Comrade James
U.S. Ambassador to Nepal James F. MoriartyLet's here it for Prachanda's biggest cheerleader. No one on the international scene goes more out of their way to acknowledge, magnify and give a blundering, tacit approval to Nepal's Maoists more than U.S. Ambassador to Nepal, James F. Moriarty.
Moriarty's utterances are a littany of shallow thought:
December 2004, on leadership in Nepal: "This place was never a nation state up until the 1950's. It was a bunch of subjects of the Nepali king."
May 24, 2005: “There is a very good chance that the Maoists could find a way to turn all of this to their advantage and ultimately end up marching in the Singh Durbar."
July 2005: "Why would the Maoists be willing to give up now? Their party fought insurgency for nine years and now they see their opponents crumbled, dividing themselves, mired in acrimony." "If I were a Maoist, I'd think I was making good progress...I would try to put differences between the parties and the palace, and get them to do the Maoist business of tearing down the political structure,"
And now, today, in full Maoist ideological bloom, Comrade James issues the following:
"Maoists will feel no need to abandon their goal of absolute power as long as they believe they are winning and as long as the King and parties remain divided. The Maoists will rightfully conclude that they are winning.” (This, curiously, comes on the heels of his 2005 utterance:"The Maoists have to realize they have no hope of victory.")
Now, to be fair, is James Moriarty a Maoist sympathizer? Certainly not. But he has to rank among the poorest-performing members of the diplomatic community in terms political acumen and, well, diplomacy. He does not seem to comprehend that the Maoists will "believe they are winning" because he keeps telling them that they are winning every time he opens his mouth.
Determining who's got the upper hand in this murky, imprecise conflict is speculative at best. What better encouragement can Prachanda hope for than the words of an ambassador from the American government and all the intelligence, research and credibility implied therein? Moriarty is a one-man USO show and morale booster for Prachanda's troops. One half expects Moriarty to blab out RNA troop locations and numbers.
Blogdai can only guess at Moriarty's motiviations for saying the things he says:
1. The man is just plain "stoopid."
2. He's trying to get himself removed from Nepal, a-la Keith Bloomfield, so he can go back to working on the Chinese issues that better suit him.
3. He's a bad actor trying to cover the U.S.'s actual intentions of supporting G's fight against the Maoists. (Prachanda might be right on this one!)
So, for the record, blogdai suggests the following:
THE NEPAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD IMMEDIATELY PETITION FOR THE REMOVAL OF AMBASSADOR JAMES F. MORIARTY FROM HIS POST.
It worked for Bloomfield.
-=blogdai
posted by blogdai @ 2/15/2006 12:15:00 PM
92 comments
92 Comments:
According to some peoples , Bloomfield left because the British government saw him as a failure not because the Nepali government wanted him out .
A lot see Moriarty as a failure.
A formal complaint from the Nepalese government is what tipped the scales on Bloomfield.
Ambassadors don't force policy.
-=blogdai
According to the Brits (the FCO) Bloomfield's assignment to Nepal was simply to end towards the summer of 2006 all the time, and his leaving has nothing to do with whether or not his government would see him as "a failure", as bloghajurbah put it. At least that's their official version. But it seems that the name of his successor was released rather "early" (late December last year) indeed.
About your new post Blogdai, you scared me with that photo! And if I was Moriarty I'd sue you for Photoshopping me into a terrorist! The man's focus may be very clumsy indeed, but I don't suspect him of having plans and attitudes as the likes & followers of Guevara and Prachanda do!
Btw, did it escape your attention how "Auntie Beeb" now dares to play with headlines?
US warns of Nepal Maoist takeover
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4716284.stm
How about Photoshopping the BBC together with an image of Joseph Goebbels, the Nazi Propaganda Minister? Or would that look too "dated"?
Yes I agree, an insult and a provocation it would be for sure. Just like their headline, imo...
check this out:
http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/2006/feb/feb16/news13.php
Bloomfield is a good ambassador because he speaks out. Moriarty also speaks out. Speaking out means telling what you think is really happening in Nepal even if it means losing your job. They deserve our respect.
I agree to a certain extent, but the diplomatic community, by its very design is supposed to maintain an even keel on policy. Foreign countries give embassies their own sovereign land for this purpose.
If not, Iran could build bombs in any of their embassies, the yanks could lead anti-tibetan persecution protests from their beijing embassy,and so forth. No, ambassadors are the first liason and representatives of their country. They give clarity and local context to their respective foreign policies. The DO NOT seek to influence their host country's policy through official statements.
MR, sorry about the fright. Moriarty was superimposed on a Che Guevara background--i added the star myself. When "Photo shopping" like mine is so poorly crafted as to lack credibility and obviously presents is self as a satire or parody, none need worry. (I also made a fly buzz out of Bloomfield's skull-cap, ha!) I wish I had the flair of Terry Gilliam in that regard!
-=blogdai
Oops! Thanks for the clarification Blogdai re. your Photoshopping-skills, but I wonder if you're gonna like this...
The infamous Mr. Vandeveer saw his chance again, the b*st*rd! And I guess I could describe the editors/owners of The Asian Tribune the same way.
http://www.asiantribune.com/show_news.php?id=17081
Article is dated February 17. Just copy its URL into the Google searchbox or into your browser, and see for yourself how wars are not only fought on the "classic" battlefields, but nowadays quite comfortably sitting at computers as well. And people can do a lot of damage even that way!
Let's hope it won't take long before the US Embassy will deny these allegations where "more Moriarty propaganda" sééms (and no more than that, now) concerned.
Anyone know if Vandeveer is one of those guys who trade in weapons? One of those "big-time moneymakers"? Each time I read his (vicious) rants and propaganda ïn posts and articles on the web, I've always had that "association" about him. The man is clearly an immediate threat to public order, safety and sanity imo, and Lord knows who and what allows him to be in Nepal at all (if it's true that he posts from there, but probably not; too much of a coward).
Forget Van de Veer, he's a kook.
Among his "greatest hits" are the describing of Pokhara as being under attack by blackhawk helicopters piloted by "Caucasians."
His tabloid style of reporting is pure "armageddonism" a-la Nathan Browne, Stephen C. Baker and just about everyone from The International Crisis Group. He's constantly trying to "blip" himself on the world journalistic radar screen with his hyper-sensationalist tripe.
He's not relevent and he's not helpful; ignore him.
-=blogdai
what happenned to the political
party that was a hot discussion in
the last(or before that) thread. I was hoping it would get somewhere finite. Guess not. BlogDai is just a discussion forum. should have acknowledged that.
ps.
why is it so hard to find some one u want to kill(prachanda, baburam) and so hard to kill some one you can find
(girija, makune..those two good enough)
quote BD: "Forget Van de Veer, he's a kook."
Fine, thanks, just what I wanted to know!
Look at what that same Asian Tribune, based in Bangkok, meanwhile says. Do you think that's enough to reassure people?
http://www.asiantribune.com/show_news.php?id=17091
"US State Department official unaware of US plans to evacuate from Nepal"
Perhaps I can have your permission Blogdai to quote your clear opinion about Vandeveer on a couple of travelboards whenever necessary, and an occasional blog about Nepali politics? So as to try and unmask that reporter a bit? He's not only published in The Asian Tribune, you see!
Kind of scary that such types can grab their chance and publish at times like this. Editors don't seem to be anymore what they used to be. Or at least that's what I think. Will post - same as you or others here I guess - their opinions soon as some resident US ex-pats in Kathmandu either deny (or confirm) that remarkable Town Hall Meeting, and if Moriarty said anything like The Asian Tribune claims that he did.
This will be Moriarty's speech that you took a quote from for your new post:
http://bloggersnepal.com/?p=204
According to 'Bloggers Nepal' it is his speech to the Ganesh Man Singh Academy, delivered on February 15. And I appreciate the way he keeps warning, no matter how blunt, that "Maoism" can néver provide any kind of solution for Nepal but a bloody one.
Psychologically I agree with the criticism in your post : too much focus on a cruel enemy, makes that enemy automatically grow stronger. However, can it be true that at least sóme of the leaders and politicians and "intelligentsia" (elite or not) in Nepal can do with an outright, blunt warning? Seeing how a majority of them can't have cared too much about the plight and suffering of millions who live outside of the Valley?
