Let’s get this straight. The United Maoists are back from the brink of a split. They head the coalition, the prime minister is Maoist, so is the Supply Minister, and the protestors setting fire to cars on the streets are also mostly Maoists. How does that work?

The leaders of the four big parties are constantly having emergency meetings to deal with contentious issues raised by their own cadres against other cadres about what has already been decided in the CA committees.

After 10 years of bloodshed and 16,000 killed, the Maoists wanted peace and we said ok, fine, it’s high time. And despite the blood in their hands we shook it. And to make it not look like a defeat, we went along with calling the camps ‘cantonments’, and demobilisation ‘integration’.   Next, the Maoists said they now want to govern and the parties said all right, it’s your turn now. Barely six months later, the Maoists quit the government and not for the first time. In elections the next year, the Maoists said they wanted our votes. We said ok, we will vote for you so you don’t go back to war. They won. Whew, that was close.

Just when we thought things were going well Maoists weren’t happy about something: they didn’t have total control. So they started tampering with the army. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal resigned and in retrospect has said he shouldn’t have. After three years, the Maoists changed their mind again and wanted the premiership back. They waged war, removed the king, declared a republic, won elections, formed the government, deconstructed it, and came back to head a coalition with their sworn enemies, the Madhesis.

They invented phantom fighters and pocketed the allowances, they awarded themselves golden handshakes, and they agreed on 6,500 fighters to be integrated into the army that they fought to eliminate. Just when they should be returning confiscated land, they tried to legitimise all decisions they took during the war. Despite the message from the Chinese premier, Dahal is still trying to play Delhi off against Beijing. He wants to be executive president badly, but will settle for prime minister for now. For him it has always been my way or the highway.

That is the story so far, keep tuned in.

Naresh Newar is a freelance journalist.

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The culture of violent protests, intimidation and destruction of properties as a tool for effective political bargaining has  become a permanent feature of Nepali politics. Today,13 youths and student factions affiliated to various political parties including NC, UML and the Maoists called for a Kathmandu bandh protesting the petroleum-price hike.

Young boys and girls carrying bamboo sticks and flags gathered in the streets from early in the morning. The first few hours were tensed as the strikers vandalized and torched at least four vehicles in Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur. There are also reports of three trucks vandalized in Dhanusha, one bus in Sindhuli and a motorcycle in Chitwan. Seven people have been arrested in the valley as full extent of the damage is yet to be ascertained.

Hundreds of students affiliated to NC and UML youth wings picketed in New Baneswor, outside the CA building. A group of youths were cooking tea in the middle of the street in Shantinagar. “We want the government to know this is how we are going to cook our food from now on if the price hike is not taken back”, said one of the student.

While the leaders of the youth factions were declaring the bandh as ‘peaceful and successful’, a restaurateur was beaten up by an irate mob near Humanities Campus in exhibition road about the same time. Throughout the valley, the commuters on their way to and back from work faced harassment as protesters misbehaved and forced even those riding bicycles to dismount.

Suri Mahato, 70 year old vegetable vendor said he was slapped in the face by kids of his grandson’s age near Sankhamul. “What have I done? I am only trying to feed my family”, said Mahato as he wiped his tears. Daily earners like Mahato are among the worst affected by the strike. While the government and the protesters battle it out on the streets and at the bargaining table, few care about the small business, laborers and the street vendors who struggle to feed their families everytime there is a strike.

In the last two months, series of protests and strikes have disrupted the peace process and constitution writing. A week back, it was the landless people of Kathmandu who called for the strike, few weeks before that the opposition NC called nationwide bandh. The factions of various indigenous groups have time and again disrupted the lives across the nation in the last few months.

The strike was lifted at 5 PM after the government promised to review price-hike decision but the students have warned they will padlock Prime Minister’s office in the next stage of protest if the government did not meet their demand of fuel subsidy for the students.

