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Friday 8 June 2007
Tuesday 5 June 2007
The rise of a party
Insiders tell us that the Maoist leadership was sympathetic to the Forum at the start, and even instrumental in organising it. Around 1999 Upendra Yadav, then a regular member of UML, started becoming closer to the Maoists.
In February 2004, Upendra Yadav, Maoist leaders Matrika Yadav and Mohan Baidya were arrested in Delhi. Upendra Yadav was let go after a couple of months, while Matrika Yadav and Mohan Baidya were handed over to Nepali authorities and were released in 2006. Those close to Upendra Yadav say that during the time of his arrest he was already trying to distance himself from the Maoists because of discrimination he felt in the ranks within the Maoist hierarchy and because he did not agree with the Maoist plan to divide madhes into ‘Madhes Autonomous Region’ and ‘Tharuwan Autonomous Region’. Vijay Kant Karna, chairperson of Jaghrit Nepal says, “No one was happy in the tarai with the Maoists because they called it Madhes Government but high ranks in their party were given to pahadis.”
Since then, the forum and Yadav have been accused of both flip-flopping and forming alliances with Hindu fundamentalist groups in India, such as the Rastiya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). In December Yadav attended a meeting of rightwing Hindu groups in Gorakhpur and spoke out publicly about making Nepal a Hindu nation again. A month later he was leading the movement for a secular federal republic.
Jaya Prakash Gupta, who is close to Yadav, says the accusations of alliances with the palace and Indian fundamentalist groups are misguided. “If mainstream political parties meet with big Indian leaders, no one calls that an ‘unholy alliance’,” Gupta told us from Biratnagar. Gupta said that since Gaur, Yadav has not been allowed to move freely or explain “his side of the story”.
That Gupta and other moderate madhesi leaders took a careful line on Gaur while speaking to us is an indication of the pan-madhesi appeal that the forum still has. On the one hand, they argued, Gaur was ‘retaliation’ for months of harassment and disruption of MJF meetings by the Maoists Tarai Mukti Morcha. On the other, most admit it was a tactical mistake.
Sarita Giri of the Nepal Sadbhawana Party-Anandi Devi, says the MJF is not in the least militant. “They are not armed, Gaur was retaliation against the Maoists because they had disrupted their activities in Bhairahawa and Nepalganj,” she argues.
Meantime, there is said to be a few faultlines showing in the forum, one between the more left-wing members and Yadav, and the other between Yadav’s supporters who believe this was the right time to register a party and Gupta’s group, which argues that fundamental issues need to be settled before deciding to contest elections. There are signs of a split in the ranks—an insider tells us that of the 25 members in the working committee, only 13 members’ names were on the list given to the Election Commission during registration. Gupta pooh-poohs this and says that though his proposal lost out, he will support the MJF as a party.
“As a political party our agenda is pretty clear—we want democratic system of governance, autonomous federal structure, proportional elections, and we want Nepal to be a republic” says Jitendra Sonal, MJF’s secretariat member.
Analysts say that given the lack of commitment seen on the part of the government to resolving madhesi issues, the MJF as a political party could take off stronger than those who call the forum irresponsible might imagine.
Posted by Pinto at 12:35 0 comments
Labels: Democracy, Inclusive Politics, Madhesi Problem, Politics
Friday 1 June 2007
Uncertainty of CA Elections and the Republic Question
We know that the sole basis of the present eight-party interim government is the 12-point agreement that they signed in November 2005. The first and foremost agenda of the agreement was to bring to an end to autocratic monarchy and to establish absolute democracy. To institutionalize this purpose the agreement proposed to hold an election to a constituent assembly. The massive people's movement in April 2006 forced king Gyanendra to relinquish his power, which paved the way to implement the road map of the seven-party alliance. A year has passed since the seven-party alliance came to power, but it failed to hold constituent assembly elections as they had agreed with the Maoists. Already it was very late when they announced the interim constitution and interim parliament on 15 January 2007. After that, things could have moved more rapidly if the parties had shown sincerity and realized their responsibility, but apparently they miserably failed in this regard.
