I was in Delhi last year when the Nepalese government decided to shut their doors to the outside world. No internet, no phone calls, no interaction with the outside world until they got the new government up and ready. It was an odd experience to be in a neighboring country and see things play out. Seems like things haven’t played out too well as people stormed the streets this past week.
 |
|
Maoist Rebels in Nepal |
Pro-democracy campaigners in Nepal vowed to defy curfews and launch a sixth day of mass protests on Tuesday against the king’s absolute rule as the monarch came under global pressure to end his crackdown. The street campaign is the most intense since King Gyanendra sacked the government and grabbed political power 14 months ago and some analysts say it is only a matter of time before he runs out of options…So far three people have been killed and more than 300 wounded in clashes as government forces opened fire on demonstrators, used rubber bullets and tear gas and beat them with batons. [link]
It’s not just curfews and storming the streets – freedom of speech has been greatly restricted…
Troops also beat up four Nepali journalists as they reported on the troubles on Monday, one local TV channel showed. The parties said that about 1,500 protesters had been detained.
Hmm. What do people do when they have something they want to say, and no one is letting them? You guessed it, they have a blog. United We Blog! for a Democratic Nepal has been blogging from the streets with some pretty intense words of the play by play of rioting activities.
More protesters gathered today than yesterday. Protesters blocked the entrance to the city that prevented them from entering Nayabazar. A command of Armed Police Force requested the demonstrators to backtrack to which they didn’t agree. Both parties didn’t move from their stance. One of the protesters, Prof. Krishna Khanal remarked that people’s participation in agitation would weaken the royal regime. Mani Kafle, a pro-democracy poet was reciting the verses. The mass looked enthusiastic.[link]
Considering the climate in Nepal, and the expected fear that the Nepalese journalist must be living in, I find this blog to be courageous. One can only imagine what kind of risk the bloggers are taking by posting these very detailed and frank posts up. Dinesh Wagle, one of the bloggers for this site, will be speaking at UCLA on Wednesday April 12th at 3pm.
Wagle will discuss the dangers and difficulties of being a reporter in a nation where journalists continue to face threats from Maoist insurgents as well as their own government. He will talk about how blogging has provided him and his colleagues a medium in which to tell Nepal’s stories to the world.[link]
If in the Los Angeles area, I would highly encourage you to stop by for what I expect to be an interesting talk. The riots in Nepal were to be called off on Sunday, but the latest word off the wire says they will continue indefinitely. Their blog will be a good resource to what is really going on within the borders of Nepal. Only time will tell if the ‘Democracy Fighters’ will be able to truly influence the King into stepping down, but with this level of rioting and rising global pressure on Nepal, I have a feeling that the time will be soon.
cool. so, do they have a cool name for their movement yet? something like ‘the orange revolution.’ i really think to get world awareness of stuff like this public rel. & marketing is important. nepal is a tiny ass country…seems like india could apply some muscle?
Certain conspiracy theorists would say that the result of this King being in charge is due to India “applying muscle” and killing the original royal family…and letting live this King Gyanendra. The US, and a lot of other “big” countries are pressuring Nepal to fix democracy quick. I’m sure there may be a Nepal-Indo article out there in the google-sphere somewhere…
Razeeb,
India really doesn’t have good experiences intervening in neighbourhood(eg Sri Lanka or Bangladesh). Another problem is Indian leaders ignore any situation in neigbourhood, until it is too late.
Problem in Nepal is very difficult. On the one hand present King is corrupt and anti-democratic and on the other hand there are maoists rebel who want to bring communist dictatorship. Democratic parties in Nepal (just like in India) have failed to check the Naxal menance. So there !
Regards
Taz,
Once Nepal had a fairly decent democracy. Two events have led to this downward spiral: a) brutal kiling of King Birendra and his family, and the subsequent fallout from his brother (who lacks emotional connection with the people) taking over, and b) the Maoist rebels. This all hurts their main source of economy too – tourism.
Let’s hope for the best. They deserve it. Do support them @ UCLA talk. The people are defying shooting orders.
Taz and I will be there. Hopefully some other SMers can make it out also.
Kush (4#)
Maoist rebellion was not really a event. It has been since last decade that Maoists were taking over rural Nepal, even before King Gyanendra came to power there were large areas of Neap (Western Nepal ??) where writ of government did not run. As I said before Democratic parties just quibbled among themselves, thus allowing Maoists to pose a serious challenge. As opposed as I am to King, I do not really want Maoists taking over Nepal.
Regards
“Certain conspiracy theorists would say that the result of this King being in charge is due to India “applying muscle” and killing the original royal family…and letting live this King Gyanendra. The US, and a lot of other “big” countries are pressuring Nepal to fix democracy quick. I’m sure there may be a Nepal-Indo article out there in the google-sphere somewhere…”
given the recent events in Nepal, which could have been predicted by anyone who knew that the people would not be as receptive to Gyanendra as Birendra, it is highly unlikely that the govt. of india would have any interest in destabilizing the royal family by orchestrating their murder. india too faces a huge marxist and naxal threat and has no reason to aid it in nepal by destabilizing the royal family. whereas communist elements and other elements in the subcontinental neighborhood would have a more vested interest in destabilizing the Nepalese royal family. the royal family and the famed Pashupatinath temple have longstanding and close links with Tirupati, which sends priests to serve at Pashupatinath. so it’s hard to see why india would “apply muscle” to bump off the original family to favor Gyanendra. also the indian govt. suspended military aid to gyanendra’s govt.
Taz,
India-Nepal history is very complicated, part because it is the only Hindu kingdom, and being a buffer state between India and China. The tarai region in Nepal and border areas in India are very porous – emotionally, culturally, and in all other sense and purposes. You can bike from Nepal to India or take a rickshaw or a bus.
