Pulling red carpet to their renewed hopes at the advent of the New Year, the youth leaders have once again mustered their courage to venture what they were not able to accomplish in the previous year already consigned to the pages of history.[break]
While they bid adieu to 2010 lamenting that they were not able to reap maximum benefits of the year that harbored “greater” potentials, they are committed to stand united to bail the country out of the present crisis, thanks to the bitter experiences that turned out to be an eye opener.
On peace and Constitution
Pradip Paudel, President of Nepal Students Union (NSU), a student wing affiliated to Nepali Congress, says, “We’ll continue to launch campaigns aimed at ensuring political stability and a new Constitution in 2011.”
He fears that constitution-writing may hit a snag even after extending the tenure of the Constituent Assembly by a year in the light of the ongoing wrangling among top leaders. Therefore, the role of youth leaders has to be instrumental in piling pressure for the timely promulgation of the statute.
“Political leaders lack the kind of unity they demonstrated while dethroning the monarchy. Similar unity is essential in institutionalizing the newly-born republic,” Paudel elaborates.
Madhav Dungel, the newly appointed President of All Nepal National Free Students Union (ANNFSU) affiliated to CPN (UML) echoes the same. He expresses his commitments that ANNFSU will launch pressure-building programs in 2011 to give the country a new Constitution by May 28.
“We’ll also press leaders to accomplish the army integration task before the Constitution drafting is completed,” says Dhungel with conviction, adding that only by taking the peace process to a logical end can usher in a lasting peace in the country, which will necessitate shunning arms and violence.
Likewise, Himal Sharma, President of All Nepal National Independent Free Students’ Union-Revolutionary (ANNISU-R) aligned to UCPN (Maoist) unfolded his plans that ANNISU-R will resist any conspiracies aimed at sabotaging the peace process and Constitution drafting in 2011.
“We’ll consolidate our whole effort for peace and the Constitution,” says Sharma.
Ashok Kumar Yadav, President of Madhesi Students Forum, Nepal (MSF-N) affiliated to Madhesi Peoples Rights Forum, Nepal, says at a time when leaders are trying to escape from their constitution-writing duties, MSF-N will launch Mechi-Mahakali campaigns to ensure timely statute and lasting peace.
On education reforms
Sharma, who was elected unanimously to his position at the recommendation of the mother party, confides that ANNISU-R will leave no stone unturned to establish issues related to education reforms that have been “put on hold” for the past 60 years.
The youth leader is resolute for establishing issues like reach of common people to basic education, imparting quality and employment-based education at public schools, and an end of privatization in education sector.
“We’ll step up our efforts to end privatization of education up to the 12th grade,” says Sharma, adding ANNISU-R will resort to preventing registration process of private schools, determining fee structure of such establishments, and launching stringent protests against the government to discourage privatization.
Yadav also shares his conviction to fight for “free” education for all that should be quality-based and scientific.
On financial reforms
Dhungel plans to celebrate 2011 as the year of chalking out policies to usher in financial revolution in the country.
“Nepal harbors greater potential of financial prosperity as the nation has been blessed with ample natural resources,” remarks Dhungel, adding Nepal Tourism Year 2011 will provide good a platform to trade in tourism potentials, and that the young community should be made aware of this.
He says ANNFSU has plans to initiate extensive discussion among youth to explore tourism potentials of the country that will contribute to financial reforms.
On narrowing down intra-party rifts
In a bid to narrow intra-party rift that has been becoming evident in almost every major political party, Paudel says NSU will press the mother party to move ahead while being guided by the “defined” set of principles.
“We’ll urge the leaders to accept common leadership and to shed their partisan interests,” adds Paudel.
Dhungel, unveiling the resolutions for 2011, says ANNFSU will act as a common platform to iron out the differences between the senior leaders. He hopes that the intra-party wrangling will fade as the current transition period succeeds to make headway.
Sharma also expresses his determination to thwart any attempts made at splitting the mother party.
“We’ll try to settle the intra-party disputes that have surfaced by taking the role of a neutral actor,” he adds.
Yadav attributes intra-party rift to leaders’ power-centric politics and partisan interests and vows to launch “ideological” battles against them to resolve the disputes.
On unity among student organizations
NSU leader Paudel views 2011 as a year that has arrived with additional challenges. To overcome such challenges, NSU will work to creating unity among other student organizations.
Dhungel has more extensive plan of celebrating 2011 as the year of unity, to put an end to frequent scuffles, which often turns violent among student organizations.
To foster unity, Yadav opines that the umbrella organizations of student unions must be made impartial and that it should rather focus on education issues.
Going by the old adage of John Milton, “Childhood shows the man as morning shows the day,” Nepal can certainly gain stability and prosperity in 2011 if these youth leaders stick to their resolutions.
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