The chief election officer (CEO) said that he needed 120 days before he could prepare the elections, but his announcement came only when he had less than a hundred days. Why the CEO did not come with this fact when he still had more than 120 days is unexplained. Since he failed to hold the elections in a stipulated time, it is but logical that he himself and his team had resigned but that did not happened. The prime minister also did not feel it necessary to hold an urgent meeting of the eight parties to find an amicable solution without delay. Given the uncertainty that prevailed after the deferral of the elections, the Maoists’ move to declare Nepal a republic from the parliament is not unreasonable.
Soon after the success of the April 2006 people's movement, the House of Representative (HoR) stripped the king of all powers. On 18 May 2006, it declared Nepal a secular state and scrapped the Supreme-Commander-in-Chief post of the king, and changed the Name of the Royal Nepalese Army to Nepal Army. The 2007 interim constitution again completely deprives Gyanendra of any administrative rights and rejects his rights to the properties of the deceased royal family members. Further it also declares to nationalize all properties he obtained by virtue of being king, such as the palaces, forests and national parks, historic important heritage sites, etc.
Posted by Pinto at 17:46 0 comments
Labels: Democracy, Government, Politics
Finding light
Posted by Pinto at 10:58 0 comments
Labels: Democracy, Government, Peace Process, Politics
Political transition: Factionalism is undermining democracy
Posted by Pinto at 10:53 0 comments
Labels: Democracy, Government, Peace Process, Politics
For Gender Balance
Posted by Pinto at 10:52 0 comments
Labels: Democracy, Human Rights
EC Preparations
Posted by Pinto at 10:51 0 comments
Labels: Democracy, Government, Peace Process, Politics
CA Polls : Seriousness Must Emerge
Posted by Pinto at 10:49 0 comments
Labels: Democracy, Government, Peace Process
Thursday 31 May 2007
Where Does The Power Lie?
- "NC people must consider what BP Koirala had once said. Rather than going to India with a package of problems, they would have done well had they gone there with a package of solutions," said Jhalnath Khanal, reacting to the visit of NC delegation of vice president Sushil Koirala, Dr. Ram Baran Yadav and Dr. Shekhr Koirala. "I don't understand what they are up to when they go to India with a problem." (The Himalayan Times May 28)
Strangely Khanal, who criticized the visit of three Nepali Congress leaders who are reportedly in New Delhi for health check up, is himself going to be a member of CPN-UML delegation to New Delhi. According to a May 29 reporting in The Himalayan Times from New Delhi, a team of CPN-UML leaders including its general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal will arrive in New Delhi on 30 May. The members of delegation include K.P. Sharma Oli, Jhalnath Khanal, Bamdev Gautam and Ashok Rai.
The Himalayan Times –which is supposed to predict political weather coming from South – has already declared on May 27 that Koirala clan is losing its grip on the party. "In a way, the election of Pradeep Paudel as Nepal Student Union president is tantamount to a rebellion against the Koirala clan and its political ideology dating back to the 1950s," writes the daily.
According to THT, the bid is a last ditch effort by prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala who is under stepped up pressure to declare Constituent Assembly Elections.
If minister Mahara really believes upon his statement, many more questions may be raised at him. Along with other political forces, which one force led the Maoists into the power?
It is not clear whether they are the expressions of frustrations or expressions of real situation of the country. People in Nepal generally feel that they have come to know the Maoists in their political shape but surprisingly its supreme leader Prachanda has just started knowing what Nepal is.
The precious 15,000 lives have been lost to educate him about Nepal as he has realized now. Despite his realization, indications are that political situation in Nepal has no sign to stabilize and follow a fair and predictable process.
"Although the situation was very abnormal in the last days of Panchayat system, the upheavals of that time - which overthrew the previous order - reintroduced the multi-party parliamentary process very shortly. Within 14 months, the constitution was promulgated as a product of unique political understanding and reconciliation under which three elections for parliament were held with amazing peace and popular participation," said a political analyst.
According to the analyst, ongoing interests in the political destabilization created an opportunity to do away with that constitutional order as well as the political adjustments. "In the last phase of previous constitutional order, unfortunately, politicians ignored the consequences of cut throat competition for power which created a situation in which an inexperienced but over ambitious King played a short sighted role and the country entered into another phase of uncertainty and destabilization."
"As long as elected parliament was in operation, it was generally believed that entire parliament was capable of reflecting the popular will of the country and it could decide the fate of politicians. The previous constitution not only had declared the sovereign power vested into the people but it also generated belief in declaration. During the direct rule of King in the last phase, rightly or wrongly, the supreme decision making power was believed to be with the King," said the analyst.
