Despotic Moves
That crusher of human rights, that enemy of freedom, King G. has gone and done it again! A series of three moves proves what kind of a despicable autocrat King G. really is!
No, really, all of you existing on "democracy at all costs" autopilot, witness the events of the past two days.
1. In what can only be considered as an olive branch to the parties, G.'s government has vowed to "reconsider" conducting the controversial February 8 polls if the parties can come up with good, concrete reasons why they should be delayed. http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/2006/jan/jan22/news01.php. Jeez, how tough can that be? Just put in writing what you don't like about the polls? blogdai says that the parties won't even do this simple gesture. Madhav Kumar Nepal and old Girija, themselves on autopilot, will probably reject this as a clever trick from a sinister King.
2. Speaking of the old marble-head, Girija, K.P. Oli, and a few others have now been officially released from house arrest. http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/2006/jan/jan22/news14.php The old man has been arrested and released once before, only to start up his campaign against the King anew. Now that he is released again, any guesses what he will start doing again? The King has had Girija shut up and confined twice now. Grija is one of the most persistent, troublesome and vocal critics of the King. So why doesn't ol' "despot" G. just keep him behind bars? Those of you who insist that Friday's arrests where designed to "silence the King's critics" need to rethink your positions. Looks like they haven't let Madhav Kumar Nepal out of house arrest yet. See what happens when you start talking like a Maoist?
3. Election commission invites international observers to polls. http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2006-01/17/content_4063919.htm Hey, any international NGO or observer is welcome. All they have to do is show their credentials and they're off! Surely, this is a royalist plot of some sort, right alliance?
ON ANOTHER NOTE: Blogdai would love to post quotes from the 7-party alliance that refer to disruption, violence, protest, intolerance of the viewpoints of others, disregard for the electorate, inability to forge an agenda, inter-party bickering, retalliation, refusal to talk or compromise with the opposition (or with each other) and adoption of Maoist principles; but time and brevity prohibit the display of such a lengthy tome.
-=blogdai
posted by blogdai @ 1/22/2006 10:43:00 AM
39 comments
39 Comments:
It's not as simple as you make it sound. If parties were to support the elections and NGO's were to act as observers that would be perceived as a tacit endorsement of G's moves on Feb 1st 2005.
Oh, how terrible!
It might also lead to a peaceful and democratic solution to the present situation! - Can't have that!
Well that’s settled then; “Anonymous 12:03 PM” can’t be employed by anything else than the U.N. Compare his careful (or dareful?), immediate objections to the description former Canadian Army General Dallaire gave of his experiences with the U.N. in Rwanda.
I’ll tell you this, Anonymous: much of NGO-world is just as sick and corrupt as much of Nepal’s institutions and/or public servants are/were. NGOs nééd poor, dependent, underdeveloped countries and insolvable political conflicts, or they’d be out of business in the end – and out of their ample salaries!
If there was anyone who was amazed and disappointed to read the NGOs turned down the offer of being observers to the polls, it wasn’t me.
Just a thought, about rural elections: would it really present a major, perhaps even constitutional problem if rural elections were to be held on very different occasions, timewise? Security does pose a problem in many places. What if they were to be held, to make a first step, in those regions only where the security-threat is much less existent and safety and free polls easier guaranteed to candidates and voters? Thinking of just a couple of the popular trekkers trails now, and where they are. And also of the fact that there is rather a number of imo pretty fearless foreign trekkers, who may indeed see it as an honour if they were asked to assist at the polls and be the “international observers”.
Something in that direction could perhaps be worked out. And there might even be examples in a few other countries, of precedents in this respect; I don’t know. But it’s a way to start, and in time – when more Nepali Maoists get the chance to open their eyes and quit their job and the movement gets weaker – such elections can be brought into certain rural areas, with a much better chance meanwhile on candidates and voters feeling free indeed and safe enough to take part in a democratic process.
