Land Reform, Truth And Reconciliation
I see this to be an essential component of permanent peace for the country. You abolish the monarchy, you abolish the army. You provide 15 bodyguards to Prachanda, 10 to Baburam, and when they move around together, they are one unit of 25. For five years. Then you bring the numbers down to 10 and 5 for the next five years. All these would be on the state's payroll after the peace talks are concluded. But they will be people selected from the existing bodyguards of these two. And this is even if they do not elect themselves into positions of power.
This is not too big a price to pay for peace. This would be but a small price. This I think is essential to imagining the Maoists as a political party without an armed wing.
Frankly I think if either were to fall to some political plot, that would complicate the politics in the country in ways we do not want. We have to prevent that possibility. Let their opponents defeat them at the ballot box.
I think Prachanda stands a very good chance of getting elected president, either during the very first round, or five years later. At this point I think it is between Madhav Nepal and Prachanda. One of them is going to be the first president of Nepal.
The two Congress parties are not in tune with the April Revolution. Their not coming forth clearly for a federal republic will hurt them big. And the Koirala Congress does not have a clear successor to Girija Koirala who likely will not be contesting elections ever again, although he might make campaign appearances on behalf of his party. Past 80 is kind of retirement age. Ronald Reagan was 73 when he became president. And people thought that was a little on the old side. I think it helps that Girija is slim. But beyond a point you are really pushing it.
Nothing has happened in Nepal over the past 10 years that can be considered to have been worse than decades of apartheid in South Africa. Nelson Mandela set a wonderful example there. His bigness of heart has lessons for us. We do need a Truth And Reconciliation Commission, but we don't want to engage in witch hunting. As to how wide the amnesty will be is a decision for the political leadership to take. I don't want to be drawing lines long distance.
How To Handle The Police, The Army
Home Minister Krishna Sitoula was in news a week or so back suggesting the police are not obeying him like they should.
Phone Marathon II (April 2, 2005)
Phone Marathon: Called Up Delhi (April 2, 2005)
I had a long conversation with Sitoula when he was in exile in Delhi after the 2/1 coup. He was in hospital. We covered many bases. Good to see he is now Home Minister. He is a rising star, looks like.
Sitoula as Home Minister is boss. All police officers in the country are to obey him. Now. He can not make people obey when they do not wish to obey. But he sure can fire them. They would lose their jobs. I can imagine some members of the old guard who climbed up the ladders because they had the right last name and were perhaps villains during the April Revolution dragging their feet.
I suggest Sitoula meet police officers widely, at many different ranks. Every senior police officer has tens of juniors salivating to be promoted. Make an example out of one or two bad apples. Fire them. Promote a few good ones. Make an example out of a few. The rest will fall in line. You are boss, Mr. Home Minister. Show them you are boss. You might not have been born into a feudal family, but you are boss now. All police officers are your underlings.
Sitoula, Prachanda, Baburam
Good to see they are talking.
Exporting Revolution
UML Inching Towards Federalism
Bahun, Chhetri, Sunni
Abolish The Monarchy, Abolish The Army
In The News
Home Minister Sitaula, top Maoist leaders start talks in Kaski NepalNews
Three ministers inducted in Koirala cabinet People’s Front Nepal chairman Amik Sherchan has been appointed as deputy prime minister along with Health portfolio while Nepal Sadbhawana Party leader Hridayesh Tripathi has been appointed as minister for commerce, industries and supplies.
SPA postpones parliament session Talking to journalists after the meeting general secretary of Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Anandidevi), Hridayesh Tripathi said, "The decision to postpone the parliament session was taken as there isn't any burning issues at the moment that needs to be discussed in the HoR and we also need to speed up the government-Maoist talks." ....... Tripathi, however, denied that the decision to adjourn the House was a result of Maoist pressure, adding, We are still insisting on retaining the parliament until there is an alternate arrangement." ...... The SPA has also decided to form a "steering committee” to direct parliament, government and the peace process...... Talking to the journalists after the meet, General Secretary of CPN UML Madhav Kumar Nepal said that the election of the Constitutional Assembly (CA) should be conducted by the second week of November.
Maoist talks coordinator denies delay in talks process Krishna Bahadur Mahara .... He said his team was in regular contact with the government talks team, the Maoist leadership, political parties and the civil society. .... Both sides have publicly said the next round of talks would enter into such political agendas as the elections to constituent assembly and formation of an interim government.
Constituent Assembly Elections Before Dashain (May 19, 2006)
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