#276 9 - 15 December 2005 16 pages Rs 30 Weekly Internet Poll # 276 Q... Do you agree with the government’s action against the relay of BBC Nepali Service through FM stations in Nepal? Total votes:4,493 All the king’s (new) men The reshuffle proves Weekly Internet Poll # 277. To vote go to: www.nepalitimes.com King Gyanendra is not deviating Q... What do you think of the new council of ministers appointed by the king? from his roadmap RAJENDRA DAHAL five of the 12 new ministers are Analysts say the new cabinet image abroad, but it is unlikely heads of their own showcase is unlikely to help mend that the new lineup will convince he dramatic announcement parties mostly set up recently. relations between the palace and donors to unfreeze grants and on Wednesday evening of a Keshar Bahadur Bista who the mainstream parties. There are loans suspended after 1 February. T reshuffle in the council of formed his own Prajatantrik Nepal also doubts about whether the The reshuffle is mainly a show of ministers was a lot of sound and party last month is on board with new team can improve service defiance against a critical fury, but doesn’t seem to signify the agriculture portfolio. Durga delivery, governance, find a international community. much. Pokhrel who launched her own resolution to the conflict, or However, the timing of the The cabinet was expanded Nepali Congress-Rastrabadi with mend strained relations with reshuffle three days before the from 24 to 36. Some incumbents Prakash Koirala, and Salim Miyan international partners. visit here of Indian Foreign were sacked, others were kicked Ansari of the Samajbadi Party are Some donors may be happy Secretary Shyam Saran has raised upstairs, few were moved also ministers. Narayan Singh about the departure of Madhukar speculation that there is more sideways, fresh faces were brought Pun, the architect of the 2002 Rana from the Finance Ministry than meets the eye. King in. But the fourth royal cabinet ceasefire and head of the Samata (Roop Jyoti has been promoted to Gyanendra could be trying to after February First is still a Party, is back this time as Minister his post) and the exit of Jagat drive a bargain with the Indians status quo government and proves of Land Reform. Gauchan and Senate Shrestha for support in exchange for King Gyanendra is determined By wooing off six central may launder the government’s geopolitical concessions. z not to deviate from his three-year- committee members from the RPP, KIRAN PANDAY SUBSCRIBERS old roadmap just because the including Kamal Thapa as Home Did your paper arrive on time parties and the rebels have got Minister, the king has snubbed this morning? If not, call our together against him. Pashupati SJB Rana who has been Complaints Hotline 9851054729 By now, the king has tried critical of the February First move. and talk to Santosh Aryal. just about everything: from the The king even got Buddhiman technocrat-filled Chand cabinet Tamang to defect from Surya in 2002, the Surya Bahadur Thapa Bahadur Thapa’s RJP. Royalist AND A WOMAN: State Minister of Women, Children and Social Welfare Press Freedom for cabinet, to the NC-D UML journalist Shirish Rana is State Durga Pokhrel, Minister of Home Kamal Thapa, Minister of Land Reform coalition. What is striking about Minister for Information and Narayan Singh Pun and State Minister of Information, Shirish Rana on Peace and Democracy the new faces this time is that Communication. Thursday before their swearing in at the royal palace. 2 EDITORIAL 9 - 15 DECEMBER 2005 #276 Published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd, Chief Editor: Kunda Dixit Desk Editor: Marty Logan Design: Kiran Maharjan Web: Bhushan Shilpakar Vicepresident Corporate Affairs: Sneh Sayami Advertising: Sambhu Guragain [email protected] Subscription: Pushparaj Sharma [email protected] Sanchaya Kosh Building, Block A-4th Floor, Lalitpur Breakthrough or betrayal? [email protected], GPO Box 7251, Kathmandu Tel: 5543333-6, Fax: 5521013 www.nepalitimes.com Printed at Jagadamba Press, Hatiban: 5547018 Being in love with the Maoists can be more dangerous to Nepali democracy than being at war with them. RESHUFFLING THE PACK he 12-point Delhi violence and lay down arms is to constituent assembly election The king has tried to buy time by falling back on his father’s Agreement has many acquiesce in their terrorism. Most offers them the safe landing that favourite trick of reshuffling the deck. There seems to have been an T objectionable elements, but tragically, it sets a long-term they crave so desperately. It effort to bring in smarter people but things are too far gone to regain it is the very process of engaging precedent that political does not really matter much to the legitimacy this way. But it shows the king is determined to ride