Anurag Acharya

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The World report 2012 released by Human Rights Watch in New York today says Nepal has failed to make progress on checking human rights violations. The report points towards a glaring apathy of the government and the political parties in addressing attrocities committed during the years of war, blaming the state for ‘weakening already dysfunctional justice system by ignoring court orders and appointing people allegedly guilty of serious rights violations to senior government positions.’

The Comprehensive Peace Agreement of 2006, signed between the seven parties and the Maoists had called for the setting up of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and Disappearances commission within six months to investigate into the war crimes . But the subsequent governments formed since then have been reluctant to pass the bill. Thousands lost their lives in a decade long conflict and the following years of Madhes and other ethnic movements, everybody has blood in their hand: the Army, the Maoists, the King and the parties that came to assume power.

There is a silent agreement among the parties to provide general amnesty on cases of ‘political nature’. The Maoists and their Madhesi coalition partners in government have been pushing for amnesty petitions on several cases involving their cadres, while Nepal Army has refused to prosecute known war criminals in its ranks. The Rayamajhi commission report on human rights violation by the state forces during the 2006 people’s movement continues to gather dust even as one of the main accused has become an elected lawmaker, and the role of Gyanendra Shah as the then head of the state has never come into question.

Several national and international reports have criticised Nepal’s poor human rights record in the past, including its treatment of Tibetan refugees. The Human Rights Watch report this year is only a reminder that we, as a nation have failed miserably to protect rights and lives of people living our territory. The report goes on to say, refusal to extend the mandate of UN human rights field office this year is a major step backward and calls into question the commitment of the political parties in the government and opposition.

Putting it bluntly, Human Rights Watch director in Asia Brad Adams concludes, “Nepal is no closer to fulfilling the lofty rights-focused commitments spelled out in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement now than when it was signed five years ago.”

The report has made a detailed study of human rights situation in over 90 countries in the past year.

Anurag Acharya

To read the World Report 2012 chapter on Nepal, please visit:
World Report 2012 chapter on Nepal

Read also:
Don’t ask don’t tell, # 575
Justice is Peace, # 583

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Just when we thought that the Supreme Court deadline finally sent alarms ringing in the Constituent Assembly, the parties have once again locked horns over governance and state structure. While the Nepali Congress and the UML have teamed up with sixteen parties in favor of ‘improved’ parliamentary system, the Maoists have patched up their internal rift to counter the opposition.

The Madhesi parties have not come out openly in favor of the directly elected executive, which explains their reservations about the system. But as long as they are in the government, it is unlikely they will come in support of the parliamentary system either. In any case, as long as the parties do not engage in coming up with a workable model that is agreeable to all, wasting their time in trying to impose their line on the other, there is little hope things will move ahead.
In an effort to pressurise one another, the parties are opening side fronts. The Maoists have refused to budge on the integration while the NC is stalling CA proceedings over government’s decision to legalise the decisions taken by Maoist ‘People’s government’ during the years of conflict. The Madhesi front has been already threatening to bring down the government over the 4-point deal, which the other parties have rejected.

All this is unfolding on the backdrop of a 14 hour electricity cut, severe fuel shortages inspite of fresh hike in the prices and steadily rising food prices. The incidences of crime is once again making headlines and the picture of an ex-Minister in handcuffs, arrested on charges of kidnapping of a businessman has become a national shame. The Prime Minister is so stressed out that he has taken a leave and headed to Dhulikhel.

This is not how the people of this country wanted to begin their new year.

Anurag Acharya

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The Nepal Oil Corporation increased the price of petroleum products on Wednesday.

The price of petrol has been hiked by Rs 10 per litre and will now cost Rs 115. Prices of diesel and kerosene have been increased by nine rupees a litre and will now cost Rs 85 per litre. The price of LPG gas has reached Rs 1500 from Rs 1325 per cylinder, a rise of Rs. 175 in one cylinder.

