Waiting for Godot - Nepali Times

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Waiting for Godot

FROM ISSUE #487 (29 JAN 2010 - 04 FEB 2010) | TABLE OF CONTENTS

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KIRAN PANDAY

SEARCHING: Treasure-hunting in the Sali River in Sankhu, Tuesday

It's been a fortnight since the High Level Political Mechanism was formed. It has accomplished nothing save stir up controversy and confirm the self-serving nature of our politicians, both included and excluded from the party. With the Maoists' Standing Committee now sitting down to discuss the way forward - presumably to decide on a united front on the political deadlock and the various unresolved segments of the peace process, including the constitution - we can only watch and wait, get on with our lives, and be thankful there's more to it than politics.

There's a lot to look out for. The Jaipur Literature Festival, held over five days in the charming Pink City last week, was one such affirmation of life both transcendental and grounded in social realities. If Nepali representation at the festival was limited to observer status, the same can't be said for the ongoing Himalayan Film & Cultural Festival in London.

READ ALSO:
In a state of paranoia - FROM ISSUE #487 (29 JAN 2010 - 04 FEB 2010)
Security sureties - FROM ISSUE #487 (29 JAN 2010 - 04 FEB 2010)
More than mountains - FROM ISSUE #487 (29 JAN 2010 - 04 FEB 2010)
Jaipur journey - FROM ISSUE #487 (29 JAN 2010 - 04 FEB 2010)

1. Arthur
"...we can only watch and wait, get on with our lives, and be thankful there's more to it than politics..." Yes that about sums up the state of Nepal's english speaking "political class". Of course last week the headline item said: "Nepalis must come out of our habit of leaving things to fate and chance. Only by taking our destiny in our own hands, uniting with a common purpose can we sustain the peace process, and take the steps needed to finish writing the constitution on time." Do you ever actually believe anything you write?

Posted on: 29 JAN 2010 | 11:21 PM NST

2. Nabina
Yay....! Arthur...! That much sums up the state of Nepali times . You have 7 days to wait and you read for 7 minutes. And sometimes I too fell like NT is becoming something along the lines of UML, a flip flop thingy. No wonder, good writers regularly turn their backs on NT. 1000 rupess for an article is just too much of Bahun stinginess I guess.

Posted on: 31 JAN 2010 | 7:01 PM NST

3. Rodya,Pune
So, will anybody from NT speak up and clear their stand. Shall they enlighten poor Nepali earthlings: either they should intervene or should wait for GODOT. (Death was not enough for Vladimir and Estragen. )Hypocrisy is not enough for people behind NT.It is a proof of the kind of rotten ,corrupt and senseless people who masquerade as intellectuals to mould a esteemless national psychology.I am deeply ashamed.

Posted on: 01 FEB 2010 | 8:14 PM NST

4. godot
eh? isnt the whole point of waiting for godot was to be in a state of suspended animation, with a sense of foreboding and anticipation. that is how many nepalese feel these days, except those extremists on both sides who believe in their own facist utopias. so what does this have to do with english-speaking or nepali-speaking? and since when should Nepali Times or any other paper speak for intervention, Rodya? The fact is we are all waiting for Godot, whether we like it or not, and journalists can only observe and call for resolution. not intervention. seems to me some of you are pretty happy to wait for 7 days so you can vomit out 7 seconds of pointless negative commentary. get a life.

Posted on: 02 FEB 2010 | 11:34 AM NST

5. Arthur
Godot, there was no "negative commentary" last week when the headline said the opposite of what it says this week. Check archive: http://www.nepalitimes.com.np/issue/2010/01/22/Headline/16721 Perhaps you are right that this "state of suspended animation" also affects many Nepalese who do not speak english. But it seems characteristic of Nepal's better off people, and therefore of the "educated" and so the english speaking that their natural state is "suspended animation" and they revert to it quickly after making token declarations to actually do anything. There are others who are actively intervening to change things and these are the ones you call "extremists" with "utopias". You really mean the Maoists who are openly organizing people to intervene against this status quo of suspended animation. But like Nepal Times itself your are more comfortable presenting the status quo state of suspended animation as the natural centre so you say "on both sides". This helps you to remain in suspended animation while writing pointless comments about not writing pointless comments.

Posted on: 02 FEB 2010 | 12:26 PM NST

6. Shellfish
Yeah, Maoists are "openly organizing people to intervene against the status quo of suspended animation" by threatening to declare a war on India. Let the PLA fighters save us from the nukes, when it comes that. Super.

Posted on: 02 FEB 2010 | 2:40 PM NST

7. Arthur
So refusing to accept that India decides how Nepal should be governed is "threatening to declare war on India"! Only a state of suspended animation can save the Shellfish from the nukes! One gets the feeling that the selfish are not feeling confident about remaining in power when they get so desperate as talk of "Indian nukes" as though it was what prevents them actually doing anything useful. "Super".

Posted on: 03 FEB 2010 | 7:13 AM NST

8. Shellfish
Arthur, how is it you get to tell us, Nepalis, what we should be doing? And thinking? There is such a thing as political realism. The world goes round in circle whether you like it or not. And as Thucydides said: "Right, as the world goes, is only in question between equals in power, while the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must." And we are lucky we don't live in Thucydides' war, and the norms of sovereignty, rights and justice have seeped into this political reality. Having said that, soft power isn't yet a norm. And, its probably better to be careful while provoking a nuclear power if all you have got to defend yourself with is a few machetes.

Posted on: 03 FEB 2010 | 10:29 AM NST

9. Arthur
Even Shellfish must actually know that there is not the slightest hint of India threatening Nepal with nuclear weapons. Nor would that be conceivable since such threats would directly undermine the interests of all the nuclear powers despite them not giving a damn what happens to Nepal. Nor is there any threat by Maoists to declare war on India. Again Shellfish must actually know that. What we are left with is a certain mindset, the mindset of a Shellfish - which is unable to present rational arguments but knows deep down that its basic nature requires it to remain in suspended animation, waiting for "fate" to decide its destiny but nevertheless, finds itself becoming uncomfortable about this and giving strange names like "Indian nukes" to describe its nameless fear of emerging into actual life and history.

Posted on: 03 FEB 2010 | 12:11 PM NST