Nepal in foreign press:
An editorial in Bennington Banner of Vermont (United States) titled “Do Americans have what it takes?”
Thursday, September 21: Last weekend, a tape was leaked to the Hungarian press in which Hungary’s Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany admitted that he had lied repeatedly to the public. The tape, coming after months of civilian dissatisfaction with the way the government has handled the economic health of the country, served as the catalyst for massive protests by thousands of civilians in the capital. After the third day, they show no sign of letting up.
These protests are a potent demonstration of what is quite possibly the most powerful tool for changing a nation: its people. When the citizens of a country speak together in one voice of dissent, the results can be astounding.
Take Nepal — just last April, hundreds of thousands of its citizens gathered in the streets of Kathmandu. They were protesting the absolute rule of the King Gyanendra, which he had seized in a monarchical coup the year before on the pretext of suppressing insurgents. After only three weeks of protests, he reluctantly ceded power back to Parliament.
Looking at where Nepal is today, working at the freshly drawn democracy which it demanded and then rightfully received, makes one feel a touch envious. Envious, perhaps, toward the passion that the Nepali people must feel to so strongly demand what they deserve for their country. Envious, even, at the struggles which they were willing to go through, and the struggles which the Hungarian people are going through now.
It’s hard to remember the last time American citizens demanded something in a unified voice and then made a valiant effort to achieve it. Vietnam, perhaps. The transgressions of our current administration may not be as egregious as those of King Gyanendra’s, but they are frighteningly on par with Gyurcsany’s.
After all, have not each of President Bush’s reasons for going to war with Iraq been steadily discounted over past three years? Saddam Hussein never had weapons of mass destruction, nor was he linked to al-Qaeda. The only remaining foundation upon which the tatters of the Iraq War justification still stand is that Saddam had the will to use WMD on the United States — as if a single malicious thought of his could conjure an atomic bomb out of mid-air and launch it mightily toward Washington.
It is regretful that Bush’s deceptions, unlike those of Gyurcsany’s, have been steadily filtered through a mesh of confusing rhetoric over several years rather than exploding point-blank before the stunned public in the form of irrefutable evidence.
Herein lies the most heinous of the administration’s tactics: the use of fear-inducing rhetoric as a weapon. At every turn, our president has warned us against the terrorists, that mysterious shadow, that frightening enemy, who wants nothing more than to destroy us and our way of life.
If an issue does not appear to directly affect Americans, why should we care? There’s no draft, no drawn-out battles on our soil, no shocking imagery to shield our eyes from, and no apparent change in our comfortable lifestyles other than the occasional jump in gas prices. Combined with our willingness to swallow any speechwriter’s bombastic spiel, it’s a recipe for disaster.
The prospect that the American population will take anything its leadership throws at it is a frightening one. If we are silent about illegal phone taps and unconstitutional detainment, then what next?
The Bush administration is now trying to push a bill that defines an “unlawful enemy combatant” so generally that the U.S. would be able to scoop up virtually anyone and subject them to a military tribunal. There are parts of the bill that essentially rewrite the Geneva conventions, and it has seen an embarrassing amount of resistance from legal military experts and even some Republican members of Congress. If that passes without a whisper from our comfortable citizens, then what push for America’s increasingly forceful policies will come in the next two years?
Perhaps this time we can take a leaf from Nepal’s book by holding them fully accountable. In the meanwhile, we can applaud Hungary for having the guts to do what we seem to be incapable of doing.
United We Blog 
Comments
99 responses to “Learning From Nepal: Do Americans Have What It Takes?”
Let’s not compare apples with oranges.
tt,
Or in the above example $h1t with silver.
Which is apple and which is orange? Can’t Americans or anyone for that matter learn from Nepal? I am just wondering.
What is this article trying to say? That bush has been proven wrong with iraq and afghanistan? Well, morality is not an issue in politics. I bet, he is still getting what he wanted from these wars.
What can the americans learn from Nepal? I think i am too slow to understand this.
ya it doesn’t matter whether it’s apple,orange or even mango. i agree with u salu. why these politicians who comes in power with citizen’s vote and once they r in power they turned into autocrat, a**hole like Girija, Bush and so on ? i don’t understand why these leaders undermine people’s power. i think their aspiration is to destroy the nation not to lead ahead. it’s today’s necessity to kick their a** and Nepali people showed the same courage on April movement and it seems we need another one too.
