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Maoists and Morons-What is the Difference?

It has been a while since I last updated the site. I was too busy with work lately. However, I could not resist writing today after reading the news about Maoists resigning from the government. Sure, they did not deserve to be ministers after killing thousands of innocent people but the way this was designed, it sends us a step further back from the peace process.

Ekantipur writes:

KATHMANDU, Sept 18 - Just four and a half months after joining the government, the CPN-Maoist has quit the government as talks held among the major parties at the Prime Minister’s Residence at Baluwatar Tuesday morning to convince the former rebels to stay in the interim administration ended inconclusively.

Ok, why was this for? Because no one listened to their demands. Hey, is Nepal a country where your wishes come true? Do you not have to consider the interests and choices of millions of other people? Why should Nepal give in to the demands of Maoists who are a minority anyway? Why should we compromise with the interests of millions of Nepalese to satisfy a couple thousands?

I remember my childhood days when I used to cry, cry and cry until I got what I wanted. Maoists are following the same path. They are crying for something that others don’t want to give in. If not, they have the option of threatening the other parties. I used to do the same. Whenever my parents did not give what I wanted, I used to say, “I am not going to school if you don’t give me what I have asked for.”

What a cry baby maoists have become. One day, they are talking in one line, the next day, they have completely changed the direction. They are the worst creatures on earth. They have no sense of direction. They have no sense of what the world is up for. They have no idea how much progress the world has made in the last 10 years while they were planning to bomb the infrastructures in Nepal.

Now, they are going to start their usual way of protests. Closing down shops, schools and so forth. When are these freaks going to realize that these activities are going to cost us millions of rupees? Do they even have a sense of how the basics of economics work? Got to admit, you have to be educated about the ideas of human civilization, its progress and prosperity, and not the obsolete doctrines of maoism.

True, they are morons!!! Nepal should act harsh on them now. Now is the time. They don’t have the right to compromise with the lives of millions of Nepalese. If they want, they can go for elections-I am sure they are not winning a single seat-if the elections are fair. However, I am not for giving in to these stupid bunch of psychos.

You Can Only Take a Horse to a River-You Cannot Make it Drink!!!

This perfectly suits the newly weds in the cabinet in Nepal. People who never have had responsible public portfolios in the past are ruling the country. The country is going down the line every day. Socialist policies which were long dead for the world are taking over the market economy in Nepal. Maoists are on the road to ruin the future of millions of Nepalese for the sake of their political goals. A fresh example-Melamchi Project.

Recent decision of Hisila Yami to review the Melamchi Project has sparked criticism from the donors like ADB. One of the main part of the ADB deal was that we give the contract to foreign companies. If we are to fail to honor the agreement, we surely are going to lose the Melamchi project one more time.

I knew Nepal would have a hard time convincing the world once the maoists were inducted in the government. However, I did not expect Hisila Yami to go this far as to kick out ADB from the project. Nepalnews quotes Hisila Yami, the minister for works and physical planning:

“We are neither against Melamchi nor against ADB. We only want to ensure public participation in water management.”

Ok!!!What is this supposed to mean? These socialist “bastards” are thwarting attempts at development projects as well. Can they not just shut their mouth and let the projects move on? They neither have resources, nor the knowledge to develop Nepal. Their traditional way of development has no place on earth. This is the age of global participation, not domestic monopoly. And, I know it very well, these people who have read century old literature from Marx and Mao will never understand the modern world. Result?

Yes, we will be pushed a couple of decades further down on the road to developed Nepal. When India will be the next superpower, we will still languish in poverty-thanks to these maoists. When China will overtake USA in terms of GDP, we will still be debating on whether Mr. A or Mr. B should head Tribhuvan University.

I do not want to be pessimistic, but we have to accept the reality. As long as these maoists don’t change, I do not see a prosperous Nepal.

Why Do Asians Not Wear Shoes at Home?

