This begins with analysis that Maoists "realize they made a mistake by leaving government" and then concludes that the country is a precipice.

But I think the Maoists left the govt to make the very principled point to public opinion (which they had probably investigated carefully):

Look, we got control of 80% of the country through armed struggle. We participated in democratic elections monitored by Jimmy Carter etc. and won big-time in 2008. And part of the bargain was that the army would integrate our PLA. And that's not happening. The Nepal Army chief, still a royalist at heart, isn't moving on the inclusion of the 19,000 PLA, is actually recruiting additional regular NA troops, and trying to purchase arms forbidden under the 2006 Comprehensive Agreement (as mentioned in the letter of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to the Nepali govt this month).

Even though our leader, Prachanda, tried to fire the Army chief, the president, member of the Congress Party, re-appointed him, basically affirming military supremacy.

This is important. In this instance the Maoists actually have UNMIN on their side in that its report notes pointedly that the present government isn't living up to the terms of the peace agreement whereby the PLA would be integrated into the regular army.

The UN is putting a lot of money into this project (including subsidizing a lot of demobilized PLA troops) and we should not even necessarily imagine its officials at this point inherently hostile to the Nepali Maoists if they think they can head up a government of national unity.

That's what Prachanda will be talking about in Singapore. This would likely mean Prachanda as most popular man in the nation resuming the prime ministership with renewed authority, his party and the broader masses having made that point about CIVILIAN SUPREMACY.

This could be a very interesting experiment in military integration. Or a fucking explosion. Who knows?

Yeah, this reporting is quite biased (but the footage is still cool!)

The most recent report is that Prachanda and the ailing Koirala met in Singapore agreeing on a mechanism to resolve the political impasse.

Maybe this means that the Congress and UML will concede the principle of civilian supremacy by acknowledging the justice of Prachanda's dismissal of the insubordinate Army chief last May. Or at least the impropriety of the president's reestablishment of the chief in his post.

Prachanda predicts the collapse of the present government within a few days. The parliament can't as it is pass the budget without Maoist support. Quite possibly the Maoists following their massive street demonstrations will negotiate a return to administrative power and Prachanda will resume the prime ministership.

The problem of the Army is still there. How to make sure it isn't used against the people, and what they've achieved so far? What should be done with it?

The new head of the Nepali PLA has been in China, getting treated well. Apparently the Beijing bosses have figured out that the Maoists are likely to lead Nepal in the future and while they know the ideoligical differences are deep they are interested in developing ties, including military ties. It may make sense for the PLA, given the Nepal Army's ties to India, to explore these ties.

Followup report on PLA/army integration: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cd_A3k_4Bm0

This is the latest report by Associated Press:
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Protesters rampage in Nepal after 3 die in clashes

By BINAJ GURUBACHARYA
The Associated Press
Saturday, December 5, 2009; 7:05 AM

KATMANDU, Nepal -- Hundreds of protesters torched vehicles and vandalized shops in western Nepal on Saturday after three people died in clashes between police and illegal forest settlers, a human rights group said, amid heightened political tensions in the Himalayan nation.

Nepal's Human Rights Commission urged the government to immediately investigate the violence that erupted as police tried to remove thousands of illegal squatters in a forest in Kailali district, about 400 miles (640 kilometers) west of the capital, Katmandu, on Friday.

Hundreds of policemen were mobilized to keep order in the district after the deaths sparked protests Saturday, including by the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), the former communist rebels, who have called for a nationwide general strike on Sunday.
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Political tensions have been high in Nepal since a Maoist-led government resigned earlier this year amid a dispute with the nation's president over the army chief's refusal to incorporate former Maoist rebels fighters into the military.

A senior U.S. diplomat met Nepal's prime minister Friday to express "deep concern" about the political stalemate that threatens to undermine the peace process, a U.S. Embassy statement said Saturday.

Charge d'Affaires Randy Berry expressed his concern to Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal that recent actions by the Maoists are inconsistent with their stated commitment to the peace process, the rule of law, and democratic practices.

The Maoists gave up armed revolt in 2006 but have been blamed for continuing violence and organizing protests against the new government.

The unrest in western Nepal broke out Friday near the town of Lamahi with clashes between police and people who had settled illegally in the forest area protected by the government. After police tried to remove the settlers and tear down their temporary huts, settlers lynched one policeman and officers retaliated by firing at them and killing at least two, officials said.

Uttam Singh, district police chief, said protesters on Saturday shut down the country's main east-west highway by blocking the road that passes through the forest.

The settlers are either homeless or lost their homes in flooding and landslides common in this Himalayan nation.

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When you have people's power sooner or later the old machine is going to break down