Two-faced, yes. Two-souled?

Editorial
Two-faced, yes. Two-souled?

FROM ISSUE #529 (26 NOV 2010 - 02 DEC 2010) | TABLE OF CONTENTS

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The Maoists continue to frustrate both those vying to outdo them in competitive politics and the public at large. After supposedly agreeing to allow the budget to be passed last week, they changed their minds and declared their intention to protest the presentation of the same. They claim the government was announcing a budget beyond the terms that were agreed on. Since the talks were held behind closed doors they can claim what they like, and so can their political adversaries. As if allowing the substance of the wheeling and dealing to leak to the public would risk derailing the deals; it could only embarrass those engaging in them.

What followed of course has laid another black mark next to the parliamentary process in Nepal. Which is precisely what the Maoists, who had no respect for the process in any case, had in mind.

It was the former rebels who jumped the finance minister and, in the words of RJP leader Prakash Chandra Lohani, behaved like animals. But it was Lohani's description of the hapless speaker and the confusion of others in the immediate aftermath that really told the tale. In the run-up to their Gorkha plenum, the Maoist party wanted to show just what they thought of parliamentary process, even if they realised that they couldn't block the budget any longer.

The juvenile grin on the face of Narayan Kaji Shrestha as he watched Minister Pandey being manhandled by his comrades betrayed his approach to problem-solving. Like the Maoist Party at large, the Maoist vice-chairman's act is two-faced: he will travel to London with NC and UML politicians to meet British coalition members and experts on conflict resolution, thereby presenting a reasonable fa�ade to the wider Nepali polity and the world. But he will break the terms he has agreed to at the flick of a switch, thereby presenting a radical fa�ade to the Maoist cadre. Over this all is clumsy spin, characterised by remarks such as that justifying the presence of the PLA at the Gorkha plenum: "They are not practically under the Special Committee". It bears underlining � if you have in principle and in theory agreed to place the PLA under the control of the Special Committee, does this not mean one has to move towards implementing it practically by not allowing for PLA attendance?

This desire to have it both ways � to partake of the approval of both the democratic and radicalised brigades � may work temporarily for the Maoists, but it won't lead anywhere, not for them, nor for the country. You can't fool all of the people all of the time, foreigners included. Does even the Maoist leadership believe that it can find a way to capture the state by brute force and hold onto it?

One begins to suspect that it is not only the two-facedness of the Maoist leaders that is dragging the country (and the Maoist Party) down. It is the need to hold onto two different, opposed constituencies that is tearing the leadership apart. These are existential times for the Maoists.

Unfortunately, one suspects the Gorkha plenum will do little to reconcile the polarised viewpoints of Baidya and Bhattarai, because they are irreconcilable over the medium term of the peace process and constitution writing, not even in the fluid, accommodating persona of Chairman Dahal. It has to be one or the other: by now it should be clear even to the Maoist leadership which path leads to oblivion, and which to social justice, freedom and prosperity.

READ ALSO:
Is the CPA still relevant?, DAMAKANT JAYSHI
Widening gulf, PRASHANT JHA

1. K. K. Sharma

You seem to have missed a vital point of Maoist strategy.. Theirs is "a prolonged war of attrition", modified since 2005 with, "war with other means" [ meaning at political level, not guns ].. They are not in a hurry as it is a prolonged war. To browbeat the opponents, making them tired, weakening their resolve and eventually making them capitulate is the objective. War with other means also has an additional advantage of keeping the opponents waiting, guessing, hoping but not acting .

So what they are doing, is all on track. It is the others who are being goofed. Many it seems do not know what Mao had said about " the prolonged war of attrition", and what Baburam had said about " war with other means." And of course, there is the element of Lenin in "using the useful idiots" by dolling our promises which are to be reneiged, when the time comes..... this is not two-faced, but a tactic.

It may straighten your thinking, if you spend some time reading, and understanding the widely available Communist literatures, in stead of falling into the ploys of the prolonged war of attrition and war with other means.

Posted on: 26 NOV 2010 | 10:32 AM NST

2. Arthur
"After supposedly agreeing to allow the budget to be passed last week, they changed their minds and declared their intention to protest the presentation of the same. They claim the government was announcing a budget beyond the terms that were agreed on. Since the talks were held behind closed doors they can claim what they like, and so can their political adversaries."

For Nepali Times and many of its readers it is completely natural to simply accept that Maoist opponents are telling the truth when they claim what they like, but anything the Maoists say is false.

But really, which story is more likely?

Isn't it rather strange to claim that the Maoists agreed to accept the budget when they said the opposite and opepnly backed that up forcibly?