Mark, a friend of mine from United Kingdom, walked straight into my living room with his shoes on. I was surprised and shocked, angered and left frustrated. I was looking at the dirt marks made by his shoes on the clean carpet that stretched to the four corners of the floor. He realized that I was looking intensely at him. Without any hesitation he asked, “Hey, is there something wrong?”

I made him feel comfortable, “Oh! Everything is fine. I am glad you accepted my invitation to come to my house.” In fact, I was angered by his attitude. I even had a sign outside my house that read, “We welcome your soul, not your shoes” and yet, he did not notice it, or he ignored it. He made me realize for the first time that not all people in this world take their shoes off before they enter the house. “How can people wear shoes inside their house?” I thought.

Most of the Asian nations like Japan, China, Nepal and India have the tradition of taking shoes off before entering the house. The traditional houses have a rack for shelving shoes outside the door. Hindu people have been highly influenced by this tradition. While there can be several reasons for taking shoes off before entering the house, the religion in these countries plays a major role for this tradition. Health benefits are important too.

However, health benefits of not wearing shoes may have been the least considered factors when Hindu people made it a religious norm to take shoes off before entering houses. Major reasons are religious rather than health. Hindu people believe that gods reside in their house. Hindu people have some sort of prayer rooms within their house. This implies that they regard their houses as the temples. Hence, entering houses in shoes is not an acceptable norm. So, if one is to step inside the house in their shoes, it is a sign of disrespect to the god. And, it is this fear of angering the god that forbids Hindu people from entering houses in shoes.

Furthermore, Hindu people believe in non-violence. It is against the religion to kill animals whether it is for food or for other purposes. And shoes are generally made out of leather which is regarded as an impure substance by the Hindu religion. Even the people who work in shoe factories are considered as being inferior. So, most of the Hindu people do not want impure substances within their home. There are people who still believe in this reason, and those people do not even wear leather clothes.

Moreover, Hindu people respect rice. Rice is a staple food in the countries like India and Nepal. Many people use the straw of rice plants to make mats. And, these mats are stretched on the floors in the houses. So, they do not want to dirty the mats, which are made from the plant they respect so much. They sit on the floors covered by the mats. They even make their beds on the floors and sleep on the floors. If they bring their shoes inside the houses, they would be dirtying the mats or even their beds at times. So, it would be good even from the health aspect to take shoes off before entering the house.

There are other reasons to support the health benefits arising from this tradition in India and Nepal. The climate in these countries is hot and humid for some of the months. Generally, the roads are muddy when it rains and dusty when the sun is shining. Many people walk to their workplace or take public transport. Hence, they are likely to gather a lot of dirt and even pesticides on their shoes. So, if one is to walk into the house with those dirty shoes, one would have to clean the house many times a day to keep it hygienic. Moreover, the people in this region are poor. They cannot afford to clean houses many times a day. The use of a vacuum cleaner is rare. Many houses are not made of concrete; they are made of mud and bricks. So, it is hard to clean houses if one is to walk inside with dirty shoes.

However, these are not the only reasons. When exposed to air, sufficient air can circulate around the feet creating a soothing experience. One can stretch his legs and have a good exercise of toes. It gives a sense of relaxation and freedom to the feet. “I feel relaxed when I am without shoes,” says Mahesh from Nepal, who is currently studying in U.S.A. He further says,” We take off shoes because it is good for our health.”

Whatever the reasons are, there are certain benefits of not wearing shoes inside the house. Though one may lose the comfort and convenience of walking inside the houses on shoes, it is certainly good for our health. However, Hindu people do not take their shoes off for health reasons alone, but also to show respect to the god.

Analysis of Letter from Birmingham Jail

An Analysis by Hari Sharma

"Oppressed people cannot remain oppressed forever. The yearning for freedom eventually manifests itself, and that is what has happened to the American Negro. Something within has reminded him of his birthright of freedom, and something without has reminded him that it can be gained. Consciously or. unconsciously, he has been caught up by the Zeitgeist, and with his black brothers of Africa and his brown and yellow brothers of Asia, South America and the Caribbean, the United States Negro is moving with a sense of great urgency toward the promised land of racial justice. If one recognizes this vital urge that has engulfed the Negro community, one should readily understand why public demonstrations are taking place. The Negro has many pent-up resentments and latent frustrations, and he must release them. So let him march; let him make prayer pilgrimages to the city hall; let him go on freedom rides-and try to understand why he must do so. If his repressed emotions are not released in nonviolent ways, they will seek expression through violence; this is not a threat but a fact of history."

