August 28, 2011

NEPAL’S PARLIAMENT ELECTS DEPUTY LEADER OF FORMER MAOIST REBELS AS NEW PRIME MINISTER

Posted by The Himalayan Voice:
[Bhattarai’s major challenge will be to complete the peace process that began with the Maoists giving up their armed revolt. Thousands of former Maoist fighters are still confined to camps and are waiting for their future to be decided. There is disagreement among the major political parties on whether they should be integrated into the national army.]

 By Associated Press

KATMANDU, Nepal — Nepal’s parliament elected the deputy leader of the former Maoist rebels as the new prime minister on Sunday, halting the Himalayan nation’s latest political crisis.

Baburam Bhattarai of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) received 340 votes in the 601-seat parliament with the backing of several smaller parties. That was more than the simple majority needed to be elected. Bhattarai’s only opponent, Ram Chandra Poudel of the Nepali Congress party, received 235 votes.

The political crisis was triggered by former Prime Minister Jhalnath Khanal’s resignation on Aug. 14 after he failed to make process in drafting a long-delayed constitution. It had taken Khanal 17 rounds of votes in parliament over seven months to be elected in February, while Bhattarai was selected in the first attempt.

Bhattarai, 57, is the second-highest leader of the Maoist group which fought government troops until 2006 demanding political reforms and an end to the centuries-old monarchy.

Bhattarai remained in hiding during the 10 years of fighting. The bloody revolt began in mountain villages in western Nepal in 1996 but spread to most of the country by the time the rebels gave up their revolt and joined a peace process under United Nations supervision.

Bhattarai, who has a doctorate from Jawaharlal Nehru University in India, is believed to be the chief planner of the Maoists’ strategy, both during the years of fighting and in peace time.

The Maoists were able to win the largest number of the seats in 2008 parliamentary elections and now are the largest political party in the country.

Bhattarai must now form a coalition government including members of the smaller parties that supported him in Sunday’s vote. The two other major parties, Nepali Congress and the Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist Leninist), have opted to stay out of the Maoist-led government.

Bhattarai’s major challenge will be to complete the peace process that began with the Maoists giving up their armed revolt. Thousands of former Maoist fighters are still confined to camps and are waiting for their future to be decided. There is disagreement among the major political parties on whether they should be integrated into the national army.

The country’s constitution also needs to be written. The Constituent Assembly elected in 2008 had two years to finish the job. That has been extended twice, and the latest deadline is Aug. 31, which is likely to be extended again.

[India Against Corruption (IAC) which spearheaded the agitation said they were elated over the victory. "It is time for celebrations...as we have won in our fight against corruption," Mannan Gandhi, a member of IAC said Hazare supporters poured onto the streets in Kolkata distributing sweets and singing the national song.]   





NEW DELHI: As Anna Hazare ended his fast after 13 days, the whole nation erupted in joy. From Ramlila Maidan to Ralegan Siddi -- Anna Hazare's village -- celebrations at full blast replaced days of protests as the Gandhian broke his fast on Sunday, with his supporters marking "people's victory" with dancing, waving of the tri colour and handing out of sweets and flowers.  


The festivities which began last night after Parliament passed a resolution agreeing in-principle to Hazare's three demands on Lokpal issue, reached a crescendo when the Gandhian accepted a glass of coconut water from a Dalit and a Muslim girl -- Simran and Ikrah -- at 10:20 am, breaking his 288 hours of fast that began on August 16 .  


As Hazare started his address at the Maidan in Delhi, people who had started descending on the historic ground since early this morning, jostled with each other to get a glimpse of the 74-year-old. "This is a triumph of people. It is a triumph of our democracy. People have come out in large numbers as everybody is affected by corruption," said Riti Borah, a 28-year-old management professional.  


Victory flags or 'Gudhi' were put up in almost every house in Hazare's village in Maharashtra as people, who assembled outside the Yadavbaba temple where he lives, said they were eagerly waiting for their "hero" to return.  "We are also eagerly awaiting his return. He is our hero and we want to give him a hero's welcome," said Hazare's close aide Datta Awari.  


Braving heavy rains, joyous people converged at the Azad Maidan in Mumbai, many sporting the now ubiquitous 'Mein bhi Anna (I am Anna)' Gandhi caps.  Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi said those who have taken to Naxalism and terrorism should learn from Hazare's anti-corruption campaign as it has reinforced confidence in the strength of non-violence which is "in the DNA of Indians".  Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah said the ending of fast by Hazare was a victory for people's power and showed the resilience of parliamentary democracy.  