Go ahead, spread the word. Part of our function here is to expose those who use Nepal as a spring-board for their various journalistic agendas; hoping no one will bother to check their reporting on such an obscure place as Nepal.
Where's our political party? Where's your reading? We are now the NAG. Nepal Advocacy Group. One of our brilliant and studied readers suggested we form an information partnership so that citizens are informed on all aspects of the democratic process in Nepal.
Have spoken with none other than Dr. Thomas Marks on this and he is releasing a story today on it. Will have the location for you in a second.
-=blogdai
Mark's paper will come out in a publication known as "NepalEyes."
He makes a good case for a well-informed village "neighborhood watch" type of system. It advocates a well-regulated village militia system.
Blogdai has the advance copy of this work and if anyone wants a copy, I'll send it to you (scoop!)
-=blogdai
Could you send it to me at bungamati@gmail.com
Just like to note that anon @ 7:53am is not same as 7:55am. I would like that advanced copy of the document!!!
Among his "greatest hits" are the describing of Pokhara as being under attack by blackhawk helicopters piloted by "Caucasians."
He actually said:
This reporter after being apprised of the fact observed "white" (Caucasian) pilots in the military helicopters that are raining-death on the villages in the Annapurna region. The U. S. having not officially resumed military aid or training to the Nepali Security Forces needs to explain how these pilots, identified as American by locals, can pilot these US made helicopters.
The Maoist insurgents continue to kill and kidnap Government appointees and expand their hold on the country-side and many small and mid-size villages and towns.
In Pokhara, once a major tourist destination, many hotels and restaurants remain closed and Black Hawk(?) helicopters shake the village as they go from the local airport to the battle front.
This is different from what you stated. He is claiming that Nepalis have see US pilots flying helicopters which Nepali air force uses to bomb Maobhadi targets. He asks how is this possible if US is not training Nepalis. He is not saying US pilots are flying the Blackhawk helicopters to attack Pokhara, this a falsehood.
quote
At 7:53 AM, February 17, 2006, Anonymous said...
Blogdai,
What are you doing in Nepal trying to escalate the conflict. Instead of advocating peace and dialogue, you ask for more violence to solve the Maoist war. Also, you fail to see all the abuses by the royals and RNA.
Are you a weapons dealer for RNA? Or are you a well paid western PR consultant hired by King G with our tax money?
A. Let's give that poor soul a good pair of spectacles to look around on this blog; amazing he's able to use a keyboard at all.
B. Aping my questions here in view of a certain bloodthirsty idiot who claims to be journalist, does nót change anything about the owner of this blog or about his background.
C. Considering Nepal is about to go bankrupt yet seeing how the blog is still here, it would seem that the answer to anon's last question can't be anything but "no".
There is no difference whatsoever in what I said vs. the quote from the article you've provided. Can you not see that it was summarized?
This may elude you, but Van de veer is painting a picture. He is trying to tell the world that U.S. forces are actively training, if not piloting, helicopter teams in the region. In the U.S., when a writer uses the words "Blackhawk helicopters" to describe any field operation anywhere, they are meant to be taken as a sort of code among conspiracy theorists that the CIA or some other dirty tricks operatives are on scene and directing traffic.
But wow, I still can't get over how you see something different in what I've said vs. the story. How far does one need to back up here if you're not clear on the concept of summation?
-=blogdai
Here's an exercise:
"Farmers in the field were observed to have planted new green trees all over a one square mile area."
Summation: "A sea of green trees rained down over the area."
AND yes, van de veer is inferring directly that americans could very well be piloting these helecopters. READ IT AGAIN.
-=blogdilligence
Your illustration is the principle of association, not summation.
I think I see now what you are getting at. Would you feel better if I said "annapurna region" instead of Pokhara?
Come to think of it, van de veer almost makes no distinction. For those in the West who are too lazy to care about Pokhara, van de veer makes it seem as though it is on the front lines of a battle with his:
"In Pokhara, once a major tourist destination, many hotels and restaurants remain closed and Black Hawk(?) helicopters shake the village as they go from the local airport to the battle front."
Pokhara "once a major tourist destination?" From my recent visits, it still IS a major tourist destination. Also, helicopters don't tend to "shake" a village unless they are flying close to the ground vis-a-vis attacking something nearby.
While you are correct in saying that he never says Pokhara is being attacked per se,don't be pre-occupied with somantics over pure journalistic theater: he wants us all to believe Pokhara is in a war zone.
a westerner would read van de veer as implying Pokhara is under some kind of seige; too affected by war for people to be able to function normally.
Whether Pokhara is being attacked or just in the way, the same imagery is conjured.
-=blogdai
Your illustration is an attempt at the principle of association, not summation. For academic purposes, however, it might be prudent to point out that nothing in you illustration actually associates. The principle might better be reflected this way: Blogdai likes Lions, Lions like Buffalo, therefore, blogdai likes buffalo. Gotta have that link or it won't work.
but anyway, I think I see now what you are getting at. Would you feel better if I said "annapurna region" instead of Pokhara?
Come to think of it, van de veer almost makes no distinction. For those in the West who are too lazy to care about Pokhara, van de veer makes it seem as though it is on the front lines of a battle with his statement:
"In Pokhara, once a major tourist destination, many hotels and restaurants remain closed and Black Hawk(?) helicopters shake the village as they go from the local airport to the battle front."
Pokhara "once a major tourist destination?" From my recent visits, it still IS a major tourist destination. Doors are not shuttered and hotels are still open. Also, helicopters don't tend to "shake" a village unless they are flying close to the ground vis-a-vis attacking something nearby.
While you are correct in saying that he never says Pokhara is being attacked per se,don't believe that such somantics will win out over pure journalistic theater: he wants us all to believe Pokhara is in a war zone.
A Westerner would read van de veer as implying Pokhara is under some kind of seige; too affected by war for people to be able to function normally.
Whether Pokhara is being attacked or just in the way, the same imagery is conjured.
-=blogdai
Nailed:
http://www.asiantribune.com/show_news.php?id=17094
Date : 2006-02-18
Despite Volatile Situation, US Will Stay in Nepal
Despite reports that Maoists insurgence in the Kingdom of Nepal is gaining grounds partially disabling the rule of King Gyanendra, and the King’s continued refusal to return this Himalayan nation back to democracy, the United States Embassy in Kathmandu, Nepal yesterday, in a communication to 'Asian Tribune' said that the chancery is not "expected to evacuate" as suggested by 17 February report of the Online newspaper.
State Department's Richard Boucher, who testified before the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee who are considering his nomination to serve as assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian Affairs on 16 February noted, “We face a difficult situation in Nepal. We believe Nepal’s internal struggle can only be addressed by the King taking steps to reverse the course he embarked on over a year ago – last February 1st – and to return to democratic government.”
Public Affairs Officer Robert L. Hugins of the American Embassy in Kathmandu however says in his communication to 'Asian Tribune' that on the important topic of "evacuation", the embassy "regularly advises, inform, and consult American citizens."
Following is the full text of the Public Affairs Officer's communication to 'Asian Tribune':
"The U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu is not “expected to evacuate” as a February 17 article in your Online publication stated. The report was wrong."
"Moreover, the article inaccurately attributed direct quotes to the U.S.Ambassador in Nepal, based on notes from a third party, about a discussion the Ambassador had had with American citizens."
"Security of American citizens in Nepal is of paramount importance to the Embassy. We regularly advise, inform, and consult American citizens on this vital topic. To correct your inaccurate report, we request that you distribute this message to your online readership."
- Asian Tribune -
Total "kook", this Vandeveer, and a mean one too. I'm glad you were right!
So don't worry Dev Prasad...Kantipur will go bankrupt if it is really as bad as you say....
In the meantime, the government has all the media outlets...Other dailies, most notably, Samachar Patra, has become further "impartial." I don't understand why the government and you are after the Kantipur....
Dev, we should all be so drunk.
Royal mouthpieces like the Rising Nepal were always, and unapologetically biased; that was their purpose and everyone knew it.
