my Nepal blog. See top right: http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com Now this think tank performs the same function for my Nepal blog that Twitter does for my Tech N Biz blog: http://technbiz.blogspot.com
(2)
Amit Shah: ".....included the word Women, Adibashi/Janjati but intentionally excluded the word *MADHESHI* ignoring the fact of madheshi movement and condition in Nepal as well as in abroad."
This is an important observation. If there had been no anti-Madhesi prejudice in Nepal there would have been 10,000 Madhesis in New York today. The first 10,000 Pahadis I am going to meet in NYC, I am going to think they took seats that belonged to Madhesis. Since the Nepali diaspora is mostly a Pahadi diaspora, we can expect a major sentiment against the sound One Terai, One Pradesh idea. We have to counter that. This think tank could play a key role.
(3)
Tara. I learned a few weeks back that he is now NAC president. Congrats. This looks good on NYC Nepalis. One third of the Nepalis in the US are in NYC. Good to see the leadership has finally shifted to the city. Now I learn he is also chair of the NRNA-NCC America. I am learning for the first time that such a coordination council has finally materialized in the US as well. That is great news. It is possible at some time some Nepali in the US will lead the global NRN movement, but for that to happen it had been important for the Nepalis in America to get integrated with the global NRN first. For the longest time, the NRN organization faced resistance in America because a Madhesi was at the top.
I have tussled with Tara at times in the past on three issues - (a) the need for an umbrella organization for the 30 plus Nepali organizations in New York Metro, or alternately getting them all to become members of NAC itself, (b) democracy, (c) transparency - that some have tried to portray as some kind of a personality clash, because there is more drama in that suggestion. http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2007/08/democracy-transparency-and-nepali.html
I still would like to emphasize the importance of democracy and transparency for the Nepalis to earn their due political rights in NYC and at the national level. This is about immigrant rights. Too much of the Nepali diaspora bonding is tied to the happenings in Nepal and too little to the rights of the Nepalis in their host countries.
What I am getting at is Nepalis should have the right to vote in New York city elections based on residency, because you pay utility bills. The Irish had that in Boston 150 years ago. You don't have to be a citizen, you don't have to have a green card.
In terms of basic rights in host countries, it is much worse for the Nepalis in the gulf states, in Malaysia, other places.
When you emphasize democracy and transparency, you also make it possible for the diaspora organizations to go mass based. Right now there is too much living room talk, cliquish, self-defeating.
(4)
A few weeks back Jay Mandal forwarded me this email about the constitution. I told him I had a direct channel with Madhav Nepal on the constitution work. That is the beauty of having a global digital democracy organization: http://hamnep.googlepages.com and having been the only full timer in the diaspora behind the three revolutions in Nepal: April 2006, January-February 2007, February 2008. http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com
Feb 13, 2:29 pm From: Paramendra Bhagat Date: Fri, 13 Feb 2009 13:29:27 -0500 Local: Fri, Feb 13 2009 2:29 pm Subject: Sukhdev Shah
This daily digest from the Madhesi Think Tank today has been my favorite to date for all the congratulatory messages to Dr. Sukhdev Shah. It is a big deal, a huge deal that the Nepali ambassadors to the US and UK are both Madhesi for the first time ever. This is a tectonic shift.
When I was a little kid, we used to hear of Dr. Shah as someone who was at the World Bank/IMF in the US. Then he showed up on stage with Krishna Prasad Bhattarai in Janakpur at a Barah Bigha mass meeting after the 1990 mass movement as someone who had helped pay for some of BP's medical expenses. I was there at the mass meeting. He spoke mixed Maithili-Hindi-English-Nepali. A few years later I attended his talk program at TU in Kirtipur. I was in the back, I did not get to talk to him one on one. He at the time said it was worse for the Madhesis in Nepal than the blacks in America. A few years later we got to know each other through online interactions. The first time he emailed me the way I felt was similar to this: http://technbiz.blogspot.com/2009/01/mitch-kapor-now-following-me-on-twitter.html I was elated.
Dr. Shah became qualified when it was near impossible for Madhesis to get qualified. And if it had not been for the anti-Madhesi prejudice he would have been ambassador to the US a long time ago. Better late than never. But we have not arrived yet. There is much work that still remains.
This is a symbolic achievement. But this helps us go for the big achievements for the masses. This is a step in the right direction. We have to celebrate this. I look forward to a felicitation program in his honor here in New York City.
Feb 19, 3:52 pm From: Paramendra Bhagat Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2009 14:52:36 -0500 Local: Thurs, Feb 19 2009 3:52 pm Subject: Hindi, Nepali, East West Railway, Sukhdev Shah
(2) It is unrealistic to expect the East West railway line to connect all the populous Terai towns. Further south you go from the Chure, worse is the flood problem during the monsoon. Also, this is not a railway line just for the Madhesi, but for all of Nepal, actually especially for the hill districts. So the railways line should be as close to the Chure as possible, just like the highway. Actually it might not be a bad idea to have common bridges for both the highway and the railway.