In Jaipur and other parts of Rajathan, Hazare supporters applied 'gulal' on each other and took out a rally in cars and motorcycles. Rallies were held in various parts of Mumbai to celebrate the victory.  To express solidarity with Hazare, 17 people had been fasting at Azad Maidan . "I have no words to express my happiness. It is a victory of common man," 64-year-old cardiac surgeon Dr Ratna Magotia, who has been fasting for the last 12 days, told PTI.  


India Against Corruption (IAC) which spearheaded the agitation said they were elated over the victory. "It is time for celebrations...as we have won in our fight against corruption," Mannan Gandhi, a member of IAC said Hazare supporters poured onto the streets in Kolkata distributing sweets and singing the national song.  "Ending of fast by Anna Hazare is a good decision. 


We are happy with his demand for an effective Lokpal Bill, which in fact was also our long-standing demand," West Bengal CPI-M state secretary Biman Bose said.  In Orissa, Hazare supporters took out processions, burst crackers, danced to drums and took out motor cycle rallies in different places of the state including Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur, Sambalpur, Balangir, Bargarh, Rourkela and Balasore.  


 In Sikkim, Yong Tshering Lepcha, a farmer who lost 14 kg during his week-long fast in support of Hazare, too ended his hunger strike. "Truth has prevailed and this is how people like Anna Hazare have inspired even a farmer like me. He has touched lakhs of people and I am just one of them. I could have died for the cause," he said.
@ The Times of India
[But, the question here is that how many of us know about the bomb blast and also about the train accident. All major newspapers gave diminutive and short enough to be ignored page 10 space to the news stories. Not only the newspapers but broadcast media is not too behind in the race to ignore the news from the North-Eastern States. Had it been a blast in any metropolitan city, the result would have been different. We all have seen the coverage given to the recent Mumbai blasts. Extensive coverage was given not only by television news channel but also by all the major  newspapers and newspapers of small circulation.]
How many states do we have in our country? 29 including NCR Delhi, 6 Union Territories but for our mainstream Indian media it is not the same. In our media sphere we see and read news related to almost every state but most of the times news from the North-Eastern States are not covered or rather ignored in the bulletins and newspapers.


A few days ago a strong bomb blast shook the North-Eastern  state. The bomb was planted on a scooter in a market place and was of high intensity. In this bomb blast five persons were killed and twenty others left injured. According to the police sources the explosion was planned by the insurgents and it could be a part of their warning to stall the Independence Day celebrations. On the same day a train accident took place nearby Murshidabad in West Bengal, in which two persons were killed and several injured.


But, the question here is that how many of us know about the bomb blast and also about the train accident. All major newspapers gave diminutive and short enough to be ignored page 10 space to the news stories. Not only the newspapers but broadcast media is not too behind in the race to ignore the news from the North-Eastern States. Had it been a blast in any metropolitan city, the result would have been different. We all have seen the coverage given to the recent Mumbai blasts. Extensive coverage was given not only by television news channel but also by all the major newspapers and newspapers of small circulation.


We all have seen what happened after the blasts of Mumbai. Innumerable Facebook pages were created in order to show the spirit and resilience of the Mumbai and several candle-marches have also been observed across the nation. It all happened because our media is potent enough to create the hype and also to set the agenda. Same actions will be exercised in any future furor. But, not in the case of North-Eastern States. Media houses will repeat the same thing in future because their target audience is different .


We all are very much aware of AFSPA (Armed Forces “Special Powers” Act) and also aware of the problems related to it in Jammu & Kashmir State. We have all seen the media coverage of the recent stone pelting incidents of the State. Though the issue is very sensitive and deserved media coverage the North-Eastern States have also been suffering from the same problem of insurgency and military rule and the coverage given to it quite invisible which needs to be improved.


Irom Sharmila Chanu from Manipur is on hunger strike and the period of her hunger strike has crossed a decade and still very few acknowledged her cause but the recent hunger strike of social activist Anna Hazare is acknowledged by almost all. The support to the campaign led by Mr. Anna Hazare was massive and the coverage by the media given to it was extraordinary.

In Delhi, students and other migrant from the North-Eastern States have been bound to live like foreigners in their own country. They still face day to day abuses and slangs and nobody cares about them. Police acts only after any abuse case is raised by them otherwise they won’t even bother to help at all.
There is a need of change in the approach of our India Media. It should cater each and every part of our nation. People of North-eastern States are citizens of India and they should be given the rights that are meant to be theirs.