This speaks a lot about the essence of the letter.


Martin Luther King, born on 15 January, 1929, was a firm advocate of peaceful actions as a means to attain social change (Martin Luther King Jr. Papers Project). He was the leader of peaceful protests against the segregation of “Negro” people in America. However, his peaceful protests failed to bring equality. On top of that, on the 10th of April, 1963, the city government of Birmingham passed a legal provision banning street marches without permission (Martin Luther King Jr. Papers Project). The black people were not happy with this unfair legislation, which did not allow the blacks to protest for equality. Thus, Martin Luther King was compelled to take action. The march of Birmingham became the reality on 12 April, 1963(Martin Luther King Jr. Papers Project).

The Great Divide-Dead Vs. Alive

You can see the vulture waiting for the child to die so that it can take a bite for its own survival.

(pic courtesy:www.sfuhs.org/.../famine/index.html )

Quantity Theory of Money and its Relevance

Generally, quantity theory of money asserts that nominal income is determined by the growth of the money supply and it is represented by the following equation:

i)Money Supply * Velocity of Circulation = Price Level * Output

It assumes that the velocity of circulation of money is relatively stable over time and that the economy is in full employment. So, any increase in money supply will lead to a rise in nominal income. Since the output is relatively constant, the growth in money supply determines the inflation rate in the economy.

It is also called the theory of demand for money because it explains how much money people hold for a given aggregate income. It is then represented in the following form:

ii)M^d = k*(PY) where k=1/V

Quantity theory says that money variables are neutral in the long run. Any increase in money supply will only have effect on the price level of the economy. So, a 5% increase in money supply will lead to a 5% increase in inflation rate assuming the velocity of circulation to be fairly constant. The data available tend to support the positive relation between money growth and inflation in the longer periods (Dwyer, Hafer ).

This theory suggests that fed can keep the inflation low and stable by keeping money supply low and stable. However, this direct relationship between money supply and inflation has faced several criticisms.

Velocity of circulation is found to be volatile. For instance, the percentage change in M1 velocity of circulation from 1981-1982 was 2.5%( Mishkin, 2004). Additionally, in periods of inflation, people expect prices to go up and the velocity of circulation increases. Moreover, in periods of depression, velocity declines sharply.

Similarly, the money demand version of the quantity theory assumes that interest rates do not affect the demand for money. However, demand for money is found to have been sensitive to interest rates.

Despite all the reservations, increase in money supply tends to increase inflation and this has been supported by various researches. Quantity theory may not be perfect, but it does give a lot of insight into the money supply and inflation behavior.

Wall Street Rulers See Their Earnings Soar Up the Sky

Goldman Sachs Group Inc. paid its chairman and chief executive, Lloyd Blankfein, about $54 million for 2006, a record for Wall Street bosses who are harvesting their share of bull-market bounty....

An article on wall street journal roared yesterday. With more competition to get the talented and intelligent CEO, wall street is moving towards a hyper-inflation in its paychecks given to the top officials. It is not just Lloyd Blankfein whose pay saw a surprising rise this year, John Mack of Morgan Stanley also accumulated US$41 million in 2006.

Holy cow!!!

How do they pay such a sum to a single person? How much profits do these firms make? How much do other workers get? Definitely these questions are natural...

However, a closer look at what these people have accomplished during their time in the company will probably clear some of these questions. Wall Street reports:

Mr. Blankfein's pay package reflects the firm's performance atop the Wall Street heap over the past year, when its profits rose 70% to $9.54 billion and its stock price surged 59%, increasing its stock-market value by $31 billion.