Dev may just be expressing his dismay at kantipur because they were supposed to be the next, newest generation of independent and ubiased media. lately, they've become the undeniable media outlet for 7-party viewpoints and anti-King sentiment. Where's the objectivity?
They've changed their colors.
-=blogdai
Well, Kantipur is not saying that they are "neutral." They have publicly declared that they are for "democracy," however you define the term. Personally, I am skeptical about all "neutral" and "truth" claims.
What I am saying is that leave Kantipur alone. To take an example of your blog, your inclination is pretty clear. You have not hide it indeed. If I don't like your ideas, I simply turn away.
The point is: let the readers determine the fate of Kantipur. Trust the readers. They are not stupid. I ask a couple of Shumshers in Kathmandu simply to shut up. That's it.
Disclaimer: Vladimir Drunk!
Listen, Grandpa,
You're guilty of the same sin that you accuse Blogdai of - namely, partisanship. And as dizzy as BD makes you with his spin, you make me laugh with the myopia of your own prejudice.
One man's ceiling, as they say, is another man's floor.
I write what I believe to be true & sometimes I get it wrong as does any journalist.
The Pokahara article, from last year, to the best of my knowledge is true..
Pokhara is no longer a "major tourist destination" nor is Nepal. The Peoples War has left empty more than 200 hotels in Pohkara.
As to the "Town Hall Meeting", I was given an e-mail detailing the meeting and quotes from Moriartiy. It was intended for those Americans who "were not there"....
The "headline in the AT was off base, but I stand by my article. Every word about the Embassy planning to "Evacuate Americans" came from the e-mail.. I have no information about the EMBASSY CLOSING DOWN & THAT WAS NOT IN THE ARTICLE..
No one likes to be a "kook" but I do the best I can and do not see calling-names as helpful..
News articles from any source must be read with a pound-of-salt and sifted through for helpful information, just like Blogs.. I read a thousand words to find 50 worthy of reading sometimes..
My hope is that Nepal will, with the 7-Parties and the Mabadi stop the war, send the King into Exile, and establish a Democratic Republic.
Thank you for your comments, Michael VanDeVeer
Dear Mr. Vandeveer (if you be he at all),
The more I read of/from the likes of you the more I'm convinced that the old man Nietzsche had it right when he wrote: "I distrust systems and systematizers. The will to a system is a lack of integrity."
Vlad, you drunken impaler! Good stuff, my inebriated prince!
If you, dear anonymous, are in fact Van de Veer, I, who am in fact blogdai have one thing to say about your comment: Bullshit!
You are a slap together journalist who thought he could get away with sensationalizing an event in a relatively obscure part of the world and you got busted for it!
Unfortunately, a lot bigger fish than you are getting away with it every day and not getting called on the carpet as you were. Con Hallinan's crap on Nepal comes to mind, as does the International Crisis Group and , yes, Amnesty international.
If your drivel was just a sophomoric attempt at padding your resume' then I would say, fine; naughty naught and don't get caught again. BUT, there is so little coming out of Nepal in the form of credible news that virtually ANY story is believed, at first glance; and thus, the damage is multiplied.
I have friends who own hotels in Pokhara as well as bars (Club Amsterdam) and I'm sure they would love to get their hands on you for trying to take food out of their mouths by calling Pokhara a virtual war zone.
Tourism is down in the Annnapurnas as a whole because of Maoist extortion along the trails, that's it! Moriarty and the embassy crew never get out of Kathmandu and have never once even hinted at leaving. I've talked to them, want proof?
Your article does irreperable harm to all those who are trying to make a living in the Annapurnas and Pokhara. Plus, Nepalis keep a keen eye on the babblings of Moriarty and the doings at the U.S. embassy. Your writings on that subject caused a raised level of agitation among all in Kathmandu.
For using Nepal's national crisis to further your own agenda and career, you deserve much worse than mere name-calling.
I hope to see you in Nepal soon.
-=blogdai
quote Blogdai:
If you, dear anonymous, are in fact Van de Veer,
Actually on the one hand I believe he can't be, because he forgot the D. in his name, and he also forgot the yahoo radio stuff (I'm referring now to the e-mail address he often uses). On the other hand, however, I'm aware that a fellow poster on a travelboard contacted the real vdVeer directly over his shameful article, and I wouldn't be surprised if their conversation at one point included a link to your blog and to your (as well as mine) clear criticism of Mr. D. Michael Vandeveer, and his political agenda.
But in any case I think you've given him a perfect piece of your mind with your last reply here, Blogdai. There is "propaganda" and "propaganda". But suggesting the US Embassy in Kathmandu is about to evacuate is really too much. And he sure does deserve a public spanking for what he did!
How many "agents" with a computer are there, I wonder, who keep busy publishing false or biased newsreports about Nepal? And who is/are paying them to do so? What's their aim?
yes bloghaj, I don't know how g's speech can be interpereted as anything less than an open and direct invitation for all the parties to sit down and hash out a solution.
Naturally, they are openly rejecting this olive branch (again). It is obvious to the parties that their own narrow self-interests cannot be guaranteed through reconcilliation.
-=blogdai
Blogdai,
What are you doing in Nepal trying to escalate the conflict. Instead of advocating peace and dialogue, you ask for more violence to solve the Maoist war. Also, you fail to see all the abuses by the royals and RNA.
Are you a weapons dealer for RNA? Or are you a well paid western PR consultant hired by King G with our tax money?
Just posting this because I felt that blogdai never responded to this. m.r.'s response was very rhetorical and missed the point. I don't suspect blogdai to be a "weapons dealer" or a "well-paid western consultant" but I do want to know his response to the earlier questions.
I do not accept the premise of your question and, therefore, will not answer it.
Objective questioning yeilds objective answers.
-=blogdai
This latest anon makes me curious, so here's my reply to him:
Why?
No, serious! Why? If you can't live with a certain state of "anonimity" - in general - among users of the internet, my advice would be not to use it. Why are you more concerned about Blogdai's background than about the agenda of a couple of "journalists", lately? This blog does not preach violence. On the contrary. It "preaches" understanding, compromise, reconciliation, justice and peace. Or would you deny that?
You repeat a question whereby it is strongly suggested that Blogdai is "trying to escalate the conflict. Instead of advocating peace and dialogue, you ask for more violence to solve the Maoist war. Also, you fail to see all the abuses by the royals and RNA."
My reply (you said I was very "rhetorical") proves that you don't know this blog at all. You are not familiar with many of the posts here, nor with Blogdai's consistent replies where ways to find a peaceful solution for Nepal are concerned.
So who are you, mister? And why would you expect to receive answers if you can't be bothered to check out first where you have arrived at all (meaning this particular blog)? What's the point of that? Please explain.
By the way - and whether or not you believe me doesn't change anything about the truth - I do not know Blogdai at all, nor does he know me. But your trigger my sense of "injustice" when you demand that people fully undress themselves for you: an anonymous internet-poster.
Hajurbah - I don't know how you can extract that statement from this blog - of course most maobadi are just being used by P&B for their own power-crazy ends, ignorant of any wider influence. I have been following this blog for a considerable time and cannot recall any suggestion that these people should be wiped out. Prachanda should certainly be put somewhere where he cannot cause any more bloodshed - the guy is clearly as nutty as a fruit cake. Other leaders should also be prevented from inciting any further damage to Nepal (or anywhere else). How to deal with the rank and file is another matter but should certainly not involve mass reprisals of any kind.
If the multiparty can include maoists in the government, that would be a change of perspective. Face the bill of destruction and run a bankrupt country.
In Peru a friend commented on the years of maoism: the period of Terrorism.