I mean, it doesn’t exactly deserve a “beauty-price” if elections need to be spread out over time that way. But it would mean a lot more than "a show of good faith", and as long as you’re not employed by the U.N. at least you can afford to think practical.
You aren't be that stupid, are you blogbro? Looks like the king is feeling the pressure. Time to pressure him more. No let up. Burn baby burn.
I don't know, who is stupid here? The king successfully diffused a potentially dangerous public demonstration with efficiency and logistical aplomb. He controls the army and ergo, the country. The parties can't seem to find a voice, or even a decent place to protest anymore. The Maoists haven't had a large scale show of force since Phaphlu, where they lost 200; and the King is so threatened that he sends his army into the teeth of maoist-central in Rukum and rescues a couple of thousand hostages. Doesn't sound like a king on his last legs to me.
Forget "tacit" approval of Feb. 1, the move has constitutional approval. If you're going to sit there and deny the legitimacy of this government then you will be denying the reality of Nepal's current situation. Protest until you wear yourself out over this; until you are willing to compromise and accept the invitation to talk that G. has just given, you will never be more than an annoyance and an inconvenience in the lives of Nepalis.
"mr" might be on to something here. First off, I'm not sure that staggering election day is entirely a good idea. Elections are held all at once so that no trend can influence voting in other districts. BUT! m.r. has a great idea about monitoring and/or what may be considered an "incremental" election process.
Perhaps this: District elections that have registered, independent observers get full representation to parliament. Those without such monitoring only receive, say, one half a seat representation for every representative elected from a non-monitored district.
-=blogdai
I love this ridiculous, unsubstantiated thinking. Just throw up any comment and see if it sticks. The assumptions that G's takeover is not legitimate, or that G. is "feeling the pressure" are worthless if they can't be backed it up with, at least, arguable background information.
All of you may very well be correct; but i'm not buying any of it if you can't BACK IT UP!
-=blogdares you
Ok now I'm really getting sick of this. Anonymous 12:03 could you please, please explain to me why you and others like you think that taking part in the elections will "tacitly endorse King G's Feb 1 move?"
Okay, if your argument is that if the elections are a sucess, and enough people vote and elect their municipal representatives (and Girija and Nepal don't have their representatives in there) then, as "forces of democracy" they will not be able to rave and rant anymore because these representatives are not nominated by King G but elected by the people??
So what is the problem here? They take part in the municipal polls, ask for ample foreign observers so that the RNA does not change the ballot box or pay Rs. 200 to the voters to cast a vote for their representative, or point a gun/khukuri at the voters and tell them to vote for so and so. Then after the results come out, don't be dissapointed that you did not win by a landslide victory, because this time, nobody bought anyone's vote.
Now, as a united democratic force, we all pressure the Maoists to abandon their guns and join the mainstream. They have a year to make up their minds. In the meantime, the RNA keeps the pressure on militarily, to convince them that a military victory is not possible.
February 2007 everyone goes to the general elections and we start democracy anew. We hold a referendum on the legitimate Maoist demands (I'm sure by now they have realized that "banning profane Indian magazines and movies" is a stupid demand in this millenium).
The above startegy, if everyone plays along with, will bring peace in Nepal by next year.
The alternative:
1. Maoists keep fighting a guerilla war. Thousands more die, while the generals' and Babu Ram Bhattarai's daughter graduate from a London/US university.
2. Girija and Nepal keep the "tsunami" going. Thousands of millions worth of public property are burnt up in flames. Tourist arrivals drop further, businesses lose billions, industries collapse, while India witnesses a shortage of more than 8,000 MW of electric power we sit on our riverbanks and repeat, "we have a potential to generate 43,000 MW" and wonder why no one is here to build these projects, more and more youth find themselves with a college degree and no work, so they join a flamboyant speaker's movement to overthrow whoever is in power then, because the entire problem is due to the ruling faction, until that is overthrown and another takes up the seat, only to find that the work is harder than slogans, and find themselves hated by yet another faction of disenchanted unemployed youths....and the cycle continues on and on and on...till one day the masses have no more food. Then we experience first hand, what Somalia was like in 1989, and what Sudan's Darfur region was like.