Of course, April upsurge of last year deprived the King of that power but unfortunately no political force is sure of the center of the decisive power of this country now. In the last days of Royal regime, as a theoretician vice chairman of council of minister Dr. Tulsi Giri used to argue that there could not be two centers of power – the people and the King.
"Few days back the Maoist group leader in the cabinet and Minister for Information and Communication Mahara was on record in the media telling the people that the decisive power of this country is either in New Delhi or in Washington. Recalling Dr. Giri's statement regarding duality of the center of power to decide, it is now neither with the King nor with the people," said the analyst.
US and its ambassador James F. Moriarty, whose car was stoned Friday (May 25 in Damak Jhapa) by the members of Maoist -affiliated Young Communist League, are persistent in their position vis-Ã -vis Maoist party, which they term as terrorist outfit and have given no indication to budge from their stance yet. Americans denied visa to Maoist leader and still put them in US terrorist list.
After looking at this entire circumstantial situation, one can guess that something covert and secretive dialogue and negotiations are going on in New Delhi. There is no sense for different political persons of Nepal to go to Delhi for dialogue and negotiations among themselves. One does not know the role of third invisible and undeclared party into that deal.
"The experience of the past creates a reasonable doubt in the minds of people. Perhaps minister Mahara could not betray his conscience and expressed naked fact that internal conflicts of Nepal has shifted decisive power of this country," said the analyst. "Dr. Giri's views have prevailed but in a perverted manner. Now the power is neither with the King nor with the people. It has shifted to a hegemonic center. It is very painful to believe and accept this fact. And now the uphill task for all is to clear the hostility and conflict among ourselves for a broad based national unity based upon widely accepted political process in which all will have fair opportunity to live and let live," said the political analyst.
Posted by Pinto at 10:43 0 comments
Labels: Democracy, Government, Politics
Growing Insurgency In South Asia
Posted by Pinto at 10:25 0 comments
Labels: Democracy, Internal Security, South Asia
Wednesday 30 May 2007
New Nepal in the making
Not long ago, when Nepal was being described as a failing or failed state and sceptics were describing prospects as a tunnel at the end of light, its well wishers were pointing south to follow the Sri Lanka example - enjoying the peace dividend from the four-year-long Cease Fire Agreement and a functioning peace process. Then suddenly the tables turned and Sri Lanka was engulfed in war and Nepal transitted from a bloody people's war to a peaceful revolution en route to peace and a political process which is not trouble free but in its second year.
The Maoists have given up arms and pledged not to return to 'armed conflict'. An eight-party interim unity Government with Maoists on board is in place supported by an interim Constitution and an interim Parliament. Nepal is in transition mode to becoming a new Nepal for which the goal is electing a Constituent Assembly.
The popular picture beamed from Nepal is one of organised chaos and collapse of law and order, political deadlock and a rudderless Government encumbered by conflicting political agendas and incapacity to cope with newly roused political aspirations of the Madhesis and other disadvantaged groups. The fear, sometimes contrived, of the Palace and Nepal Army does not go away. The Maoists are part of the problem and the solution in ending uncertainty over elections and their 'bad habits'. The real picture is not so bad. Nepal is in a post-revolution period and making the Maoists, accustomed to jungle raj, play by the rules will take more time.
Disarming the Maoists, confining them to barracks and their verification and registration under United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN), normally a very complex mission, was achieved with relative ease, with 31,000 PLA having been located in seven cantonments and 21 satellite camps with their weapons locked and sealed in containers. The second phase of verification, to ascertain Maoists recruited after the ceasefire of May 25, 2006 and under 18 years of age, was held up. Prachanda linked his party's compliance to implementation of the political package and welfare of PLA, which includes better housing and salaries. Reluctantly, Mr Koirala conceded the demand on PLA. The second phase of verification is to begin in June.
The Maoists' eternal goal has been holding of Constituent Assembly election and declaring Nepal a republic. They now want abolition of monarchy to be delinked from the election and instead get interim Parliament to declare a republican state through a simple majority. Mr Koirala has stuck to the provision of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement according to which the fate of the monarchy was to be decided in the first sitting of the Constituent Assembly. In the run-up to the election this is likely to become the bone of contention between Maoists and other Left parties and the Nepali Congress though a proposal has been accepted to keep the King at bay.
