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Nepalis Abroad Demand the Right to Vote in June Elections, March 12, 2007

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AdvocacyNet
News Bulletin 93, March 12, 2007
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Washington, DC: The North American Nepali diaspora has launched an online global petition demanding that Nepalis living abroad be given the right to vote in key constituent elections in Nepal this June.

The petition is a major initiative by the Nepali diaspora to broaden support for the democratic process back home. It is addressed to Nepali Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and describes the forthcoming elections as a “crucial moment” in Nepal’s history.

“The elected assembly will write a new permanent constitution, as well as decide the fate of the monarchy, define the structure of the government and guarantee the rights of the people, including the Dalits, Madhesis, and indigenous and marginalized people. The constitution will also pave the way for an inclusive and full-fledged democracy.”

But says the petition, Nepalis abroad are unable to vote under the existing electoral regulations. “This is unfair and unjust. The right to vote is a fundamental right that should be given to all Nepali citizens, regardless of where they live.”

About 1,300 individuals signed the petition in its first week, from at least 30 countries.

The petition has drawn support from across the spectrum of Nepalese society. It is co-sponsored by the Nepali-American Society for Oppressed Community (NASO), which is working from the US to create a casteless society in Nepal, and by a prominent student organization, the Society of Ex-Budhanilkantha Students-North America (SEBS).

As well as seeking signatures, the petitioners will now urge the international community to step up their support for democracy in Nepal. The UN hopes to deploy a large team of specialists and 140 volunteers during the vote, but the budget of the UN mission was recently reduced from $10 million to $9.5 million. UN officials say that Nepal’s traditional donors have yet to make significant pledges, beyond offering ballot boxes.

The petition comes at a time of great uncertainty in Nepal itself. The restoration of democracy last year held out great promise to minorities, indigenous groups, and communities like the Dalit, which suffer from social exclusion.

But the interim political structures have proved too weak to accommodate their demands. This became clear in January after protests by the Madhesi people, who live in the impoverished Terai region, were suppressed with violence. Advocates for the Dalit have also demonstrated recently, demanding greater participation.

Advocates for these and other minorities feel that the new constitution is more likely to ensure their rights if they are represented in the new assembly. But they are worried that less than half of the assembly’s 425 members will be elected by proportional representation – the method that most favors minorities.

This and other disagreements have raised concern that the election may be postponed – putting further strain on the fragile political consensus. After pledging to work within the political process, the Maoists have caused anger by appearing reluctant to hand in their weapons and demobilize. King Gyanendra further enflamed public opinion with a recent speech justifying his dictatorship.

The elections would certainly be harder to organize if the vote is extended to hundreds of thousands of Nepalis living abroad. But Dinesh Tripathi, a lawyer who lives in Baltimore and took the lead in organizing the petition, described the right to vote as “sovereign.” He added that many internationally-supported elections – most recently those in Iraq – have encouraged foreign voting in an effort to build legitimacy.

The Advocacy Project has been asked to recruit several fellows this summer by its two Nepalese partners, the Collective Campaign for Peace and the Jagaran Media Center, which will both be actively involved in the elections.

• Sign the petition
• Email Dinesh Tripathi
• For news about civil society in Nepal, visit the International Nepal Solidarity Network.

The Advocacy Project
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