End on a high - Nepali Times

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End on a high
Politics returns to the Parliament

FROM ISSUE #482 (25 DEC 2009 - 31 DEC 2009) | TABLE OF CONTENTS

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KIRAN PANDAY

OPEN HOUSE: Following the Maoist announcement to end their obstruction of the legislature, politics returned to Parliament, pictured here on Thursday.

A rollercoaster week of recriminations and reconciliations began with a three-day Maoist bandh marked by violence and intimidation across the country. It peaked with a massive Maoist assembly in New Baneswor. Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal then delivered a fiery anti-Indian tirade during which he labelled the rest of the political leadership 'remote-controlled robots' who he would bypass to hold direct talks with Delhi.

Amidst widespread condemnation, the Maoist supremo weakly argued the following day that his comments were meant to be a 'satire' on the shape of things in Nepali politics. Soon after, the Maoists announced they were lifting the six-month obstruction of the House, raising (yet again) hopes that a political settlement would finally be reached that would pave the way towards the completion of the constitution-writing process. But with the hardliners within the Maoist party still resurgent, the prospect of an indefinite strike looms large.

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Dealing with Delhi, Editorial - FROM ISSUE #482 (25 DEC 2009 - 31 DEC 2009)
Parliament to resume - FROM 23 DEC 2009
Maoists want talks with Delhi- FROM 22 DEC 2009

1. Plwoj
Let's see how long this will last. When are rest of them going to learn that these Maoists only understand the language of hard push back? Government should use two pronged approach - provide opportunities for youths so that being Maoist cadres has too big an opportunity cost, and deal with violent ones with hardest of law enforcement. Then they'll start to learn.

Posted on: 25 DEC 2009 | 2:40 AM NST

2. Budabaaje
Re Plwoj: "Government should use two pronged approach - provide opportunities for youths so that being Maoist cadres has too big an opportunity cost, and deal with violent ones with hardest of law enforcement. Then they'll start to learn." - wasn't this the appraoch that Gyanendra tried to use? Everyone said it was the wrong method...

Posted on: 28 DEC 2009 | 11:49 PM NST

3. May
As someone said, the Maoists expecting to be thanked for reopening parliament is like a husband wanting to be rewarded for not beating up his wife.

Posted on: 29 DEC 2009 | 2:17 PM NST