From today's nepalnews.com...These damn terrorists have now begun looting the nation's source of income too. Shitzz crazy!! Now tell me democracy with the leaders we have was a good thing. hahahaha Ain't no democrazy here, this is just a transitional phase into a communist regime. Until last year Sajha smarties never expected the commies to get into the cabinet...See all my posts from back in the days and find out how the truth has unfolded. How on earth are you guys gonna give us examples of modern day Western democracies and expect Nepal to be the same level? Our netas just don't have the mentality as the Gandhis, Washington, Jefferson and whoever are the stalwarts for a system that is the best proven out there. Note that I have nothing against democracy and am hoping that this sytem brings Nepal back from the grave but Democracy under the damn netas we currently have? We are all diggin our own graves in electing these fuggers.

All democracy preachers, let the King contest the damn election and see if he wins. By giving him the chance to stand up in the polls is what a democray is all about. Why are all your tails between those thighs in granting him this right? Let the people choose who they want as I see Gyane as the only person who would have the means to rid us of the fuggin commies. As far as I've seen in the past 17 years, the other netas have all collaborated to suck the nation dry...Hell, I don't care if you skim the top and give us the remainder but to take it all and continue doing so for a decade and a half, thats friggin bull! I' d vote for Gyane over any of the other ghoosay corrupt netas anyday!!


The article:

YCL starts "collecting" taxes

Maoist aligned Young Communist League (YCL) has started collecting duties from cross border businessmen and local people after taking the Rasuwagadhi Custom Office in Rasuwa under their control, reports Kantipur.

One local businessman told the daily that the YCL has started to collect duties from businessmen and locals for goods/commodities being exported to or imported from Tibet from this office from the past three days. They have been levying taxes of up to Rs 270 in every 20 kilograms of goods.

"We are forced to pay hefty duties even when we bring commodities for our own consumption than business," said Urgen Ghale of Timure V.D.C to the daily over telephone, "but in the receipt it is mentioned as an assistance." However, in the commodities for household consumption the duty is less. However, 13 YCL cadres in the custom office are collecting duties at their own will. It was the YCL that had demanded the reestablishment of this custom office which had shifted to Syafrubesi during the emergency period.

"As there is no custom office here, illegal smuggling of Himalayan herbs and shrubs is on the rise,"YCL's Rasuwa district chairman Nakul said, "our cadres would collect the duties until the custom office starts to become operational here again."

Police Inspector Lal Bahadur Thami said they are having a tough time to take a definite decision on this case due to the absence of Chief District Officer (CDO) and the District Superintendent of Police (DSP) has also been transferred. nepalnews.com ag Aug 27

They have been doing this since day one. All that bhatta, chanda etc.etc.
Wonder where all that money is going ? That reliable swiss accounts ?

BC -

I read an article in AsiaWeek a few years ago about how the Maoists might be the most well funded insurgency in recent guerrilla history. What I find interesting is in spite of the amount of money they have, in spite of the milita they have, the seem the most reluctant to go to the polls. I think they have realized the Nepali people might be just a wee bit smarter politically than they might have assumed.

Shirish -

I knew what you were upto, so thought I'd play along :) Hope all is well with you.

Well funded does not mean popular Capn'
Just take a good look at the pitiful state of the whole Palestanian issue. West pumped al that money in there and guess who won ? Hamas, the very people the whole of western civilization despise. Since they could not get their way there...... Friends of Israel and Americe blocked the flow of $$$ in there which made the Hamas(and the Shia bases) even more powerful.

Same here, I mean IF THE PEOPLE OF NEPAL DO NOT WANT COMMUNIST GOVERNMANT ....they have nochoice but to concede. And its been about the same amount of time THEY(Communists) gave Gyaney to improve the country. Lives of Nepali people have gone from bad to worse(not blameing solely on them but most of it). But they keep saying we need to have patience for things to improve....he he how much patience ? 10 yrs 20 yrs ? C'mon now. THEY HAVE COME TO REALIZE THAT IF THEY LOSE THE ELECTION(they lose everyting)....HE HE & THEY MIGHT BE HEADED FOR SOME JAIL TIME FOR ALL THE ATROCITIES THEY ARE COMITING.

And Of course they are Scared to goto the polls Capn' he he

Most of the educated and smart people already knew what the communists were all about long time back during the SPAM movement.

The educated but not so smart have always placed their high hopes on the Maoist and now they can see how not so smart their hopes and aspirations were.

