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Formal
parliamentary democracy further marginalises the poor: PM
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has once again
fired a salvo at what he calls 'formal parliamentary democracy.'
Addressing the inaugural session of Conference on Democracy, Development
and Peace in Asia, Monday, he said, "The ongoing formal parliamentary
democracy and market-led neoliberal economic policies in the disguise
of globalisation further marginalises the poor and helpless."
Referring to the global financial meltdown he
said that its chain effects were having 'tremendous negative effect
on the countries of the south.'
He also accused the capitalist system for various
ills facing the world including food and energy crisis, global
warming and climate change.
Interestingly, soon after he became the Prime
Minister leading the radical communist party, PM Dahal had said
that Nepal cannot ignore the 'wave of globalisation and liberalisation.'
At the same programme, Monday, another communist
leader, Madhav Kumar Nepal, former general secretary of the Unified
Marxist Leninist (UML), too, took potshots at liberalism and capitalism.
"The neoliberal economic regime cannot
be a solution to sustainable development and durable peace. Very
interestingly, now the developed countries are in a competition
to embrace various aspects of socialism to save the global capitalism
from collapse," he said.
The global financial crisis seems to have prompted
the Nepali communist leaders to speak out against the capitalist
system.
Addressing the same programme, Prof Samir Amin,
a noted political economist, said the global crisis pointed at
'systemic failure of capitalism.'
Source: Nepal News (Nov 11 08)
We have witnessed complete metamorphosis:
PM Dahal
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda'
has said that the recent political transformations observed by
Nepal are not mere cosmetic changes but complete metamorphosis.
Addressing the inaugural session of the Conference
on Democracy, Development and Peace in Asia, in Kathmandu Monday,
PM Dahal said that recent global crisis has seriously affected
poor countries.
"The global meltdown that started from
the US and, which is having chain effect elsewhere, is triggering
tremendous negative effect on countries of the south," he
said.
Professor Samir Amin, a noted political economist,
termed the recent global financial crisis as systemic failure
of capitalism.
At the same programme, former general secretary
of UML Madhav Kumar Nepal said that Nepal presently has six tasks
in its hand.
He listed constitution writing, inclusion, restructuring
of state, scientific land reforms, logical conclusion of peace
process and improvement in governance as major tasks ahead of
the country.
The three-day conference is being jointly organised
by Least Developed Countries (LDC) Watch, South Asia Alliance
for Poverty Eradication (SAAPE), Asian Regional Exchange for New
Alternatives (ARENA) and Korea Democratic Foundation (KDF).
Meanwhile, speaking at a conference on
science and technology in the capital, PM Dahal said that the
"first republican" government of Nepal will give top
priority to the development of science and technology field as
without it the development goals of the country can't be achieved.
Prime Minister Puspa Kamal Dahal and
Vice Chancellor of Nepal Academy of Science...
Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the 5th National Conference
on Science & Technology, he said that Nepal lagged behind
in development because enough was not done in the science and
technology field in the past, and indirectly blamed the failed
policies of previous Maharajas and governments for this.
Nepalese people had to suffer a lot because
the past political leadership couldn't be "more honest and
hardworking", he added.
Talking about the advantage science has over
politics, PM Dahal said there is always cheating and deception
in politics but not in science.
"As this [science] is a field where you've
to very work hard and there is also no room for any cheating,
we should also have a very scientific approach towards politics,"
he said. He, however, expressed regret that there never any good
inter-linking between politics and science in Nepal.
PM Dahal said a conducive environment should
be built so that gifted Nepali intellectuals who have settled
abroad would be encouraged to return to the country, and pledged
that the government will develop this sector in such a manner
that it would discourage the "brain drain" from Nepal.
To prove that the government is serious towards
the development of this sector, he said that many in the new Maoist-led
government come from science and technical background. He also
informed that some programmes have been introduced in the budget
for the development of the sector.
Before becoming the prime minister, even before
his underground days as a Maoist chief, Pushpa Kamal Dahal was
a science student. He did his graduation with Agriculture as a
major subject.