The choice is clear. Let the Nepali people decide their own faith. Ian Martin and the rest of you big mouths, do what you have to do to ensure that the upcoming elections are fair, otherwise pack your bags and go home.
Once again, shiva talks and we all should listen.
Shiva dai, your big problem is that you make perfect sense and have impecable logic. When has that ever influenced the decisions and actions of the 7-party alliance?
Your other problem is that we hear too little from you. More!
-=blogdai
Out of all the municipalities in Nepal, how many will be holding elections?
Well, here we go again..
When all else fails and you've run out of ideas and you're as intransigent as ever - call for a national strike and inconvenience the millions of ordinary citizens, who just want to make a living and feed their families. You know what's best for them after all.
And if anyone dares to cross the "picket lines" then your goons can enforce the strike by methods such as hurling a brick through the offender's windscreen.
Meanwhile you and your new found chums can sit around and contemplate your navels whilst sipping tea. How progressive is that? What kind of perverse logic do our notable statesmen subscribe to? It's akin to unionist bully boy tactics.
There are murmurings that the impasse can be broken by Girija entering into a dialogue with the King. Will he do the right thing?
naagboy
And, as if on cue,
girija is released, the curfew is relaxed, mobil phones return,
...and girija calls for a tougher stance and refuses to talk to the King. http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/2006/jan/jan23/news08.php
Using the incredible logic that it is impossible to talk to the king when he is seizing everyones rights. Well, babu, he let you out of prison twice; knowing that you would snub him. The only seizures I see are the ones that keep your 84 year old brain from functioning properly.
-=blogdai
It is a sad day today, to see that despite all the rhetorics on "reconcilition" and "dialogue", the 7-party alliance has flatly refused to the government's call for a peaceful solution to this unnecessary hassle that the Nepali people have had to endure for far too long. I guess I am too optimistic and my logic too naive for this fucked up world....
Ego and hunger for power has once again surpassed the longing of the masses,
While the defenders of the people are all silent,
my heart weeps in a cold void,
and visions of an inevitable apocalypse becomes more pronounced in my dreams...
I've always wondered what the 7 party alliance would do if the King actually did heed their calls and step down.
Do they actually have a game plan in place for a caretaker, coalition government whilst they organise an election for a "legitimate" government?
Somehow even if they do I really don't have that much faith in them. I can see it all going pear-shaped amidst a clash of egos.
Back to square one again..
naagboy
This should be interesting - the Chinese have finally made an entrance.
naagboy
yep, China will become bolder as Nepali's become less sensitive to their intrusiveness.
The China card has been in play for a while. We've lamented before here that G. may have sold his soul to the devil. Once you let this culturally incompatable dragon through the door, getting rid of it becomes nearly impossible.
-=blogdai
Excerpts from interview with Taranath Ranabhat in the Guest Column of Spotlight (January 13):
http://www.nepalnews.com.np/contents/2006/englishweekly/spotlight/jan/jan13/interview.php
"If This Constitution Is Scrapped, Nepali Congress Will Be The First Victim"
1. On National reconciliation:
"There is a section of people who want to see active monarchy. Such people have clear agenda of extracting benefits in the name of active monarchy. There is another section of people that wants to teach a lesson to the King by pressing him to bow down before them. These both sections of people have similar intentions, as they want to weaken the monarchy for their own benefit."
2. On the current stand (republic)of the Nepali Congress:
"Following the amendment, our position now looks like that of other communist parties. What makes us different than other political parties including Maoists?"
3. On party leadership:
"As long as there was good understanding among our senior leaders, our party was successful. Unfortunately, Ganeshmanji was later isolated as is Kishunji now. Girijababu is also facing similar situation. His own men are trying to isolate him."