The Maoists may have given up the gun but their unguided missile of mass mobilisation is the Young Communist League (YCL), many of whom are unregistered PLA. Maoist street power is quite formidable as frequent clashes between YCL and police have shown. This is further tarnishing the image of Home Minister KP Sitaula who has been disparagingly called Minister in Waiting to the Maoists. The depredations of the YCL are bound to undermine the reputation of the Maoists in the upcoming election.
The election was to be held in June but for a variety of reasons, it has been postponed to November though no formal announcement in this regard has been made. Mr Koirala is keeping people guessing on the election date and notification of a republic in order to secure better compliance - and certainly greater accountability, now that they are part of Government - from Maoists on the peace agreement. It was Mr Koirala's idea to lock the Maoists into the political process by inviting them to join the Government against the advice of the Americans and others who had insisted the Maoists first give up their 'bad habits' before qualifying for power-sharing.
With Mr Koirala in charge, things are not as bad and disorderly as they appear from Delhi or Washington. Both the peace and political processes are on track. A great deal of work has to be done for the election - from finalising voters' lists to deciding on the model to be followed to passing Bills in Parliament and raising auxiliary forces for its conduct.
Election apart, the most serious problem confronting the Government is the six-month old stalemate in the Terai where three separate forces have raised their flag - the Terai Maoists who broke away from the mainstream two years ago and are split into two groups, the Madhesi Jan Adhikar Forum (MJF) and the indigenous Tharus. The most powerful of these is MJF. Its demand for autonomy, proportional representation and fresh delimitation has been accepted but formal negotiations have not started. Every other day a bandh is declared, paralysing land-locked Nepal's strategic underbelly and communications hub. Terai's contiguity with lawless Indian states of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar makes the threat more ominous. It has the potential of turning into a Pahari-Madhesi conflict.
With no external monitors in Nepal the indigenous political process is creeping forward. It requires outside support but without anyone fishing in troubled waters. People like US Ambassador James Moriarty are necessary and important to paste warnings on the Maoists. So are the Sitaram Yechuris - to mind the Maoists. And there is need for a Nitish Kumar - who has resolutely refused to dabble in Nepal politics - for the Terai. Colombo can take a leaf from Kathmandu's book on power-sharing.
Posted by Pinto at 10:35 0 comments
Labels: Democracy, Government, Peace Process, Politics
Agree On Date For CA Polls
Posted by Pinto at 10:33 0 comments
Labels: Democracy, Government, Madhesi Problem, Peace Process, Politics
Myopic parties
Posted by Pinto at 10:29 0 comments
Labels: Democracy, Government, Politics
Tuesday 29 May 2007
Coming Closer
Posted by Pinto at 15:03 0 comments
Labels: Democracy, Government, Politics
Bhutan : Situation Of Ethnic Nepalis
Kazi Gautam
Posted by Pinto at 15:01 1 comments
Labels: Democracy, Human Rights, Politics, Refugee
Peace & Democracy : Sustainability Measures
Yuba Nath Lamsal
Posted by Pinto at 14:53 0 comments
Labels: Democracy, Foreign Policy, Peace Process
Monday 21 May 2007
Support Assured
Prime Minister Koirala responded to the chiefs of the mission of the European Union in a very positive light and assured that the date for the polls would be made pubic in concurrence with the Election Commission in a week. The interest shown and support extended by the international community to the cause of democracy and peace in Nepal is constructive as this has been instrumental, among others, to achieving positive outcomes and developments. The international community should also be praised for the co-operation and assistance given to Nepal in addressing the issues arising out of the conflict. Reference must be made to the people�s movement accomplished last year in which the Nepalese people were able to topple authoritarianism.
The support and co-operation of the international community to the cause of democracy and peace and the voice raised against human rights violations contributed significantly in weakening the basis of both authoritarian and totalitarian polities in the country. What has constituted a matter of key significance is the establishment of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human rights in Nepal that has been put at the frontline to monitor abuses of civil and political rights.
Moreover, the countries of the European Union have extended every possible assistance for different development and democratisation projects. Their request for the start of the second phase of the arms verification process is relevant and important. As the eight-party government has been working to arrive at a settlement of outstanding issues, the interest of the international community to extend co-operation to accelerate the momentum of the peace-building process is highly significant and meaningful.