Speaking at the same programme, Minister for
Science & Technology Ganesh Sah stressed on the need to do
away with what he called "foreign dependence" in the
field of science & technology and develop efficient manpower
to work in the area in the country itself.
Vice-chancellor of National Academy of Science
& Technology (NAST) Hom Nath Bhattarai, scientist Dinesh Raj
Bhoju and lawmaker Bishwanath Prasad Agrawal also put forth their
views in the program
NAST is organising the three day even participated
by over 1200 Nepalese and foreign scientists and technicians.
Meanwhile, President Dr Ram Baran Yadav issued
a congratulatory message on the occasion, and said that for Nepal
which is facing challenges like many other developing countries,
scientific knowledge would be important for meeting its development
goals.
Source: Nepal
News (Nov 10 08)
Parliamentary system
not for poor: PM
POST REPORT
KATHMANDU, Nov 10 - Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal
Dahal on Monday said 'formal' parliamentary democracy and market-led
neo-liberal economic
policy have further marginalised poor and helpless people.
He, however, did not categorically say which
system was best suited to uplift the living standard of the poor
and oppressed.
The prime minister said developed countries
are now realising the drawbacks of complete deregulation of the
financial sector and free-market economy. He
said the vicissitudes of financial crisis, natural
disaster and modern-day catastrophes like global warming and climate
change are directly related to the market-led capitalist world
order.
"The recent financial meltdown in the U.S.
and the chain reaction of wreckage across the world has had tremendous
negative effects on countries in the South as well," he added.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the
three-day conference on Democracy, Development and Peace in Asia
held in Kathmandu, Prime Minister Dahal said democracy must ensure
participation, representation, accountability, responsiveness
and unity of people. "In fact, these are the pillars of democracy
that need to be institutionalised and sustained," he further
said.
The conference, organised jointly by Least Developed
Countries Watch, the Korea Democratic Foundation, the Asian Regional
Exchange for New Alternatives and the South Asia Alliance for
Poverty Eradication, will discuss various issues including development,
peace and democracy in Asia.
Dahal, who is also Chairman of CPN (Maoist)
noted that peace, democracy and development are interrelated.
"None of them can exist in isolation," he argued.
Dahal highlighted how Nepal had seen a historical
transformation with Janaandolan II. "This is not just cosmetic
change," he said, adding that people have now become deciders,
not just spectators.
The prime minister said the recently elected
Constituent Assembly (CA) was the most inclusive body with representation
of various marginalised people including dalits, janajatis and
women. "Ethnic minorities which were losing their identity
see a new ray of hope," he said. "Nepali people have
now become citizens in the true sense of the word."
Recalling the historic April movement in 2006,
Dahal said the democratic movement was made successful by forging
an alliance with the then seven parties and civil society. "The
alliance should continue until a new constitution is drafted and
a New Nepal built," he said.
Source: The
Kathmandu Post (11 Nov. 2008)
Parliamentary democracy
ignored poor, says PM
Kathmandu, Nov.10 - Prime Minister Pushpa
Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' Monday said parliamentary democracy and
market-led neo-liberal economic policies had further marginalized
the poor and the helpless under the disguise of globalisation.
"The developed countries are now realising
the drawbacks of complete deregulation of the financial sector
and free market economy," he said.
Also the issues of financial, food, and energy
crises and the natural devastation and catastrophe of global warming
and climate changes were directly related to the market-led capitalist
globalisation system, he said.
PM Prachanda made this remark speaking at the
inaugural session of the Conference on Democracy, Development
and Peace in Asia jointly organised by LDC Watch, South Asia Alliance
for Poverty Eradication (SAAPE), Asian Regional Exchange for New
Alternatives (ARENA) and Korea Democratic Foundation.
"Democracy must include participation,
representation, accountability, transparency, responsiveness and
unity of people. Development ensures prosperity and people's progress,
which eventually contribute to strengthen democracy as well as
sustainable peace."