4. On taking part in the upcoming municipal polls:
"If all seven agitating political parties had taken part in the election by naming collective candidates, they could have swept the elections. In case the government rigged the elections, parties would have gotten good opportunity to expose the government."
5. On gathering of the masses:
"We can see large crowd in the rallies organized by seven parties. We can see the same people in the King’s meeting. Except some diehard supporters and workers, almost all the people who come to attend the rallies and royal visit are from the same stock. You cannot judge popularity on the basis of head count in the program. Our people are traditional. There is no single meanings of this gathering. Nobody can claim they are the force behind them."
6. On the Revival of the House:
"The King was very positive towards the demand to revive the House of Representatives...I enthusiastically took this message to Girijababu, he did not make any comment...The possibility of revival ended when seven party alliances endorsed 18-points agenda with a demand to scrap the royal prerogative"
7. On the intentions of the King:
"My impression about King Gyanendra is extremely positive. He sincerely expresses his commitments to constitutional monarchy and multi-party democracy and the Constitution of Kingdom of Nepal 1990. I had a conversation with the King along with several senior leaders; King firmly said that he does not have any interest to scrap the constitution and be an active king"
8. On the accusation that his stand is to safeguard his position as the Speaker of the House:
"This is just a false allegation against me. There are certain vested interest people in our party who even misguide our party leader Girija Prasad Koirala."
OK, where are you? Where are those "King is silencing his critics" and "restore democracy immediately" voices now that G. has again offered to talk and the parties have rejected it without even a thought?
C'mon, show us the "democratic" way out of the hole you dug for yourself.
It should now be apparent to anyone with an ounce of discernment in their body that the Parties are concerned about the Parties, period. They will allow as much chaos, disruption of business and murder as is necessary to get themselves back at the pig trough of corruption.
If they had possessed even a whiff of concern for the fate of Nepal, the Parties would have taken up the King's offer for talks. It would have increased their credibility in the world community and would have cost them nothing politically. Right now you are showing the world that you are inflexible and concerned with no ideas other than your own.
Shutting out the opposition and burning your bridges is the purest form of autocracy.
Down with the Parties and down with the Maoists.
-=blogdisgusted
Where was Gyane when parties and Maobhadi sign 12 point agreement? Gyane was invited.
At 4:24 AM, January 25, 2006, Anonymous said...
Where was Gyane when parties and Maobhadi sign 12 point agreement? Gyane was invited.
Well if that's your general understanding of "democracy", governance and of (international) "politics", I'm convinced there isn't any hope for you, anonymous... Nothing. Too bad.
How many more people like you are there, I'd like to know? Nepalis as much as other nationalities, and particularly some journalists and editors?
Idiots, was G. invited to help DRAFT the 12 point agreement?
And Yes, what a nice invitation. Do you think anyone in their right mind would sign an agreement that changes nepali government and begins to give into maoist demands without even questioning it?
Quit grasping at straws and stay off this blog.
-=blogdai
Hmm..; just read your latest reply in the previous thread, and now this one here, and it makes me wonder if you're not unintentionally chasing people away from your blog?
I mean: it's álways a lot better "to knów the enemy" than to behave like an ostrich. Wouldn't you agree? I'm not accusing you of playing ostrich here, and no doubt you're a lot smarter than I am. But in my humble opinion it should be encouraged that people really try to explain their views and reasoning, no matter how unrealistic or ill-informed their opinions look (seem to be).
In that respect I kind of regret my own previous reply here; I was critising the poster, without giving any explanation of why I feel s/he is so wrong with that view about the king and the 12-point agreement. It's your blog of course, and your time, but with so much prejudice and lack of agreement on the rights and duties that "democracy" ánd good governance ought to come with, it might be a better idea to try and teach (I mean explain) some readers a few things, rather than discourage them to post their opinions here.
