Maoists Blockade Government Offices in Kathmandu
Posted by Tell No Lies on May 5, 2010
Maoists blocking a road yesterday in Kathmandu
from Associated Press
Nepal’s Maoists block roads to government offices
By Binaj Gurubacharya
KATMANDU, Nepal — Nepal’s Maoist opposition blocked streets leading to key government offices Wednesday on the fourth day of their crippling general strike to demand the prime minister’s resignation, while the government vowed not to bow to protesters’ pressure.
Protesters hoped to disrupt the government by blocking streets leading to the Singhadurbar complex which houses key offices and ministries, but many government ministers already had entered the complex under police protection before sunrise.
The Maoists, known to use violence to back their strike calls, have demanded that residents halt all travel and keep businesses and schools closed since Sunday in their campaign to get Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal to resign and hand power to a Maoist-led government.
The strike has shut down most businesses, schools and transport, with daily activity grinding to a standstill.
The standoff has raised fears of renewed violence in Nepal, where the Maoists ended their decade-old insurgency and joined a peace process in 2006. They won elections in 2008 and briefly led a coalition government, but a dispute over the army chief’s firing split the coalition, leading to the formation of the current administration they are trying to topple.
The strike also comes as Nepal’s Constituent Assembl
Leaders of the Maoists and the two main ruling parties were meeting again on Wednesday to try resolve the crisis through talks — the latest round of talks in the past three days that have so far failed to break the deadlock.
Maoist leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal and his deputy Baburam Bhattarai met the leader of the Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist Leninist) Jhalnath Khanal and the president of the Nepali Congress party, Sushil Koirala, at a downtown hotel.
Home Minister Bhim Rawal told reporters Wednesday that the prime minister was not going to bow to the pressure from the protesters and does not plan to resign.
Rawal said the government was working to bring life back to normal, including deploying police to protect banks which have been shuttered by the strike.
Home Ministry spokesman Jayamukunda Khanal said banks had not taken up the government’s offer of protection and remained closed.
Home Ministry officials said police would escort additional convoys of trucks carrying essential goods into the city, after escorting a few trucks with fuel and food early Tuesday.
Dirgha Raj Prasai said
Please read once then release my opinions-
The only interest of all royalist-nationalists is that this country should live as a sovereign country.
The Maoist group itself is an organization that has come up with a revolutionary thinking for strong nationalism and against foreign interference, oppression, suppression and rampant corruption. The way the Maoists were successful in breaking the one-sided control and dominance in power of the Nepali Congress, UML, RPP and Sadhvabana Party by using the traitors and corrupts in those parties it needs to be very careful to meet the future challenges. The main agenda of Nepal is to control and curb foreign interference and corruption and all must remain aware that one cannot impose all its thinking and prejudices in the context of Nepal.
The Maoists’ political success will be measured on how it can move according to the national and international contexts. All nationalists are convinced that as the Maoists face a stiff challenge, it can achieve great success only if it can respect the country’s identity and the established norms and values. For this, we request the Maoists to be committed to the following points.
1. It would be relevant if the Maoists move ahead by expressing commitment to the guideline of late Chinese leader and namesake of the CPN-Maoist on a sovereign Nepal and the integrity of one-China principle. Although Nepal and India are near geographically and culturally Nepal has been facing threat since the Mugal times. But Nepal has not faced any kind of threat from China since communism was established there.
China’s leader Mao Ze Dong used to say even when communism was at its height in China that ‘China was in favor of monarchy in Nepal as its sovereignty is safe only because of monarchy’. Mao used to have total faith on Nepal’s monarchy as he understood it very well that Nepalese communists even if they wear the façade of a revolutionary always run under the Indian design.
China had understood it clearly that Nepal’s sovereignty is linked with monarchy. Therefore, there is no option for the Maoists too to accept this reality. The Maoist should be able to understand the game plan of India and America to destroy China by using Nepal and for that they first want to weaken Nepal. In such a situation, we nationalists including Maoists should request Him to reinstate the throne with Crown. The attempt to establish a republican state in Nepal is a Herculean task.
2. If Nepal’s sovereignty is to be protected against the policy of America and India, especially against the conspiracy of RAW, the Maoist must commit itself to a balanced relation between India and China through (1) to manage and control the open border between Nepal and India by fencing and/or construction of wall along the border with consent of both the countries and maintain the 7-10 border points; (II) revoke the citizenship taken by few Tibetan and many Indian nationals since 2007&2008; (III) introduction of work permit for foreigner workers in Nepal and; (IV) to ease the movement of people, transportation and export-import with China.
3. The natural and cultural assets are the wealth of the country. Therefore, the Maoists should prepare plans to mobilize Nepalese manpower in the utilization of natural resources – land, water resources and forest; and to maintain the country’s cultural vibrancy it should declare religious freedom and announce the continuation of Hindu and Buddhist kingdom by which Nepal is known around the world. If the Maoists make these commitments, no force can destroy the Maoists. Although Mao had maintained secularism in China he had prevented the encroachment of foreign religion in China. It might be mentioned here that secularism in Nepal is the interest of the foreigners to destroy the whole identity of Nepal.
4. The Maoists must prepare a list of those of Nepali Congress, UML, RPP and Sadhvawana parties who were in power after 1991 and those who were in the ministries from Secretary, director generals of the departments and directorates, project managers, chief of public corporations, contractors whose number range from 5,000 to 20,000 and evaluate all their previous and present assets and properties, bank balances both in the country and outside, shares, investments and take action under a strict criteria. For this, appropriate laws should be formulated and the institution should be constituted to curb corruptions. All their properties should be nationalized and they be punished if they fail to furnish relevant proof of their assets and properties and incomes.
5. The financial system is the crux of any country’s stability and steadiness. So, to control the economy that depends on smuggling the Maoists should (i) formulate policy of compulsory monitoring of the country’s industries, economic and commerce sector, pledge for a privatization policy that does not go against the country’s interest (ii) embank the rivers and reclaim the fallow land on the banks of hundreds of rivers and the land reclaimed be distributed among the landless; farming of fruits, medicinal plans and cash crops like tea on the fallow and waste lands; implement plans with people’s participation for the protection of forest areas and water resources. If these commitments can be materialized the prosperity and stability of the country can be assured for years to come.
Thank you.
Dirgha Raj Prasai
Email: dirgharajprasai@gmail.com