So, does he deserve such an amount? It is all upto you to decide and I have no absolute answer. There are several other factors which I would consider to say "Yes" or "No"

Mortgage rates go Down-Time to Refinance?

Washington Post writes the following:

Mortgage rates around the country fell this week, with rates on 30-year mortgages dipping to the second-lowest level of the year, pushed down by further signs of economic weakness. Mortgage giant Freedie Mac reported Thursday that 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages averaged 6.11 percent, down from 6.14 percent last week. The only time rates have been lower this year was the week of Jan. 19, when the 30-year mortgage dipped to 6.10 percent.

This sounds reasonable as the economy is slowing down and inflation pressures are also going down. But, when is the right time for refinancing a loan and why should one refinance? Here is the information provided by bank.com.

1.Lower interest rate.
2.Opportunity to convert all or a portion of your equity loan from an adjustable rate to a fixed-rate installment loan.
3. Obtain a shorter-term loan to build new equity more quickly.
4.Avoid a balloon payment.
5. Extract more cash from equity.

So, if you are thinking of refinancing, this might be a right time. So, think about it...

How to stay fresh and young

Anti-aging drive has become really popular these days. With the advance in technology and science, it is possible for a 40-year old to look just like a 20-year old. All the anti-aging medicines have taken advantage of this inner desire of people to stay young to make a profit themselves.

So, how do you stay young and fresh? Anti-aging guide provides with the following names for the benefit of you all. It strongly advocates for a diet with sufficient Vitamin C and E. In addition, several drugs like Co-enzyme Q10, Lipoic Acid,Folic Acid, Selenium, Flavonoids, Carotenes, Carnitin, Vitamin B are all which help against aging.

Furthermore, anti-aging guide advocates for several supplements. It writes the following:

There are several classes of supplements: antioxidants, phytochemicals, hormones and fatty acids. Antioxidants are by far the most potent anti-aging agents. The theory of free radicals and free radical scavengers (substances which break the chain of free radicals and disperse it) was developed as the most plausible theory of aging. Yet so far it has not been clearly proven that supplementation with antioxidants alone retards aging, so this theory can still be questioned. It is certain that taking antioxidants result in longer life and lower incidence of disease, but results have not shown the life expectancy barrier to rise. What is known is that antioxidants decrease disease susceptibility and must certainly be part of a healthy anti-aging diet.

But, I strongly believe one should exercise well everyday to remain young and active forever. We cannot rely on drugs to remain healthy. Some people in my country are living till the age of 80-90 because they have been eating a balanced diet which comprised of food and vegetables which are free from pesticides and other chemicals. Only these people who cannot afford and otherwise do not have an access to these exclusive grains and vegetables free from modern chemicals are likely to try these drugs.
What do you all feel about this? Should we promote drugs or work for food free from chemicals?

Google Adsense-Earn While You Learn

Things have changed a lot these days and money is always an important issue to everyone. Specially, the people from Nepal, who are relatively poor and have less prospects for employment can start blogging and earn money through adsense. And, google is the leader in helping people earn money while making money itself. Google is growing fast and is expected to continue doing so in the days to come. Google is growing at an accelerating pace and so has the importance of google adsense.

What are google adsense? Googleadsense has the following information:

Google AdSense is a fast and easy way for website publishers of all sizes to display relevant Google ads on their website's content pages and earn money. Because the ads are related to what your visitors are looking for on your site — or matched to the characteristics and interests of the visitors your content attracts — you'll finally have a way to both monetize and enhance your content pages.

However, there are a number of major issues that you have to be careful of:
-You cannot place more than 3 adsense ads in your site.
-You cannot induce people to click your ads.
-You cannot click on the ads yourself.
-You cannot place content-related ads from other publishers (correct me if I am wrong out here).

You can visit google adsense help centre for further details. Enjoy blogging and earn while you learn...

Delving Into the Life of a Child Conductor-Do We Have a Heart?