Provided the right (non-corrupt, transparent, speedy, bold, capable) political leadership, this railway line could materialize fast through BOOT. Build, Own, Operate, Transfer. You go for FDI. There is plenty of money in the global marketplace. The same applies to the mega hydel projects.
(3) I liked Sukhdev Shah saying he wishes to be an ambassador of all Nepalis. That is the next goal for the Madhesi Movement: national leadership.
Madhesi Gathering In Long Island
Feb 21, 5:12 pm From: Paramendra Bhagat Date: Sat, 21 Feb 2009 16:12:38 -0500 Local: Sat, Feb 21 2009 5:12 pm Subject: Madhesi Gathering In Long Island
Feb 18, 10:02 pm From: Paramendra Bhagat Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2009 21:02:02 -0500 Local: Wed, Feb 18 2009 10:02 pm Subject: Hindi And UML
I wish Subhashii had provided the web address for this piece of news. But from the little information I have, I would like to express my reaction to the event.
What was the event? Was this at the UML convention? Were Mahato, Yadav and Tripathy invited guests? If this was at the UML convention, and if the vast majority of those in the audience were people whose primary language is Nepali, and we all know Mahato speaks fluent Nepali, it might have been a good idea for Mahato to have addressed the crowd in Nepali on his own.
On the other hand, more than 15 years ago Mirja Dil Sad Beg, then a RPP MP, addressed a mass meeting in Sidhupalchok in Hindi.
The three Madhesi leaders speaking in Nepali does not take away from the fact that Hindi is the natural link language in the Terai.
Another way to look at this is that there is a certain Pahadi hostility to the Hindi language. That hostility needs to subside. ___________________________________________________________________________ Butwal...... followed by disgruntled crowd against Mahato for addressing in Hindi, Upendra Yadav and Hridyesh Tripathi spoke in Nepali. ...... the mass meeting and walked out. There is a need for UMDF to be reactivated. .
Does anyone of us hold any data to prove scientifically which language is the most feasible one to join the people of Madhesh speaking maithili, bhojpuri, awadhi, tharu etc. However, it is now time to integrate English in Madhesh.
Subhash Shah London
Mahato act angers crowd
Feb 16 - The mass jeered when General Secretary of the Nepal Sadhbhavana Party Rajendra Mahato started waxing eloquent in Hindi instead of Nepali. Despite the protest, Mahato went on, saying, "I don't think it's difficult to understand Hindi. Why are you objecting to the use of Hindi when you are living in Madhesh?" "In new Nepal, all groups should have representation," he went on, "New Nepal should accept people, who speak different languages." A member of the convention management committee, Ramnath Dhakal, tried to pacify the crowd, in vain. It was then that Mahato gave in to the crowd's demand. "This kind of mentality will not help build new Nepal," Mahato concluded in Nepali.
Feb 11, 3:02 pm From: Paramendra Bhagat Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2009 14:02:25 -0500 Local: Wed, Feb 11 2009 3:02 pm Subject: As Per The Constitution
I think this Google Group is a pretty good place to start work on the new constitution. I think Nepal should shoot for the shortest, most progressive constitution in the world. The details come in the form of laws and bills later on. This is what I have proposed since a long time ago. What do you all think?
PS. When you send emails to this think tank, please tidy it up. Only send your writing, not the emails of everyone else in that threat conversation, because those are already posted before you replied.
Web 5.0 Is Da Bomb
Feb 8, 8:23 am From: Paramendra Bhagat Date: Sun, 8 Feb 2009 07:23:50 -0500 Local: Sun, Feb 8 2009 8:23 am Subject: Web 5.0 Is Da Bomb
Mar 11, 1:07 am From: paramendra Date: Tue, 10 Mar 2009 22:07:02 -0700 (PDT) Local: Wed, Mar 11 2009 1:07 am Subject: Re: Let us support Tharu Movement
I wholeheartedly support the ongoing Tharu movement, I have from the very beginning. I go one step further to say I look forward to the Dalits, Muslims and women of the Terai similary rising up, similarly waking up to claim their due share at the table.
Neither the Pahadi parties - Maoist, UML, NC - nor the Madhesi parties have done right by the Tharus, the Dalits, the Muslims and the women.
Mar 11, 1:05 am From: paramendra Date: Tue, 10 Mar 2009 22:05:43 -0700 (PDT) Local: Wed, Mar 11 2009 1:05 am Subject: Re: Terai's first satellite TV channel launched
This is great.
