#385 1 - 7 February 2008 16 pages Rs 30 KUNDA DIXIT in DANG Weekly Internet Poll # 385 Q. Who should be entrusted with election welve years after the security? Maoist revolution began in Total votes: 4,345 T the mountains north of here, people are still waiting to pick up where they left off when Top heavy the war began. The constituent assembly mood here among the people who election slated for 10 April would have seen the quality of their Let down twice, Nepalis are Weekly Internet Poll # 386. To vote go to: www.nepalitimes.com bring finality, but no one is sure lives deteriorate despite the Q. The constituent assembly election is? it will happen. After being let absence of war since 2006. The sceptical about polls down twice the euphoria that local economy is still stagnant, accompanied the ceasefire two there is no investment and young years ago has been replaced by people are migrating by the tens disillusionment and resignation. of thousands. “If it happens, I guess I’ll go Although there has and vote,” says youth activist been some Sanam Poudel in the highway reconstruction of town of Lamahi. “But we need damaged the election so we can close this infrastructure, chapter in our history and move health and education on with our lives.” are still in a shambles. For That view is echoed across the many, the elections are towns of Western Nepal. Local synonymous with peace, politicians, like NC’s Krishna without which they know Chandra Nepali in Nawalparasi there will be no development. district, realise that the people are “We haven’t had a peace blaming them for the delay. dividend at all,” says Ram “Their heart is not in elections. Hari Rijal, a teacher in We have let the people down, Ghorahi. “If the elections now we have to reassure them are held, hopefully we that polling will take place,” will finally see an Nepali told us. improvement in our The public meetings lives.” z organised by the seven parties across the country that ended on Wednesday in Birganj have been well attended despite bombings and strikes by Madhesi groups. But most of the crowds were party faithful. In Satbaria, where 52 policemen were slaughtered in a Maoist raid in 2003, the gutted building has been torn down. There are few scars of war remaining. And when Satbaria’s most famous son, former NC home minister Khum Bahadur Khadga, visited this week there was only a lone police van accompanying him. Sujata Koirala also passed through recently, but hardly anyone noticed. There is a wait-and-watch BILASH RAI Mc Dowell 2 EDITORIAL 1 - 7 FEBRUARY 2008 #385 Published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd, Editor: Kunda Dixit Design: Kiran Maharjan Director Sales and Marketing: Sunaina Shah marketing(at)himalmedia.com Circulation Manager: Samir Maharjan sales(at)himalmedia.com Subscription: subscription(at)himalmedia.com,5542525/535 Hatiban, Godavari Road, Lalitpur editors(at)nepalitimes.com GPO Box 7251, Kathmandu 5250333/845, Fax: 5251013 www.nepalitimes.com Printed at Jagadamba Press, Hatiban: 5250017-19 Things fall apart Will the Madhesi centre hold? BEG, BORROW OR STEAL here is a problem with the not profitable. are vulnerable and will only Nepalis have come to expect shoddy treatment from their rulers, base, form, agenda, and But that is not enough. The become exposed. They should whether democratic, autocratic or feudal. Preoccupied as this T vision of the Madhesi first problem with the Madhesi know the limits of bargaining. interim government is with managing the alliance and making sure movement. The eastern Tarai forces is that their class and caste Instead, their shifting goalposts the peace process doesn’t derail, and as the political leaders are Mithila mafia of Thakur, Yadav base is limited. People from only confirm suspicions that with feathering their own nests, there is no time to ensure basic and Mahato may want to claim various communities died during royalists and those keen to disrupt services. Nepal’s long-suffering citizens didn’t expect things to get better leadership of the entire southern last year's movement, but the the polls are influencing decisions overnight. But it’s been nearly two years. Euphoria turned into plains. But they have neither leadership failed to capitalise on in each party. disillusionment long ago. Now the frustration is turning into anger. been able to steer Madhes in the the prevailing sense of unity. Mahanta Thakur defines the The one way this unelected government could have demonstrated right direction in the short term Dalits are disenchanted and have problem as colonial and says the legitimacy was by delivery. In that, it has failed pretty dismally. The nor thought enough about how to started saying that they have no Madhes needs a judiciary, denizens of the