Hi Saroj -

Agreed - any one who placed blind trust on the Maoists would have been wrong to do so whether they were Royalists, democrats or leftists. The Maoists have proved to be a mercurial outfit that needs to be handled in an astute political fashion. I am not one to easily defend Girija, but on this account, I think he has done a decent job keeping the coalition together and moving the country forward on the only path to peace that has a realistic chance of working.

Bear in mind that both King Gyanendra and SPA courted the Maosist. If you recall, there was even a meeting in the Palace that Minister Pun accidentally spilled the beans about and then later denied. Prachanda has also said the Maoists maintained communication channels with the Palace through various sources including former Prince Dhirendra at one point. Likewise they had communication links with PM Koirala through some of his family members.

What is there to say King Gyanendra would not have engaged the Maoists the same way as SPA? I mean from the failed talks and negotiations it clearly seems that he was headed that way if only they would have come on board his government. I think this failure, and the subsequent re-alignment with the SPA was real reason for the King's downfall. His main umph when he took power was he would bring peace to the country but in the eyes of many people just the opposite happened. Had he been successful in brining the Maoists to the mainstream, he might still have been ruling, albeit in a different fashion. The credit for that instead went to Girija Koirala I( a flawed politician, no doubt) who seems to have become what Gyanendra (supposedly an astute politician) probably feels he should have become.

BC -

They can't ask for time forever. If they do, they will get kicked out sooner or later. As for things getting worse, it is a matter of perspective. The number of killings has dramatically dropped and the country seems very likely to have polls in November or there around. Then it's two years to write the new constitution (a bit too long IMO) and then the first general elections under the constitution where I hope Gyanendra will be running for President. I've always felt President Gyanendra has better change of mass acceptance than King Gyandenra - if not for anything else, for the qualities that some of his supporters have described of him here.

{Edited: Thanks for pointing out the typo, Kishnekale}

. excellent rhetoric...CH bangs again....was that astute instead of astutue btw

El Haddock,"As for things getting worse, it is a matter of perspective."
Huh ! I am a lil confused. he he Capn' how the hell are you going to explain to the Bhariya who is trying to put food on the table that the reason he is not able to do that ....is a matter of perspective ? he he You are being too naive about the harsh fact of reality of most Nepali people.

El Haddock," The number of killings has dramatically dropped and the country seems very likely to have polls in November or there around."
Killing has dramatically dropped yes but not ended. Women and children are still scared to go out. Its easy for you to stay here in the comforts of the western world and assume everything is happy and dandy. They have not stopped extorting money from businesses yet, they have not stpped threatening people who pose a threat to their ways and means. Its one thing to be living it and another to be refereeing it.

Dunno about Gyaney. Ahh Just dun like him as a person. For he sat on his fat ass and did nothing when he was provided with an oppertunity to do something for Nepal.

El Haddock,"Then it's two years to write the new constitution (a bit too long IMO) and then the first general elections under the constitution where I hope Gyanendra will be running for President."
That a nice assumption he he he Capn' but the truth is really really far from it. They have not even agreed in the one comin' up at the end of this yr. And yo are already painting a rosy picture of something 2 yrs down the road ? I like yer optimism but the reality is a lil projectile from it.

BC -

This is the second time (I think) you've commented that my ideas might be out of touch with reality. I contend they are not. If what I have said is so wacky and balmy, care to share how you would do things differently and how they might be more realistic?

I trust you are enough of a thinking person to not go through the trouble of spewing out emotional and judgmental rhetoric that is not backed by reasoning and logic. I look forward to hearing your ideas.

Will give a short ans to that one Capn' .... How do you explain the poor Bhariya that the reason a kilo of rice cost 50 Rs is a matter of perspective ? Or to the Businessperson who has to pay that weekly Bhatta/Chanda on top of the taxes he pays to the Government ? Or to that person who is trying to hold on to a regualr job who cannot make it to work because of Nepal Bandhs or chakka jaaam ?

How do you convince these people that its all the matter of perspective ? he he
C'mon Capn' !!!!

Bathroom coffee,
You are right, we cannot explain anything.Let us do 'nepalbandh' for that

BC -

Thanks for the clarification. Phew, I don't feel like a raving lunatic running around with a 'Democracy Now!" placard anymore

In the hopes that we can have a logical and civil conversation, I don't deny there is a security problem in vast parts of the country today. The way out of the mess - regardless of who created it - is to have a functioning political process in the country. Strikes, bandhs, armed insurgencies, civil wars all happen when politics fails. The only way out, as I see it, and as many others in Nepal seem to see it, is to have an inclusive and equitable system of governance that we haven't really ever had. A system where people are compelled to sort out their differences in parliament rather than taking to the streets every third day.