Is our war with the Maoists wrong? Did we have a choice? It was the same with America and terrorism.
hi B, may be bush is getting what he wants but he left Iraq and Afganistan in chaos and 100s of people dying everyday. it’s not good and he even try to destroy Lebonan. i don’t think these people have right to lead the nation!!
who is terrorist? and what is Bush?
Psycho,
I absolutely agree with you. My point, however, is that, it does not matter who is right and wrong. The iraqi, afghani or nepali lives have no value. If you listen to the western news, they are upset about more than 3000 us dead soldiers but they would not even show remorse for hundreds of thousands killed by the US, Uk and so on. The terrorists are non government organization specializing in killing innocent people. Whereas bush is part of the government. I would not be surprised if bushing is using Mr. binladen to pursue his own goals. The politics all around the world is changing. The leaders need large amount of money to run for elections and big business houses provide the money but once the politicians get in power, the business houses demand their favors to be returned. Morals and ethics are only found in books now a days.
I think Mr. Bush can learn something from Nepal or from Mr. Gyanendra. Why can’t he impose emergency, censor New York Times and arrest Democratic leaders in the name of fighting terrorism. Please Bush do so and make Gyanendra’s name famous in America. Why only Castro, Chavez and Sung are talked about in US. Let Americans talk about Gyanendra as well.
Well, Ganesh jee,
I think Bush will not go to that extent, a lot of democratic rights of the americans are being curtailed. Like the tapping of phones. Arrests without warrants and so on. Do a little research and you will find out that american democracy is not as much as it is hyped out to be.
Ganeshji- King a dictator? you are out of your mind. Who the kucf (backwards) is Bam Dev Gautam, Prachande’, Girija and goons who have ruined this nation by profiteering from brazen loot(smuggling,commissions,a ppointments etc., to name a few) and have brought half of New Jersey, Gas stations and penthouse in NY. You talk about things with wrongended prospective. get a life and drink deep from the cup of reality check.
As for learning- I think we have learned too much without understanding the fundamentals, the reason we are in this state right now.
Pontiff are you anonymous at blogdai’s site? Somehow, i think you visit blodai’s quite frequently. What say you?
Salu,
Learn what from Nepal? Please enlighten us?
I think the American’s can learn from Nepal how to completely destroy a nation. Except we are good at destroying our own self, so I don’t know how that would help the yanks!
Good question scoop. I was wondering the same thing.
Then again,
No use asking which is apple and which is orange. Like I said there is no point even comparing apples and oranges let alone defining which is which. For instance, at the moment the maoists will be thinking “the grass is green” while the SPA will be thinking “the grass has gone brown”, and the King may be thinking “who $hat on my grass”, and the people are thinking “we don’t have even grass to eat these days” – so apples and oranges depends on who you are.
I’m afraid no matter how much people go on about a New Nepal and democracy blah blah, if you are honest you will know by now that we are a country divided and in trouble. Instead of reconciliation among all parties we have further mistrust and the people are no where in the picture. Things will not get better for Nepalis, maybe neighbours will benefit but for us divided we stand. The sooner we realise it the less madness there will be later. We are well past healing, politics has ruined us, hopefully we can still maintain some semblence of social harmony.
Why we are comparing Nepal with USA? They are very clever and rich, and people are happy that they have security of health, education and good livings? Look at us more than 50% are living in half stomach with teared clothes and listening the leaders’ speech with the expectation of full stomach since long time back? Aren’t we fooled to compare with USA and talk about USA?
It amuses me no end that people here still have the gal to write about Hungary and Thailand and try and put it in the same breath as our collapse. Either they are moronic bafoons or they are clawing desperately to relate our hell with that of nations that are economically far far more superior, judicially in another galaxy and politically far more stable then even our neighbour India. Unfortunately, we should be looking at examples in the line with the Khmer Rouge era, Sudan, Rawanda etc. (not even Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan who are also way ahead of us), and have at least the common sense and intellectual decency to not try and compare our mess with that of nations like Thailand and Hungary. People who write, should learn to write with at least an ounce of reality and put our practicality in to the correct context. Next we may hear people here saying how our Prime Minister is far superior to that of Hungary’s who is a liar and admits it, while our’s has never been caught in any such lies or corrupt practices.
