#521 24 - 30 September 2010 16 pages Rs 30 SUBHAS RAI JATR A here’s not much room to parliament) alone is enough for a a requirement to endorse the taking the Nepali Congress on hope for a solution, given government of simple majority, new constitution as well as to board. The onus is on the two T the record of major the Forum’s support would add amend the interim one, if communist parties to reach out to political parties on agreeing to 25 members. needed. The Maoists, the UML the NC, which has not taken too what is needed but not acting on However, even with the and the Forum disagree very kindly to the Maoist-UML pact, it. Developments since last week backing of smaller parties that sharply on crucial aspects of the and for the NC’s own Ram point to a coalition government have pledged their support to the new constitution and we won’t Chandra Poudel to withdraw of the Maoists, UML and Upendra Maoists, the coalition will still be surprised if the coalition, if from the race on Sunday in Yadav faction of the Madhesis. be short of a two-thirds majority, at all, will hold for long. return for a credible Maoist While a Maoist-UML combine The sparring between UML promise to honour past (with 347 members in 601-strong and the Maoists even before the commitments. ink had dried on their 3-point agreement last Friday shows See also: PUBLISHER”S NOTE how fragile these deals are. Peace and the prime ministership This points to the need of p2 2| 24 - 30 SEPTEMBER 2010 #521 PUBLISHER’S NOTE PEACE AND THE PM even rounds of voting in signed yet another 3-point deal, they have parliament have failed to elect a given contrasting interpretations of the S new prime minister, and if things pact. While the Maoists are saying that stay as they are the eighth round will be the move has paved the way for Maoist- deadlocked on Sunday as well. The UML majority government, the UML says people’s faith in the political parties will it only agreed to a consensus fall further. government. We need a new prime minister, but The onus is on the UML to ensure that cannot overlook certain basics. Madhav the Maoists honour their part of the Kumar Nepal resigned on 30 June after bargain, and if they do, the UML should intense (and it now looks shortsighted) not hesitate to be part of a coalition with clamour for his resignation. Those the Maoists. Together they have the agitating for his ouster had refused to numbers (347) in the 601-member House. consider the consequences of having If the Maoists do not agree, the UML the government reduced to caretaker should revive the alliance with the NC status without a workable agreement on and seek the Madhes-based parties’ contentious aspects of the peace support for their government. process and the constitution. But for the future stability of this We are repeating that folly now. In country, the rejuvenated centrist NC must the desperation of having a new prime be brought into the formula. The most minister by ignoring the demobilisation desirable scenario has always been a of Maoist combatants and dismantling government that includes the Big Three the YCL’s militant structure, we are once and the Madhesi parties held together by more putting the cart before the horse. the common goal of completing the peace Political parties here have the habit process. of reverting to their existing positions soon after signing an agreement to move forward. Worse, they interpret agreements differently soon after signing it. A day after the Maoists and the UML KIRAN PANDAY ON THE WEB www.nepalitimes.com BIG BROTHERHOOD happens in Nepal, India gets blamed for it. It and live peacefully. If not just close the is his. This may have been a sting The Indians should know that there is may be useful to see it from India’s border with India and invite China to help operation, but what were Mahara and the no way that the Nepalis can turn perspective also. India’s security concerns out. I am sure a new generation Indians Maoists thinking when asking for money against India (Interview with Indian are genuine. We can’t give them an don’t mind Nepal bad mouthing India to from a representative of a foreign nation ? Ambassador, Rakesh sood, #520). extradition treaty, we can’t give them air gain some goodies from China. Did they seriously think that the money Even if it happens on the surface, and marshals, we can’t sign border maps Satya would come without any strings attached? some out of greed, but overall, from (which I have heard are ready for signature Anil the heart, Nepalis love the Bharatiya and would avoid all this border POLITICAL ECONOMY way. The Chinese know this too. It is encroachment nonsense after it is signed), Historically, the separation of politics and The fact that a foreign country was also a geopolitical compulsion in economy never worked (Publisher’s tapping phone conversations of a Nepali addition to cultural and religious Note, ‘Delinking the economy from politician is very troubling. This just linkages. Nepal may display politics’, #520). The unbearable living shows how our politicians are controlled symptoms of a small conditions in czarist Russia gave rise to by foreigners and can be bought with country syndrome at times and react the October Revolution and the money. Maoists trying to get money from sharply to India’s bullying, or big subsequent takeover by the communists. outside is no surprise knowing how neck brotherhood game. The collapse of the European economy deep they are in corruption, extortion, Harka Raj after World War I eventually gave rise to smuggling and mafia-like business Hitler and Nazi Germany. operations. The reports of India-China rivalry In Poland and Czechoslovakia, it was Concerned Citizen are greatly exaggerated in Nepal. the attempt to bring in reforms into a Yes, there is global geopolitical near-collapsing economy which changed If Mahara wants to defend himself and competition for influence and the course of the countries. It was the prove his innocence he should go to court resources and India feels it doesn’t economic reforms of Perestroika which and prove that he is innocent because he get the respect it deserves, but that brought down the Soviet Union. is a public personality and it is his duty to doesn’t translate into a proxy war Had Nepal been a prosperous bring the truth before people. What he and over Nepal. Nepalis would like to country, the Maoists would have never his party should not pretend is that the think they are so important that the had a chance as there wouldn’t have criticism is onesided blame coming from regional powers are vying for a been any reason for their existence. A reactionaries. How can you run away so handle on things in Kathmandu, but failing economy is capable of causing a easily? This is a serious matter of both New Delhi and Beijing have a collapse of a political system, politics sedition and corruption and I don’t want a convergence of interest in Nepal: they and economy are inseparably the party that deceives the nation goes to both want stability. And both are interlocked. Economy drives the politics government at the expense of our national completely exasperated by the way we won’t take initiatives to revise the 1950 and politics drives the economy. The integrity. things are falling apart in Kathmandu treaty and we can’t even give them the MRP greatest danger arises when greed enters Nirmal because of the shortsighted ambitions project. We attack their companies, even the picture. of the political leadership there. arm-twist them if they do not give enough Luba Svrcina Johann advertisement, and then want them to invest more. We believe the allegation of a PLANTING SLANTS “India would like to see stability parliamentarian against an Indian diplomat C K Lal claims that Mahara did not Weekly Internet Poll # 521 return in Nepal” says Ambassador knowing fully well the credibility of the said disown the tape ‘Fourth Estate, ‘Plants Sood. Oh really? Nepal would like to person. and slants’, #520). But Mahara certainly Q. Which partnership would be most beneficial for Nepal’s stability? see India stop being an ignorant bully. Saral Manandhar did disown the tape. If Lal does not India was colonised by the West, so it believe the strong denial by Mahara that Total votes: 2,313 is bitter and just plain angry. But People get the government they is up to him. But by pretending that Nepal would like to see India stop deserve. It is very easy to blame all what is Mahara admitted the conversation is annoying us with its attitude problem wrong in Nepal on India. Every one looks genuine Lal is behaving at least as badly that’s mainly got to do with its after their own self-interest. India will do as any of the media that he criticises. inferiority complex with China. what it needs to do to take care of its Arthur Sarath G sensitivities and China will do the same. People who blame all their ills on others Mr Mahara has no other choice but to I agree with Prashant Jha (‘Indian are just plain stupid and lazy. I just hope say that he has been framed, although he Weekly Internet Poll # 522. To vote go to: www.nepalitimes.com Q.