Source: The Rising Nepal, May 20, 2007
Posted by Pinto at 21:45 0 comments
Labels: Democracy, Development, EU, Government
State of the nation: Where are we headed for?
It has been over a year since Jana Andolan II forced King Gyanendra to hand power back to the seven-party alliance (SPA) through the restoration of the dissolved House of Representatives. People had great expectation that the nation would have permanent peace, they could live with a sense of security and that full democracy would prevail through holding of free and fair
Constituent Assembly (CA) polls. However, these hopes have been dashed.
The nation is bleeding with a rise in the level of violence and vandalism committed both by the Young Communist League (YCL) and the Janatantrik Tarai Mukti Morcha (JTMM), who have raised arms demanding self-rule and better deal for the Tarai people. Furthermore, diverse groups such as Janajatis, Chure-Bhawar and others are demanding proper representation and autonomy and have launched protest programmes such as bandhs and strikes, which have crippled the economy. Though the Maoists are now in both the interim parliament and the government as per the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) between the SPA and the Maoists, they are unable to stop YCL cadres from taking law in their own hands.
The Maoist affiliated Tarai Mukti Morcha is also creating havoc in Far Western Nepal, attacking CDO offices in Dhangadi and Mahendranagar and seriously injuring the assistant CDO in Dhangadi. The JTMM (both Goit and Jwala Singh factions) attack each other regularly and recently. The Goit faction murdered Nava Raj Bista, an engineer working in Siraha and kidnapped and subsequently released another senior engineer, Murali Ranjitkar. These actions are meant to send a strong signal that the Tarai is only for the Tarai people. The nation is going through a rapid process of disintegration with the government standing by as a silent spectator. The Home Ministry seems to be content with giving condolences to the families of the deceased instead of taking measures to control criminal activities.
The Election Commission has expressed its inability to conduct the CA polls on the stipulated date of June 20. The government has not been able to announce a fresh election date but its constituents are busy blaming each other, as well as regressive elements and foreign intervention, for the delay. The Maoists have announced that since the CA polls will not be held on time, they will launch a nationwide movement from the streets and the parliament to declare Nepal a republic. This is totally against the CPA wherein it was clearly agreed that the first meeting of the elected CA would decide on the monarchy’s fate. The Maoists have not only started street agitation but have also registered a motion in the parliament with the apparent backing of 15 lakh pro-republic signatures demanding that the House declare Nepal a Republic.
In the case of a referendum, people might opt for a republic, especially as the King squandered the legitimacy of monarchy in an ill-advised and unwarranted act of brinkmanship by taking on direct control of state power against the spirit of the Constitution. In a democracy, the process of decision-making is more important than even obtaining correct results. The Maoists might be right in judging the predilection of the people but they must exercise due process to achieve the end result. If they are not happy with the CPA regarding the process to decide on the fate of monarchy, they could re-negotiate with the SPA to hold a referendum, a stand consistently taken by the CPN-UML. It is also regrettable that the Maoists have not yet returned the land and properties of the displaced people.
Decision-making process within the EPA is not holistic, but fragmented and piecemeal. Such an ad hoc approach has resulted in hurried amendments to the interim constitution. The demands for proportional representation, autonomy within a federal system and a fair deal to the Tarai people demanded by the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum, JTMM and strongly backed by all Tarai MPs across party lines have not been adequately addressed. Similar demands have been made by the Janajatis who have called for a national political conference.
The government has appealed for calm among the agitating parties and has announced that it will resolve outstanding grievances through dialogue and towards this end has formed a peace committee under the leadership of the minister for peace and reconstruction. However, no meaningful negotiations have commenced so far as both the Tarai people and Janajatis feel that the government has not yet created a conducive environment for meaningful dialogue. In this light, it is clear that the nation is going through a harrowing period. There is a need for national understanding and cooperation to extricate the nation from the present quagmire. Towards this end, the eight parties would do well to take stock of the situation and seek cooperation of other parties, civil society, religious and professional bodies to build a New Nepal.
Source: The Himalayan Times, May 21, 2007
Posted by Pinto at 21:10 0 comments
Labels: Democracy, Governance, Maoist, Politics
Saturday 19 May 2007
Rise of a party
Posted by Pinto at 12:48 0 comments
Labels: Democracy, Governance, Inclusive Politics, Madhesi Problem, Politics
Nepal’s Maoists: Purists or Pragmatists?
