#191 9 - 15 April 2004 20 pages Rs 25 No looking back How long can King Gyanendra afford to fight two uprisings? NAVIN SINGH KHADKA the Maoists are stronger than ever openly questioning the relevance before. of monarchy. Now, it looks like the t has been almost a year since While the king is on a PR blitz party leadership has no choice but the political parties began their in the hinterland, the parties to swing towards a republican I agitation to force the king to agitation has taken an ominous stance. restore the democratic process. new edge as impatient party Informal discussions have Twelve months later in the new activists storm barricades already begun among the parties, year, the protests are still going on, surrounding the palace. In the says NC leader Narhari Acharya. the king hasnt budged on de- past year their demands have There is no other way out. mands to restore parliament or set become increasingly more radical, up an all-party government, and with affiliated student unions continued p6 KIRAN PANDAY King back Political parties have planned the mother of all rallies on Friday to coincide with King Gyanendra’s return to the capital from his two- week tour of central Nepal. Organisers say it will be even bigger than the one last Thursday and will mark the anniversary of the 1990 People’s Movement. The protesters may try to force their way past the barbed wire barricades and march on the palace. After several senior leaders and dozens of protesters were injured by lathhis, tear gas and rubber bullets last week, the government has shown some restraint. However, that self-control may vanish in case the parties decide on confrontation. Weekly Internet Poll # 131 Q. Is it right for the government to reject United Nations mediation? Total votes:1,170 Weekly Internet Poll # 132. To vote go to: www.nepalitimes.com Q. How likely is an alliance between the political parties and the Maoists? New Years Eve Featuring live music by by the Heartbreakers on Monday 12th April 2004 with Dinner at the Summit Courtyard from 1800 hrs onwards. Price Rs.800/- net including dinner and a welcome drink For more information please call on 55 24 694/ 55 21 810. 2 EDITORIAL 9 - 15 APRIL 2004 #191 Published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd, Chief Editor: Kunda Dixit Desk Editors: Trishna Gurung, Jemima Sherpa Design: Kiran Maharjan Web: Bhushan Shilpakar Advertising: Sunaina Shah [email protected] Subscription: Anil Karki, [email protected] Sanchaya Kosh Building, Block A-4th Floor, Lalitpur GPO Box 7251, Kathmandu, Nepal Mohan Baidya fallout Tel: 01-5543333-6, Fax: 01-5521013 [email protected], www.nepalitimes.com Printed at Jagadamba Press, Hatiban: 01-5547018 CEASE FIRE IN THE NEW YEAR Maoists must now re-examine the future course of the revolution he West Bengal governments the impact of the aggressive and investigated by the Indian hings have gone beyond just hoping for a happy new year. For T arrest of Maoist politburo retaliatory measures taken by the authorities from many angles T those who command the destiny of this country, the time has come member Mohan Baidya has Maoists? India, no doubt, has always including secessionism, links with to act in 2061. They have to seize the initiative and give the baffled the Maoists, and they have remained suspect in Nepali eyes Indian militant outfits and on the Nepali people what they crave the most: peace. reacted in an uncharacteristic and about its wish to exploit Himalayan source of their funds and arms. Peace is in everyone’s lips—from the war victims thronging to greet King Gyanendra during his walkabouts, the wounded policemen who unexpected manner. waters. Not until the Baidya arrest In a situation of the Maoists survived the Beni attack and the villagers in the Maoist heartland whom did the Maoists pursue the issue of having been declared terrorist by the state regards as rebel sympathisers. While the tv footage of the royal CAPITAL LETTER water resources as a priority. Maoist India and other countries, it also felicitations may look staged, the spontaneous outpouring of anguish Yubaraj Ghimire leaders in India have enjoyed open becomes incumbent upon New Delhi and hope on the faces of those who have turned up to greet their king is support from pro-establishment to share information. Baidyas arrest not. Party supremo Prachanda academics like SD Muni, and this should be an eye opener for the The king, the political parties and the Maoists are engaged in a immediately called it a part of the has fuelled speculation here that the rebels. They need to pause and ask mortal combat for power. They all say they are doing it for the people, but none of them are listening to what the people have to say: “Put a deal that a greedy India struck with rebels