it out in this alliance that must first be parties need only put together an Maoists what the proposed and is following his three-year timetable to install loyalists in key condemned. Gandhi’s legacy is armed militia to get their way. constituent assembly will decide. places. that even in just political Secondly, who has given this Hence, their pledge to accept The political parties are encouraged by large turnouts at their struggles one needs to choose just band of conspirators (mainly four whatever comes out of it is quite public meetings. But they are so hung up on process and on means. How is total democracy to bahun men) the authority and hollow. Their only requirement is chanting the boycott mantra that they are in serious danger of being sidelined by both the king and the Maoists. Instead of being kneejerk be ushered in with the aid of total legitimacy to demand a new to have something to point to as rejectionists, they must come up with a proactive plan. Reuniting the terrorists? political order for Nepal the fruit of their violent methods Nepali Congress would be a place to start and perhaps even through a constituent assembly? in order to permanently justify preparing for general elections with a strong and united pro- GUEST COLUMN Two of them came riding on the their terrorist past. democracy front. Prem Jung Thapa tiger of terrorism and the other We cannot simply acquiesce to The reshuffle has coincided with the announcement of Indian two on the back of their past a straightforward and painless Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran’s visit to Kathmandu next week. Who has usurped the power failures and incompetence to take entry of the Maoists into Nepali India’s role in fixing Nepal’s mess has become an issue of heated and legitimacy of the mainstream Nepali democracy forward after mainstream democratic politics. debate after the party-rebel pact. Our view on this is straightforward: parties? It is the Maoists with the gains of the People’s Their leaders and armed cadres if your house is on fire and you do nothing to put it out, you can’t their violence-backed refusal to Movement. Their slogans are ‘total must be charged and prosecuted to complain if your neighbour hoses you down. allow parliamentary elections. democracy’ and ‘new people’s the full extent possible under our India’s leftist politicians had a hand in brokering the Maoist-party pact. So? Defanging the Maoists is in India’s national interest February First could be undone in democracy’, laws for their crimes, including because of what a Maoist victory in Nepal would mean for their a flash with a newly-elected yet they are autocrats in their own crimes against humanity. Those own Naxalite movement. That aim should coincide with the king’s parliament. right, representing factions or found guilty must be punished, own goal. Yet the parties have chosen to personal cliques with little including possibly being barred What sections of the Indian establishment perhaps disagree on add the Maoist weapon to their practice of democracy. from future political is how to go about preventing a Maoist takeover. The brass thinks arsenal in their fight against the Their apparent grand design participation. We must also the king and his army are the bulwarks against the Maoists while the active monarchy. Once is to hoodwink the Nepali require that they recant on many Saran Doctrine is mainstreaming the Maoists and restoring full unsheathed, who will control this people and the gullible aspects of their core political democracy for long-term stability. The two sides are having it out in weapon and direct where it will international community with ideology. public through sponsored write-ups in Indian dailies by their pet land? the promise of a ‘peace Many in the intelligentsia and pundits. Forging a significant alliance dividend’ by ending the media are fascinated with and The Pink Palace thinks it is cleverly playing these factions and using the China card to gain leverage in Delhi. But it forgets the with the Maoists without the ‘people’s war’ and of a return to sympathetic to the Maoist rising rage here at home. While India-baiting in public, monarchists latter’s pre-commitment to forgo parliamentary democracy by political objectives, condemning are actively courting India’s VHP-royalty- bringing the Maoists into only their resort to violence. khaki coalition for moral support. When it mainstream politics. With such Not enough criticism is leveled comes to Big Brother, whatever they may say vain promises, these four believe against their core beliefs which are at home Nepali political forces of all hues anything can be demanded of war- fundamentally incompatible with have always sucked up to their Indian weary Nepalis, including a free and democratic society.