The CA elections may or may not produce such a system, but that's our best shot at it and the furthest we have gotten in our 235 years of post-unification history to actually completing the process PNS started. PNS wanted a complete unification of Nepal: military, administrative, political and cultural. The first two happened to some extent but we haven't done as well on the last two. Should the CA elections go through, albeit with the inherent flaws of a third-world electoral process, and should we have a new government under that setup, we might finally see violence on the streets and villages replaced by politics in parliament and the living rooms of politicians. That would make for a more complete union (of course with new problems and challenges that will come up which we will need to face with new ideas)

The only reason I responded to this thread, and might to other political threads, is because of the absurdity of the solution proposed. Direct rule of the King? What clock do people run on? Talk about being realistic there! Here he is trying his best to save his throne, some say even considering a 3 month pilgrimage/self-exile into India till the CA elections are held, and people are saying he should take over? How? The Army seems to be increasing neutral these days and the King hasn't regained popularity amongst the people (judging by the paltry turnout at his birthday bash and the practically non-existent protest over the nationalization of his property). Talk about trying to repair your roof when your basement in burning.

The best shot to retain the Monarchy, IMO, is for King Gyanendra to abdicate in favor of his grandson. Short of that, it is hard to see how the institution can be saved. The tide has turned against the King and one would have to be blind to not see it.

Just my thoughts.

Just curious,
What is PNS?? Otherwise I would be running like a raving lunatic with "hamro raja,hamro sarkar, pran bhanda pyaro cha" placard. :)

Well, king was always against maoist. If you look at Janaandolan-2 , king constantly said if the 7 parties break the bond with terrorist then he can sit in negotiation table with agitating parties and everything would be resolved peacefully. However, the 7 parties continued to shake hands with terrorist and situation got worse. The result is now nepal is on the verge of failed state.

Capn' you really think that Nepal is capable of a functioning Political Process ? he he You mean change our ways and means that have defined us PRESTO overnight and everythig will be happy and dandy ? he he We have not had a decent functioning govenment since the inception of so called Democracy....what makes you think it will be different this time ? The quality of life have been slowly deteriorating for the past 15 years. But all the governing parties that came and went seem to care less about anything else other that filling their own pockets while the sun shine. I mean just take a good look at the forum here.... you really think the Royalist and the Commies are going to get along ? They are always at each others throat(on the net), imagine what they would do to each other in reality ?

I don't see the monarchy making a comeback. The guy already had his chance and he fugged it up. And I am not for handing power to gutless and useless sitting duck like Gyaney. I am afraid he will sit on his fat ass and do nothing again.

BC -

In my honest opinion, yes, we are capable of an imperfect but functional system, even if we exhaust ourselves into it. The question is will common sense prevail and such a system come sooner or will we continue to fight amongst ourselves, kill a few more of our countrymen, and then finally realize no matter how much we fight, we still need a workable form of government that we couldn't create by fighting.

I have very little faith in the current crop of leaders - GPK, Gyanendra, Prachanda,MKN etc. I see them - especially GPK - as being able to lead the country only as far out as the CA elections. The reason I think we need a functioning system is because that system is the only thing that can produce the new leaders we need. Electoral processes generally produce leaders. Absolute monarchies typically don't.

As for the mismanagement by politicians that you pointed out, that's what elections are for. You don't like a politician or a party, then vote them out. You don't like the choices available in politics? Then stand up and run for office. Look at history. The Nepali people, through these "imperfect" elections, have thrown out the government - not once but twice. That's why I find claims of 100% rigged elections to be a bit ridiculous. You can capture one booth or rig once polling station but Nepal is too big of a country electorally for such a thing to have impacted the final outcome of the last two general elections. The CA elections will be held under international observation - apparently Jimmy Carter is an observer and he's never certified a rigged election. If there is wide spread rigging, it will undoubtedly come to the surface. No one could possibly get away with such a thing under such fluid political conditions without facing the consequences.

I trust all those people who think the Monarchy should be retained will vote their sentiments in the upcoming CA polls. I am not here to defend the parties. I am simply not interested in doing that and don't care enough about them to do that. To me this is about building a country and having a political system that gives everyone a chance - and I think we need a pluralistic and broad based system for that. What that system will be is what the CA will decide.

That's all really.

Maverick -

PNS = Prithvi Narayan Shah

. appreciate your attention Captain Saab...well that was just a reminder...i didn intend to point at typos...just wanted to remove dirt from a good paint....easy hai...

Once you provide free room and board that will not change even the contingencies have been changed. It is always loot.

Once you provide free room and board that will not change even the contingencies have been changed. It is always loot.

well nepal isnt gonna be good i think it is going towards civil war