capital are lucky they have 12 hours of power cuts a reconcile regional and national choice but to launch their own executive, and legislature. day. Outside Kathmandu, power lasts only a few hours. Water priorities in the long run. movement, armed if necessary. Federalism is clearly non- supply is even more erratic. It is unlikely the poor are going to get free health care anytime soon. There has been no effort to bridge the Tharus in the west always felt negotiable. But what will be the gap between rich and poor schools. TARAI EYE apart, but now even eastern shape of that structure? What will None of this is due to a lack of resources. It is the result of gross Prashant Jha Tharus who see themselves as be the integrative mechanisms mismanagement, criminal wastage and endemic corruption. And that Madhesis find little space. Where with the hills and the nature of is true also of the most glaring example of government bungling to are the Muslim leaders? Where is resource allocation? date: the chronic fuel shortage. The ignominious roll-back last week Madhesi leaders don't lack the progressive agenda for the Madhesis claim they are close exposed not just an ill-planned price rise but also the incompetence commitment, neither are they landless? They may come out on to 40 percent of the population. and weakness of the state. The result is a nationwide shortage of diesel that has brought the country to a standstill. opportunists. Rajendra Mahato's the streets because of a shared Why is the aim restricted to only The government has the money to pay off the Nepal Oil son was suffering from a fatal sense of discrimination, but the securing power in the Tarai? Corporation’s debt to Indian refineries so supplies can resume, but illness in Delhi after February alienation from the Madhesi Shouldn't it revolve as much doesn’t want to do so until retail prices are raised to more realistic 2005, but the Sadbhabana leader mainstream is unmistakable. The around ensuring a share of power levels. So the Indians have stopped supplying diesel and kerosene still ran around to lobby for both leaders surely know that without in the capital, and demanding that and hence the serpentine queues, this time of buses and trucks. democracy and Madhesi rights. In them the movement will hit the a Madhesi be the country's prime What with the lack of diesel to run generators combined with load 2006, at a central committee wall. minister or president? For that to shedding, the cost of industrial production has gone up substantially. Transporters have also begun to charge more even though the price meeting when other NC leaders There are problems with the happen though, the leaders need of diesel remains the same. After all, if you can’t buy fuel when you condescendingly said they agenda and strategy as well. to have a clear vision of how the need it, the price becomes meaningless. should now 'give' citizenship to Madhesis want and need the polls Madhes fits into the larger If the shortfall in the market is to be eased, someone has to pay Madhesis as it would be more than anyone else. If April national framework. Only the India.The Ministry of Supplies (which should be renamed Ministry of electorally beneficial, the mild- 2006 had not happened, January Maoists had that theoretical Shortages) blames the Finance Ministry which in turn wants NOC to mannered Thakur responded 2007 would not have happened. understanding, conceiving of an live without subsidies. Fair enough. But how to do that when the angrily: "You still talk of giving Democracy is a pre-requisite for alliance of marginalised government doesn’t allow it to even recoup its acquisition cost from consumers? As with everything else in Nepal the problem is politics to Madhesis what is their Madhesi rights. And if polls do communities, though they failed rather than economics. With just about two and a half months to go inherent right." And Upendra not happen, the resulting miserably in translating it on the till elections, the seven parties don’t want to invite public wrath by Yadav has worked hard to build authoritarianism will not help the ground. Or is the final aim, as raising fuel prices. But they will soon have to face street anger political consciousness. All of Madhes at all. many Madhesi leaders privately caused by the lack of diesel, gas and kerosene. It is a Catch-22 this when Madhesi activism was Madhesi groups fear they will admit, independence? Won't such situation: increase prices and face not win, at least not in enough an unviable aspiration only lead to protests, don’t increase prices and invite numbers to influence the more bloodshed and suffering? anarchy. There is no way other than for the Finance Minister to clear NOC’s debts so constituent assembly debate.