***EMERGENCY CALL FOR HELP!!!***

The Alliance for Democracy & Human Rights in Nepal, USA (ADHRN) calls for your help in providing emergency medical care to those injured in the recent clashes between protestors and security forces in Nepal.

Donations may be made securely through PayPal to ADHRN, a 402 registered non-profit. Please click either of the following links to donate:

- www.samudaya.org

- www.trackabuzz.com/Alliance/

Checks or money orders (made out to ADHRN) may be sent to the following address:

ADHRN
48-50 37th Street, #4V
Long Island City, NY 11101
USA

Please write “Medical Funds” at the memo.

Contributions will be used to provide emergency medical treatment to those injured in clashes between protestors and security forces. Medical treatment will be provided to all injured without discrimination, i.e., to members of the security forces, protestors and bystanders alike.

Funds will be transferred to Jana Andolan (People’s Movement) First Aid Treatment Fund at Kathmandu Model Hospital: This fund was established specifically to provide first aid to the injured during the uprising, with a 100,000-rupees donation from a couple of celebrities in Nepal.

We are also exploring the possibility of providing part of the funds raised to Dr. Brian Cobb, who runs a network of volunteer medical students (about 40 of them), and provides onsight medical treatments at riot areas, completely free of charge to the injured. His team even has rikshaws and other vehicles standby in case they need to rush someone to the hospital.

A list of donors will be posted on our websites and updated on a daily basis for public view. Please indicate if you wish to remain anonymous. We will also provide you with a regular update on other aspects of the fund.

Our special thanks to the team at www.samudaya.org for their ready willingness to help us in this campaign.

We look forward to your contributions.

Please spread the word!!!

For querries, you can contact:

Anil Shahi, ADHRN: anil_shahi_et@hotmail.com
Sanjay Parajuli, ADHRN: parajulis@hotmail.com
Sarahana Shrestha, Samudaya: shrestha@samudaya.org

Updates on the funds raised:

So far, as of noon, Thursday, April 12th, 2006, we have received US $1360.00 from 30 PayPal and 3 cash donors. Minus the PayPal fees, the amount comes to US $1318.50

Some of the donors have expressed their wish to remain anonynous; therefore, the full list of names will be made available at our websites at a later time, once we sort out the "anonymous" factor.

Donate now!

Yo Poonte,

Don't be drinkin them Cool-Aid with them donations, You know what I mean. (Just playin wit u holmes. I know it ain't time to play but......)

Anywayz get all of ur azzez out on Firday, infront of the U.N.
FIY www.ndycusa.org

Emotions are running high. People are donating from $5 to $2000.

It's not only about help. It's about being connected to a glorious history in making.

Extend your hand.

Nepe

Ohhh !!! what is this ? I saw a lotta websites mushrroming right after HURRICANE KATERINA just like these. Ok I recognize Juli and ET in ADHRN but no names mentioned in SAMUDYA. With the huge Mao article pasted in front makes it look like a PRO MAO site. Is that true ?

Nepe !! he he DUDE THIS IS ABOUT HELP NOT TO GLORIFY BEING CONEECTED TO YOU. WE ARE ALREADY CONNECTED(we are all NEPALI), there is no need for you to reiterate that just in case you forgot.

More updates:

Funds raised so far: US $1975.00 from 51 donors

Full list of donors is available at Alliance's website: - www.trackabuzz.com/Alliance

Partial list of those donating via - www.samudaya.org is also available at their website.

We are still working around the clock to decide on the beneficiary of the funds in Nepal.

Dr. Brian Cobb, and American volunteer doctor who ran a network of 40 or so Nepali medical student volunteers (read above) was arrested from the filed and taken to Armed Police Force's HQ, along with with another German doctor and some of his volunteer staff. They were beaten, verbally abused, and refused phone calls to the embassies for a long time. Later, he was summoned to the CDO office and threatened by saying that foreigners are not allowed to do voluntary work. As a matter of fact, from what i understand from his friend who reported the incedent to me, there is a specific law that ALLOWS those in tourist visas to do voluntary work.

He was then ordered to report to the immigration office to have his passport and visa "checked". Fearing deportation, he has decided to leave Nepal on his own for now. He has donated all the equipments to Social Action Volunteers group.

All this bloodshed is futile because all of this is not going to yield the democracy that we all crave for.

Untill few months back, there used to be a stalemate between the King and the Maoists.

The Maoists have taken over many places in Nepal, but their revolution is not successful until they take over the capital.

They could not possibly take over the capital because of the Army. The Army is under the kings control and it is impossible for the Maoists to fight the Kings Army in the capital.