From the side of previous leftist people an interesting recapitulation of historical facts.
prachanda is a creep. observe the way he talks. when i watched his bbc interview, i realized i knew someone like that, someone from whom i would like to stay away from. unfortunately, nepal isnt so fortunate enough to do that.
we had these people in nepal,kind of had to do with superstition and religion. they come at 3-4am in the morning and shout "alakh niranjan". nepalis might be able to understand the meaning. they do this to scare away ghosts and spirits. i met one of these men at 4 am , and gave him some money not to wake me up every day at 4. he obliged. but he kept coming for his " being quit" money during the day, and i obliged.( see. thats how peace is kept. )
i think nepali politicians are just that. they keep shouting nonsense stuff, and wont keep quit until they get something for not shouting, and in turn nepalese lose their peace.
in case these these two(or multiples of that) tongued people come to talks with the king, (i dont think they will, but like most nepalese all one could do is hope), the discussions should be caught in a camera, broadcasted in national and international television, and let the world know who and why was this unrest and unpeace brought to nepal. and hopefully their blind young educated followers, most them bought, will feel a little awkard about their call for nepalbandh (close nepal), chaaka jam ( close traffic), julus(strike) and so on.
jai nepal(and i mean it)
the last paragraph:
just want the world to see how intellectual, compromising, wise our politicians were. that would probably stop the other countries from poking their fingers in other peoples ----, where they dont belong.
--jai nepal again
What are you doing in Nepal trying to escalate the conflict. Instead of advocating peace and dialogue, you ask for more violence to solve the Maoist war. Also, you fail to see all the abuses by the royals and RNA.
Are you a weapons dealer for RNA? Or are you a well paid western PR consultant hired by King G with our tax money?
These are relevant questions. Comparing anonymity of anonymous posters and Blogdai is like comparing apples and oranges. They are two different issues.
Since Blogdai is running a movement with NAG and this blog, how can the leader remain anonymous? If you decide to remain anonymous, how different are you from illusive leaders like Pranchanda? Prachanda is waging war from his hideouts in Rolpa. Blogdai is waging propaganda to annihilate Maoist from his hideout in Kathmandu.
Also, why should we believe in Blogdai without knowing who he is. Since he has a soft spot for King G and RNA, we would like to know if he is really independent from RNA and KG or not.
Also, since he advocating suppressing the Maoist movement through force, we also would like to get assured that he is not benefiting from the conflict like weapon deals, and PR and so on.
First off, MR thank you for the kind sentiments and support.
but, rather,to the fight...
Why must some of you insist on associating blogdai with some identifiable persona? blogdai never claimed to be a "leader" only a facilitator.
Oh, and ok, anon, I can see that you are not an in depth reader of blogdai; otherwise you would know that blogdai cares not for the strength of your resume' but rather the strength of you ideas. Hence our allowance of anonymous postings.
All right. I'm getting bored with this. Blogdai is NOT a weapons dealer. (Althogh I wish I wish I Kashogi's money, ha!)
To the blogdai family: I'm a little "Vladimir" tonight, if you know what I mean.
-=blottodai
Thinking of what "g" said. If history proves that you can oust a king, or a president, then what does it take to "oust" a terrorist leader or two, for starters? Unless of course those who would be in a position to do so and become the new 'leadership' would only be more insane, more cruel and so on.
In India the leader of the BJP demands to know what's going on with Prachanda c.s. walking in and out of their capital all the time and without being hindered. So who knows, maybe the time is ripe indeed and (certainly after their waterfall of interviews lately) the world has almost seen the last of them.
http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/2006/feb/feb19/news08.php
But back to the NAG now, the Nepal Advocacy Group. Blogdai please do your best to interest rather a number of Nepali women for that initiative too! Seeing how the male players (politicians) make nothing but a mess of things, the women are imperative to any improvement and real progress I believe. And much more leadership and management should be in their hands.
Ha! Found out just now that I'm in good company with my remarks about women empowerment in Nepal! :)
From an interview with Nobel Laureate Professor Richard R. Ernst, published on OhmyNews Intl. today:
Informally asking, what if some Nepalese girl propose to you? Ha! Ha! Ha! Would you like to marry her?
Ha! Ha! Ha! Immediately. Of course, first of all I would have to get rid of my Swiss wife and I really wouldn't like to do that. I like her very much but of course I mean women are very charming here in Nepal... But one has to recognize they have very difficult life and very often I feel sorry for these ladies here. I see them so hard working outside of the city. I mean there are also some happy (prosperous) girls here but outside among the farmers its construction work they are doing, working on streets or they have a very hard life and it's really a male dominated society here in Nepal. I think that's not OK. That has to change. Look at the traffic, who is driving a car, who is driving a motorcycle or even who is having a bicycle they are hardly a woman. I think that's not okay.
What would you suggest them?
Sometimes I think... they should do a revolution.
Revolution?
A revolution, yeah, and start to protest against males and stand up and fight for their rights of course. I couldn't like that myself of course I'm male also. So... ha,ha,ha ... but still I mean sometimes one has to feel by or so say peaceful despite the fact that they have such a hard life.
See? How's that instead of a "People's War"? Btw the whole interview is interesting, in view of Nepal. The Swiss Professor knows what he's talking about!
http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/
article_view.asp?menu=c10400&no=272749&rel_no=1
Yes I'm familiar with such stories. I don't think though that they, armed and all, would feel very comfortable in the "NAG" and its aims. Do you?
Voluntary disarmament and the conditions under which Maoists can surrender, should get much more attention and press, constantly. And only once the ladies have given up their guns, should they talk about peace and progress and so on. Women empowerment is not about joining the arms race.
Absolutely, the gals should take the lead here.
Witness the spine they showed in Dailekh. They got a little tired of Maoists drilling holes in their stomachs, formed a village patrol and kicked the living snot out of the Maoists. When the boys form vigilante groups, they seem to be more interested in "score settling" than village protection.
-=blogdai
Dev saati, you are much too smart for that blog...unless you are into self-torture, ha!
-=blogdai
We have two types of terrorists in Nepal- armed and unarmed (to some its probably 3 including the army, but I will stick to two). The first one goes by the name Maoists and they accept they are causing terror. Second one goes by the name of democratic political parties, and they refuse to see the terror they are causing. And ironically, both claim it’s for people. Good joke. A little sadistic though.
Why did government put the little elf under house arrest? That was someones question.
Why is he the only one, and why did they let others go? Why have they set them free to cause more trouble?
Why didn’t the then democratic government put these Maoist leaders into “jail” arrest and stop the upraising right there?
Why didn’t they raise the poor from their poverty and subdued their discontent?
My proposal:
Give these mischief makers, trouble causers, these elves and dwarves an ultimatum.
Ultimatum:
Stop strikes.
Get new educated leaders (you are getting old in body and mind, not to mention lack of education and vision).
Give me some idea to get nepal through this deadlock. If you can’t think of anything as a leader, at least give some positive criticism, feedback as a citizen. If you cannot even do that send someone from your party that is able to do that. (We will keep it quite).
Or sit in house, do nothing:
We will get you all you desire, as long as you promise not to cause trouble.
Or kill yourself. And the King: “I will supply the poison for free. As the Hindu mortal god, I promise you heaven. You can take all you made in past twelve years too, although you won’t need them. Well, since you don’t trust me.”
PS
May be we should do a bandh (close Nepal) to raise voice against bandhs. Or strike to stop strikes.
or may be we need, as has been the talk in the blog, advocacy groups, who will help people to raise their voices against the inadequacy of the democratic system and leaders. May be tie a band around the arm, of different colors.( but please let the people know what they are opposing, either through media or pamphlets) Any thing that makes a difference is welcome to the poor nepalese like us.
KATHMANDU: His ancestors performed before royalty. But 14-year-old Rubin Gandharba lauds the leading lights of Nepal’s opposition to King Gyanendra whose “fate”, he sings, “rests with the people”.
As cocky as a court clown, Rubin leads all the student demonstrations through the choked alleyways of Kathmandu with a revolutionary air.
His faded anorak, jet-black hair and piercing glance are always in the vanguard, facing the police riot shields.
“At first, I was afraid to sing for the democratic cause, but not any longer,” says the young musician.
But such audacity cost him a precious ‘sarangi’, the local string and bow instrument which accompanies all his ditties. Policemen smashed it to pieces during one minor skirmish.
“If the government opens fire on the people, we must take up arms,” warns the teenager, who bears the name of the Gandharba, a Hindu caste of untouchable musicians, to which he belongs.
“I think the people can freely express themselves in a democracy but that is not the case at the moment,” he says in earnest regret.