Considering that the above editorial comes from Vermont does not surprise me and infact reassures me that at least such moronic and almost comic editorials do not evolve from within our own country. Thank god for small mercies.
“Perhaps this time we can take a leaf from Nepal’s book by holding them fully accountable.”
Pleae editorial writer from Vermont, take the whole book why only the leaf – you can have it all in exchange for what you have over there.
the editorial pasted above is not for those think one can learn only from “economically, militarily” stronger ones.
tt,
Thanks for pointing out that this piece originates from Vermont. That explains a lot to me. Moo Moo buckaroo!
a,b
economically and militarily stronger only? How about – judicially and democratically ?Although in this day and age economically is propbably the most important factor. Very few people would deny this. A healthy economy prevents many conflicts. The other day on BBC Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama said, economic desperation and poverty are the key factors to conflicts, wars and terrorism – this is very much economic buddy.
Vermont:
More cows than people and Ben & Jerry’s.
What a bunch of negative bloggers. Nepali people should be proud of removing that idiot king. At least now there is a possibility of establishing long term peace-would never have been possible with that idiot king and his royalist parasites. Also April sent a strong message for anyone having dictatorial aspirations in Nepal, especially that idiotic CP.
I for one am proud about the April revolt-got the nasty one out of the way. Now at least it’s just the Maoists we need to deal with. People power will force them to bow down to our wishes too!
No there is nothing Americans or for that matter any other nation learn anything from Nepal……absolutely nothing.
The American way of life is always like that. So long as one can appease the majority white Americans , no political leader is in trouble. Only yesterday some one, boasting of great American constitution lasting more than two and half centuries, nowhere mentioned the plight of black slaves and later slavelike descendants living in that great country without any right to live as human being and so are the Muslim Arabs now. Even in Nepal, Moriarty is preaching for Nepalese mornarchy while American fore fathers threw British monarchy in 18th century.Their interest is American interest though they boast of democracy, equal rights for other countries. They never learn from other people. Migrants from poor countries boast of that country because they can eat full stomach there though they heardly get half of what a white American gets there.
What we find in this blog is Wagle is very much impressed by American way of life, by Nepalese imigres in America. But, remember, a poor man in the village will not be sated by story of a well fed urban Seth.
I dunno where you people are coming from….or even where you are…..as a person who participated in the April revolution….and went to jail for it too….albiet for not too long….I know what we went through and what the passion levels were….
If you are going to compare nations only based on wealth…I know exactly who is blogging…no need to explain….
The author is trying to relate between ideals and passion to fight for those ideals…..agreed that it took a long time and a lot of fabled Nepali patience to reach the boiling point, but when it did, we did prove ourselves….and the author points out that the Americans now do not have it…..and accept anything….the President is taking them through a Terror yo yo and the people follow….stupid citizens I tell you….it is sooo plain visible from outside your country, you will be amazed….
As to Nepal being in a chaos right now….no one expected it to be easy, considering what we had gone through….but what is happening now is definitely for the better, and at least, people of Nepal know that if something goes wrong and they are truly united, they can even get a supposedly all powerful king to do a roundabout in 36 hours….
And if any of you cannot learn anything from that….I guess the grey cells need a bit more working…..
First of all, nowadays there are many more people in Vermont than cows, and hagen das (a swedish company) now owns ben & Jerry’s. KP is running a few decades short a century.
Secondly, Vermont was a model of a true democracy when it practiced “new england” town meetings, where every vote was counted.
The liberal and environmental posture embodied by vermont has made it one of the most economically stable states in the union. Instead of depending upon giant corporations for employement and a tax base, Vermont goes through extrodanary lengths to protect and encourage small business owners.
Attacking the writer of this article based on geographic location is pathetic. Almost as pathetic as American republicans calling the recent intilegence report that attributes the iraq war to a rise in terrorism as a “ploy of the liberal media”.
I agree with Kirat. The author is trying to point out the indeference of the American people to both attacks on their own constitutional rights, and Americas foreign polocy. Writer’s like this should be encouraged to fight American apathy. Everything considered, Americans are a moral people that want to do the right thing in the world, but are stifled by comfort and apathy. Perhaps America doesnt need a revolution like Nepal, but it certainly could use some of the same passion that inspired its people.
