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| Gagan Kumar Thapa |
Gagan Thapa, the outspoken republic-advocate, and former General Secretary of Nepal Student Union, the sister-organization of the biggest political party Nepali Congress has issued an appeal urging the youth of the country to fight against the King's move. Radio Free Nepal received the appeal in email and is being reproduced here.
APPEAL FROM GAGAN KUMAR THAPA
Democracy and individual freedoms are not only the hallmark of the 21st century but are the inalienable rights of a nation and its communities and individuals. Today these rights are not only restricted within documents but have become a way of life. King Gynendra's assumption of absolute power in Nepal has not only caused a set-back to the national development but has also compelled all the freedom lovers to re-group to fight till the end using all peaceful means available. We the youth of Nepal represent the agents of change—more fit to invent, than to judge; more fit for execution, than for counsel; and more fit for new projects, than for existing business. No wonder our troubled nation has once again put her faith upon us.
Inefficiency in tackling Maoists and corruption by the political leaders in the past fourteen years has been the basis behind the king's move towards the assumption of absolute power. But the past fourteen years of democratic practice has impacted the way people perceive their rights and freedom. Commoners have become more vocal in demanding their rights with the concerned authorities and that has been the greatest achievement of democracy in the last fourteen years. King Gyanendra claims that the democracy failed to represent the voice of people and is therefore, misleading and baseless. Nepal has remained poor and the justice has been curtailed since its unification. What about the corruption, inefficiency and injustices that have been perpetuated by the Monarch of Nepal for the past 237 years? Shouldn't it be raised as a relevant question? And therefore we the young ones of Nepal have been advancing the cause of republic set-up in Nepal.
Maoist insurgency could have been tackled by the democratic government in its infantile stage back in 1996. But the army headed by the present King didn't allow for that to have a basis and refused to be unified on the side of democracy. And this has happened again, in the last month in Nepal. Therefore the present monarch is not the hero but a villain that has claimed the lives of more than 15,000 lives of common Nepalese and needs to be brought to justice. We the youth of Nepal have to fight our war on two different fronts at this critical moment of history: Monarch and the Maoists. Monarch on the one hand has shown its ambition of maintaining state power at all cost. Maoists on the other have not shown commitment towards the practice of democracy. Both the Monarch and the Maoists have established themselves as extremists with whom the democratic forces cannot afford to comply with until the Maoists change their stance theoretically as well as practically. We the youth, believe that we have a capacity to eradicate the injustices that have prevailed since its unification and to face those that are yet to arise.
Security forces have entered the campus premises today. Many of our political and human rights activists have gone underground but only in order to consolidate our strength and come back with much vigour and enthusiasm. The bigger threat is to these young people who can make the things happen despite the risk. New Nepal cannot rest upon an elite few who have perpetuated crime for the last 237 years. But rather we choose to rely on those who see this nation as a place for all to exercise their rights and pursue a happy and life of abundance.
I, Gagan Kr. Thapa in my capacity as a young leader would like to appeal to my entire generation that the time has come to exercise our capacity to make a positive difference in the national life in Nepal. We have two choices, we can either be mere spectators or we can take the responsibility to propel the nation toward a positive future. The latter choice will lead to a prolonged struggle against all the reactionary forces in Nepal and the former leads to a compromise with those forces. The latter demands the commitment, conviction, and dedication and the former requires total submission. The latter will allow us a free life with access to the state's resources and the former is a future wherein all the Nepalis dignity will be at the mercy of another. I have chosen the path of prolonged struggle that requires commitment and conviction, in order to be instrumental in realizing the common dreams and ambitions of my fellow citizens. I strongly believe that I belong to a generation that knows no compromise with their dignity, a generation that loves to live in a free and just world, a generation which believes in a peaceful movement, and I'm extremely proud to be a part of this generation.
We the youth of Nepal have traveled our hills, terrains, and terais. The sweet smells of our nation runs through our veins making us restless to achieve dignity for our citizens as a nation. We assume this as our moral responsibility. I, Gagan Kumar Thapa, see the takeover of King Gyanendra as a glorious day in the history of Nepal not because it has abolished all the fundamental rights enshrined by the constitution but because this day marks an end of the monarchy in Nepal. I would therefore like to appeal to all the youth in Nepal and abroad to prepare for the peaceful movement. We have seen what we have been provided by our elder generations and we are not ready to accept it any further. Our motherland calls upon us and dear friends, at this crucial point of history we are being looked upon not to falter. We place our firm commitment in the democratic way of life and we believe that every single individual has the right to live in a dignified way. I call upon a total revolution against all the reactionary forces in Nepal, a revolution that is based on the premises of love and brotherhood, a revolution that guarantees freedom and dignified life for all. This freedom will be marked by the "glorious revolution" in the history of Nepal because it will be lead by the generation of the 21st century Nepal fighting for a new and glorious republic of Nepal.
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