Nepal’s Maoists have changed their strategy and tactics but not yet their goals. In 1996 they launched a “people’s war” to establish a communist republic but ten years later ended it by accepting multiparty democracy; their armed struggle targeted the parliamentary system but they are now working alongside their former enemies, the mainstream parties, in an interim legislature and coalition government. Their commitment to pluralistic politics and society is far from definitive, and their future course will depend on both internal and external factors. While they have signed up to a peaceful, multiparty transition, they continue to hone alternative plans for more revolutionary change.
Maoist strategy is shaped by a tension between purity and pragmatism. Although they stick to certain established principles, they have long been willing to shift course if they identify strategic weaknesses. Their changed approach was demanded by recognition of three critical flaws in their original plan: (i) they concluded their belief in military victory had been misplaced; (ii) they acknowledged they had misread the likelihood of determined international opposition; and (iii) they woke up to the failures that caused the collapse of twentieth-century communist regimes.
Despite having an authoritarian outlook, the Maoists maintained a culture of debate within their party; key issues have been widely discussed and hotly contested. From the end of the 1990s, they have moved gradually toward a more moderate stance. They changed positions in acknowledging the 1990 democracy movement as a success (they had earlier characterised it as a “betrayal”), in abandoning the immediate goal of a Mao-style “new democracy” and, in November 2005, by aligning themselves with the mainstream parties in favour of multiparty democracy.
Despite having an authoritarian outlook, the Maoists maintained a culture of debate within their party; key issues have been widely discussed and hotly contested. From the end of the 1990s, they have moved gradually toward a more moderate stance. They changed positions in acknowledging the 1990 democracy movement as a success (they had earlier characterised it as a “betrayal”), in abandoning the immediate goal of a Mao-style “new democracy” and, in November 2005, by aligning themselves with the mainstream parties in favour of multiparty democracy.
The Maoists have cultivated formerly hostile forces, such as the Indian government and the staunchly anti-Maoist Communist Party of India (Marxist), to the extent of alienating their foreign allies. Supporters such as the Revolutionary Internationalist Movement and Indian Maoists had backed their insurgency but have been vocally critical of the compromises made in the peace process. They think their Nepali comrades have betrayed fundamental principles and thrown away the practical advantages they had secured through their armed struggle.
For Nepal’s Maoists, however, the balance sheet at the end of ten years of “people’s war” is more complex. They believe they have secured some lasting advantages, from their own dramatic rise to influence (with a support base and military force hardly imaginable in 1996) to their reshaping of the national political agenda (promoting formerly taboo causes such as republicanism and federalism). But the course of the war persuaded most of their leadership that they could not go it alone and would have to be more flexible if they were to build on these gains.
The peace process has forced practical and theoretical rethinking. Leaders have tried to present a more moderate image as they balance complex equations of domestic and international support and opposition. Maoist ministers have to cooperate with colleagues from other parties and work with the bureaucracy even as they plan a possible insurrection and plot to isolate “regressive” opponents. Ideologically, they define the peace process as a transitional phase in which they can destroy the “old regime” and restructure the state. They justify this by saying their acceptance of a bourgeois “democratic republic” is only a stepping stone on the way to a true “people’s republic”. Leaders argue that they can create a new form of “peaceful revolution” that is true to their communist aims but reflects the reality of Nepal’s politics.
It is tempting to brand the Maoists as either rigid radicals or unprincipled opportunists but neither characterisation explains the whole picture. Their threats to revert to mass insurrection satisfy traditionalists in their own movement and cannot be ignored. But leaders who have fought hard to forge a new approach will be loath to turn their backs on the hard-won advantages they have secured through compromise. They know they face internal opposition but believe they can hold the line as long as the peace process maintains momentum and allows them to achieve some of their headline goals.
Their likely behaviour as the process moves forward, therefore, will depend upon the role of other political actors as much as their own decisions. If the mainstream parties keep up a strong commitment to the constituent assembly process, the Maoists will find it hard to back out. If this route is blocked, the Maoists may find their effort at controlled rebellion slipping into renewed conflict beyond their leaders’ control. If this were to happen, the Maoists themselves would be big losers. But so would the democratic parties and, even more so, the people of Nepal.
Source: Abstract from International Crisis Group, Report on Nepal, May 18, 2007
Posted by Pinto at 12:30 0 comments