Why not simply denounce the Maoists for having blocked the budget forcibly? Surely Nepali Times could rely on its readers to agree with that!

By adding this ridiculous claim, Nepali Times merely emphasizes how far it has lost touch with reality.

The simple reality is that the minority parties are unable to govern Nepal. Blame the Maoists as much as you like, that reality will not change.

Posted on: 26 NOV 2010 | 10:57 AM NST

3. BJ

Mr. Sharma has hit the Bull's eye. That's it. Very very plain and simple. God help our country !

Posted on: 26 NOV 2010 | 2:45 PM NST

4. who cares
the only good, the present drama, can bring is- one day, just a matter of time, maosit has to join democracy,,, but till then, cause of their actions, they will have already lost most of their votes.

my biggest problem is not maoist, its most of the individuals running democratic parties and media. those weak individuals are making me feel helpless, those media who dont even have guts to respect freedom of speech.

WEAK IN POWER ARE THE PROBLEM, LIKE MAOIST ARE ALWAYS GOING TO BE IN A COUNTRY WHERE THERE ARE MORE THAN MILLION CITIZENS.

so people like you who should change your way of thinking, action, personalit, not maosit.

take maosit positively, gang like maoist are needed to develop any nation. terror like maoist keeps everyone on edge so that people, politicians would work hard to develop nation, to make nation strong.

Posted on: 26 NOV 2010 | 3:31 PM NST

5. chasing_che
ayn rand said," You can avoid the reality but you cannot avoid the consequences of avoiding reality". So true in our perspective. When its evident that maoists are the largest force in the reckoning, you just can't sideline them. Either you face them or let them what they want. When you are gonna face them make sure that you check and balance them, as one would expect to do with the animals.

When you resolve to push and bully the strong, what more can you expect. The tactics of congress and Uml had backfired. Its as simple as that. and its not the end, just the beginning. and we have to suffer more, a lot more. i am ready for it...

Never make a mistake to fail to understand the calm before the storm. well, you can kill the revolutionary but you can't kill the revolution..

Posted on: 26 NOV 2010 | 4:36 PM NST

6. Nirmal

The Maoists has played the shit out the drums! Although, it was an exercise of internal democracy apparently, it didnï¿½t stop being alike the Maoists damfu bajai. By the way, the damfu of urban revolt has been overshadowed by the damfu of threat to national war against India. Pure noise, which we keep as unfriendly memories. This strange need to wrap up by the party patron with myths oxidized and the troubles of other glories. The Maoists has this particular weakness for this kinds of political tactics, perhaps because politically itï¿½s never been able to mature, by killing the ghost, freudianly. And so, art with vacuum of ideas in three directions, appears in partronised karyakarta bhela. Forget the egalitarian principle (that these so called communists preach), even the right to equal opportunities on equal terms(that we democrats advocate) for the three top most barons of the very maoists party has been respected.

It is true that so far there are two Maoists, the first was rebellious and the last was glorious. But the dark side of the moon(chandragrahan) is recent than its brighter side, former two formed a political character which was doing fantastically well, practically upto now. Enjoying their expanded plenum in an open air with stalls of books(instead of guns). Good memories are always hygienic factors for motivations. To recuperate(read it as to give continuity) it for the Maoists, this kind of glory after 6 months is as much as acknowledge that they have it all lost and that they are losing the hope, rummage through the trunk of memories in desperation to find some moth-eaten accent to impress(read it as provoke).

Do you need_________( Maoists, non-maoists)? Do you really need _______(Prachanda, Koirala bajes) agreeing to the terms of the________( non-Maoists, Maoists) for the sake of the peace process and constitution? A situation becomes desperate when you start to think it's hopeless, because itï¿½s war publisher, another form of war but remains the war, and like in any war you fight the enemy, according to the rules of the war, and when that does not happen, mistakes are made. It is then when they cry foul without fighting decently, it pains. I mean this traffic blockage of entire democracy is unacceptable, when it comes to ensure smooth functioning of Democracy, there is where all the kangressi emale maobadi bajes fail, how pity! But donï¿½t they know the simple and obvious thing:in democracy you can serve the country ï¿½being in govt or in opposition?ï¿½

Like above comments indicated, it seems that things will be decided from the street but I doubt it will be so easy and decisive. The fever of revolt in the Maoists men and ammunition will take the peak at the beginning of June and it has been calculated 6 months unrest and total anarchy during which the Maoists will try to supersede the environment, the negotiation will be held at the same time NO PROBLEM! In case the Army is used to suppress the Maoists sponsored goons(violent demonstrators)then the Maoists are even ready to declare three year half-fledged war strategy. It seems that the top three Maoists men have agreed in principle to complete their revolution in 7-8 years, for that they are even ready to adopt sadak, sambbad and jungle strategy.

