Strategically Speaking
It's clear now that the King's crackdown on the Nepal media and all outward communication was not just to impress his new best buddy China (imitation being the highest form of flattery), but to enact a rather precise strategy. Shortly after the takeover, the Maoists tried to immediately fill the void with another one of their increasingly-tiresome national strikes, only to find out that no one was paying attention to them because the Maoists couldn't get the word out; the communication band has virtually paralyzed their ability to mobilize and coordinate.
On the other side of the isle (or is it, stay tuned), the now banned political parties cannot organize their inane protests because they can't use the phone. One Nepali Congress party remnant tells UK's Guardian:
``I'm just in and out,'' said Shovakar Parajuli, who risked arrest for his quick trip Wednesday to the office of the Nepali Congress party, the country's main opposition group, slipping in for a few sheets of party stationery..... He wants to organize a protest against the king, but with the phone lines down and so many people under arrest, he has spent all his time simply trying to stay out of jail and keep in touch with colleagues.
``I don't mind getting arrested, but somebody has to coordinate,'' he said.
Now wait a minute. Blogdai seems to remember all those "spontaneous" student demonstrations against the King and "regression." Where are they now? The streets of Kathmandu are quiet. It was always curious to Blogdai how poor Kathmandu students could organize so well and have hundreds of sparkling new banners to boot. The fact is, all those "spontaneous" demonstrations by students were paid for-nice new banners and all- by the agitating political parties. No wonder the King has shut down their ability to organize.
Lest anyone have any doubts, Blogdai can't stand the King: Prince Paras is even worse, but my Kathmandu friend who is in politics told me recently: "The Nepali people no longer care if the cat is black or white, only that it kills the rats."
posted by blogdai @ 2/03/2005 03:11:00 PM
10 comments
10 Comments:
blogdai,
just discovered your blog... great job getting all this information out.
your mention of cats and rats reminds of the story of mouseland.
Relevant and funny. Not unlike Nepal where the cats are criminals and the rats have guns.
-blogdai
Well, lets hope for the sake of Nepal that Gyanendra is the statistical outlier in that illustrious gang of Nepalese royals, past and present, who have by and large acheived nothing of consequence and for the most part are losers by any measure. These **kers are born to privilege and piss their lives away. Lets hope that Gyanendra salvages his lazy ass existence by doing something good.(Now let me tell you what I REALLY feel about the Shahs!)
And oh yes, Blog dai, thanks for the posting.
My pleasure. Many of us share your feelings.
Hello
Great job blogdai! I come from a western country, visited Nepal 4 times and will come again in a few weeks.
Don't listen to the west, screeming "democracy, democracy", it's a pure fake. We always supported any dictature who was favorable for us.Luckily you don't have any oil in nepal!
Mayby this step from the king is THE last chance for nepal to end endless corruption and fighting between politicians without any result. When not....I don't want to think about.
The problem with the cat is that it also kills singing birds
Touche' a bit of a two-edged sword, isn't it? Well said. Maybe we should ask if how many songbirds it costs to insure that all songbirds can sing in the future?
-blogdai
Thanks 7:58,
Blogdai thinks this king will break the mold of the Shah's, Rana's and the Panchayat. No real reason. When G first took power he was asked about his desired role. He said that he wanted to be a quiet king. Not involved. If this guy is only interested in autocratic, absolute power, why then did he reinstate Deuba as prime minister after calling him "incompetent", press him on numerous occasions to hold democratic elections and take private meeting after private meeting with each and every ego-driven political leader in an attempt to find consensus?
The army is loyal to the king, period. Power in Nepal lies with the army. Why would a king keep up this democratic charade knowing that he could use the army and take control at any moment? Was he worried about world opinion? Blogdai doesn't think so. Look at the way he's handling this takeover-pissing everyone off. No, this king thinks deeply, acts slowly, and would probably rather not be involved at all. Time and events have now made him act against his personal wishes. An opinion.
-=blogdai
Good opinion. But here's another one. This king did think deeply, to usurp power into his hands. Paras killed the royals. The king and the army held back, letting or orchestrating the maoist "problem". They have now decided that the threshold of pain is such that a good number of Nepales will give them a chance, so with that cover Big G has made his move. Another conspiracy theory? Absolutely. But if I am right, look for "major" victories against the Maoists in the coming month, read it another way - bunch of poor miserable youths from the mountains will be butchered. And then, mark my words, Prachanda will "negotiate" a peace - an interim period of more rule by Big G will be established, furthering his hold on power.
Why all this? Simple. Think the Mahabharata. King Dhritarashtra was blind, symbolically actually, to his errant son Dushashanas evil ways. And stood by and let the war between the Pandavas and Kauravas happened. All because his snot nosed prick of a son should have throne - sound familiar?
The Kauravas lost, of course in that story. The question of the moment is who is Nepal's Arjun/Krishna?
Hari Om Takshat
Interesting and dead on target my Nepali saati.
-=blogdai
Post a Comment
<< Home