A ten-year-old child was there calling out to people to get into the bus. His clothes were tattered and torn everywhere and re-stitched in many other places. The yellow stains of spices and oil were clearly shining from his dark, muddy clothes which probably had not seen water for days. His bare feet were covered with dust and one could easily tell that he had not taken a shower for months. A four-foot tall, lean figure with sunken cheeks, he looked as if he was suffering from malnutrition. From his outer appearance he looked too weak to speak and yet, he was continuously uttering the same words,”Ratnapark, Ratnapark…..”

While back in Nepal, I used to go to my college by bus. I had been to the station hundreds of times and had seen many child conductors but I was struck by the sight of the child that day. He was working to earn his living at such an tender age when he should have been going to school. Life was not easy for those children who work for long hours to earn their living. Their life was limited to earning a living to survive in this cruel world.

It was an early morning and there were not many people at the station. So, he was still shouting as loud as he could to get people to his bus. Slowly, people started to come and soon the bus was almost full. I had taken a seat at one of the corners to observe that child. I was too curious to know more about that boy. Then, the child said to the driver that the seats were full. He did not realize that there was a seat vacant at the back. The driver saw the vacant seat and shouted to the kid “You street child! Can’t you see the seat vacant at the back? Go out and call another man.” The helpless child went out and started shouting with the same high-pitched tone “Ratnapark….”

Soon, another man came and the bus was full. It was an old bus, so it made a loud, hoarse noise before moving at a slow pace.

The child started to collect the fares from the passengers. Even though he did not go to school, he knew the different currency denominations very well. The child had no problem collecting fares until he came across a man who was in his mid-twenties. He was well built and seemed to have been under the influence of drinks. His eyes were bloodshot and skin looked dry. He gave only 75% of the total fare and said,” I have a card.” The child then humbly asked him to show his card.1 The man gave him a hard stare and shouted angrily,” Do you know how to read? What will you do with my card?” The child turned back without uttering a single word in reply. He looked terrified and fear had taken over his innocent face. No one spoke a single word. I was angry at that man, but unfortunately I could not bring much courage to defend the poor child.

The bus continued to move on. Time and again, people were boarding and alighting in their respecting stations. At every stop, the child,without a fail, would shout out to people walking by the road,” Are you going to Ratnapark?” It was such a hard job for a child of that age.

The bus was moving smoothly when all of a sudden it made a loud noise and then made an abrupt stop in the middle of the road. The tire had punctured. The driver started to change the punctured tire while the curious child watched the driver’s every move. He seemed to be very interested in the work of the driver. Then, he asked, “Can I also try?” The driver gave a sharp look at that boy as if he would eat him alive. The scared child turned back and sat on the pavement on the other side of the bus until the driver started the bus again. Possibly, the chances of smiles on the face of that child were always held at bay by the continuous threats he received from his boss and the passengers.

Soon the final destination arrived and all the passengers left. However, I did not get off the bus. I was planning to ask that child about his life.

It was only then that I realized that his face was swollen. There was also a cut in his left knee. “The driver beat me yesterday,” he said in a low voice so as to avoid being heard by the driver. He looked so innocent and helpless. Then, he realized that the driver was looking at him from the driver’s seat.. The child was too frightened to speak to me. I could see him sweating in fear. I told him that the driver would not hear from behind the glass. He still looked scared. I was so sorry for him.

“I dream to be a driver,” he said to me with a smile and hope in his face. That was the only job he could think of, I thought. “Then, I would earn enough money so that I can eat stomach full,” he continued. I was beginning to feel the pain, the pain of living a life of a child conductor. While many children of his age dreamt about buying a new toy or playing the latest release of computer games before other friends would get a chance, he was dreaming about eating to his stomach full. He does not have dreams of going to school, let alone colleges.” How can I go to school? Who will pay for me?” he replied when I asked him if he wanted to go to school. “Schools are for rich people. They are not made for us,” he looked serious. He was so mature at that early age. Life had taught him many lessons which we never learnt from books. He knew the world was unfair. At a time when he should have been playing with his friends, he was working hard to earn his living. I had read about the world being unfair in books but it was for the first time in my life that I had felt the pain of being the unfortunate in this unfair world.

