Political Quotes

“I have spoken over the years about the political transformation that has been taking place in Nepal since 2005, from a corrupt, autocratic monarchy to an emerging democracy. That process has moved forward by fits and starts, plagued by political infighting and the seeming inability of political and ethnic factions to unite for the good of the people. We are struggling with partisanship and divisiveness in this country, so I understand the problem, but Nepal is at a historic crossroads and cannot afford for this process to fail. Key issues that were at the heart of the internal armed conflict, such as impunity for crimes against civilians by both sides, have not been addressed. Shielding perpetrators of gross violations of human rights from punishment is incompatible with a democratic society based on the rule of law. There are many other challenges, like reform of the army, demobilization of former Maoist combatants, improving literacy, building effective, transparent government institutions, and reducing poverty. The United States is helping, but Nepal's competing political leaders must point the way forward by making the necessary compromises. Today I want to speak briefly about caste discrimination, which is at the core of Nepal's feudalistic history. I do so by paying tribute to an extraordinary leader of Nepal's Dalit community, Suvash Darnal, who was tragically killed in a motor vehicle accident in Virginia on August 15, 2011. Mr.…”