The plan is being meticulously done in front of all but it seems that no oneï¿½s realized, nepali analysts and mainstream netas always analysing late! But the problem with this 8 years plan to complete the revolution has some flaws which confirm that Prachanda & Co. will enjoy their retirement in Jungle If it is ever carried out in current form. The Maoists has to choose between being counted or declaring the final war, while for the non-maoists there is no alternative to fight them unless and until the Maoists are disarmed. Finally, Nepali rajnitik coteries has DO OR DIE situation. Better be it for Democracy.

Posted on: 26 NOV 2010 | 4:46 AM NST

7. jange
The Maoists have always been the same. Only the NT's perception was different as they were very keen to present themselves in the style of "leftwing liberal revolutionaries". Like a jilted lover the NT is waking up to reality.

Nice to know that the NT is beginning to recognise the true face of Maoists.

Better late than never.

Posted on: 27 NOV 2010 | 2:47 PM NST

8. shred

What is True and what is False ï¿½ that chairman should know before speaking to the crowd, he says something and later says no, I didn't say that - media misinterpreted my speech. This happen yesterday and happening today as well from all party member. Most probably they prctice this to gain more popularity (clapping - my guess) from audience. Later when backfire, then you blame to media and foreign powers for misinterpretation ï¿½ you playing the simple game.

Do the simple test - Put your hand in your chest and close your eyes and think - whether you and your party members are clean and clear like Crystal ï¿½ you all get the answers! Thatï¿½s other matter, whether you reveal the truth or not ï¿½ like Nepalï¿½s Politics!

Posted on: 01 DEC 2010 | 6:43 AM NST

9. jange
Two-faced- Yes
Two (multiple is more accurate) tongued- Yes

Two souled???- They are atheists, they don't have souls. Unless they need it to further their political objectives and then they will have souls galore.

The Maoists are history. The period of their mayhem will be remembered as a time when good men kept quiet.

Posted on: 01 DEC 2010 | 10:25 AM NST

10. Manik
NT has lost it all jange!....these guys are glory hunters...astute businessmen. Look at how they ride the tide....would you call it an AWAKENING?! not for me...not yet! May be these bums could learn a thing from you!

And without CK's contribution...NT seems too feeble...its boring! Glad you are hanging around. Go Jange!

Posted on: 01 DEC 2010 | 12:34 AM NST

11. Thinley, France
Politics as defined by the dictionnary:

-The activities associated with the governance of a country or other area, esp. the debate or conflict among individuals or parties having or hoping to achieve power

-Activities within an organization that are aimed at improving someone's status or position and are typically considered to be devious or division

now lets have a look at the definition of democracy:

-The practice or principles of social equality

-A system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state

It seems clear enough that if the Nepali political institutions and bodies are struggling their way to the top of the heirarchy, it is in no means to promote the Democracy which the country now bears as title. The rejection of the monarchy was, in the first place, to detach the country from its unequal, heirarchial reality in day to day life. We were a Country of subjects to a dictator king who owned everything. As the fight for power continues will the one sitting on the thrown be any different?

It is time that we forget politics as the primordial problem. The real problem is still out there. Girls having to go fetch water miles away from their homes , fathers left jobeless, young ones flying off to distant destinations looking for work, crime, lack of social structures, and the list goes on.

It is primordial to build the Nepali Politic, and I say that as a unique entity because of the lack of the idea of One Nepal for One People, upon these true problems, and how to deal with them.

Politics here, has been built upon Occidental structures which the political parties try to imitate. But the French Politic or American or English or Indian for that, though formed of many parties can be designated as One, Because though different in ideology, they all tend in the same direction, that is the improvement of their societies and the situation of its citizens. In Nepal, no such thing can be said. we are talking about political parties rather than Politics. the Maoist move in one direction, while the NC in another and the UML in another. Infact the Nepali situation is a joke at the international level. when I see the situation of my country as it is now I do not see it being like France or India in the future, the image of Somalia crops in my head.

This is a message to all those who take part in the politics of our country: Until and unless you dialogue for progress, we will not vote for you. Until you keep you personal vandettas aside and help in reconstructing the country, we will see you as fools. Until you construct a clear and concise Politic that will elevate this country to credibility, you will be nothing but idiots in the eyes of all who understand your little game.

Their is still hope for Nepal, and Nepalis. there is still hope for emancipation and progress. Do not let that be in vein, But most importantly stop seeing the actual situation as one to profit from; their is much more to profit from a Nation that can stand on its two feet than one that is on its knees.

Posted on: 02 DEC 2010 | 6:30 PM NST