Happy Holi
Mar 11, 12:24 am From: Paramendra Bhagat Date: Wed, 11 Mar 2009 00:24:47 -0400 Local: Wed, Mar 11 2009 12:24 am Subject: Happy Holi
TweetDeck, Power Twitter, Twitter Globe, Better Than Facebook
Mar 3, 1:24 am From: paramendra Date: Mon, 2 Mar 2009 21:24:10 -0800 (PST) Local: Tues, Mar 3 2009 1:24 am Subject: TweetDeck, Power Twitter, Twitter Globe, Better Than Facebook
Feb 28, 12:46 am From: paramendra Date: Fri, 27 Feb 2009 20:46:09 -0800 (PST) Local: Sat, Feb 28 2009 12:46 am Subject: Our Contribution To A New Constitution
I think this vibrant thread shows members of this think tank have an important role to play in the making of a new constitution for Nepal.
I am going to study this constitution draft uploaded to this thread by Bal Krishna Jha:
Those who have followed my blog (http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com) for the past few years know I have taken my proposed constitution for Nepal through many drafts.
Some questions I ask are;
(1) Why are people hellbent on drafting a really long and wordy constitution? Why should we not shoot to write the shortest constitution in the world? A lot of issues that should go into laws and bylaws to be passed by a parliament people are trying to put into the constitution.
(2) I think the map for federalism is less important than the formula for power distribution between the center and the states. What if they do agree to One Terai, One State, and create three or five states in the hills and then say in the upper house each state will have 20 representatives? Then? That would bring forth a permanent colonization of the Terai.
(3) Should we or should we not retain the current 75 districts? That is a key question.
(4) Should we go for ethnic federalism or geographic federalism?
(5) Should we not adopt multi-member constituencies for elections to the lower house? That is the most popular form of elections in the world.
My personal thing to say is these below are the two most important goals for the next constitution.
(1) Turn Nepal into a multi-party democracy of state-funded parties. That one provision will turn Nepal into the number one democracy on the planet. (2) Make sure at least one third of the legislature is female by law.
Mar 1, 1:12 pm From: paramendra Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2009 09:12:57 -0800 (PST) Local: Sun, Mar 1 2009 1:12 pm Subject: Re: Dalits are not Madhesi
The Dalits, Muslism and Tharus in the Terai don't feel Madhesi the same way we Madhesis don't feel Nepali. We are going to have to face the fact that the Dalits, Muslims, Tharus and women in the Terai have been marginalized. That acknowledgement is fundamental to getting them to join us in the larger struggle against Pahadi suppression that is wholesale. The Pahadis don't discriminate between Madhesi Dalits, Madhesi women, Madhesi Muslims, Madhesi Tharus, Madhesi Yadavs, Madhesi Babhans. They suppress all indiscriminately. And in the case of the Tharus in western Terai, their suppression is totally at the hands of the Pahadis.
Reply to Bijay Risal
Mar 1, 1:26 pm From: paramendra Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2009 09:26:39 -0800 (PST) Local: Sun, Mar 1 2009 1:26 pm Subject: Reply to Bijay Risal
Bijayji. You make it sound like the only way Nepal will stay intact is if the DaMaJaMa shut up. That if they complain of injustice, the country will break up. That those who complain of racism are the ones who are racist. I am alarmed that an educated person like you can not do better by the task of creating a new Nepal. A more just Nepal will be a more united Nepal, a federal Nepal will be a stronger Nepal, but if that is not true, if a more just Nepal will not be a more united Nepal, that Nepal deserves to break up into pieces.
Strategy that Madhesi should understand quickly
Mar 1, 1:02 pm From: paramendra Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2009 09:02:59 -0800 (PST) Local: Sun, Mar 1 2009 1:02 pm Subject: Re: Strategy that Madhesi should understand quickly Reply | Reply to author | Forward | Print | Individual message | Show original | Remove | Report this message | Find messages by this author Reply to Lalit Jha: Internalized Racism Among Nepalis In NYC demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2006/05/internalized-racism-among-nepalis- in.html Madhesi Self Hate demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2006/08/madhesi-self-hate.html MaMaMaMa demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2006/06/mamamama.html मधेशीसँग संख्या छ ... demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2006/05/blog-post.html Bahun, Chhetri, Sunni demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2006/06/bahun-chhetri-sunni.html
Lalitji. You have brought forth a very important topic. We have to discuss this frankly. I especially draw your attention to this:
Madhesi Self Hate demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/2006/08/madhesi-self-hate.html
We spend too much too much time talking about Pahadi bad behavior, and too little time talking about Madhesi bad behavior, and I mean not only the infighting among the Madhesi masses back in Nepal, but also sometimes strange behavior by the by definition elite Madhesis in America and elsewhere.
Curiously it has been my observation that the Pahadis in NYC are like the Madhesis in Nepal: powerless. And are similarly guilty of much internalized racism.
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