SCENE IN THE CAPITAL:
The democratic parties have a lot of supporters and say in the capital BUT they are not strong enough to overthrow the King.

THE MAOIST STRATEGY:
Using the Democratic Parties as a pawn in thier greater scheme of things, the Maoist incite the Democratic Parties to call strikes and large processions, whereby they infiltrate the crowds and force the Kings govt. to attack the public.

THE GENERAL CONSENSUS:
The general public believes that the King is corrupt and not a good ruler. So they only need some inciting before they go out in the streets. Once the general consensus is now to get rid of the King who has unjustly killed off peaceful demonstrators and innocent people.

THE AFTERMATH:
The wrath of the crowd in Kathmandu Valley is enough to overthrow the king. The king gets thrown out/killed. The Democratic Parties celebrate for a short time before they start feeling the pressure of the Maoists from all sides of the capital.

Without the Army being controlled by one point of reference, noone can stop the Maoists from taking control of the capital.

THE STRATEGY IS WORKING:
What we need to decide right now is do we want the Maoist to rule us or the King? The democratic party are just wishful thinkers who wish for a utopia but will fail miserably as soon as their fight is over.

WE THE COMMONERS:
We need to see beyond the current situation in Nepal and decide for ourself if Maoists Rule is what we want. If that is the case, we need to go ahead and support the Democratic Party in the street to topple the King. As soon as the King is toppled, these Democratic Parties will be swatted off like flies by the Maoist guns.

Although democracy is something to die for, the consequent Maoist rule would be such an unfortunate irony for the deaths of thousands who are seeking democracy.

PLEASE SPREAD THIS MESSAGE TO AS MANY AS YOU CAN BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE

Latest as of noon, April 14th, Friday:

Total raised: US $2744.00 from 70 donors

The latest complete list of donors will be updated at our website in a matter of hours.

- www.trackabuzz.com/Alliance

Due to the urgency of the need right now, we are hoping to be able to transfer the first chunk of funds to MaHa's Jana andolan First aid Treatment Fund by tomorrow.

The future chunks will be provided either to the same trust, or another credible organization.

Thanks to all those who've donated, and we sincerely hope that those who havn't will follow suit soon.

We still need more. The treatment of the injured will continue well into the future even though the riots may subside. We have already received requests to help in the surgery of one 14-year-old who was shot in the head, and of another who has a rubber bullet lodged in his neck.

DONATE NOW!!!!

I would think very carefully and do some research before sending contributions.

http://www.idea.org.np/article-politic1.html

http://www.idea.org.np/article-politic3.html

Clearly, this doctor ADHRN was funneling money to was also an activist.

I would kindly ask the admin of sajha to stop people from asking for money via sajha.

The truth comes out now. Hmmmmm.....there goes your Transparency. he he
Man this is soo fuked up !! That is why I do not trust NOBODY !! I was kinda skeptical from the gitgo. And ADHRN is not a registered org ? C'mon now. What is going on here ?
Are there any Doctors without Borders Reps in Nepal ?

B. An Army to Fight Poverty, Illiteracy and Disease
By Professor Dr Brian Cobb and Navaraj Kafle

Daily tolls of victims of floods and diarrhea mount, while the helicopters of the Royal Nepal Army sit idly. These expensive craft could easily be used to rescue victims and rush medicines and humanitarian aid to the scene, but the leadership lack both the compassion and the understanding that such measures would go a long way toward improving the currently nasty reputation of the RNA and winning the public support the government now lacks.

Armies, with their trained, disciplined personnel and costly, sophisticated equipment, are well suited to tasks other than violent combat. The UN has shown this in a number of operations to relieve suffering populations in war torn, developing nations. Armies have tents and field kitchen supplies that could be used for those rendered homeless by disasters such as floods and landslides. They have medical personnel and equipment that could be rushed by air to the scenes of bus accidents and major fires. Health care teams could also give immediate aid in epidemics in rural, medically underserved areas.

These measures can be implemented even in wartime and win the hearts of the very populace who turned to the Maoists out of frustration with the lack of government services. But what is the army to do in peacetime?

Nepal is bordered only by the world’s two largest nations, India and China. Both have huge militaries equipped with high tech weapons, bomber planes, missiles and even nuclear armaments. In the extremely unlikely event of invasion by one of its gargantuan neighbors, the RNA would be of no use whatever; its necessarily inadequate defense would uselessly multiply casualties. Accordingly, the existence of an army in Nepal for protection against external attack is both superfluous and a huge waste of money in a poor country. Every bullet can kill twice: once by tearing asunder the body into which it is fired, and another by taking scarce funds away from life-saving medicines.