You said "Quit grasping at straws and stay off this blog." Apart from myself and "my straws" I'm pretty confident that the "tragedy Nepal" is such a complex problem that even people's straws should be welcomed, to discuss them and see where they're totally wrong and unrealistic, or where perhaps a tiny straw, provided it's a peaceful one, might grow into something more substantial indeed.
Just my two Eurocents...
Point taken,
We take our terse tone here for a couple of reasons. First, there will always be those mind-numb commentators who are on auto-pilot and will refuse to see or acknowledge viewpoints other than their own. For them, we offer our brand of cynical shock therapy. If they really have a point to make, they will be back with research to support what they're saying. It's not that we want them off the blog, we just want them to do better. One of our blogdai mnemonics that we haven't used in a while applies to these posters; its RYLOP: or Raise Your Level of Play if you want to keep your postings here. WE scare away more readers by letting this thing deteriorate into a pre-school shout-fest than we do by chastening a few non-thinkers.
Secondly, and more nebulous, we perform a service here. Nepal and those who comment in public about events there, have to realize that they are on the world stage now. Nepalis, expats and others cannot simply get away with "English practice" passing as valid commentary anymore; it makes us all look like back-water fools. So, we condition the preening babblers into realizing that the world media will eat them alive if they are incoherent. Welcome to World PR 101!
No worries "mr." You are relatively new to blogdai. Most of our regulars are used to me dropping the hammer from time to time. You came on board during an unusual week when passions were running high.
-=blogdai
Gyane is a criminal
Ha Ha, your timing is perfect anon.
Ok, perhaps g. IS a criminal but how? I'm not going to buy a thing you say because you don't back it up with anything that resembles a reasonable argument.
I think you just might be a chimpanzee, nah, nah! See? My statement carries just as much weight as yours, doesn't it?
For all of you who are overcome by your emotions and just have to blog out the first thing that comes to your head: try adding some power to your words. Reasearch and logic are a good first step.
-=blogdai
Thanks, Blogdai (10:13 am). I’m relieved you didn’t send me away from here for my use of that word “teach” or rather “explain”. I gave it quite some thought before I posted that remark re. explaining about requirements and how democracy does or does not at all function, but decided to post it anyway. You posted questions here in one of your other recent thread, you asked whether people had the feeling Nepal was “ready” for real democracy (or words to that extent), and I think it’s a pity we don’t work out those questions a lot further.
Bút, not only do I understand that there may be such a thing as “Nepali democracy”, a system that people could very well live with yet quite incomparable to the western democracies f.e., I also know that it’s emphasised time and again that Nepal refuses foreigners to meddle into its affairs, and tell its people how things should be organised. So where does that leave good opportunities to have any discussion about how to deal with democratic rights, and duties?
I think it was “GM” who made that remark about a lost generation. You can’t teach people to become responsible members in a democratic society as long as they mainly keep hearing how violence pays, and how violence – both in actions and in hostile words and (death)threats – is the best way to get what you want.
Remember South Africa? The “Apartheid”-system? The big change there in the early ‘90s? Rember that they had Mandela? Here is a photo worth remembering:
http://www.sahistory.org.za/pages/chronology/turningpoints/
bk6/graphics/elections.jpg
The comment on the website where I found that pic, says: ”Voters queued for hours to participate in South Africa's first democratic elections in 1994“ And they did so again f.e. in Soweto in April 2004, during their 3rd round of democratic elections:
http://www.safis.co.il/images/queue.jpg
No doubt most readers of your blog will generally be rather informed about what goes on in the world. But I seriously wonder if a majority of the so called “political leaders” in Nepal, as well as their angry and agitated followers, demonstrators, protestors, have even the slightest idea of what life in South Africa is like, nowadays. A little over 10 years after their first, free, democratic elections it's not very pleasant there, I can tell you.
