A united Nepali front, known as the “Nepalis for Nepal’s Territorial Integrity”, consists of Nepali community members, representing many Nepali organizations throughout the United states of America, has completed a protest rally in Washington DC on Sunday, December 15, 2019 with a huge success.
The rally started in the Lafayette park, Infront of the White House and ended with protest march to the Indian Embassy at the Dupont circle.
The Two and half block long Nepalis marching as human chain with a loud and coordinated slogans against the land encroachments by India on the street of Washington DC, and more than a dozen police escorted traffic, and clapping public with thumbs up was a spectacle and bewilderment of the passing by Americans.
The rally was participated by almost each and every community leader in the greater DC area and was fully supported by most major Nepali organizations throughout the United States of America.
The rally has once again proven, we, Nepalis can unite and speak in one voice in America when it comes to the interest of Nepal and Nepali people.
Those of us who have organized event of this magnitude know very well that assembling large number of people in an organized way require lots of preparations and support of many people, and this event too was no different.
The success of this event was only possible because of the dedicated and committed community leaders throughout the US, particularly in the greater DC area.
On behalf of the “Nepalis for Nepal’s territorial integrity” and as an initiator of the protest, I would like to acknowledge the contribution and the leadership of the following individuals:
Kulmani Acharya was very instrumental in leading the effort locally, including obtaining the protest permit and helping organize the protest as one of the key leaders.
Khagendra Adhikari has tirelessly worked from the day one, which started almost three weeks prior to the event until the day of the protest, and even now, in every aspects of the protest, including the permit, as one of the key leaders of this event.
DJ Gorkhali was engaged from day one and contributed on managing logistics, fundraise as well as, coordinating with Zen Travel to sponsor the Banners and placard, which added a great value to the protest.
Dr. Diwakar Dahal too was involved in organizing the event from day one and contributed to the protest by providing various logistic and documentation supports remotely from St. Louis, Missouri.
Bijay Bhattarai was another remote leader, who contributed to the protest cause on marketing and logistic side from the beginning to the end even by physically being in Texas.
Binay Aryal, the NESEA president, Balaram Panthi, the ANMA president, Bimal Nepal, the former NASEA President, Krishna C. Shrestha, NESEA Gen secretary’s support from the day one until the completion was also a show of solidarity between us.
The team also acknowledges, Subodha Bilas Pant, the BANA President for full BANA support and by letting us use BANA’s name when required during the process, and facilitating the BANA resource center for the Panel discussion event on encroachment issue.
We further acknowledge Kedar Timsina, the ANHS president for his and his organization’s dedicated support on community outreach, and other greater Washington DC area leaders who have played a similar or greater role in reaching out to the community members.
The protest committee also acknowledges the volunteers for helping maintain flow of the protest and supporting the march in various ways, and greater DC area residents, and others, who came from different states, for taking time out from their busy life and participating in the rally despite adverse weather.
We must recognize the people who supported us financially as well as the Zen Travel and Suraj Basnet for sponsoring the event by printing all banners and placards.
Finally, media always plays a vital role in getting out the message. We recognize the invaluable and outstanding role of Bijay and Biswo Thapa (eNepalese news) for their relentless campaigning in reaching out to the Nepali community locally, as well as, globally. Beside eNepalese news, we also acknowledge the contribution of Parashuram Bhandari and Khem Bhattachan (DC Nepal), and Ram Pd. Khanal (Nepal Mother dot com) for their role in media coverage of this event.
Our gratitude and thanks to each and every one of the individuals and organizations mentioned above and others who may have been left out inadvertently, for their respective role to successfully organize the protest against the Indian encroachments of the Nepali territory.
Roger Adhikari
For “Nepalis for Nepal’s territorial integrity”
Washington DC. December 17, 2019 .
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