Start the Countdown
Deposed General Katawal deep in contemplation about where best to begin his army coup.
I've been screaming this at the top of my lungs since Joke-Andalan and most haven't listened. Now, after a few years of the sing-song appeasement journalism of the BBC's Charles Haviland and others, do we all finally get it? YOU CAN'T GOVERN WITH A RIGID IDEOLOGY. The American Repuglicans will be the first to confirm this, I'm sure, but Nepal, what were we thinking? At every turn, Prachanda kept dropping bombs that he wanted to govern with an iron hand and turn our country into a Communist autocracy. Is it finally clear to all that we've given this idiot one chance too many?
The symolic hard-line control move of sacking RNA supremo General Rookmangud Katawal smacked of Communist arrogance and started the ball rolling downhill for our government. In response, the UML quits the government, the usual street protests ensue, President Ram Baran Yadav goes against the PM and tries to get the General to return; and finally, Prachanda--sensining a government in flames--turns tail and jumps ship. Bravo Fierce Fleeing One!
So where does that leave us? The upheaval caused by tampering with the military shows who is really in charge in Nepal. In fact, the RNA is the ONLY entity keeping our beloved country from dissolving into failed-state status.
I wasn't kidding when I said to "start the countdown." In fact we probably should have started the countdown when the usual gang of political idiots, plus the King, held their not too secret meetings with the big shots in Delhi.
Next up: Koirala and the other old fools will usurpt government control until the military initiates a formal coup and takes over.(You didn't think they were beefing up their forces over the last few months just for fun, did you?) Tours and garbage on the grounds of the Royal Palace will end soon as King G. will only be too happy to move back in to that ugly bus station looking facility and supervise the education of his King-to-be grandson.
All of this because we were too lazy to care in the first place.
-=blogdai
posted by blogdai @ 5/04/2009 02:57:00 PM
20 comments
20 Comments:
Blogdai is back!!!!!!
Where have you been? Great article, now try posting more than once every 6 months.....
Where the heck have you been????
And could you please keep those of us who care, but are on the outside, informed of the situation on the ground, Dai?
Coming for a visit next month... if I promise to keep your identity a secret, can I buy you coffee?
-Ramta
Welcome back from the hiatus!! Damn man, I thought you died or something!! I totally agree that all of this was because we were too lazy to care about our political situation! Jane bujeka sabai bahira lagihale........tei lato bhid lai kaile yeta, kaile uta garchan.........and the funny part is that we still don't care!! I'm simply amazed with our uncanny ability to be carefree no matter what happens!!
NA staging the slightest coup is what the Maoists precisely want. It would give them the pretext to restart the People's War against an "feudal" army that is remnants of the defunct monarchy. The public opinion and all of the international community would be against them if they were to go back to jungle just because of the Katuwal issue. They came to realize they could not win over the army within, so they are regrouping and enlarging their base to mount another insurgency and go at the army from without.
You are right that NA remains the last institution keeping Maoists from capturing total state power.
By obstructing the formation of a new government and fomenting lawlessness, they will incite the NA to make a move. If NA takes the bait, the Maoists will rejoice at the opportunity for a big catch, not to mention the number of more lives that could be taken away in the process.
NA's strength after the peace process started has been its silence and quiet action. NA should stay that way in the interim rather than turn Nepal into another Burma. NA can still take on the Maoists under a civilian government and be victorious without mounting a coup.
Interesting and wise commentary, chhahari. Quite logical. Consider this for thought: Maoist no longer have the tacit approval of India after Prachanda's very public visitation of Mao's grave. The result being any new Maoist offensive will be lacking in weaponry from Bihar as Delhi may just pull a few strings and prohibit the usual cross-border smuggling.
Blogdai thinks the Maoists have now backed themselves into a corner. They've lost all faith and trust from even the most apathetic Nepalis and are unlikely to exude as much influence in the villages as in days past.
You are right, for all their flaws the army's silence and relative dignity during this time give them renewed national credibility. Blogdai's sources in the military say to look for a larger role in government for the army--even if there is no coup.
My feeling is Madhav Kumar Nepal will assume the Prime Ministership, but only with the direct endorsement of the military... the smart way to avoid a coup.
God, thanks to all for the hearty welcome back! blogdai has been busy during the last 5 months. Caught the Chinese enforcing Chinese policy far into Nepal territory. All the way down to barabise. Got them on film on the Nepal side of the friendship bridge pushing people around. What a hoot!
Ramti, do I know you by another name?
-=blogdai
The Maoist are going to try and play the victim here once again. However, I do not think people are going to buy it this time around. Also a tape has emerged with Prachanda boasting about how the Maoists intentionally mislead the UN and everyone into thinking the PLA was a much bigger. Although Mr. Dahal has dismissed this video as being irrelevant it has to be incredibly embarrassing for the Maoists.
