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Nepal: If Winter is Here, Can Spring be Far Behind?

By Dr Chandrakala

Yesterday was Shree Panchami, a day dedicated to the Goddess of Learning, Sarswati.

It started with news of further deaths of protesters from Lahan and Maoists and politicians of different hues blaming the Palace and reactionary elements. Then there were many attempts at disinformation like the King has said that he would like to be Sihanouk, rumours of his intended abdication in favour of his grandson, evacuation of the Palace and so on. Republicanism is the end of all woes and 238 years of exploitation, etc, etc.

But nobody believed - and those who had to say the above had to do so to achieve narrow objectives and still they failed miserably.

But people believed when U.S. Ambassador James Moriarty said that Maoists were trying to buy primitive, hand-made weapons down in Bihar so that they can put crummy weapons into the containers instead of the modern weapons.

They believed when they heard the Prime Minister tell his party men quietly, "forget ceremonial Monarchy; but if there is a situation with a Leftist President and a Leftist Prime Minister, would this party survive? Would democracy survive?"

Threats of High Level Probe Commission report :
Start with the Chiefs of the Forces.
Declare Republicanism:
First declare protests illegal.
Sounding hollow??
Can one fool all the people all the time??

Let us go for genuine democracy, where people are heard, when they don't have to burn tyres to express their resentment, where law and order abides. Hats off to Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, when he did state that the law and order situation has deteriorated. He expressed dissatisfaction over the present situation in the country and said that there was no need for the Maoists to open fire in Lahan and the incident had raised a new question mark over Maoist sincerity toward implementing the peace agreement. Nepali Congress Vice President Sushil Koirala also said that Maoists have stopped killing people but other forms of intimidation haven't receded. He said, "When I personally have been threatened for speaking against them, you can imagine what the situation of ordinary people is"

2006 has been 'annus horribilus', let 2007 be different. Let us pray to the Goddess of Wisdom and I am not shy to say that. I met an Israeli tourist, not the very young type and he said, "I am happy Nepal is or was a Hindu nation as we are a Jewish nation. We pride ourselves on our commitment, our religiosity and uniqueness. I am willing to die for that and I have already fought for that. But what about your religion? There seems to be many rituals going on. Are those only for show? I sometimes happen to see the religious channels. The participants are mostly villagers, housewives and old people. Do you have a living religion? You are too submissive."

I had nothing to say!

In the meantime, Maoists' atrocities are continuing:

Maoist cadres brutally beat up 40 years old Prem Subedi, headmaster of the Secondary School of Deupur in Parbat district on January 18.

On January 18, a dozen Maoist cadres turned up at the post at Piskar in Sindhupalchowk district and pressurized 11 policemen to leave the post.

In Surkhet district, Maoists looted the reinstated police post at Awalching and exerted pressure on policemen to leave the reinstated police posts at Matela and Badepipal VDCs.

In Ramechhap district Maoists pressurized policemen at Tokanpur to leave the police post.

Maoist cadres seriously injured and chased away nine policemen at Pathabhar in Bardiya district on January 20.

Maoist Kangaroo court in Kailali district slapped Rs.115,000 fine on Bhagiram Chaudhary on January 20 and threatened to abduct Chaudhary if he did not pay the fine.

Maoists brutally beat up Nar Bahadur Khadka of Rahukul, Ranibaas VDC-3 in Surkhet district on January 20.

For the sake of national integrity, this fire in the Terai should be extinguished as soon as possible. This is the first task of the SPAM, not to waste valuable time looking for scapegoats. JTMM (Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha ) is an offshoot of the Maoists, but one has hardly heard about the Madheshi Janadhikar Forum, which has successfully called a total bandh in Biratnagar today. Genuine concerns have to be addressed. This is a land of Himal, Pahad, Terai.

Terai hera kati ramro hariyo ban hunale,
Pahad her jhanai ramro gurans fulnale,
Ma ta jhilke yesai ramro Nepali hunale!!

alan@newsblaze.com