The young minstrel with a rasping voice launches into a verse he penned.
“The kingdom is today crippled with debts. The fate of King Gyanendra rests with the people.”
Rubin hails from the Gurkha district of central Nepal, cradle of the Shah dynasty that rules the country.
He says he arrived in the capital at the age of eight carrying only his sarangi.
Like other musicians of his caste, he lived on the streets or aboard buses before moving up market to university campuses where his youthful resourcefulness and energy charmed the better-off students.
“They advised me to join the movement three or four years ago,” he recalls. “They treated me like a little brother.
“That changed a lot of things for me and now I know a lot more about democracy and politics in general,” says the communist party card-carrying bard.
Nepal stands at the crossroads with Maoist rebels fighting an increasingly isolated monarch. King Gyanendra’s gamble a year ago when he swept away his government and seized total power has failed to quell the uprising or bring off the promise of an early return to democracy.
Rubin’s reputation proceeds him and passers-by quickly gather to watch every performance, breaking into applause at his anti-royal lyrics.
Off the streets, he holds fort in the premises of the Gandharba Artistic and Cultural Association in the heart of the medieval city.
His musician friends proudly exhibit a CD they have cut.
Rubin has plenty more projects, starting with a “remix”, but above all he admits he wants to learn to read and write.
Before then there’s a battle to be won, manning the barricades alongside his rebel comrades, with a song to be sung. - AFP
You want a copy? Send me an e-mail to blogdai@nepalimail.com and I'll forward it. It is supposed to come out in a publication called "nepaleyes."
g. precisely. It is ok to criticise the King, but the little elf openly advocates maoism, violent overthrow of the king, and basically, any principle that keeps him in the public eye for the moment. He has not said or represented anything that even remotely utilizes democratic principles. If he is not willing to offer his own constructive democratic compromise, then he is part of the problem and needs to be kept where he can do no more damage so that saner heads, from all sides, can prevail.
bloghaj, g's invitation is serious because it invites serious people to the table. The elf is a voice of chaos, confusion and naked self-interest. Would you also invite Paras to a discussion on bar-room etiquette?
blogdai loves the protester story. thank you anon. It shows the classic P.J. O'rourke-style revolutionary: Short attention-span, youthful, somewhat ignorant of the causes for which he is protesting and generally, just in it for a young man's thrill. Nice illustration.
-=blogdai
Thomas Marks' article can be found at:
http://www.nepaleyes.com/read.php?topic=opinion&id=46
that article i posted on
At 8:40 AM, February 21, 2006, as Anonymous said... made me go thinking, "ok here is a big part of Nepal's story". it was on nepalnews or some other democratic prone paper, but unknowingly it got to the base of maoism, and multiparty system in nepal.
think about the gandharba kid. i do not use his name because he is just a representative of great many like people. age is not a barrier here. whether a child or a middle age person, they want to be a part of something, they want to feel they are important, making a difference. that boy was singing as his father did, happy to recieve enough food or a little money for his daylong exertions.
but now he's got more than that. he's got a extended family of people who praise him for what he does. they back him up, they show they care for him, something he never got before when he was merely a bard.
and in return for all these things what does he have to do, just say a few things that his new friends and family want to hear. who would not do it? I would if i was so neglected and lonely and unimportant in the society.
isnt that what maoists do? befriend those people who do not have a friend, make them feel they belong to a group/family when they have felt neglect from all parts of the society; give them importance even a fake one. i may be 14 or 44, but i would love to believe something, have a group of friends who show me a deference, a new family of people who encourage my work.
and the politicians, they do the same thing. are you surprised a politician knows your name even if you have met him once, years back? dont be. thats their primary job. what students memorize to pass the test, they memorize the names to pass election. but in doing that they show you your belongingness, your importance. then they get you together with people who think alike, and you are hooked, even if you dont know about it. you do things with peer pressure you wouldn't do with a normal working mind.isnt that what gets the loyalty of students to partys. right or wrong, they are in the street. dont they know bandh is not democratic? forcing people to do somthing or not do something is not democratic. dont they know that? dont they know that almost all the politicians are corrupt? yet they are ready to get beaten up for them or even get killed. why?
maybe as blogdai said.. Short attention-span, youthful, somewhat ignorant of the causes for which he is protesting and generally, just in it for a young man's thrill. but it is just part of the truth. as i said its not always young people who are "disillusioned". so there must be some other explanation.
well, think on it. we are all brainies here. also think on how to get rid of this from nepalese society. i believe the solution would be a big step towards long term peace.
-jai nepal
ps.
blogdai, from what i have read from the blog, you seem to have approach to lot of people. by any chance, do you have any approach to the king. would surely like to know how confident he is he would succeed in bringing back proper democracy to its proper path with all the obstructions he faces.
-jai nepal
oh G had a plan for a stable country its just that india and the US didnt let him kick enough butt.
Anonymous 12:39 am, have a look here:
"Gulf Today" publishing an article from The Hindu
"US, India part ways on Nepal"
quotes:
One of the reasons Moriarty launched his broadside on the 12-point agreement was precisely in order to ensure that the Manmohan Singh Government is not seduced by the Maoists' attempt to mend fences with India.
&
It must also call on the parties to be bolder still in their campaign to force the palace to back down. A clear signal -- or even a subtle hint -- that the monarchy in Nepal is no longer the pillar it used to be and that a constituent assembly is needed to determine the country's political future would give a huge boost to the morale of the democratic forces. Difficult as this decision may be for some in New Delhi to take, the alternative is far worse. For remaining silent in the face of Moriarty's provocation would be to cede the political initiative to the US -- a mistake that can only have disastrous consequences for both Nepal and India.
But then India often seems to be playing a kind of "double role" in matters concerning Nepal, or isn't it?
g - thankyou for you clear analysis of 'party support' it is like the situation of religious cults where young westerners (and probably others) get drawn into 'family' organisations and cut themselves off from their own roots. Other common features of the genre are the likelihood of an iconic leader, total devotion of acolytes to the 'cause' and ostracism by all one's new 'family' should anyone dare to question any aspect of the movment. It is 20th century political serfdom.
Good to visit you all guys after quite a long.
Gyane tried to go "democratic" from "especially" yesterday. He was autocrat on the move until the day before yesterday! You made the point in your last blog, blogdai.
You must have realized by now that your arguments about Gyane until the day before yesterday were farce...or as you are fond of saying it...you were just doing a good PR job.
You have finally started getting sense of politics. Congratulations on it! But where you still err is your misunderstading about the courage ONE would-be-dictator needs....
Did you think Gyane could become a dictator at his will? He tried hard at it, but he could not....take it or leave it. Paras could make it...Let's see if he ever will get a chance or not.
Like you, I don't much count on Girija and the company. Choices are two "sychopaths" (your phrase)- Gyane or Prachande. Let's see which sychopath will write history...
In the meantime, Americans did it again...You could better remind Comrade James what the American did to El Salvadorians in the mid-1980s. You will be amazed (you could use it as your propoganda or "logic" as you often call it) by the similarity of Camarade Reagon and Comarade Bush's responses to El Salvoderian communist rebellion.
Anon 8:48 pm if Moriarty says the US cannot trust the Maoists' commitment to the 12-point agreement, Maoist leaders and cadre owe that opinion entirely to themselves and their own traitor behavior, constantly. Nothing to do with El Salvador.
Look at the present, not at the past. And please look at Nepal and not at an entirely different continent. There are other blogs to discuss (US) politics in Latin America.
has a lot to do with el salvador and very relevant to this blog posting of american policy and an ambassador shooting his mouth off.. look at the past and see the patterns repeat themselves, learn or better still be warned about the future. [anonymous differnt one from 8:48]
Look at the geography and the neighbours and their specific problems and take into account we have a global "TWAT" meanwhile, and you know it's crap to compare El Salvador in the '80s with Nepal in 2006.
Nepal is incomparable to it's neighbors. They are a little more stable than Nepal.