are enjoying official Indian themselves: Can a Peoples War be stop to this madness, figure out a way to share power and improve our Nepal to divide up natural resources. patronage in some way or other. indefinitely led and fought from lives.” By now the palace should realise that the tide of public opinion is Then his unrestrained followers Prachandas hint that outside? Can Prachanda and beginning to turn. It needs to be less attacked Indian-owned Kathmandu and New Delhi have a Baburam Bhattarais predicament be obsessed with symbolism, and launch a vehicles and deal over water may not be able to different from that of BP Koirala and concrete conflict resolution drive. businessmen in the erase that apprehension. After all, Ganesh Man Singhs 25 years ago One new year gesture next week west. politicians from GP Koirala to when they realised India did not would be for both sides to declare an The government of Madhab Nepal have, whenever it have a consistent policy towards unconditional and indefinite ceasefire in the new year. The Maoists’ unilateral West Bengal, led by suited them, accused India of democracy in Nepal? BP and release on Tuesday of 37 security Chief Minister supporting the Maoists. Prachanda Ganeshmanji decided to return, what personnel and officials they captured Buddhadeo will get much more credible and about the comrades? in Beni to the ICRC was a positive Bhattacharya, has the positive support from Nepalis on Unless Prachanda and Baburam gesture. The government needs to reputation for being issues of crucial national importance can convince the Nepali masses that respond, and a ceasefire would not be ruthlessly anti-Maoist. like water if he raises them from they are committed to parliamentary seen as a weakness. It not just provide He was already worried inside the country fearlessly, rather democracy and pluralism, much-needed relief to Nepalis, it would also be a forceful confidence-building by Nepali rebels than as a tactical reaction to his Prachandas statement on water gesture for further de-escalation, a inciting Indian Nepalis comrades arrest. resources and the unjustified attack return to elections and the to self-determination. Similarly, the Maoists also need on Indian vehicles and Indians will constitutional process. What could be a It is clear that people of to react officially to the mindless further erode Maoist credentials as a more auspicious time for that than Nepali origin will now attacks by their cadre on Indian political force within Nepal and Baisakh Ek? be under closer scrutiny vehicles and businesses. Is the party internationally. A pragmatic and As we watch the last bloody sunset of the security out to trigger an Indian blockade like rational attempt at political of this ghastly year, it is time to work towards that new dawn. apparatus there. 1988-89? And to what end? Baidyas negotiation will be the best lesson But what will be arrest will undoubtedly be probed from Baidyas arrest. l KIRAN PANDAY L ETTERS FACEOFF volunteer to fly night missions in our terrain using, l I am quite amazed to see There is a deep reserve of this Yubaraj Ghimire’s column ‘Between Bhojpur and nightvision goggles. that the government and the pro- security and military manpower Beni’ (#189) was inconsiderate, unfortunate, 4. The article further implies that the rest of the RNA royalists proceeded with the that is waiting to be tapped. The misguided and downright wrong. I was dismayed positions, namely the barracks and the DDC were felicitations of the king in Pokhara government and the army have that someone of his stature would choose to pass mere spectators to the battle. Wrong again. As other in spite of the carnage in nearby not utilised the 100,000 or so judgment so lightly on an issue of such profound journalists who actually visited Beni and who have Beni (‘Between Bhojpur and highly qualified and better gravity which might have implications much more seen the captured Maoist video correctly deduced, Beni’, #189). It would have been trained ex-servicemen from the damaging than the two attacks themselves, and that the main focus of the attack was the army barracks better to wear white, mourn and British and the Indian Gorkha Nepali Times would print it without its usual strive itself. The soldiers of Kali Prasad Bn (Engineers), reflect. There are many Armies. It is high time that the for accuracy. While some finger-pointing is whose primary task in Beni is to contribute to questions that the government government and RNA perhaps not unnatural in a post-traumatic situa- national development through road construction, and and security forces have to swallowed their pride and tion, the allegations that the attack exposed “a rift troops of the Gorakh Bahadur Bn fought a 13 hour answer.