Of course the army is currently needed to combat the Maoist insurgency and protect government officials and installations. Its role now is crucial to the survival of the nation and the defense of the population. But once peace is made with the Maoists, an event which seems increasingly unlikely in view of the Prime Minister’s pronouncements but for which the vast majority of Nepalis hope desperately, the army’s role following the demobilization and disarmament of Maoist forces will be unclear. One of the major controversies dividing the Maoists and parties from the King is control of the armed force, whose weapons make its control effectively the control of the nation.

A standing armed force is always a danger to democracy in developing nations. The notorious and cruel regimes in Burma, Pakistan, Chile, Argentina, Iran and many other nations came about by military coups d’etat. Without guns and rendered nonviolent, army officials could no longer defy the Supreme Court and international law.

Every country needs mechanisms of law enforcement to maintain domestic order and protect the innocent. Sadly, in today’s world weapons are needed to do the job. A well trained, disciplined, uncorrupted police force is a boon to the people and would win their support, in contrast to the sorry human rights, corruption and efficacy record of the current authorities which has again driven people into the arms of the rebels.

But in peacetime, and arguably in wartime as well, the nation’s most threatening, deadly and destabilizing enemies are extreme poverty, lack of water supply, electricity, roads, education, health care and other essentials of civilised life. Combating these elements of structural violence does far more to prevent rebellion than a host of well-armed soldiers sitting idly in their barracks. Structural violence, defined as the suffering and death imposed on the population by lack of services, opportunity and employment, kills far more people than the overt violence inflicted by guns and bombs. The people of the rural districts with life expectancies of little more than 40 years, the 40,000 children who die annually in Nepal of diarrhea, the numerous women and children who die from lack of even rudimentary obstetrical care, and the majority of Nepali children who are malnourished are all victims of structural violence. Not only is this violence tragic, it is criminal because of the massive corruption that diverts donor funds from life-saving and life-enhancing projects into the pockets of greedy and immoral officials. There is no moral difference between a Maoist whose gun kills the innocent and a government official whose greed kills.

Peace is more than the absence of war; it is the presence of justice. A peaceful society must eliminate both overt and structural violence. The Royal Nepal Army, now concerned exclusively with fighting overt violence, could be shifted after the Maoists join the mainstream to fighting structural violence.

With over 80,000 personnel, the RNA is a huge organisation and the largest single employer in Nepal. Even a downsized army would be useless, of course, and the sudden discharge of tens of thousands of soldiers would worsen the already severe unemployment situation of the country and leave families without income. There is a solution that can preserve the jobs of those currently serving their country in the army and improve the sad lot of Nepal’s poorest and most vulnerable citizens, who comprise the majority of its population but who have gotten little actual, if a lot of empty verbal, attention from the government.

Army personnel could be disarmed and re-deployed to provide essential services. Instead of its current de facto role as master of the people, the army could assume its proper role as their servant. Medical personnel, who would need to be augmented, could be stationed in health posts and district hospitals, as well as being on call for helicopter response to mass casualty emergencies. We respectfully disagree with Dr Govindra Sharma’s pronouncement, as Vice Chancellor of Tribhuvan University, that Nepal has too many doctors. A country with shamefully high maternal and infant mortality and numerous deaths due to preventable disease, and which has many districts with lakhs of people and only 1 to 5 doctors, needs more and not less medical care.

Nepal’s shameful rate of illiteracy, hovering around 50%, burdens it with low productivity, low rates of economic growth and attendant severe poverty, high birth rates, exploitation and trafficking of women and children, and inability to develop true democracy due to a largely uninformed electorate. The presence of large numbers of intelligent, well-educated cadres suggests that these people could fight poor education by working as teachers in underserved areas.

The pathetic transportation infrastructure, with huge areas of the country currently without roads, imposes a huge burden on the population and prevents economic development in those districts, the very ones in which resentment of governmental neglect drove desperate villagers to join Maoist forces. RNA soldiers could be put to work building roads.

The RNA’s 18 helicopters could likewise be converted to socially useful work. Several could be employed by the police to enhance their capability and permit rapid response to emergencies in far-flung places. Several others could be stocked with field hospital equipment and supplies and have medical teams on-call by mobile phone to give immediate response. Others could be used to deliver food to famine-struck areas, equipment such as generators and water pumps to otherwise inaccessible locations, dental personnel for clinics in places where most people have never had such care, and other humanitarian interventions.

