'Moving' Slogans

People's Movement for Democracy, April 6th-24th, 2006, Nepal

Some of these slogans were expected, some were creative and some were just cheeky

"Rajtantra murdabad" - Death to monarchy
"Loktantra jindabad" - Long live democracy
"Jhyalbata herera loktantra aaondaina" - Democracy won't come if you just gaze out windows
"Orla janata sadakma, ganatantra aaondainchha" - Pour out into the streets, republic is on its way
"Gyanendrako curfew, ish khha" - Gyanendra's curfew, eat this! (with suggestive gestures!)
"Gyanendrako parale, dukha paye sarale" - Gyanendra's ways have brought difficulties to all
"Gyanendra ra Paraslai fansi de, fansi de" - Hang Gyanendra and Paras
"Aryaghatle ke bhanchha, Gyane, Paras le bhanchha" - Aryaghat demands, "Bring Gyanendra and Paras"
"Shahi ghosana dhoka ho, dhoka ho" - Royal proclamation is a betrayal
"Paras gunda, rukhma jhunda" - Hang Paras, the hoodlum
"Paras tyapke kasto chha? Ghonda, kukur jasto chha" - What is Paras, the rogue like? Like horses and dogs
"Yespaliko hainja, Gyane, Paras laija" - This year's cholera, take Gyanendra and Paras
"Kathmanduko janata, kati herchhaun ramita?" - Kathmandu's citizens, how long will you watch the spectacle?
"Netaharu hosiyar" - Beware leaders
"Kin, Paras, katro kin, tero bauko ayo din" - Paras, buy funeral cloths, your father's end is coming

Reign no more

The system of governance in Nepal definitely is in dire need reform and purification. I think some of us Nepalis are taking matters in our own hand and doing something about it, which is commendable. The question is: are they going about it the correct way? Or are they being
manipulated by interest groups who have their own perverse agenda?

To quote a friend of mine, the army is, theoretically, under the command of the Prime Minister and the Ministry of Defence, members, amongst others, of the Security Council. But, in practice, it, of course, defers to the palace. If democracy (a notion with wide-ranging forms and definitions; do we really know what it is?) comes, the army should follow the theory in practice, without political interference. The same applies to the police and armed polices forces which has loyalties more to politics than to the security of the Nepalis and the enforcement of the laws of Nepal. At this point, whether it is a king who leads the nation or a president or a chairman is a moot point. What the leaders have to understand is that the nation, Nepal, and its people, the Nepalis, come before them. It is sad that His Majesty has obviously missed this very crucial point. There is no guarantee, either, that the leaders to come will appreciate this dictum.

Over the years, I have come to value the individual enterprise of the Nepali people. We can put up with a lot of shit, but we still carry on living, surviving and progressing with a smile on our faces most of the time. Our spirit is almost always more optimistic and positive than the reality in which we exist. For this alone, we deserve a better nation. If that can be achieved only through a change at the very top, so be it.

Jai Nepal!