Bush is fighting Islamic Jihadists and what he is doing is may be the only way out. He is doing right. What else can he do? let Iran build Nuclear power and convert the whole world into crazy Islam? Our sisters and mothers will be locked inside the black ugly robe and we all will be jihadist brothers, with overgrown beards upto our knees. These Islamic terrorists and extremist jihadists must be stopped, if possible destroyed completely.
Nepal is fighting a different war. There is no parallel with America.
Nepaligharti, I am inclined to disagree with you on one of your points. While extremist Islam is indeed on the rise and is a danger to many, Bush has chosen a poor foreign relations policy. Rather than being tactful in dealing with countries that have extremist problems, he has instated a “no room for compromise” policy which is only worsening America’s foreign relations and provoking extremism.
Eliminating extremism and helping other nations develop — which should ultimately conclude in better living conditions for citizens — is a long, slow process which requires patience. This is something that Bush clearly does not possess.
For some strange reason, Americans have stood by and only watched while Bush creates havoc in the world with unnecessary wars and policies. What happened to the time of Vietnam, when we stood up and made a fuss when our leaders engaged us in an unnecessary and bloody war?
Likewise, it seems that Gyanendra betrayed the public trust of the Nepalese with his coup last year. His actions are more extreme than Bush’s, but they follow the same thread: leaders doing as they please without regard for their people.
Economic differences aside, the people of every nation in this world have a duty. That duty is to remain vigilant over the leaders of your country and make sure that they are doing what is best for the PEOPLE, not for themselves or for interest groups. This is where the role of the journalist comes in — the voice between the leaders and the people. I, myself, am proud to be in this role.
solenbaum,
Don’t take these comments so damned seriously. Get a sense of humour. Pointing out that Ben and Jerry’s is now owned by “Hagun Das” is really boring buddy. I live in Nepal so to atleast know that there is a B&J’s and cows in Vermont should be applauded by you not microscopically criticised. You show a typical, US is the centre of the world attitutde in expecting local Nepalese to know details of the ownership of ice cream companies in Vermont – give us a break.
As for Kirat,
Your comments show that you do have a great sense of humour if nothing else.
Here comes a positive blogger Mr. Kirat. What a joke, Yes, after April movement, now Nepalis are proud by legitimizing bunch of terrorist thugs (Maoist) as front runner as one of mainstream political parties. Yes Nepalis are proud because extortions are legitimized. Businesses have to pay or shut down if they unable to pay ransom money to terrorist. Yes, Nepalis are proud that internationally their image is tarnished because the birth place of Lord Buddha became a killing field. Extortion, kidnapping are now are the only tools of governance. Yes, Nepalis are proud that Maoist would now openly recruit the children under gun point, terrorize them while their parents would cry in vain, and society, taking law in their hand; Whole society would see the repeat of tormented history under the Maoist all over again. Now you tell me who is the great Idiot?
I can understand the author and where he or she is coming from. Americans are very much inward looking as far as world affairs are concerned, this has changed somewhat since September 11th but they still do have a long way to go. However, the fact that America is also a very rich nation with high employment also contributes to the fact that you don’t get a lot of mass protests. We have to agree that America has gotten very far very fast relative to other nations. We also cannot forget that there were mass protests many times in the history of the U.S. which has brought about many fundamental changes to the constitution of this nation.
The American system has become very powerful and whatever the arguments, much freedom and rights are given to it’s citizens. In the U.K. another established democracy, there were protests by more than a million against the Iraq war, but this did not change government policy. I am not too sure of the wisdom in millions of Americans going to the streets against the war in Iraq when just 5 years ago their nation was attacked in the most horrendous manner. I’m not sure if protestors would even have the mass support for such a rally from within the country. Yes, many American’s want their troops out of Iraq, but at the same time unlike Vietnam they also feel a real threat from terrorism originating from the middle east. The Americans I believe probably are more in the line of thought that more American soldiers need not be killed, and the Iraqis should now take their nation for themselves, not so much out of concern for the Iraqis but more so for their own troops.
What can the American’s learn from us in Nepal?