Present political transformation of Nepal over
the past couple of years was not a cosmetic change but a complete
metamorphosis that swept away the tyrannical regime of entrenched
feudalism and aristocracy, PM Prachanda said.
The oligarchy, the remnants of the defeated
feudalists, and the people who wanted to maintain status-quo would
try to thwart the gains made possible by the heroic struggle of
the people, he added.
CPN-UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal said today's
magnifying economic crisis after the great depression of 1929
clearly pointed out that the neo-liberal economic regime was not
a solution for sustainable development and durable peace. "The
greedy capitalism has proven to be producing temporary prosperity
for a few but ultimately ending up in serious crisis."
Political economist Professor Samir Amin said
that the development of capitalism had not benefited the developing
countries like Nepal, but it increased the state of their dependency.
Recent financial crisis was the result of capitalistic economy
and the utilitarian system of the capitalism should be ended,
he added.
NC leader and Constituent Assembly (CA) member
Dr. Narayan Khadka stressed on the institutionalization of democracy
to achieve sustainable peace and development.
CA member and president of Nepal Sadbhabana
Party Sarita Giri said that the politics of consensus should be
promoted in Nepal for sustainable peace and development.
Professor Babu Mathew of India said that the
present mode of development failed to develop those communities
who needed it.
Prof. Lee Jung Ok of Korea said without peace
and development democracy could not sustain, as democracy was
seen fragile because of the lack of sustainable peace and development
in the Asian region.
Source: The
Rising Nepal (11 November 2008)
PM's
obsession on forms of democracy comes to fore again
Himalayan News Service
Kathmandu, November 10:
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda'
has reiterated the need to find an alternative to multiparty democracy.
Speaking at the inaugural session of 'Democracy,
Development and Peace in Asia,' the PM dwelt on the thorny issue
once again. He maintained that the alternative was the need of
the hour because because formal parliamentary democracy and neo-liberalism
had marginalised the poor further. "The remnants of feudalism
and those in favour of status quo are still in a position to jeopardise
the peace process," said he.
"Those, who want to crush genuine aspirations
of the people, are against democracy and the peace process,"
said the Maoist chairman. He urged the developed countries to
waive Nepal's loan, facilitate aid for trade and ensure the country's
easy access to international market.
Taking a swipe at capitalism, the PM said the
poor countries like Nepal were paying the price of unbridled capitalism.
He said this brand of capitalism was to blame
for global warming, energy crisis and the economic recession.
Delivering a keynote address in the programme, political economist
Prof Samir Amin blasted big economies, particularly the US, the
UK and Japan, for what he called "their hegemonistic approach
vis-a-vis global resources."
Terming the recent collapse of Wall Street a
tip of the iceberg, the Egyptian scholar said the fall of capitalism
was imminent.
Poor countries, he said, were rising against
the leaders of capitalist economy to bring about just distribution
of wealth and resources among other nations. The economist said
the big powers were defending imperialism by controlling the planet
militarily.
Former CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar
Nepal said they were committed to ending the remnants of feudalism
and discriminatory practices with the help of Marxism.
Stating that the global capitalism was adopting the principles
of socialism to stave off its collapse, Nepal said the parties
should work in tandem to find an alternative to neo-liberalism,
which has failed to address the problems of the poor.
Nepali Congress leader Dr Narayan Khadka said
the ongoing conflicts in the Asian nations and terrorism were
major challenges for peace, democracy and development of the region.
He hoped that the 21st century could be the
age of Asia. Nepal Sadbhavana Party (A) leader Sarita Giri said
freedom and democracy were essential for peace and development
of any society.
Professor Babu Mathew, a founder member of the
South Asia Alliance for Poverty Eradication, said the world economic
bodies like the World Bank, International Monetary Fundand the
Asian Bank were suggesting neo-liberalism.
"But in Nepal, people have expressed their desire for an
egalitarian democracy," said Mathew.
Source: The
Himalayan Times (11 November 2008)
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