[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 143 (Friday, September 23, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5940-S5941]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
REMEMBERING SUVASH DARNAL
Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, 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. Darnal was only 31 years old when he died, but he had already
achieved far more than most people, even people with every advantage,
do in a much longer life.
Mr. Darnal was of humble beginnings, with nothing but hardship and
unfairness to look forward to. Yet he managed to overcome daunting
obstacles to become a respected leader with boundless energy, a
quenchless thirst for knowledge, extraordinary vision, and a tireless
determination to help improve the lives of his people.
As I have said before in this Chamber, Nepal's democracy cannot
succeed without the inclusion of minority castes, including Dalits, in
political and economic decisionmaking. Mr. Darnal devoted himself
passionately to that cause through journalism, research, and advocacy.
He was an inspiring example of why caste discrimination has no place
in the 21st century, and his death is a tragic loss not only for Dalits
but for all of Nepal. He had the humility, integrity, intellect, and
dedication to his people that Nepal needs in its leaders, and I hope
others of his generation are inspired by his life and work to continue
his legacy.
Mr. President I ask unanimous consent to have printed in the Record
an August 16 article in the Kathmandu Post about Mr. Darnal.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
[From the Kathmandu Post, Aug. 16, 2011]
Bidushi Dhungel, ``Palpali Flame''
The tragic death of 31-year-old Dalit activist and media
entrepreneur Suvash Darnal is a huge setback to Nepal's Dalit
movement. Well known for being the founder of Nepal's first
ever Dalit-focused media organisation, Jagaran Media, co-
founder of the Collective Campaign for Peace and most
recently, the Dalit-focused think tank, Samata Foundation,
Darnal made undeniable contributions to a burgeoning rights-
sensitive society.
Born in Mujhung in Palpa, and one of four siblings, Suvash
was schooled ``by accident,'' at a local school that just
happened to be in close proximity to his home. He was never
told to go to school, nor did he initially see it as
necessary, ``it just kind of happened,'' he would say.
Darnal's perseverance meant that he became the first Dalit to
pass the SLC from his village. That achievement, and the
positive reaction it garnered from the upper echelons of
society that once treated him as untouchable, gave him the
motivation to work harder.
But behind every success story, there is a long, hard
struggle. Looking at Suvash in his last years, one could
never guess that he'd come to Kathmandu with nothing except
the fire of convictions. He spent months selling watches
immersed in a bucket of water on the Ratna Park roadside. And
having made a few contacts here and there, Darnal ventured
into writing for small media houses. The ideas for the
foundations of the Jagaran Media Centre came in these days.
It was to be the largest Dalit-led media outlet in South
Asia. Even now, Jagaran media has a radio station that
produces a radio magazine that is broadcast throughout India
and Nepal.
These were turbulent times. By the time the media centre
was established and running smoothly, King Gyanendra took
over and attempted to reverse the course of history. Public
outrage was growing and so was the demand for the return of
democracy. At this crucial juncture, Darnal and his close
friend founded the Collective Campaign for Peace (COCAP). ``I
wanted to play my part in what I knew would be a momentous
time in Nepal's history,'' said Darnal. He often recalled
those days saying that at the heart of the uprising, it
became an unofficial ``secretariat'' for the civil democratic
movement in Nepal.
It was after this that Darnal set off to undertake the most
mammoth of his life's work. He realised that democracy would
be of little use to Dalit society unless there was a way to
bridge the gap between politics and caste. This was where
Darnal's deep frustrations with society resided. The idea
that discourse at the policy level was necessary gave way to
the Samata Foundation. Initially called the Nepal Center for
Dalit Studies, late in 2009, the name was changed and became
an officially registered organisation.
The Samata Foundation is now the hub of Dalit research.
Last year, under Darnal's direction, Samata held Nepal's
first ever International Dalit conference. An avid reader and
fan of B.R. Ambedkar, Darnal had set out to establish caste-
based policies in the country. His book, A Land of Our Own:
Conversations with Dalit Members of the Constituent Assembly,
came out in 2009. Although enthused by the 2008 elections
that ushered in some 40 Dalit Constituent Assembly (CA)
members, it didn't take long for Darnal to realise it wasn't
going to be enough. He often said that it was only natural
that the Dalit CA members wouldn't be educated, but that it
was then his task to give them the information and competence
to stand out and be clear about their demands. In this
endeavour, he decided to publish a Nepali translation of
Ambedkar's book. The translation was done by Dalit leader and
CA member Aahuti, and was published earlier this year. Darnal
held a special prominence in his head and heart for the
personality and works of Ambedkar and the translation of the
book and its subsequent publishing was a source of joy to
him.
The Dalit movement has a long history in this country, but
with Suvash Darnal it rose to new heights. From raising
national awareness to travelling abroad for guest lectures,
Darnal had the conviction to make Nepali society aware, not
only of the harsh realities of caste, but of the
repercussions of its perception in politics and society.
Suvash's Samata Foundation was in the process of achieving
precisely this. The organisation is now without its founder,
and the Dalit movement without a capable leader. The work he
undertook was as much professional to him as it was personal,
and that's what allowed for his success. Suvash Darnal's
close friends refer to him as very much of a family man. And
with only a few close friends, he maintained very close ties
with his family. He is survived by his wife and two year old
daughter.
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