Nepal - Articles

Uprising against the Maoists

As part of their campaign against the anti-People's War elements, Maoists killed three civilians including an eight-year-old boy in Salleri of Dailekh district on 20 November for daring to protest against their atrocities. Four civilians were injured in the incident. In an unexpected turn against the atrocities, the local people especially women folks of Dailekh district came down to the streets with anti-Maoist slogans, "We don't need Prachandapath. You can't kill people anymore." Dailekh, was earlier considered to be a strong hold of the Maoists. In Rajdhani (23 November), Chitra Singh Gaunle wrote, "Maoists are facing the consequences of having taken the people for granted. It is time for them to acknowledge that the sickles of the mass are more powerful than the AK-47s of a few armed militants." Further he said, 'the Maoists made a positive impact on the people in the early phases of their movement? when consolidation is needed and not expansion, Maoists have lost more by going underground."

In another incident in Dullu in the same district, the local people protested against the Maoists for their campaign - "Join the movement, leave the village or live with broken limbs." The protest against the Maoists culminated on 24 November, when 5000 people - majority of them women spontaneously came together and shouted anti-Maoist and pro-peace slogans. After the uprising of the civilians, the army has decided to move a base to guard Dullu against possible Maoist revenge attacks. In Himal Khabarpatrika (1-15 December), Kishore Nepal wrote, "Even though the Dailekh uprising was spontaneous and unprecedented, it is not going to be easy for the government to take advantage of it. Government presence is nil in many parts of the country and it first needs to show that it is a viable alternative that reflects and acts on the citizen's concerns. Given the disarray and disunity of the political parties, it is unlikely that Dailekh's brave resistance can be replicated nationwide."

Nepal Samacharpatra (25 November) in its editorial said that as a result of the Maoist-resistance campaign, the rebels are on the run and the locals in Dailekh have set an example for the rest of the country. Citing the risk of being hit by the insurgents' counter attack on the people of Dullu, it urged the Government and security forces to ensure their safety and resettlement.

Constructive War in Dailekh

Nepal Samacharpatra (16 November) said, "the security forces and the Maoists are competing to make their presence felt in Dailekh by trying to compete in development work. Both sides are now engaged in building roads, bridges, water supply networks, and more." After the people's protest against the Maoists for killing the civilians and rigorous recruitment process, the Government has begun several development projects. On the other hand, the rebels have completed many development projects in the region including small-scale hydropower projects, suspension bridges, public waiting areas and a 40-km road between Dungeswor and Patinkala and plan to finish some more in the next few months with the assistance of engineers and other technicians in their party. Meanwhile, the villagers have demanded both the sides to reopen the schools, which are out of function.

Demeaning Democracy

In Deshantar, the Nepali Congress (NC) leader Sushil Koirala expressed the opinion that "there is a conspiracy against democracy". He cited the King's introduction of the advisory council and the propagation of the royalists' authoritarian ideas and said "everything is aimed at taking away the gains of the 1990 People's Movement and the constitution." He says the King's intentions are for direct rule and has been systematically dismantling the democratic institutions like multiparty parliamentary system, human rights, rule of law and people's power. Expressing his belief in reinstatement of the Parliament to bring democracy back on track, he indicted the ideas of election from the quarters supporting regression. He has opined that "once the dates for elections are finalised, the Supreme Court will have difficulty giving its decision on the petition seeking revision of the decision to approve the dissolution of the House of Representatives."

Government Exit

Deshantar (21 November ) in its report says, "six months after his reappointment as Prime Minister, Sher Bahadur Deuba has been asked to resign by the royal palace on charges of failing to restore peace and of being unable to bridle the CPN (UML), which the palace believes is creating trouble. The Communist Party of Nepal (UML) has opposed the government's decisions on the ordinance of the royal palace's expenditure, on holding elections and it raised the infamous issue of the Dasain expenses that the government doled out of the national coffer. Describing Deuba's resignation as 'strategic move' on the King's side, it says, "if Deuba announces election dates, he would put the palace in a fix because it wouldn't have an excuse to sack Deuba." It was on the condition of holding elections before mid-March 2005 that Deuba's government was reinstated.