Actually there is another matter too in respect of your “Despotic Moves”-post. I keep wondering why so many people like the anonymous poster of 12:12 PM, are constantly going after the king, accusing him of each and every (historic) situation that is wrong about Nepal. Why is that so easy, and so often practiced? Even in lots of (foreign) media? As if the man, King Gyanendra, is committing all the crimes and atrocities and corruption and everything, himself and in person. No, he is not:
http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=63635
”Mother challenges army”, just an example, this new story in The Kathmandu Post.
I’ve been through a couple of your posts here from February/March last year, when the King made an important move to save his country (at least that’s my understanding of what he did). And it struck me that a year ago you seem to have warned people already that if it’s about pówer, and about the abuse of power, the RNA is a bigger power center than the monarch is. I think that’s true. I don’t believe the king wants the kind of things to happen, ever, re. behaviour of individual soldiers or security personnel that grieve and anger everyone, because they involve real, undisputed violations and abuse of human rights and dignity. I also think nobody should forget that – if one can say that there is a bad, needlessly violent and abusive, insufficiently controlled and corrected culture in the army as a whole – it was not the present king who allowed all that to happen while being in a position to discipline his army. For he was not. June 2001 really isn’t that long ago yet. And any thorough culture-transformation of an entire army and policeforce nationwide, certainly when there is a civil war going on, is an incredibly difficult thing to do. And it gets even more difficult if almost the whole world walks out on you.
“A bird caged too long may not wish to fly when released”.
I wish all those bloodthirsty web-posters and street-demonstrators would truly realise this. Democracy can not come “overnight”, and work. That would be a lie.
Yes, and if the world media were less lazy, they would understand these facts, Dev. How can this be any more obvious?
Why does a "despotic" King keep releasing jailed activists, knowing full well they will turn against him the minute they hit the streets?
Why is it we can't remember anything the Parties have done that could even be remotely considered as "democratic?"
We love comments from GM, "mr" shiva and Dev. We want more of them. From our experiences here we know that wasting post after post explaining elementary concepts and repeating ourselves over and over to someone who refuses to acknowledge or even understand our efforts, scares away intellects like our friends mentioned above.
We are terse, abrupt and to-the-point with anons out of economy. Stupid is good if, through helping stupid to clarify a point, we all learn. We encourage this type of stupid. Stupid that just wants to play point-counterpoint with no end in sight and no attention to logic will be summarily flamed. Stupid that does a drive-by posting will be ridiculed and or deleted.
Would you prefer I adopt the agenda-driven heavily censored approach of the BBC?
-=blogdai
Only 1/3 of nominations filed? My what an election this will be!
Yes, and how different it cóuld have been, Anon!
But with so many ego’s around (look up Freud, and others), not to mention the geo-political interests, the ordinary, innocent population of Nepal just doesn’t seem to stand a chance.
Quote BD:
“Would you prefer I adopt the agenda-driven heavily censored approach of the BBC?”
No, never, no agendas: pléase! Let’s stay real people.
Should anybody wonder: I don’t have one, other than my lifetime-agenda which is one about peace and doing your best to understand one another, and leave people free. I’m too much aware of who are primarily benefitting from any armed conflict. Yes: those who manufacture and/or trade weapons...
To hell with them!
Even if the elections are held and new government is formed, unless the political parties will carry on their favourite pass-time activities, no solution is achieved.
Nepal,
Wouldn’t you agree that’s all the more reason then to give free room and support to an emergency government, guided by the king? In order to keep the country going and untill more realistic elections can be held?
If people can’t take their responsibilities, and especially if this concerns so called “politicians”, they’re better sent home permanently. They’re of no use to a country.
A step has been taken. It may only be a partially successful step, but it is a step nonetheless.
Slim turn out points to a couple of things: First, intimidation and fear. People will worry that the maoist will kill any elected official.
Second. it is apparent that Nepalis are not used to the concept of elections in general. Let's see, how many were held during the last 10 years?