Nepal would benefit in other ways as well. It’s very likely that donor countries would be impressed enough to increase funding for an army of peace. Nepal could declare itself a zone of peace and thereby attract more tourists and enhance the appeal of Nepalese goods abroad. The rapid economic development that would certainly occur from measures prescribed by the world’s leading economists would place Nepal on the path taken by South Korea, Singapore and Malaysia, which were as poor as Nepal 40 years ago. The excuse that Nepal is landlocked is invalid; Switzerland is also landlocked, and industrial areas of many nations are as far from the sea as Nepal. International law guarantees free passage of goods bound for third countries passage through India on its excellent rail system.

Finally, Nepal could rapidly reverse its currently vile reputation as a human rights violating country and become an exemplar of the world in peace and social justice by converting the RNA to a force vigorously and bravely fighting its immense social ills. By following the examples of Switzerland and Costa Rica, neither of which maintain standing armies, the courage, industriousness, gentleness and kindness of the Nepali people would make it the world’s example of the wise precepts enunciated 2600 years ago by its most famous native, the Lord Buddha. Our proposal, although radical, is rational and morally impeccable. It deserves serious consideration.

A. Nepal's Cruel Redeemer
By Professor Dr. Brian Cobb

In Jorge Luis Borges's brilliant "The Cruel Redeemer Lazarus Morrell," the title character is an unscrupulous white man in the pre-civil war Southern US. He induces slaves to run away from their masters with his promise to conduct them to freedom in the North if they will allow him once to sell them to a second master, from whom they will also run away, with the profits to be used for their journey to a new, free life.

In intellectually constipated but politically pregnant rhetoric, the PAC and its foreign allies (some would say masters) admit that military victory is impossible but press for further militarization. They talk of talking about making peace, but all of their efforts are geared toward making war. Mr Bush and his acolytes believe that inflicting more pain on the Maoists, and incidentally even greater pain on the people, will induce Prachanda and his crew to negotiate in more favorable terms. If, however, one looks at the Maoist demands it's clear that the sticking point is the constituent assembly. Why the urgency to keep the royally-massacred 1991 constitution and maintain a monarchy and army that are constitutionally above the law when they are ethically beneath contempt?

The US has a long and shameful pattern of supporting, funding and arming right wing military dictatorships in the name of anti-communism. Given the fact that the largest party in Nepal is now the CPN-UML, is suppressing democracy a step in preventing either the Maoist Communists of the democratic Communists from taking power? Do they seriously believe, as they claim to, that the PAC will suddenly reverse its shameful ethical stance and become a model of humanitarianism? Can they cite any historical precedents?

The idea of secret talks between two authoritarian, human rights violating forces producing a just, lasting and equitable outcome is ludicrous. The PAC and its foreign co-conspirators slam the idea of UN intervention, stating that Nepalis can solve the problem on their own. This, however, begs two questions. First, if they can solve it alone, why haven't they? And second, why is it bad to allow outside assistance in peace talks but good to allow a massive flow of arms to the PAC t continue the bloodshed?

The right wing forces imagine that peace consists only in the cessation of shooting and the monopolization of the use of violence by the government. They fail to comprehend that the 8000 Nepali children who die of things such as pneumonia and diarrhea, the 400 women who die of preventable pregnancy-related conditions, the 1400 who die of TB and others are victims of the structural violence of official neglect and misuse of funds. These are monthly figures--that means that more Nepalis die every month of structural violence than have died in the Maoist rebellion since 1996. They refuse to admit that the injustices inflicted by both the political parties and the PAC have given rise to Maoism, and thus those responsible for creating the problem through their malfeasance are seen as capable of solving it. They also cannot see that there is no ethical difference between a Maoist who kills with a bomb and a government official who kills with corruption, greed and neglect; in fact, the official kills far more innocent people.

Nepal needs internationally mediated peace talks held in the open. Yes, posturing for the public is part of democracy, but it's better than doing the people's business in secret. Duly elected representatives of the people must have seats at the table; a cease fire would allow such elections to be held. The farcical scenario advanced by the allegedly democratic forces must not be allowed to prevail.

The great danger, of course, is that a well funded and armed PAC will dominate the country and Nepal will go the way of Myanmar. It's hard to see why anyone would imagine that the PAC would be any more just than the Maoists.

Given the inability of even the now engorged RNA to defend from attack by either of Nepal's huge and well armed neighbors, its horrible record and its immense costs, it's clear that its continued existence after the Maoists join the democratic process and disarm would serve no good purpose. Its unethical and corrupt leaders threaten democracy and its 100,000 personnel could be much better used fighting the structural violence of poverty, ignorance, disease and lack of development than sitting idly in barracks plotting intrigues and coups d’etat.

