Nepali Times
Editorial
Two legs good



BIKRAM RAI

For committed revolutionaries who joined the Maoist party in the early 1990s, there must be a profound sense of disillusionment as they watched their leaders on the stage on 1 February as the party marked the anniversary of the war.

Many of them became Maoists because they were convinced that parliamentary democracy was not bringing about the transformational change in state structure to dismantle a feudal monarchy. They had seen structural violence at election time in the mid-western hills, and were convinced that democracy was just a way for the feudal elites to shuffle the cards every four years through elections. Inspired by Mao Zedong's teachings, they concluded that an armed struggle to overthrow the state was the only way to liberate the country.

Many of us often ask ourselves whether the 16,000 Nepali lives lost, and the cost in delayed development were worth it. The Maoist comrades argue that without the war, the monarchy could never have been removed, and the country would never have been turned into a federal democratic republic.

May be. But it is also true that what the war could not achieve in ten years was attained in 19 days of largely peaceful street protests. The 2006 people's movement represents a moral victory for non-violent political struggle. Those gains are being frittered away.

It is what followed 2006 that must be making some committed Maoists, including those who were willing to kill and be killed in the frontlines, wonder how things went so badly wrong. The state decided to compensate the ex-guerrillas for their re-assimilation into society by giving them some pocket money, but their own party is taking it away from them.

We all knew that the battle-hardened fighters were never in the 'cantonments', they became the dreaded YCL. Now, the YCL wants its pound of flesh too, and there is a strong possibility the estimated Rs 2 billion compensation for them is going to be diverted from state coffers as well.

But what must be the most disheartening for those driven by a genuine desire to liberate the people is the sight of their party bosses being corrupted by money and power. Luxurious mansions, liquor parties, kickbacks and corruption, cheating one's own cadre: it is almost an exact real-life reenactment of Animal Farm.

Senior leaders of a party that launched a revolution to overthrow a feudal centralised Khas state and replace it with autonomous federated provinces for ethnic minorities, it turns out, were just using it as a slogan to recruit cannon fodder for the war. Some of the most vociferous opponents of ethnic federalism are now the Maoists themselves.

Reckless political brinkmanship has pushed this country closer to a communal conflagration, while competing territorial claims are leading to violence and factional confrontation. It is now looking like the interim constitution may even have to be the new constitution. Ethnic federalism has become just too hot to handle, and there is no way a directly-elected presidential system is going to go through the CA.

The root of the problem lies in the lack of trust between the Maoists and the rest, and the main reason for which is the party's continued adherence to goals like violent state capture. If the Maoists can convince the other parties that they have once and for all turned a new leaf, `and demonstrate that they now swear by democracy, pluralism and free elections, there will be closure.

Failure to do so will prolong this volatile transition, open the possibility of an implosion within the Maoist party itself and unleash an Orwellian dystopia.

Read also:
The Tarai is tinder dry, NAVIN JHA
Don't push the Madhes to another violent movement



1. Sonam Tsering
Lets face it !  The Maoist Revolution is a joke ! The Maoist Revolution has failed. Miserably ! The Maoist leaders are nothing but corrupt and immoral individuals who have betrayed their own cause and cadres. If Vaidhya and Badal and Gajurel have any balls, then they should get together and kick Prachanda out of the party and out of the country.  Its time for a real revolution. Its time for Nepalis to take their destiny in their own hands.  

2. Nirmala Kafle
Lets overthrow all the corrupt politicians of Kathmandu and make Nepal a better country.

3. Kamal Pradhan
The Party of Dahal and Bhattarai is on the verge of a split. The communist leaders have become capitalists. Dahal is a traitor who has betrayed the Maoist Party and the Nepali people. We need to hold him accountable for his misdeeds and make him pay. The German President was forced out for corruption. The Isreali past president was indicted for sexual abuse. Its only in Nepal, the crooked politicians are treated like Gods in Heaven. The Indian leaders in Delhi back and support these crooks. Its time to reexamine our relation with India.  Tiwan has LINSANITY and THEY ARE PROUD OF Jeremy Lin.  We also need something or someone in Nepal, so we can take pride in being a Nepali. For the moment, I am extremely ashamed to be a Nepali. My head has been hanging for so long. Its time for a radical change.      

4. K. K. Sharma

This writer seems not to know what, " Protracted war of attrition " means.
After 2005, this protracted war of attrition, according to Bauram Baje, had been modified by  "Protracted war of attrition by other means". Which means, the tactic has changed or modified. The result was the prominant position for the Maoists. They had and still are using the Useful Idiots, in this modified protracted war of attrition. 

In the art of deception, the Maoists seem to beat others { including those of the EU countries } nine times out of ten.


5. Shanthi Shrestha
Where is the anger and outrage in Nepal against the Maoist, especially against Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Baburam Bhattrai. All the other leaders ( read only leaders in name not action) are behaving like cowards and fools, for they just seem to go along with whatever these 2 individuals are doing. So, have we come to this point, where 2 lousy, rotten, corrupt killers of Nepali blood can ramrod and bulldoze the rest of 28 million Nepalis. Either the inept leaders in NC and UML are in cahoots with the Maoist or they are just spineless, gutless cowards. Where is the Constitution. Why is everyone always silent on this issue. One of the big reason Nepal is stuck and being ruled by criminals is, you guessed it, its Indian Policy. Unless there is one real Nepali who can put the Indians where they belong, Nepal will always suffer. You know why, because all the current Netas are always licking the boots of their Indian masters. Is there no shame or is there no pride in Nepal. We need a Menachem Begin desparately, if you know what I mean. There is really no other option on  the table.  I  wish for all the Moaist leaders to rot in hell.           