Well, the protests here are more what we have learned from other nations, Americans have already been there and done that.
Let me also remind the author of the editorial that although it was good to see the Nepali spirit in the andolan – I don’t want to be a joy kill but it would be correct for UWB and others to also mention that many of the protestors in the Nepalese andolan were forced to partake in the event by the maoists with severe threats. So here we have an example of protests with free will on the one hand, political will and party power somewhere in between and sheer coercion by a totalitarian communist party on the other hand. Let people here and elsewhere not forget to mention this glaring footnote. I am sure the author was hoping for a different type of mass mobilisation in the U.S. of A. It is also time for us to be honest with our international well wishers.
Maggot Kirat is scourge of this nation. He has a fortress built around that stops all the rational thing getting in his head- so he squeaks,squeals and crawls like a scratched CD. Have mercy on this fellow for he does not what he speaks or thinks.
As B’s question- as you are right.
“As the whereabouts of Bibek Sharma Luitel, an 8-year-old boy who was kidnapped from his residence in Koteshwor, Kathmandu, some 12 days earlier, family members and local residents blame the police for not doing sufficient to trace the missing boy and that they are protecting the kidnapper/s.”
This is something the American’s best avoid learning from us.
It is now known that one of the kidnappers is none other than Home Minister Krishna Sitaula’s Personal Assistant (PA). Besides calls from the MP’s to resign regarding the general failure of this man with regards to the law and order situation, here is a case where it is too close to him to shun – He should resign or be booted out – Shame on this bugger!
Why has’nt UWB picked up on this and asked for this guy’s resignation? Why?
Also,
UWB what happenbed to the fake quack doctor case by Vivek?
Ennuition (#35) says:
“That duty is to remain vigilant over the leaders of your country and make sure that they are doing what is best for the PEOPLE, not for themselves or for interest groups.”
My view: I agree with you and I feel that Nepalis are doing the same currently. They are watching every step of this government and eagerly waiting for it to negiotiate peace with the Maoists and go for the election of constituent assembly. If this government fails in those two fronts, people will again hit the street and overthrow it. Plus, people also like to see Nepal as a republican state that is to say a nation without monarchy. Some leaders are talking about giving space to monarchy and I sincerely hope people will take action against them.
As for America learning from Nepal (I am talking about the editorial above), my view is that the editorial writer is pretty much correct to say so. The manner in which Nepalis in hundreds of thousands hit the streets demandign their freedom and rights was definitely historic and was something that the world noticed. Rarely in the history, such number of people (compared to the total number of population in Kathmandu) come together to demand their rights. And I am proud to be one of those citizens.
Supriya,
You write:
“Some leaders are talking about giving space to monarchy and I sincerely hope people will take action against them.”
But why should any action be taken against leaders who call for space for the monarchy? Recent nationwide polls show a half and half divide between republicans and people who want a monarchy – what is so wrong in the leaders putting forward the sentiments of half the population?
Do you claim to be democratic? If your answer is yes then gathering from your thoughts above, it is simple to see that you still need to understand what it means.
Supriya;
You also write:
“If this government fails in those two fronts, people will again hit the street and overthrow it.”
If this should happen we have had it. If we don’t reach the CA elections and a street uprising happens again we’re finished. Overthrow the ghovernment to be replaced by what in your view Supriya?
Lal salaams and boot camps?
Replaced by more progressive government that doesn’t even think about giving space to monarchy and works toward establishing a republic Nepal. Giving space to the king in whatever form means accepting the continuity of the biggest threat to the Nepalese democracy.
Which survey you are talking about? There can be no bigger survey than that of the April Revolution that was clearly against king Gyanendra and monarchy in Nepal. Hundreds of thousands of people came protesting king and because of that the king relinquished power. Now is the time to do with monarchy permanently.
Scoop,
It is vinit not vivek. I am still here and waiting. I did not want to bring it up too many times as you had mentioned it to be quite unrelated. I am here waiting and hoping that something would happen to the doctor.
Supriya, does not know the population of this country and thinks that hundreds of thousands of people (at least some of the forced) out on the streets protesting for democracy (some for republic aswell) means the entire nation is agianst the constitutional monarchy.
Sorry Vinit,
Again UWB – what say you?