In fact, there is a treaty that India and UK will come to Nepal’s assistance in case of external agression. Therefore, you see the gorkha** soldiers both in English army and Indian army. They can opt for citizenship in UK and India too. Darjeeling is the hub for Nepali expats/ gorkhas in India.
All this said, Nepal and India are often very wary of each other. China is more vested in Nepal than US.
**Gorkhas are believed to be the best soldiers in the world – ask Argentians in Falkland war, or Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw from India. Sometimes, I think I am a honrary gorkha and a sherpa too.
Read this on history between India and Nepal – with geopolitical context. Also, the China angle.
King Birendra was very close to India. I think his wife was from a former Indian royal family. Somehow, China shows up quite often in the dynamics.
Being from Nepal myself, I think I should just add my two cents worth to this discussion.
Razib: India has always applied muscle in Nepal. India’s influence was vital in bringing about democracy in Nepal in 1990. India is probably applying muscle at this point of time too, one wonders on whose side though, for the Congress Party in India has enjoyed very cordial relations with both, the monarchy (which it helped reinstate in the 1950s) and the Nepali National Congress (which it helped form, in India itself).
The primary problem in the country is that the King has lost the support he enjoyed a year ago. When he first dissolved parliament, many in the country were actually relieved because people were completely disillusioned with the sad state of party politics in the country which manifested itself in high levels of corruption, vote-rigging and defection of party members. However, the King has delivered nothing in the last year. Things have only worsened, hence the people are out on the streets.
The hands-down winners from this ugly scenario will be the maoists, for they have managed to latch on to the anti-monarchy sentiment that is prevalent in the country at this point of time without having much to do themselves. Also, their alliance with the political parties has showed them in good light. However, what emerges after the protests are done with is a major concern. The people do not like the political party leaders, as their greed for money and power knows no bounds, and one cannot trust the maoists at this juncture when they say that they are all for a multi-party democracy, especially considering that they have killed more than ten thousand people over the last decade.
So yeah, the country is in pretty bad shape at the moment. And I also think that assl who can make it for Wagle’s talk, should.
Sorry for the long post.
Let me admit that I don’t know the details of India-Nepal relationships.. But from the newsreports I read it looked like India was worried at the anti-India sentiments rising in Nepal (riots against Indian interests whipped up by rumours of Hrithik Roshan bad mouthing Nepalis.. Yeah I know it sounds strange).. ISI role was suspected through a Muslim legislator in Nepal and he was bumped off sometime later (rumoured to be with the help of Chotta Rajan gang). And India got back at the Pakistani/Saudi interests in the aftermath of killing of poor Nepali workers in Iraq.
One thing for sure, to be sandwiched between big neighbors India and China implies that there is probably a lot of influence and pressurising from both the countries.
samudaya, a collective of young people, uses their website as a way to share information and facilitate awareness among other young people. there are some really cool pieces and interesting discussions going on….
The so-called “democracy fighters” are actually Communist party of Nepal heavily influence with the violent Moaists (listed as terrorist organization by US state dept). There were massive violent protests by the communists when early poll results showed pro-government candidates sweeping local elections! Did anyone say communists were for ‘democracy’?
The present Indian government surrenders to communist agendas in some of their policies (and vise-versa). There have been secret meetings between terrorist leaders of Nepal and legit communists parties in India.
There is a growing fear that violent communist movement will spill over in India (I think it already has) given the explosive growth of Naxalites in India.
Talking about India – Nepal relationships, Nepal is also a favoured route to traffic arms into India by militants because the borders aren’t as protected as the border with Pakistan. India needs to help Nepal understand and solve it’s issues, while getting Nepal to play a more active role in it’s relationship with India and help monitor the India – Nepal border. I hope – for the sake of the people there – that the king will get his act together.
I dont know if the Maoists are actually funded and supplied by China based proxies or not. If that is the case than this situation can become very ugly as two major powers China and India trying to influence outcomes in Nepal while the people get screwed. Sort of like Vietnam
I like how this is turning into a discussion about India. If democracy wins in Nepal, India wins. If the Maoist win, China wins.
cool. so, do they have a cool name for their movement yet? something like ‘the orange revolution.’
Razib, it’s the April Revolution.
seems like india could apply some muscle?
Nahh, Nepali people are too anti Indian, if India takes either side the public will be the anti of it, it could probably take anti king stand…I think nothing is more hated in Napal than that now, so the King might even have easier time booking out of the palace, would even help more if the US does the same, but they have already labled the Maoist “terrorists”, so they’ll have to bite their word.
RC,
I dont know if the Maoists are actually funded and supplied by China based proxies or not.
Maioism in Nepal is very home grown materially, just the ideology is an import.
King Birendra was very close to India
Kush. Rajiv and Sonia Hated king Birendra, while on their visit to Kathmandu, Sonia was not allowed into the Pashupatinath temple for the obvious reason that she was not a hindu. (Shiva temple, considered the most holy of Shiva Temples, you have to be there during Shivaratri…It’s all “dam maro dum” then, or I should say “Bhang maro Bhang”)
Thanks Taz .. I’ve been waiting for a post on the Nepal situation for a while because I find the whole thing really confusing. Interesting to see what others think.
Some interesting reads:
“Time for Nepal to wake up” – Western plea for peaceful resolution
Review of Prachanda BBC interview Interview transcript – quite a decent propagandist
More strike photos
Just got back from watching Dinesh speak- it was awesome- He’s only 27 and standing up for the freedom to be a journalist while being caught in the middle of insurgence. Go young people doing amazing things…