-=blogdai
*Audible groan*
Where to start? Ok, so another beautiful day, another bandha. A general strike. What has that achieved apart from mild excitement for the excitable (unemployed/students) and inconvenience for the ordinary folk? - Diddly squat. Will it be used again as a tool to disrupt even when there is a *legitimate* government in place?...well you bet your sweet little belly button, it will.
I'm with Blogdai with regard to the fact that King G has an excruciatingly bad sense of PR. You can tell he's no politician. But then again I guess none of his minions, who he delegates his executive orders to is aware of, or even specialises in this stuff. It is badly, badly needed.
For such an evil autocrat he seems to be lacking a ministry of propoganda. The mass media are so obviously partisan to the pro-democracy camp and the foreign press and newswires eat this crap up and regurgitate it pretty much verbatim. Sure, we still have the pro-royalist press but they're a dying beast. They haven't modernised or diversifyed and no one reads that bland, old stuff anymore. It's not colour, it's not exciting...
I also take issue with the so called Nepali, urban wallahs. It's fair enough protesting for your rights in your cosy confines, protected by the RNA (who you so abhor) but what about the 70% of the country that has been disenfranchised and living under the yoke of the Maobadi for over 10 years? Don't their true feelings count for anything? Shouldn't they be included?
Surely, we need to address the problems in these areas first before we selfishly think about ourselves? It seems to be acceptable to have a 40-50% turnout for elections in modern, western democracies but we do not fit in with that paradigm because of the disenfranchised that I've been talking about. And when you take this into context then what proportion of the population will actually be able to vote? 20 - 30% Is it a democracy whereby the first past the post with 10-15% of the population's vote is representative of the nation's mood? *The figures here are for illustrative purposes only but you get the gist. Something kind of similar no doubt.*
There's no use blindly hoping that the advent to a *new* democracy with the same old dogs will suddenly get rid of all our structural ills.
They exist for a reason and the root of those problems need to be sorted out first. Just because Prachanda and Baburam have provisionally said they're in bed with the 7 parties it doesn't mean that the Maoist/disenfranchised problem will go away.
And have you ever thought whether they truly represent the disenfranchised? These guys will be driving around in the biggest model Pajeros available, sporting big bellies and even bigger moustaches a la old style Bollywood before you know it.
Up until now I was hoping that the majority of urban Nepalis weren't so weak and naive and plain clueless about life but now I'm beginning to despair like Shiva.
I personally believe that the King represents a quicker path to "salvation" and getting back on the right track then the parties. After all I want the same thing as everyone else does - peace, stability and prosperity. I don't give a monkey's about who is in power. I say, the best man for the job, whoever it is. I just can't see this happening with the same old politicians who don't even practice modern and more to the point democratic methods within their own parties. The best men are deliberately witheld by the power hungry.
How refreshing would it be to see even one of these guys resign in favour of someone who is *truly capable* for the good of the country?
naagboy
yes, it's been in the back of my mind for a long time; we really must find a third path to restoring sanity.
I'm talking about a real grass-roots movement--a bit nationalistic at its heart--that gets the good people that naag speaks of heard on a large scale.
There are literally tons of people in Nepal who are capable and selfless in their love of country and doing the work of the people.
We just need to find them, organize them, finance them and let these good people do the rest.
When do we start?
-=blogdai
Amen, Blogdai! The "when" is NOW.
The bigger question is where are these savors to be found??? Who are your candidates?
Sorry, savors should be "saviors."
Complete support to the type of movement Blogdai and Naag are talking about. Guys... if you ever start such activities please let us know.
Full support from me too - what is needed is a plan and some strategy.
First look for potential active supporters - particularly those who may have some influence/PR savvy. I found the following quite interesting in this respect:
http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/2006/jan/jan25/news06.php
Random thoughts.