Now is the time for Nepal to renounce militarism and embark on a peaceful, productive and just future for all. Democracy and humanitarianism must be brought about by democratic and humane means. The time is now, the need is urgent, and the course is clear.

LATEST UPDATES:

Total raised for far: US $3754.00, from 92 donors. [As of noon, Saturday, April 15th, 2006]

The complete updated list of donors will be available at - www.allaincenepal.org (yes, we finally have a permanent portal for our website!) in a matter of hours.

Although we have not yet decided on the beneficiaries in Nepal, it is looking increasingly likely that the major chunk of the funds will go to MaHa Fund. We are contemplating the idea of splitting the rest among few individual cases of serious injuries that need help [One of them, a 9-year-old, has a rubber bullet lodged in his neck, and needs surgery]. Of course, the latter needs to be done through an organization in Nepal -- for the purposes of accountability. Social Action Volunteers (SAV), who are also helping the victims at Kanti Children's Hospital is one of the ideas.

Spread the word! Have your friends donate!

where were you guys for last 10 years when maosits victimized 1000s of innocent people?

This bulshit protest carried out by so called "bhanuda" don't even move an ant.
Hav eyou guys seen who is in the board of members or their executive committee?

What is their status ?

I hate when people take advantage of the situation of nepal just for publicity...

if you care so much then get a vacation and buy a ticket to nepal and then fight.
Not just have smiley face and go in the streets of New York.

i m not against any effort to raise the fund for the injured which is great but i was just asking why we don't hear any protest against maosits and fund raising for those victims....

[As of 3:00 pm, Monday, April 17th, 2006]

Total raised: US $ 4304.00, from 109 donors

Again, for the full combined list of donors to Samudaya and ADHRN, please visit ADHRN website: - www.alliancenepal.org

- www.samudaya.org also has the list of donors who donated through them at their website

***LATEST UPDATES***

The following is the combined list of donors from ADHRN and - www.samudaya.org as of 4:00 pm, Wednesday, April 19, 2006.

Total raised: US $4906.00 from 120 donors.

You can also view the complete list of donors at:

- www.alliancenepal.org

Due to the US law constraints of transferring funds to a registered non-profit in Nepal, and the suspension of banking operations there, we are still in the process of finalizing the beneficiaries and the channel of funds transfer. We will be updating you regarding this right here [at the Alliance's wensite] as they become concrete.

So far, we have received two individual requests for assistance in serious injuries – one of a child with a rubber bullet lodged in his neck, being treated at Kanti Children’s hospital; and the other of a young man with bullet injuries to his head. The latter is being treated at Bir Hospital’s neurological ward. The first request was made by Social Action Volunteers (SAV), run by Nepal Jesuits, who have been providing regular volunteer service at Kanti Children’s Hospital. For this, we are waiting for a complete detail of the injury and the amount sought so that we can send a check to the Jesuit Society of New England, who will then deposit the funds in Nepal Jesuit’s account.

Jana Andolan (People’s Movement) First Aid Treatment Fund will likely be the biggest beneficiary of the funds raised by us. Since they are also just a Trust Fund (and not a registered non-profit), we are working closely with ADHRN, Nepal Chapter to formulate a channel through which they can receive the funds. JAFATF has so far been at the forefront of raising funds for, and providing those funds to, the injured during the ongoing political uprising. They have assured us that they will disperse the funds to hospitals outside of the Kathmandu as well -- they have already established contacts with hospitals in Biratnagar, Chitwan, Pokhara and Nepalgunj. Their web address is:
- www.loktantrahrf.org

Good news! American doctor/volunteer, Dr. Brian Cobb, who was recently physically and verbally abused and forced to leave Nepal by the authorities, is returning to Nepal soon! He hopes to be back in the business of running a contingent of a few dozens medical student volunteers providing on-sight emergency medical treatment to the injured. He was, and is again now, in our list of possible beneficiaries.

We thank you all for your donations, and we trust that you will continue to support us in this noble cause.

pls keep this THREAD at top whenever possible ..!

thanks
AN

Great Job!!! Yes matribhumi needs us this time.. If you are clear about the transparency and have a clear channel of the funds, WE ARE ALL WILLING TO DONATE. You are seeing $5k...you will see more than $50k trust me...BUT....you have to show clear transaction of all your funds, pictures of that little kid and a guy who recived bullets getting treatments...generate awareness...Linking the fund to Ma-Ha fund is indeed a really good step in my opinion.... I TRUST THEM FULLY! MORE THAN ANY OTHER F**ED UP POLITICIANS AT THIS HOUR.

Revival
'Waiting for a new beginning'