#562 15 - 21 July 2011 16 pages Rs 30 BIKRAM RAI a split personality; there is a big gap between their public statements and their actions. New time frame He has counted the number of times the Maoists have alf way through the organisational head as well their part, feel the Maoists committed to return seized extended CA term, as the commander of the are trying to dictate terms property (18) and to disband Hthe peace process PLA. The central committee on the numbers of fighters to the YCL (12). Says KC: They and constitution drafting is meeting has been put off for be integrated into the Nepal just dont walk the talk. being delayed by a seemingly nearly three weeks now, and Army. Although, we have Caught between the intractable intra-party feud Dahal loyalists still command agreed to consider relaxing intra-party dispute and an within the Maoists. a majority in the central age limit, educational interrupted peace process, Chairman Pushpa Kamal committee. qualification and entry of the ball is now in Dahals Dahal, who had been grappling Ram Karki, who is close married women combatants, court. He has an enormous with other parties ever since to Bhattarai, says the real rift there can be no compromise responsibility, not only to he resigned as prime minister is over party structure, not on the physical eligibility bring together a bitterly in May 2009, now has to deal ideology. This is the largest criteria set by the Nepal divided party but also to end with intense pressure from party, so if the problems Army, the UMLs Pradeep the political stalemate that within his party. There is a persist it will ultimately have Gyawali told us. threatens a constitutional three-way personality clash repercussions for the peace The NCs Arjun Narasingh void in August. within the Maoists, and a process, he says. KC says: The Maoists have Anurag Acharya feeling that Dahal has wielded Dahals detractors want too much power for too long. devolution of the chairmans The goal of cutting Dahal down power, and have also been to size has made Baburam critical of corruption and the Electricity, or rafting? Bhattarai and Mohan Baidya extravagant lifestyle of the Nepals need to generate unlikely allies. party leadership. Dahal is hydropower must not The Bhattarai-Baidya squeezed by the opposition destroy the potential of alliance threatens to unseat piling pressure for integration its rivers for adventure Dahal from parliamentary of ex-fighters on the one hand, tourism. We need to find party leadership. Currently, and by his own rank and file a fine balance. Dahal is the party Chairman, on the other. p12-13 parliamentary party leader, The NC and the UML, for 2 EDITORIAL 15 - 21 JULY 2011 #562 THE NEXT MOVE fter the Maoists emerged as the largest party individualism and rightist opportunism. But in the April 2008 elections, a garlanded with his college mate Ram Bahadur Thapa and Aand vermilioned Maoist chairman spoke to alter ego Narayan Kaji Shrestha both flirting with the media at the BICC. This is not just a victory the opposition this week, Dahals position as head for our party, Pushpa Kamal Dahal said, it is a of party is suddenly much shakier. victory for the Nepali people and it is a victory for All this wouldnt have mattered much if the peace. country wasnt in such a fragile state and the That was when many thought Prachanda peace process wasnt so precarious. The nasty had made the final transformation in his infighting within the Maoists adds another layer metamorphosis to Pushpa Kamal Dahal. It was of complications in finding compromises on a magnanimous speech, Mandelaesque in its demobilisation of the cantonments and acceptable message and tone. As it turned out, Prime Minister clauses in the new constitution. With his mentors Dahal instead of being a leader of all Nepalis, at each others throats Prime Minister Khanal became just another party apartchik riding the seems to have forgotten all about the five-point personality cult of Prachanda Path. As time wore agreement that he had promised to step down on, he turned into a tragic figure who had lost the to make way for a unity government. And with trust of the other parties, Kathmandus diplomatic these distractions, it isn't a surprise that the new corps (even those who hung to his every word), the budget is a wishy-washy, populist one designed governments of our two great neighbours, and also to distribute cash to cronies. the most trusted allies within his own party. the churning within the Maoists also Prachanda has no one to blame but himself. indicates a necessary democratisation of a former His chronic contradictions, compulsive lying, his underground party that waged war. The three- deviousness and too-clever-by-half attitude finally way rift should be easy to fix because it isnt did him in. All