A question I’ve asked almost a year ago already, on another board. Does Nepal have a person, male or female, who would be seen (by a majority) as a kind of much respected, “moral leader”? Not necessarily a VIP or a politician, or a religious or spiritual ‘authority’. Just think of the Mahatma, of Nelson Mandela, of what Bono and Bob Geldof mean as “rebels with a cause”, of Mother Theresa, or French José Bouvé (a farmer) in his fight against American imperialism. Someone “modest” but with the right ideas, who could show the way and with whom many people could identify. I certainly don’t think most people need a “leader”, but in a torn country where there has never been (much) unity or equality a strong, moral guide would be no luxury. Who is this person, in Nepal?
There are several, different stories about June 1, 2001. Although I would really love to respect everybody’s feelings and ideas over what exactly happened back then, I hope I’m allowed to say that in any case, it gave this king a “false start”, to use an understatement. Something that must be a significant handicap, a handicap that won’t go away any time soon. With that history, the man could think and live and act like a true saint and it still wouldn’t convince everyone that his intentions are good.
If you would go to google.com and type “Okhle”, two blogspot.com postings show up first. Seems to me that in those accounts you will find at least one of the kind of people you would be looking for. And even I can probably come up with a few more good, inspiring ‘examples’. However, a person recognised and respected for real virtues where his (her) community is concerned, how much risk would such a person – and close relatives - run should s/he get the chance indeed to show what s/he’s worth on a bigger ‘scale’?
Therefore, and because the whole country seems to be stacked with weapons and at the same time lots of people seem incapable ever to agree with eachother, your idealism is moving but it might prove rather unrealistic to search for the real gems in the Nepali society, as long as you cannot guarantee their safety should their ‘star’ start to rise.
There are a few serious publications that say that, worldwide, the longest (duration) armed conflicts are particularly taking place in mountainous & jungle countries or regions. It’s the terrain that provides shelter to guerillas. Does it look as if the many Maoist-Nepalis are thinking of giving up any time soon? No, I didn’t think so. And even less if their supporters can demonstrate on the streets of Delhi, their RW-office in N.Y. can keep functioning without too many problems, and their ‘ambassadors’ can at present tour a couple of W-European countries, in order to promote and sell their goals. Right?
So as for creating a kind of movement to find a lot better replacement for the current type of “Nepali politicians”, no matter what a great idea it is indeed, I’m afraid you’re back to square one because first and foremost the issue of personal safety (including the safety of relatives) would need to be dealt with. You wouldn’t want to risk the real talented ones.
Unless the mere idea, and finding a lot of mediacoverage for it, would be welcomed só much by the people that they cooperate in large numbers, and anyone who wants to sabotage such good ideas (or gets instructions to sabotage them), is quickly and effectively discouraged to spoil things again.
On monarchy and PR: ridiculous of course for me to comment on those remarks, since I know little more than the Palace’s website and a lot of newsstories from all sorts of sources. But yes: I agree that a lót could be improved in that respect. Things that imo wouldn’t require major funds at all, but just a different way of thinking and communicating with the world. Just as long as it wouldn’t be any of those American types of "PR", please...!
Finally, a question in view of legitimacy. What is The Nepali Times after?
http://www.nepalitimes.com/issue/283/StateoftheState/10202
“Autocracy for beginners - a lesson on how to lose legitimacy in quick easy steps”
??
Yes, m.r., I have also said this very thing before on this very board, but I don't know who this person might be either. Let's try to find him or her.
While I think it is important to keep open minds about who this person might be, I believe that there are certain criteria that disqualify some for the job. For example, I think that this person must be Nepali, and it is probably best if this person lives in Nepal now and has for most or all of his/her life. While some foreign education might be OK, I have the sense that too much international flavour/support would not further the cause. Would be nice if Friends of Blogdai could provide PR and security, but...
There are some clever people here who care a lot about Nepal... let's begin a search for a candidate right here!
Ramta
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