But you don't need to take it from me:
eKantipur.com "On Prachanda's interviews", by Prakash A Raj
Gyanendra asks us to look at Nepal's "glorious" and "proud" history. His PR people here tell us that we should look at the "present" and "future." Both can not be true at the same time. It seems to me that either Gyanendra is neurotic or his PR people here are just as bad?
Shit disturber, eh? I mean you, anon.
What's the matter? Your mummy and your daddy walked out on you and now you don't trust anyone anymore, ever?
The Palace would wish they'd asked me to do PR for them! I happen to believe in Constitutional Monarchies and I've done little else ever since February last year but defend King Gyanendra and his "takeover" during three years. The man was right: the country was falling completely apart.
As long as you can afford to stay anonymous yet use a computer and the internet, proving you've had to chance to learn how to read and write in the first place, you have nothing to complain about. And least of all here.
The only absurdity is in your failure to see a simple juxtaposition: Look to nepal's past as a guideline for nation-building and moving toward the future. Not only can both be true at the same time, but the very act of looking toward the future is enabled and informed by Nepal's opinion of its past.
Anon, you make no sense and are severely behind the comprehension curve.
Be clear or be gone.
-=blogdante
This poster seems like a good "NAG" candidate to me, for the time being! Read what shé has to say about Nepal!
And I agree entirely with Blogdai's previous reply. You can look at the past to understand the present better, but the past is not to be copied (or continued) in the present. You can look at good things and bad things in that past, and while knowing and admitting the needs of the present take the right decisions to build a better future. It should not be a principle with the matters we're discussing here, Nepali politics, that the mistakes and injustices of the past will invariably always be repeated. To believe such a thing automatically means you believe that everybody involved in decisionmaking is nothing but a moron, an idiot, cruel, stupid and only after his own interests. While that may be the case, to a certain extent, with the Maoist leadership and the so called "leaders" of a couple of political parties, it clearly does not go for the present king of Nepal. He can't afford at all to do what he is being accused of. And if people were more honest and if journalists showed more interest, they would admit that Gyanendra is not after any autocratic leadership at all.
We've been through the subject here (on this blog) already that indeed it looks like the man could do with a couple of new PR-advisors. However, Nepal is not the United States for example. It's an Asian country, with an Asian culture and a complex one. It should not be surprising at all that in his speeches King Gyanendra (also) emphasises a glorious past, as indeed – from certain viewpoints – there are facts in Nepal's history that its people can be proud of.
What would your criticism, anonymous, be if instead the king would lament and complain only about the immense tragedy of the majority of his people? He keeps a certain distance on official occasions, as indeed he should in his position. But he knows, and he is right about that, that there are still large numbers of his "subjects" who much prefer (if not "worship") the monarchy to any quasi-communist dictator and to any mainstream politician and what they may have in mind for Nepal. It's his right, and his dúty, to try and lift the moral among his people whenever he has the chance in public. If you do not understand such things, you do not understand leadership.
But by no means should looking at "a glorious past" once in a while be confused with the wrong kind of propaganda or PR, under the present circumstances for the majority of Nepal's inhabitants. By questioning and criticising the king – ruthlessly - all the time, people will only add to an unnecessary prolongation of the cruel, violent conflict. By closing the ranks and standing beside your king and give him the (international) support he needs to fulfil his roadmap for peace and justice, you do the opposite and you will help to bring back peace sooner.
What right do especially foreigners have, including those of Nepali origin who permanently live abroad, to make the suffering of millions last (much) longer than strictly necessary? What right do you have to oppose a king who – well aware that his crowning in 2001 was an enormous controversial moment in Nepal's history – nevertheless shows the guts to make an end indeed to cruelty, injustice and suffering?
Don't be an ape. Don't echo all the brainless, facile newsstories in 99% of the media worldwide. The international "community" never gave a shit about Nepal and its people. But, farizees as most of such foreigners are, once the king truly stood up for his country the presses never stop printing anymore to criticise what he has done and to make him look like "a new Nero", a "Hitler", a dictator. Which goes to show that every penny spent on the education of 99% of the worlds journalists as well as the staff of many a NGO or Human Rights organisation, was nothing but a total waste of money and opportunity all the time.
Use your own brains, and be honest. Maybe if we lived 300 years ago the idea of being a total ruler might have been appealing to king Gyanendra, I don't know. Nowadays, certainly, it is not and it's not necessary to ask him personally. He gave enough of his mind and feelings in a couple of interviews the past year already. So what, do you think, is the average IQ among those who can't stop criticising the king and his plans?
Note: Of course I'm aware that not every "anon" here is in fact a Nepali citizen. Which makes their harsh criticism on the attempts to get the country back on track even a lot more ironical and misplaced.
And btw Blogdai I'd be interested to have your reply on my last questions here.
Good PR job, blogdai!
But often Gyane.and his trusted PR persons (Torilahure Giri included) take things to such an absurd height that your efforts of damage control look so pale.
Now the question is: what aspects of history should be discussed and remembered, just graveyards of the Ranas and Shahs or in its totality?
M.R.
I have a question for you. Have you ever been to Nepal? Do you understand Nepali history and the atrocities and misrule by the ruling class for the last 250 years? If not, stop blabbering based on your false assumptions.
I have read your past posts. Your support for Paras and the royal family shows that you know nothing about Nepali royal family. Nepal's constituent monarchy is nothing compared to those of England, Denmark or Thailand. In Nepali constituent monarchy, Paras is above the law. He is not prosecuted even after killing a popular singer in an intentional hit and run incident. Similarly, he has gotten away many times after beating up cops, stabbing people, and more road kills of Nepali people. Even after half a million denizens of Kathmandu, my hometown, signed a petition to the King to prosecute Paras, he did not utter a single word. Would you still support your constituent monarchy if the prince of your native country did the same thing to your countrymen?
When the Nepali society opened up after democracy with free press, the government corruption came out to open. But corruption was rampant all the time through out Nepal's history. If you believe that there was corruption only in the 10 years of democracy, then you know nothing about Nepali politics.
Before Democracy came, all the large government contracts went to a few families close to the royal family and most of the industries were monopolized by the same families through bureaucracy. After democracy came, the playing field became more open. These aristocratic families with ties to army and which benefited under royal patronage, was out of its bread and butter and they conspired to kill democracy.
May I ask you, who are the most powerful people in Nepal right now after the King? Tulsi Giri and Kamal Thapa are just the face of the Government and they do not wield too much power. The real players who bring out policies are some hidden players like Sharad Chandra Shah, Sachit Sumshere Rana, Bharat Sumhsere Rana, which forms a close coterie around the King without any accountability. Do you see any diversity in King’s closest advisors? These people and their aristocratic families ruled Nepal through their visible or invisible hands around monarchy for much of Nepal's 250 years of history sans 10 years of democracy. If you are an outsider and only read the official history of Nepal, you would not understand these realities and you would not be able to prescribe a solution for Nepali problem.
Given the atrocities and misrule, a rural armed rebellion was bound to happen. It was just a matter of time. It was unfortunate that the rebellion occurred during the democratic years and the leaders could not control it. Most people I talk to in Nepal are not so Web savvy and do not visit Blogdai. However, when I ask them about the future, they always tell me that the people will eventually win and the King will lose this struggle.
BB
If the Nepal Supreme Court declared the Feb 1st move as unconstitutional do you think Gyane would reverse his actions?
That would never happen.
The supreme court only pronounced the RCCC unconstituional with Gyane's (I refuse to call this guy our King going forward) blessing. This case about RCCC has been going on since 10 months ago. Supreme court justices knew that this is unconstitutional but could not give a verdict and were dilly dallying.
Gyane was under pressure after the failure of the municipal polls. So Gyane gave a go ahead to the Supreme court to come with its verdict. By declaring RCCC as unconstitutional, Gyane was able to accomplish two things: First, it was able to divert the media attention from the failure of municipal polls. Secondly, it was able to tell the world that the justice system is still indpendent when it was facing cricticism that he is an autocrat for not getting the mandate through the polls.
Anon, do not fall into Gyane's tricks.