Bhudai Pundit
Of course the mislead the very gullible UN. I would think such a video would be more embarrassing to the international community.
Why do you think I kept screaming about Ian Martin and James Moriarty all this time? Both of those fools legitimized a ragtag and disorganized group of Maoists by placing them front and center on the world stage. Ian with his ridiculous cantonments and arms counting and Moriarty with his insistence that Prachanda would soon be "marching down Durbar Marg.."
Keep counting those pitch-forks Ian, while your buddy James finds a way to wreck Bangladesh.
-=blogdai
Ah, imagine the relief when I found that blogdai was back up and running again. Honestly, nobody puts out the kind of information and commentary on Nepal that blogdai does.
Enough already. MK Nepal will never be PM because India has never liked the guy. Your old foe GPK will assume the mantle of wanker in chief, just watch.
i dont think the video would be too damaging for the Maoists. After all, the maoists have always talked of state capture in public as well. I think the shock was the number of army we thought they had but like blog dai said, it is more of an embarrasment to the IC, NA and UNMIN more than anything else. I am sure the maoist will be able to milk some benifit out of this shit. Already the indian are in public denying any interference in Nepali politics as if anyone is going to believe it. This shows that the maoists are playing their cards right and untill now have been able to turn all their hurdles into stepping stones.
Our NA could not defeat a maoist army of 7000. What do we think of NA now? Now the PLA has grown from 7000 t0 20 odd thousand. No matter what we do the maoists will gain from it. It is time to stand still because all the wrongs have already been done.
The monarchy looks better every day! Get rid of the foreign republic and bring back the KING and Nepal's dignity, religion and independence!!!
RAMTA, thank you for the lovely email.
I will be out of Kathmandu on the dates you've specified but have left instructions to Sudesh over at the New Orleans Cafe to take care of you and your husband for an evening. Mention the name you called yourself in your email to me and you're all set.
-=blogconcierge
hey blo'g'i'diot ....sorry but cant anybody see the analogy in sri lanka...where is the ltte now...liberating tamil elam [ with petty airforce, navy and suicide bombers? ...no..machine gunned in their 12 square metre parametre.. and the rag tag band of maoist peacemakers and pressure cooker [ for fucksake] bombers where allowed to get away and take over the country..to appease a frickkin american ambassador with lack of moriarty and some jokers from the UN looking for a quick promotion and transfer to another grotty part of the world where they can enjoy an expat salary and some cold wine in the afternoon and some piss up evenings downtown and the email their friends that they solved the problem in nepal.......
Well said..Anon. 10:24 AM, May 29, 2009. They just got away with whole sale murder..for now!
Sarki ko choro
Anon. 10:24 AM, May 29, 2009. replies....ive been here and ive been there and ive been in between,,, but dont say 'well said' coz ive been raving in and out of this blog ..ever since it started ..oooh the daze when when G took over and shock and awe were in fashion..and people didnt give afuckforbeni or any other bulleted human being..but now from here in the bordel de merde of partynepalkathmandu where its fashionable to talk aboutthegoodolddaze and drink another pala in the name of the future ...Like Obama is coming to solve your frickking mess that you've ke garne'ed yourself into..saying 'well said' is just aping another loser wanking and waiting for someone to save a country from itself..and ya im not Nepali...im just too long in exile
from - http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=198208 -
"Speaking at the rally, the Maoist leaders not only warned that they would return to the civil war but also said that those who dare to attack Maoists would not be spared. They claimed that the Maoist cadres have their weapons in their own house and not stored in UN-monitored cantonments."
... the fine words of a party committed to the democratic process..??
Worked in the diplomatic field have we 10:24? Moriarty has yet to screw up Bangladesh, but give him time.
blogdai will be doing a piece on the parallels with sri lanka--especially now that the Maoists are gone and there's just about every green light given, including India's, for our RNA to wipe them out.
First off, we'll do something on Ian Martin's self-detonating career. Can't wait.
Hey 10:24 if you're so angry, write me a column and cuss out everyone you can think of. I'll give you your own posting space.
We're all angry.
-=blogdai
"Meeting of the Constituent Assembly has been postponed for an indefinite period after it ran out of work on Thursday" - I just hurt myself laughing so hard...
pocketless trousers for Nepali airport workers? glad to see the BBC covering all the important issues...
Namaste Blogdai,
Well, as is usual for a trip to Nepal, we did not get done half of what we wanted, including the visit to New Orleans Cafe. I just wanted to thank you very much for your kind invitation. Maybe next time... we'll be back in 2010 for another family visit if we can swing it. Meanwhile, I'll be around, following along from here...
Best,
Ramta
Post a Comment
<< Home