7,000 Martyrs: A Maoist Farce

Cabinet declares 7000 as martyrs NepalNews "The cabinet has declared people killed during the Maoist struggle as martyr of people's war, those killed in people's movement-II as martyrs of people's movement and people killed during the Madhesh movement as martyrs of Madhesh movement"

This is ridiculous. People killed in a civil war are not martyrs. Their deaths are tragic, but they are not martyrs. The Maoist violence lasting 10 years was stupidity. It was wrong. That violence can not be lumped with the three nonviolent revolutions of April 2006, January-February 2007, and February 2008. The April Revolution was not the Nepali people condoning the Maoists' stupid civil war. It was the Nepali people saying no to that violence.

This declaration also puts the peace process into a serious jeopardy. The Nepal Army is now going to want to know if their soldiers killed during the 10 years were also martyrs or what.

The only good news in this decision is that it does not come into effect unless the parliament passes it, and I urge the parliament to not pass it.

The people killed during the three nonviolent revolutions were martyrs. They can not be lumped with the Maoists killed over 10 years. To do so is to blatantly disrespect the martyrs of the three revolutions.

Not to say the whole exercise would be ridiculously expensive, something the country can not afford.

UML chairman raps govt over 'arbitrary decisions' NepalNews Jhala Nath Khanal Friday strongly criticised the Maoist- led government for making arbitrary appointments and transfers of officials by taking advantage of the UML general convention. ...... the political document endorsed by the party's eighth general convention last week which, among others things, call for protection of party cadres from the Maoists' "anarchic activities"
PM Dahal commits to completing revolution NepalNews writing a pro-people constitution is necessary for completing the political revolution in Nepal. .....He claimed his party has the moral responsibility to lead the world communist movement, not only for Nepal. "Communist movement in Russia and Vietnam failed because leaders did not understand the real spirit of revolution," Dahal said, adding Nepal will have a unique revolution to suit the climate of 21st century.

This guy needs to define the word revolution. Both Prachanda and Bhattarai talk of political plurality, and rule of law, but they also talk of revolution.

Govt is trying to put private sector in the soup: Entrepreneurs NepalNews five different industrial organisations including the FNCCI, Hotel Association, Confederation of Nepalese Industry and Overseas Export Association. ..... accused the government of trying to stifle wealth creation in the country by imposing unjustifiable tax against the entrepreneurs ..... blamed government of trying to further discourage businesspersons by imposing 5 percent tax for the private schools as well

Baburam wanting to expand the revenue base is not a bad idea. But one has to ask if he gets the market and entrepreneurship.

Koirala asks party activists to strike back if poked NepalNews Girija Prasad Koirala on Friday directed his party activists to retaliate against any violent activities of the Maoists .... "If they (the Maoists) continue with their violent activities then you have to also retaliate against it" ..... clearly hinting at the possibility of Maoist activists turning to violence in the upcoming Free Students' Union (FSU) election.

Seeds of anarchy are being sown.

TMLP strike affects life adversely in Terai districts NepalNews Traffic along the east-west highway and supporting highways have come to a halt and markets has remained largely closed from early morning on Friday. Busy market places of commercial towns like Janakpur and Birgunj wore a deserted look. Educational institutions are also closed. TMLP has called for a one-day strike in Terai districts as part of a series of protest programmes demanding the government implement the agreement reached with the erstwhile United Terai Loktantrik Morcha (UTLM) exactly one year ago. .....the victims of Koshi flood have continued obstructing traffic along the Laukahi-Bhatabari section of the east west highway for the eighth consecutive day.

"If there is another movement, we will be back on thestreets" Nepali Times It has been exactly one year since Prime Minister Koirala said in Hindi on the Baluwatar lawns: "Believe me. I will implement the eight-point agreement." Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Madhab Kumar Nepal nodded. Mahanta Thakur reciprocated, and spoke in Nepali. The agreement promised an autonomous Madhes province, inclusion and collective entry into the army. ...... There has not been inclusion proportionate to the population. And there is little change in the army's character." ..... The TMDP's idea is not to trigger off mass unrest but to keep up the pressure on the government, use the period to mobilise and build up an organisation and occupy the moral high ground by exposing the fecklessness of the other Madhesi parties in the coalition. ...... Breakaway Maoist Matrika Yadav is still in his planning stage, in touch with underground militants. ....... "The Madhes is lost. It is trapped between the MJF which is in government but increasingly unpopular on the ground, TMDP which is protesting but is internally weak and a state that can't protect its citizens."
The centre can't hold Armed groups are still active, fear is deep and as a journalist put it: "The state just has no strength left." ....... We have known that sections of the administration are complicit with the Tarai's criminal gangs and share the loot, but it seems to go a lot deeper than that. ...... Government officials actively encourage loot and extortion. A cop may actually tell a particular group which trader is a possible target and fix a share. An official at the land office may inform an armed militant about recent transactions and who would have liquid cash. A mid-level banker may pass on the details of which family has received money from a relative in the Gulf. ..... The key aim of the Maoists is to get as many armed groups in the party as possible. ...... no one here can quite figure out what the government is trying to do. Why are they legitimising goons even though the real militants are still out of the process? Why is it allowing this semi-anarchy to persist? Is the aim to foster a sense of disillusionment, discredit the Madhes movement, and then unleash a security operation? Is it to allow these groups to come out and make life difficult for the Madhesi parties, who are being squeezed from all sides? .... politicians are playing with fire and making life hell for the people of the eastern Tarai.

The Pahadi power structure is systematically punishing the Madhesi population in the Terai by intentionally going slack on law and order in the Terai. The punishment is for giving a big victory to the Madhesi parties on April 10, 2008. The Pahadi police that openly sided with the Pahadi rioters in Nepalgunj in December 2006 are now doing something similar by acting absent while on duty. They used to practice active suppression during the Panchayat. Now they are punishing the Madhesi population by going passive in the line of duty and, worse, actively colluding with criminal elements to make life hell for the Madhesi population. This attitude is a recipe for a disintegration of the country. Remember Bangladesh?

The Maoists need to be talking to Jwala, Goit and Matrika. Peace Minister Prabhakar has been waging the drama of holding peace talks with little known outfits that have members in the tens, not thousands.

Jwala, Goit and Matrika are all Maoists like Prabhakar and Prachanda. They should be able to speak each other's language and come to the negotiating table.

As long as the royalists of yesterday and the Maoists of today keep wanting to create a Pahadi army by merging two Pahadi armies, there will be no peace in the Terai. The idea has to be to create a Nepali Army in which the Madhesi participation is proportionate.