6. kamal kishor
Only ignorants of world affairs believed anytime that it was for the transformation of Nepal. It was to grab power because they realized that a democratic system demands responsibilities that they can't fulfill. They believed in gun, its power over masses, and it was their means. That was the case with Mao, Pol Pot and then with Prachanda. Luckily, because Budha was born in Nepal, the King did not decide to go on the same path as Shah of Iran and only 17000 were killed. 

Nepal won't return to normalcy till these guns and guns are not shouted down by an election where they loose popular support. However, NC and UML are so pathetic that it does not seem possible in the near future. So we have to brace for a long term turmoil, anarchy, and gooda raj. 


7. viking k

Firstly to remember is the Maoist/Communist revolution never worked 100% anywhere, not in the Soviet nor in China or anywhere else. Nor will it work in Nepal. The top brass of the (Maoist) party in any nation they got power in clearly took the benefits of power into thier own pockets...this is now being done in Kathmandu and Nepal also by the liberators n leaders of the so called people war...hypocriticalism rules!

The king is only a representation, and we often label it in Nepal as feudal...many countries have kings/monarchs working together with a democratic government, constitutional monarchs, this didn`t work in Nepal either...but was the King really the main obstacle?

The main problem is that "feudal" is part of our culture, what would often be called or linked to "patron-client" in political science...and will not change cus governments change...the Maoist will only replace some "ism" with Maoism...i.e. Feudalim with Maoism....its just to da distraction...and remember that Maoism is not equal, its the tyrany of the "party" over all else....tell me one nation that is/was Maoist or Communist where human rights, free press , free speach and equal rights are respected, the very basic values of Democracy is undermined?!

A cultural revolution perhaps in time but how many of our own people do we need to kill, expel and torture to acheive this...and do we really want this? even the chinese today are going back to the culture that existed before Maoism more n more....

little will change as the political behavior of the majority if not all our leaders is more or less the same, corruption, lavish spendings, status horny, criminal people and behavior...and we the people shut up  say nothing, some receive money for it (its like buying votes), some other favors and the vast majority nothing....

Its easy to promise heaven/paradise while its so much harder to make a step towards it practically...the majority of our population live on the countryside, working with agriculture, no car, a daily struggle to manage, a simple mud/wood/stone house...has no servant or assistants or secrataries....does any of our political leaders do this or even has been close to it? 

A leader should lead by example of his/her actions not only by words of fake promises...this precious gift we are still awaiting to see in our beloved country that is being raped over n over again by those in power...

Why do you ask me and my brothers and sister to trust a person/group of people/party that has blood on its hands and have criminal activities on its CV? That idolises people (mao, lenin, stalin, etc) who have killed many millions of people...that looted banks, private property and so much more but never gave back once the war stoped...a independent truth and reconsiliation commision could perhaps be a start but should 100% not contain any memeber of any political party.

in the work "The Black Book of Communism" easily found on wikipedia its clearly mentioned how many people were killed in what communist/maoist country, perhaps we should re-consider if maoism is really what we want n need? if not, then throw this fake-ism far away along with most other hypocrits that try to rule us.

As Marx said "religion is the opium of the people", so now politicans act like Gods, the parties, parliament, government and other institutions behave as if they are the pantheon and abode of heaven and ask for our loyalty more then religion does, so the new relligion is politics and the leader of these parties the opium....so time to eradicate both leaders n corrupt systems...

 

 



8. Geeta Adhikari
Hey leaders of N C and UML, you all need the read the comment by no.5- Shanthi Shrestha ! All of you who are in leadership position in NC and UML, you are all cowards, Shanthi is right. Where is the leadership to benefit the people. Where is the leadership against the ruthless policies of Prachanda and Baburam. If the Maoist speak the language of the guns, then where are all the cowards of Nepali Army. People like Deuba, Koirala, Khanal, Nepal, you are all disgusting. How do you look at the mirror each day. What  do you see, do you see the blood of Nepalis that gave the ultimate sacrifice, while you fishmongers ( for lack of a better word), sit in you comfortable mansions and eat Dal, Bhat and Kukhura ko Sukuti with Scotch whiskey.  You cowards. You are nothing but pimps of India. You should all be sent to prison for life.  Its  a sad day for Nepal that all leaders of Nepal are pimps of India. Its a disgrace that needs to stop. Is anyone reading between the lines.       

9. Ranabir Jung Thapa

People like Dahal and Bhattarai lied to the poor Nepali people in the villages and made fake and fradulent promises which they never intented to keep. As they saying goes, you cannot fool all the people all the time. Dahal and Bhattari along with their cohorts are murderers and cold blodded killers. Why are the Nepali people putting them on pedestal and worshping them asif they were Gods from heaven. Put them in prison. Try them for treason. We the people of Nepal need to rise against criminals like Dahal and Bhattarai, Gupta or Deuba, Khanal or Nepal, Gacchadhar or Bhim Rawal, the list goes on and on and on.nbsp;Stop the apathy. The police is corrupt, so is the Army. Thus its the people that need to change the course. The current status quo has to go. It must end. No other option is available to us.      



10. Brian Sharma
Why always the gloom and doom in the media outlets of Nepal.  There are so many Nepalis who are not members of any political parties, that are doing amazing works and uplifting Nepal and Nepalis. One person of admirable reputation is Anuradha Koirala ! The Nepali media needs to find more and more people like her and  make the headline stories. There should be a black out when it comes to politics or politcians. Start separating the the politicians from the rest of Nepalis. Lets try that for a while. Its the media frenzy that is driving this lime light hugging politicos. All the media that are not party mouthpieces needs to give this serious idea some consideration, yes or no.  Good will always win over bad. There are many things in Nepal we can be cheerful and happy about. Let the politics go to hell and stay in hell.     

LATEST ISSUE
638
(11 JAN 2013 - 17 JAN 2013)


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