Exactly anon 8:47 am,
You got it right. That is why Gyane is so bent on punishing Kantipur for exposing his men. Whether it is Girija, UML, RNA, or Gyane's men, Kantipur has exposed the corruptions by those in power. Now Gyane is in power, Kantipur is after him. Blogdai did not see any bias on Kantipur's part when it was after Girija or UML. Now Kantipur is after Gyane, Blogdai accuses it of bias.
Do you remember a few years ago when RNA was trying to buy an aircraft for VIP flights (a total waste of money for a poor country) for $8 million more that its cost to pay as commission to its agents? Kantipur exposed it and the deal went sour. Many in this administration hate Kantipur's guts and are trying to shut it down.
Anon 8:47 am,
Also did you read the following reports? Tanka Dhakal, a minister with Gyane still has not paid back his defaulted loan.
Also, did you read that the Finance Minister, who is a tycoon of Nepal and a distributor for electronic goods and motorcycles, decreased tariff mostly on imported goods his companies distribute and not on others? I heard other businessmen are pissed with him. Does this regime know anything about ethics?
Don't worry Anon!
Gyane wrongly assumed that after a week of terror (shutting down telephone, internet, international airport, vetting the newsrooms...) and his fuzzy and fanatic demand for the loyality to the soil (deshbhakti), people will submit to his whims. He thought a week of terror will firmly facilitate his road to autocracy.
Poor Gyane!
Even if Gyane succeeds to shut down Kantipur (and Himal), the spirit will remain. Simply because these valiant media houses have already created vocubularies, theories and schemas...enough to challange Gyane, Paras and other would-be-autocrats in Nepal.
Simply because these valiant media houses have already created vocubularies, theories and schemas...
"Vocabularies" of misinformation.
Baseless conspiracy "theories".
"Schemas" that serve their own ends rather than that of the greater populace.
You see the Nepalese media bathed in a heroic light; I see them coloured with the hues reflected off a puddle of urine. To each his/her own.
Here is the trap. Every thing these media houses do appear to you "misinformation" or whatever you term. They are "misinformation" because the "Information" minister says so...I know we can debate endlessly. The reason?
You and me have radically different notions about how Nepal SHOULD look like.
Well, I have my own ideas about misdeeds of the Kantipur...But give me instances how Kantipur propogated "misinformation." Pease cite examples just not Tanka Dhakal and S. Rana's and RNA's statements.
Anon 9.27 -if you thing 'terror' consists of lack of telephone/ international air transport/ newspapers you have led a very comfortable and sheltered life indeed! Have you ever stepped outside your own little palace?
Brit,
So are you trying to argue that military shutting down ISP's, cable TV's, media houses with guns in the heads of engineers, business owners, and reporters is not terror? Arresting all the dissenters based on their ideology is not terror? What world do you live in?
So according to your definition, people in Iraq did not live in the terror of Saddam Hussein.
Saddam Hussein killed Iraqis by the thousand. Fear of being murdered or of mutilation - that is terror.
This is a moral war. Either you are with the corrupt, defunct and oppressive monarchy or with the people.
"peace" is not enough. If it were, we would have the Rana regime. After all the Ranas had maintained "peace" for more than a century.
Welcome to the war of the moral worlds!
To anons - what I said was "if you thing 'terror' consists of lack of telephone/ international air transport/ newspapers ..." - I made no comment in that post about other matters. In my subsequent post I merely commented about what I understand terror to be and that SH was indeed guilty of such.
On neither occasion did I comment on individuals or groups in Nepal. I am not a mind reader - I commented on the posts - not what you were (possibly) thinking but did not write.
Sorry - 12.29 was from Brit
Furthermore I said that SH killed by the thousand, not 'thousands'. This means thousands at one time - and many times this.
Ladies and Gentlemen, let’s have some pizza talk.
Anon 11:43. You are right. Peace is not enough. But it is the base. To make a pizza, you need the dough. The toppings are democracy, development, and lots of other freedom that you desire. But without a relatively stable dough, where will you put the toppings. Even if you do, what will be the result? Will it be a pizza? Or just a mixture of toppings that you will be eating it with a sauced bread.
All his Royal Highness King gyan bbs is trying to do is make the dough. That’s all he is capable of. I am not saying this because I think he doesn’t like power, or he doesn’t want it. As much as he may want it, it’s not possible. Whether you like it or not, he is smart enough to know that. (Just incase you happened to think that King G loved his country and cared for it, then its obvious he wants peace and stability)
I also know his throne depends on peace and the stability of the country. He doesn’t want Maoist, true. He wants democracy, just as true. But he is not stupid to try to make the whole pizza himself.
Topping time.
It’s Nepalese who will be eating the pizza. The last twelve years, they didn’t know the taste of pizza. Hopefully they do now. Once the dough is made, it will be up to them to choose the best pizza ‘toppers’. They may not choose the best toppers the first time, but in time they will know. And with that they could choose their dough maker too. And they will surely enjoy their chosen pizza, or they are FREE to change their pizza makers.
All I wish right now, is for all Nepalese and foreigners (foreign countries) to let K G make the dough for the first time. Let him introduce it. Then change will come.
My pizza man is at the door. Got to go.
-jai nepal and may pashupatinath bless the wonderful pizza too.
That was certainly worth posting it twice, g! :-)
To BB 7:46 am re. having been to Nepal.
As in? Kathmandu? The Ktm Valley? One or more of the tourist "hot spots"? The far west? Or the far east? Or summitting one of the peaks? Or living there, anywhere, as a Nepali national?
You see, it doesn't take leaving footprints in a country to understand for example that with the old feudal and caste influences certainly not vanished yet, implementing "democracy" is BS. And no matter the past: you cannot blame the current government nor the king for the ways in which too many Nepalis still look down on others. Nor for the ways in which too many other Nepalis still wouldn't know how to manage their "equal rights" and "freedom" in the reality of everyday life. And all this regardless still of what Maoist-Nepalis and their guns and cruel tricks have caused in terms of 24/7 fright and anguish.
Basically you only have eachother and yourselves to blame for many of the present problems and injustices. Not this government, not this king. Who raises children to become torturers once they're adults, or corrupt to the bone, cheaters, child traffickers, and/or ruthless elite primarily out to defend their own positions, income and comfort against the interests of their fellow nationals?
So much for "blabbering based on my false assumptions", I believe.
More
James
Moriarty
(Nepal News - eKantipur.com - Nepal News)
Absolutely incredible! some of these postings show the lengths to which an impressionable mind will go to adhere to an unbending ideology.
i loved the part about dissolving the RCCC to cover the poor turn out at the polls. Brilliantly moronic! did any of you anon idiots stop to think that the dissolution of the RCCC by an entity other than the palace; coupled with the King's invitation for party talks, shows that G may just be giving us all a lesson in the art of democratic compromise? Put another way, would any leader make himself look so publicly weak if he did not have faith in in the democratic process? Did any of you stop to think (I'd like to put a period here) that if your diversion theory was correct, G. was also succeeding in taking away from the momentum of the louder, more media enticing 7-party claims against such polls?
In another twist of sanity, anons seem to imply that Kantipur attacks Girija with the same venom that they show the King. Well, show me even one instance where kantipur took an anti girija position and you may have an arguement, but i can tell you, Kantipur--and here is the crux of the issue--is decidedly open to the influences of the 7-parties. kantipur touts itself as having its press freedoms curtailed, but in kantipur's logic, freedom means the ability to report anything without being accountable to anyone. kantipur, for a time, operated under one of the most unregulated media invironments in the world. There was no civil liability in Nepal for libel, slander, source verification or even truth-telling. G. stepped in when Kantipur's tone started to turn pro-Maoist.
It amazes me how some of you list the corruption of Tanak Dhahal and the present administration. Obviously, none of you have read this blog where we say political corruption is universal and requires a sea-change to correct such practices. On the other hand, did you all just conveniently forget the Lauda Air scandal? Girija made stealing an art form. Plus, how dare you impart one ounce of severity to this culture of political corruption when none of it compares, even marginally, to ONE Maoist atrocity.
Therin lies another problem. Your postings fail to mention anything at all about the Maoists having a role in the current situation. Such a unilateral anti-G bias betrays the 7-party leaning of many of you. We have proven, time and time again on this blog, that RNA casualties reflect a climate of war and cannot stand as independent acts on their own. Nonetheless, some of you continue to keep posting these figures with the same incessant drumbeat of a 7- party street protest. When will you learn that forcing an issue through constant repetition does not earn you a public airing: only pity?