the wheeling-dealing, sneaking ideological but a multiple personality clash off to Bangkok and Singapore, exposed his naked between comrades and disaffection with Dahal's ambition to get back to power by hook or by crook, penchant to go it alone. (Proof of this is the and the nation be damned. He squandered his unnatural and opportunistic alliance between formidable power of oratory on petty name-calling, Bhattarai and Baidya.) and threats. He never realised that after becoming At press time it looked like Dahal loyalists still victorious in the ballot he no longer needed to commanded a majority in the central committee, resort to the bullet. but the Chairman should still take this as his It is still premature to write Pushpa Kamal his rival and deputy, Baburam Bhattarai, as prime cue to divest power. The party could then keep Dahals political obituary. In the past 20 years of minister last week. the eye on the ball and get on with proposing being the supreme leader of his party, he has used His other rival, Mohan Baidya is a serial splittist. a candidate who can lead a national unity his in-born craftiness to wriggle out of tight spots. Back in 1985 he did exactly what he is doing now government, unblock integration once and for He can still play the various factions off against to Dahal, when he launched a vitriolic attack on all, and help finalise a framework constitution by each other, as he did by surprisingly proposing Mohan Bikram Singh accusing him of anarchist August-end. ON THE WEB www.nepalitimes.com HEALTHY MAJORITY zBirkha Dai for Prime Minister, or at least their profi t by 50 per cent, we could see a new ongoing interference in the internal political Excellent editorial (‘A healthy majority’, Health Minister (‘Birkha Dai’s clinic’, Abhaya Nepal with better health care. It is frustrating affairs of Nepal hindering the crafting of a Editorial, #561). Rural health workers Shrestha, #561). to see a hospital in Chitwan which provides new constitution, long-standing territorial and doctors deserve praise for whatever Joongay free treatment to Maoists and rich people and disputes with her neighbors and frequent Nepal has achieved in improving its rip off poor. encroachment of international borders, health status in the last decade. There is zAbhaya Shrestha’s article shows very Niraj and, an on-going historical animosity no lack of committed, honest and hard clearly why HELP NEPAL Network: One towards the nation of Pakistan. The laundry working people in this country. If only the Dollar A Month Fund for Nepal needs zI wish Dhulikhel Hospital will continue its list goes on and on. The Indian leadership politics was not so bad, imagine what this continued support from Nepalis around tradition, commitment, enthusiasm. must get rid of its inherited colonial mindset country could have achieved. the world. HeNN is especially grateful to RK and learn to be more open, sensitive and RM Everest Marathon Fund in the UK which pragmatic to the needs of other nations. It has consistently supported the Mugu Health zNepal needs doctors like Ram Makaju must develop a culture of listening rather zThanks for this well written and Post through HeNN. Shrestha to implement what one preaches. than bullying. considered editorial, and also for the Rabindra Mishra I am impressed with his motivation, dedication Anonymous focus on rural health in this issue. ‘Poor and results. health care in Nepal is not a medical zYes, there are stll some Birkha Dais Dr Ranjeet Baral ASS problem, it is a political one.’ How very in remote areas of Nepal. All the so-called Thank god there is an Ass (‘Shahi Nepal true! doctors and others are just hanging around INDIAS NEIGHBOURHOOD Bayuseba Nigum’, Ass, #561). Love the Kiran for their own selfi sh interests. Thank you for If decimating the LTTE was good then why Bhairav’s grin, or is it a grimace? sharing this story. did India nurture and support them in the fi rst Anil zHealth may be a political problem, Bishnu Khadka place (‘India and the ’hood’, Jyoti Malhotra, but it is also a social one. The #561)? medical profession has degraded zThanks to Dambar Shrestha for such Jange into commercialism, and we invest on an interesting and uplifting story about how education based on that principle. much a difference training young midwives zMr Manmohan Singh should solve Weekly Internet Poll # 562 Three decades ago, a very well makes for the health of poor Nepalese his own domestic problems: why he is Q. Who should lead a national consensus known doctor was heavily criticised for people (“No home delivery’, #561). Much not tackling the issues of wide-spread government? making a statement that he entered more, it seems than sending a doctor to systemic corruption, mismanagement, and Total votes: 3,474 medical fi eld to make money.