Kathmandu News and Nothings
Moriarty comes to Jesus: Unbelievable. After saying on numerous occasions that there can be no peace in Nepal without first restoring democracy, U.S. ambassador James Moriarty does a complete flip-flop and now says that security must come first. So now the Yanks want to go after the Maoists just like the King. And oh, what a bit of belated insight: Moriarty feels that an alliance between the Maoists and the Parties is a bad idea. Taken together, these two statements show that the Yanks have no confidence in the current agenda of the seven parties.
Mass Exodus: Madhav Kumar Nepal has been living and basing his statements out of Delhi these days. Looks like K.P. Oli as well. Now, Girija is heading to Delhi again for another one of his famous "medical" visits. What does this tell us? It's no secret that party members are in reasonable contact with maoists during their time in Delhi, so is a formal alliance in the offing? Based on Moriarty's statements, the Yanks think so.
Wonderful peace in the valley these days. Blogdai was a bit discouraged to hear that the Parties are starting an "intensive stir" very shortly to "restore the constitution." Blogdai wonders if it is a constitution they want restored or their former place at the table of corruption.
Deepak Manange is resting safe an comfortably in Dilli Bazaar prison. Not one of his cronies in the 7-Party alliance has come to his aid. Rumor has it that he's getting together some gang money to insure his release. His Thamel infrastructure is broken so he'll have a tough way to go.
Women were breathing a little easier when Lochendra Bahadur Chand's son was kidnapped by Maoists. He's a known womanizer. But, alas, all good things must come to an end.
"Jazzmandu," that so-called cultural event leaves blogdai cold. High ticket prices and euro-average jazz bands alienate the average nepali citizen. Would much better to have a free music fest of some sort.
STill no luck in finding International Crisis Groups "Nepal field office" but will keep trying.
WISH I HAD MY CAMERA: Saw ambassador Keith Bloomfield drunk and the New Orleans cafe last monday. Blogdai wonders how the man can drink so much while having his foot securely wedged in his mouth.
-=blogdai
posted by blogdai @ 11/09/2005 04:11:00 AM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Blogdai,
Thanks for all the tattle from Kathmandu. Looks like you like to chill out in Thamel. I was a regular myself quite a few years ago.
Moriarty sounds like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. US has yet to figure out what it really wants in Nepal. Sometimes it tries to appease the so called "democratic" elements by endorsing their "cause" for a "free and democratic" Nepal; other times, it tries to bolster a tough stance against the Maoists and warns the parties from fraternizing with them.
I feel the security comes first. We have to crush this Maoist insurgency at any cost. Otherwise, there'll be hell to pay for all. This is something we cannot even contemplate.
India is the master of puppets: MaKuNe, Girija, Prachanda are all safely stashed in her pocket.
These three stooges sound like Macbeth's 3 witches... "Fair is foul, and foul is fair: / Hover through the fog and filthy air"
India is playing with all the cards in hand.
Deepak Manange's rise from a skinny kid in Thamel to a made-man in a few years is quite a feat. After a brief stint in NY in the early 90s, he returned home to establish "Tunnel"..named after a famous NY night spot, then to Dynasty and control of X-Zone. The man seemed untouchable with his brother a Congress parlimentarian. But, how the tide changes.
Arun Chand needs to be taught a lesson or two.
Jazzmandu, Chedup's pet project once looked like it was going to put Nepal on the map for music lovers. I am sad that it is not accessible in terms of ticket price for the masses.
Bloomfield must be celebrating Charles' and Camilla's successful tour of the US or drowning in sorrow on Blair's terror bill defeat.
Next time have your camera handy, old chap!
Yep El, i'm still kicking myself over the missed opportunity. it won't happen again. will be making the diplomatic rounds over the next few months so more dirt is liable to turn up.
Glad the Tunnel club is gone. AT least once an evening a foreigner would get cracked over the head with a bottle. Also happy to see the demise of the UNderground bar and the JUmp club. OUt of control Manange boy/thugs ruin everyone's business in Thamel.
As an update on the unholy alliance: Looks like Sushil Koirala has been allowed to speak publicly, for the first time in 5 years, in Rolpa--a Maoist-controlled stronghold. If that doesn't signal an alliance, I don't know what will.
Also, Maoists are harrassing NC cadres in various locations throughout Nepal now. If that doesn't signal a lack of Maoist organizational control, I don't know what does.
-=blogdai
Moriarty does not know what the deal it. Little does he understand the maoist movement in Nepal. It is unfortunate that they decided to call themselves maoist, perhaps it would have helped their cause had they opted for a name like "janata party" for example. What a world of difference it makes in public eye by just a name, haina blog dai? Moriarty gets instant allergic reaction the moment he hears the name maoist and so does many of the nepalese, and as a result we often see irrational reaction from them.
"I feel the security comes first. We have to crush this Maoist insurgency at any cost. Otherwise, there'll be hell to pay for all. This is something we cannot even contemplate"
- Crush them? You mean by using military? Do you know the story of Hannibal? He marched into Rome but yet he could not defeat the romans because Rome itself was more of a state of mind than an army. So be careful when you say we have to crush them. Rather you ought to think how to win the mental battle and win over the folks who sympathize with the maoist movement, after all those folks carrying guns are Nepalese just like you and me, the only difference being that they were never given the opportunity to participate in the state mechanism.
BTW, Blogdai, you can stop searching for ICG's office in KTM but instead try Delhi. And, FYI just before they could register in Nepal, Gyane took over. Hope that stops the itching! (;-))
Yes, you are right, it is an itch that is driving blogdai crazy.
ICG's latest report drew an official army comment from none other than RNA's number one, Deepak Gurung.
Blogdai's question is this: how does ICG insinuate itself into the Nepali situation at such a high level without having a Nepal field office or even a credible representative in Nepal?
These people are absolute fundraising pundit hacks and that is why blogdai feels the "itch" to expose them. Perhaps it wouldn't itch so much if Nepalis took the ICG's ramblings less seriously.
-=blogdai
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