Blogdai has sat through this thread and wondered. Our good posters Brit and MR have tried to grapple with these anons, but to no avail. As thomas Swift once said:
"You cannot reason a man out of a position to which he has not been reasoned into."
It has also occured to blogdai that not one of these anti-g anons has offered up a better solution. In fact, not one of these comments has even included a statement that could be interpereted as even remotely democratic. All finger-pointing and accusations.
So, if you anons want to remain here, start making sense. give us some middle path. Democracy is the art of compromise. Can you prove it to us that you even grasp this concept?
-=blogdai
Let's do this via a simple illustration:
Blogdai is constantly imploring you anons to speak clearly, act democratically, and sit down at the table of this blog and intelligently air your views.
Still, many of you persist in your wild unilateralist claims and demands. In essence you have abused the democratic nature of this forum by not entering into its spirit of debate and compromise. Instead of following the community spirit of exchange on this blog, you've chosen to take advantage of that spirit and use it as a bully pulpit.
Blogdai, sensing this, has now decided to edit such non-communal comments. Perhaps this negative, tough-love approach will force our blathering anons to think of ways to keep their posts from being deleted; with the eventual result being that anons must realize that they have to play our democratic community game in order to be heard.
-=blogmetaphor
Well, Kantipur's leaning toward parties or rather a multi-party system is known to all. This is their publicly announced editorial policy.
Should Kantipur print Bhajan spraising Gyane. NOT to be pro-Maoist? How on hell you can force anybody to support a particular person? It is only an idealogically (total) blind that can imagine that Kantipur ever became close to "pro-Maoist."
Here is your catch. It is a well tested theory - which was used by dictators in world history time and again - that you are repeating here: Anybody who does not sing a Bhajan to Gyane. is an "anti-national" or "pro-Maoists."
Remember that an "anti-national" slogan absolutely did not work in 1990 when it must have worked far more efficiently because Nepal was reeling under an Indian blockade then....I am sure that your belief that those who disagree with Gyane. are "pro-Maoist" shows an end of your imagination. But taken further to the limit, this crud imagination is perhaps enough to inflict damage to the peace and ultimately the people of Nepal.
By the way, who made Girija the greatest villain (perhaps rightly so) in Nepal's history if not the Kantipur publications? Do you want me to specifically point out what and when to read?
There has never been one hint in this blog that anti-g sentiment is somehow pro-maoist. needless to say, your imagination is much more vivid than mine in that regard.
It may surprise a lot of you to know that blogdai is mostly anti-g; but feels he is the best thing we've got, and I applaud him for throwing those corrupt bums out of office.
The one thing I am vehemently against, however, is narrow-mindedness. You give me a good, supported argument against g's maneuver, in an intelligent context, and I'll support your opinion.
Jumping to extremes with your anti-g equals pro-maoist comment is not a good start, however; and smacks of a capacity issue on your part.
by the way, the maoists injured six civilians today, including one child. My the RNA sure is brutal. Shall we start to keep a running count now for accuracy?
Let me help you with a concession. Kantipur reported the lauda air scandal fairly. What is significant, however, is this type of reporting represented a watershed in kantipur's style of coverage. it seems as though the NC, tiring of a "free" media, began influencing kantipur's political coverage from the lauda deal onward. To that end, we see a kantipur that can, arguably, be described as squarely in the 7-party's pocket. One has to wonder, in that context, what inspired their subsequent evolution to a pro-maoist stance.
-=blogdai
I am assuming most of the anons are Nepalese. Its nice to know that Nepalese still can believe in something. But believing blindly?
I am not saying I am right. I am not even saying I believe in King G. I would rather believe King B was the last king of Nepal, for nothing but his humbleness and respectability. I have my own reservation of King G. Not to mention Paras. Once Nepal is in track, I don’t even care if Nepal is republic. I hate violence so I would rather not have him K G killed. I am a Hindu, and him being a Hindu king, he is still a God to me (yeah, I am religious but I am not satisfied with god too). I'd rather have him like Nepali Kumari, powerless but respected. And worshipped. (Conservative huh! It’s what I believe).
But that’s not the point. Some times you have to cross the barrier of belief and think. That’s the only way a change can occur. The problem with Nepal was that there was never an incentive to think. In the contrary, there always was an incentive NOT to think. Money, favors, a few goat’s / pig’s / buffalo’s meat, and a lot of drinks. I won’t go into the WHY aspect of it. But what I am saying is perhaps harder than it sounds. There are lot of people, EDUCATED, who are obsessed with their political belief. Professors, doctors name it. The only way I can explain it is the way I explained it in my earlier posts.
And as some body said earlier you cant reason with a person who has already been reasoned into IT. TOUGH LIFE. Tough for Nepal.
Nice, G.
Refreshing to hear someone question his own cultural barriers.
-=blogdai
Quote BD: So, for the record, blogdai suggests the following:
THE NEPAL GOVERNMENT SHOULD IMMEDIATELY PETITION FOR THE REMOVAL OF AMBASSADOR JAMES F. MORIARTY FROM HIS POST.
No, and certainly not now please! Let the man speak his truth about Maoists! Fresh from the press:
Explosion Leaves Dozen Injured in Pokhara
quote:
The incident occurred after the Maoist rebels hurled the explosive targeting a vehicle with the registration Ga 1 Cha 9735 belonging to the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA). Majority of wounded were among the people running footpath business.
And a couple of photos there too. However, tomorrow – or on Wednesday – you will read another update of this news (watch the date of the article):
Maoists apologize for Pokhara incident
POKHARA, Feb 26 (PR) - Issuing a release on Sunday Maoists have apologized for the incident Saturday when a bomb planted by them exploded at Chorepatan area leaving six civilians injured. The release issued by "Karna, Kaski secretary" of the Maoists, stated that the bomb was meant to target security forces but had accidentally exploded before the set time due to a technical error.
See? Let Moriarty tell what's on his mind and what's in his nightmares. Don't try to "petition" him anywhere else but in Nepal. And certainly as long as Maoists are running wild, and their so called leaders are not in control at all of what's happening! Or what other candidates but "Maobadis" are there for detonating these bombs in Pokhara lately?
Moriarty says what's on his mind too frequently for an ambassador. He is supposed to be the face of the U.S. government in a foreign country. He has no mandate in his job description to force policy issues or to inflame or raise the anxiety level of the populace: there are rules on this. His job is to find a Nepal-compatible voice for the rantings of the Bush administration.
A shifting policy stance such as Moriarty's (not to mention that he just said that the maoists are both "winning" and "losing" in the same breath) breaches his duty as ambassador: to CLARIFY U.S. policy. Do ambassadors speak up against the gobvernment in CHina? Hardly. Moriarty's speech and actions tell the world that Nepal is to be used as a whipping post and sounding board for placating western ideologues. Nothing he has done has helped or informed the people of Nepal, so GET HIM OUT.
Also, read nothing significant into the Maoist "apology" for events in Pokhara. We've seen this pattern before and it shows us that the Maoists are, as you say, out of touch with their cadres. Remember the apology for the murder of the journalist last year? How about the apology for killing a bus load of civilians?
-=BLOGDAI
thats me again;
i will probably stop writing from now on. because what ever i seem to have to say, it seems i am always repeating.
drunk as i am, i wont hesitate to say what i feel. you, blogdai or whoever you may be, feel free to delete these freaking lines.
Nepal.
4 words.
LOVE
LIFE
RESPECT
PEACE.
atleast thats what i thought Nepal was all about. Guess I was wrong. Well i dont give a freaking damn. i have been around nepal. from east to west. aliitle bit to north, weel i am from the southern part of central nepal anyway.
and now i am somewhere else. enjoying a life as ones supposed to do. life is short.
i wish ...............bababbbabale
drabbbbble......gabbble
goodnight............
may god and the lord give you all the insight and the outsight to help you live this crazy and sinful world with litlle bit of sanity and little bit of piousness.
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