The state owned Corporation said that the price of the petroleum products was revised to meet the surging loss it had been bearing. It said that even after the increase in the price the Corporation will be incurring a loss of Rs 860 million rupees.

The increase in price is expected to end the shortage of petroleum products. More over a month now, people have been lining up for petrol and diesel.

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Chinese premier Wen Jiabao and his 40-member team concluded their five-hour visit on Saturday afternon, after meeting Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, President Ram Baran Yadav and top leaders of the major parties.

During the brief visit, Nepal and China signed eight agreements. The separate agreements are on concessional Chinese loan to Nepal worth US dollars 750 million for the next three years and budget support worth US dollars 20 million for this year. Agreements were also signed for infrastructure development, cultural programs, upgrade of transit points, assistance for infrastructure development of Nepal Police, assistance for voluntary retirement of the combatants and upgrade of Pokhara airport.

Wen’s visit came as a surprise as neither of the governments had made any formal announcement regarding the visit. Security was beefed up in the capital during the Chinese leader’s visit and over 200 Tibetan and non-Tibetan nationals were arrested from various areas.

Wen and his team have left for Riayadh.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (standing left) and Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai (on second right) watch as the officials from their respective countries sign agreements in Kathmandu. The agreement was signed by the two sides under which Beijing will provide economic and technical assistance to strengthen the country's police and the armed police force.

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The people of Kathmandu woke up to an unexpected morning. There was heavy security presence in the streets and riot police were deployed to every crossings around the valley. The unannounced visit of the Chinese premier Wen Jiabao came more as a shock than a surprise for the people whose weekend plans went all wrong. Ratna Tripathi, 71 years, from Kavre was visiting his relative in Baneshwor when he was detained for half an hour along with dozens of commuters. “I just want to cross the street”, he kept telling the police.

“Get that man, kick him if he does not listen.”, a police sub-inspector shouted to his juniors. People were being chased away from the sidewalks into the inner alleys. Even those watching from their shops along the streets were asked to go inside. Some were so put off that they pulled the shutters down and left.

Hundreds of police personnel were deployed in Kathmandu’s Bauddha, Swayambhu and Ekantakuna, which has substantial Tibetan population. Besides, there was heavy patrolling and security checks around Tribhuvan International Airport, Gaushala, New Baneswor, all the way to Singhadurbar and traffic was diverted to clear the route.

Ngawang Lakpa Sherpa, a Nepali monk from Lamidanda, was detained in Gaushala. He was trying to catch a flight back home to meet his parents. The police strip searched his body and luggage but refused to let him go. Prem Lama, who was riding with Ngawang to airport was also detained and questioned. Ngawang’s flight took off at 11, just as he and other seven monks were arrested and taken to Gaushala police station. “I am a citizen of this country and this is how I get treated, only because I am wearing a robe”, dejected monk told us as he was being shoved inside a police truck.

Over two hundred Tibetans and non-Tibetan monks have been arbitrarily detained from various places in the capital. Police detained every Tibetan or anybody who looked like a Tibetan. Even those carrying Vietnamese and Indian passports were arrested. A bus carrying Indian tourists from Himachal Pradesh was detained and taken to Gaushala police station. Dolma Negi, a member of the tour group was questioned repeatedly about purpose of her visit even though she kept telling she was just a tourist like everybody else in the group.

The Chinese Premier landed in Kathmandu around noon and will spend ‘few hours’ in Kathmandu before proceeding to Riyadh. The secrecy surrounding the visit which is also being referred to as ‘transit diplomacy’ has to do with Chinese anxiety over possible Tibetan demonstrations that led to cancellation of the visit in December.

Not much is known about the agenda of today’s discussion but Finance Minister Barsa Man Pun told reporters that the Chinese have proposed a BIPPA treaty which the Nepal government will take up in the bilateral talks. Pun also said that the government will request Chinese help in infrastructure projects including hydropower development and special package for the Nepal Police.

Anurag Acharya

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