The Curiosity of Nepal
It's a place that I've wanted to visit for a good long while. Just when that started or just why, I'm not sure. I'm no mountaineer, that's obvious. I think it's partly that it's an interesting amalgamation of hinduism and buddhism. I've read some interesting things on the history of nepal and building of temples there, along with the social structures in the past. Maybe it's also that Nepal is just outside the border to Tibet, and has become a home for Tibetans in exile.
I think what is so dismaying is that Nepal appears to be on the slate for the next round of failed states. King Gyanendra has managed to keep a stranglehold on the place since he dissolved parliament/his cabinet for incompetency in 2003. He's almost re-established the government, before reconsidering last year and declaring a state of emergency. In the wake of this action there's been suppression of students and dissent against the government, with a recent allowance for imprisonment for 90 days without trial.
Now Maoist rebels seem poised to take control and are calling for the government to make compromises with them. According to the Post, the rebels are now in league withy mainstream parties to boycott Gyanendra's coming elections. Additionally they continue to support a general strike, that has crippled the country economically. All this has lead the Post to denote that local journalists suggest that there is fertile ground for a military coup.
So, none of this is really news to anyone that's been keeping up with the place. I just can't help wondering, what people really see in following the Maoisr rebels, who appear to have a significantly large force. They're obviously marxist-leninist rebels (gee, what a surprise, being MAOst and all ;) ) so if people are angling toward a democratic change, then this certainly isn't the force to be behind. I have less of a problem in theory with a marxist government, but it seems an odd choice if people suggest that democracy is what they want.... My other main issue is that it's hard to fathom that this is all down to Gyanendra. I know I need to read more about it. As much of an ass as Gyanendra appears to be, it seems difficult to pin this all on one Crown Prince knocking half his close family and himself off. If the constitutional monarchy was as strong as it should have been, then this crisis shouldn't have resulted in the current state of affairs. Perhaps it's that the constitutional monarchy was more monarchical than it was constitutional, and so the crisis of succession produced a crisis of government in the deepest way. I truly don't know. I need to do more research.
Just, it's sad... I really would like to go there some day. Doesn't look like that's going to happen *any* time soon.
I think what is so dismaying is that Nepal appears to be on the slate for the next round of failed states. King Gyanendra has managed to keep a stranglehold on the place since he dissolved parliament/his cabinet for incompetency in 2003. He's almost re-established the government, before reconsidering last year and declaring a state of emergency. In the wake of this action there's been suppression of students and dissent against the government, with a recent allowance for imprisonment for 90 days without trial.
Now Maoist rebels seem poised to take control and are calling for the government to make compromises with them. According to the Post, the rebels are now in league withy mainstream parties to boycott Gyanendra's coming elections. Additionally they continue to support a general strike, that has crippled the country economically. All this has lead the Post to denote that local journalists suggest that there is fertile ground for a military coup.
So, none of this is really news to anyone that's been keeping up with the place. I just can't help wondering, what people really see in following the Maoisr rebels, who appear to have a significantly large force. They're obviously marxist-leninist rebels (gee, what a surprise, being MAOst and all ;) ) so if people are angling toward a democratic change, then this certainly isn't the force to be behind. I have less of a problem in theory with a marxist government, but it seems an odd choice if people suggest that democracy is what they want.... My other main issue is that it's hard to fathom that this is all down to Gyanendra. I know I need to read more about it. As much of an ass as Gyanendra appears to be, it seems difficult to pin this all on one Crown Prince knocking half his close family and himself off. If the constitutional monarchy was as strong as it should have been, then this crisis shouldn't have resulted in the current state of affairs. Perhaps it's that the constitutional monarchy was more monarchical than it was constitutional, and so the crisis of succession produced a crisis of government in the deepest way. I truly don't know. I need to do more research.
Just, it's sad... I really would like to go there some day. Doesn't look like that's going to happen *any* time soon.