“Chakrapath, Chakrapath…” I heard the familiar voice of that child again. He was already there in front of the bus calling out to people to get into the bus. I again looked at that child. Like any other child, he looked sweet and innocent, and yet his life was full of difficulties and pain.. But he was not the only one. There were hundreds of others like him. If only we could give them a chance for a better life-I thought.

Roadmap To Peace-Maoist Way

Finally, maoists have come up with their version of the roadmap to peace. It seems that they are more than eager to join the mainstream. Decade long war must have ravaged their hopes and aspirations of a communist Nepal. However, it is a good sign towards establishment of sustainable peace in Nepal. According to Kantipur, the following are the blocks of ice we need to break to give a way to sustainable peace.

1. declaration of a ceasefire

2. finalisation of code of conduct

3. formation of talks team

4.release of political prisoners

5.starting talks, dissolution of the old parliament, constitution and government

6. formation of an interim guideline and government by holding a political conference with representation from the political parties, civil society and renowned personalities of different sectors

7. setting of electoral constituencies by ensuring the representation from people of all classes, castes, sectors and genders

8.holding constituent assembly elections under reliable international supervision and restructuring of the whole state structures including the People's Liberation Army and the Royal Nepalese Army as per the popular mandate expressed through the (constituent assembly) elections.

It seems feasible to me. What do you people think? May be the political parties might think otherwise of points like dissolution of parliament among others but for me, it is perfectly fine to dissolve the parliament. After all, these leaders should have been out of office long time back.

Prachanda To Lead The Maoist Talk Team

Yet another surprise in our favor. Prachanda is going to lead the maoist talk team meaning they are real serious this time for sustainable peace. Recently two maoists leaders, Yadav and Magar, were released by the government to create an conducive environment for talks. Nepalnews writes:

"Mahara might come to create conducive environment for talks but our chairman Prachanda will led the team for talks this time,” Yadav said, adding, “The talk will be held between Prachanda and Girija for it to succeed.”

However, the maoist leader, Yadav is not happy with the progress made by the government so far. Moreover, he expressed doubt over the honesty of the political parties. Nepalnews further writes:

“As the political parties are not honest, international mediation is a must to make the talks results oriented,” Yadav stated.

It is not just the sentiment of Yadav. We don't trust these politicians either. However, we are short of alternatives forcing us to surrender to these leaders. Moreover, the demand of international mediation could become an issue of debate in the political circle as the government has been ruling out any mediation in the talks. If maoists insist on mediation, it should not be a problem. We should get some responsible body not only to mediate talks but also to supervise the proceeds of the talks.

Former Ministers Arrested, Security Chiefs Laid Off

A respect for the wishes of the people?
A democratic action?
Is it fair in all respects?

These questions are not easy to answer but yes, the news is true. Five former ministers have been arrested while three security chiefs have been suspended from work. Among the arrested are Kamal Thapa, Rameshnath Pandey, Shrish Shumshere Rana,.Tanka Dhakal, and Nikshya Shumsher Rana. Meanwhile Himalayan Times writes that Inspector General of Police Shyam Bhakta Thapa, Inspector General of Armed Police Force Sahabir Thapa and chief of the National Investigation Department Devi Ram Sharma have been suspended from their posts.

A new step to crush those who went against the whims of the people but it is largely seen to be unfair by those scepticals who think that maoists can't be granted freedom if we are to fair to everyone. Why are we giving a chance to maoists while arresting these people? Is it not just because we have to compromise with the maoists while we can do away with these people? We should be fair in every respects.

I believe we should let everyone start a new life. What do you people think?

Is Girija Ditching Nepalese?

The pain of the death of more than 20 people has not gone down but the parties seem to be back on their original agendas about the functioning of the society. The reforms wanted by different parties are different. The major issue is of course the fate of monarchy. Most communist blocks obviously press for a republican set up but Congress, one of the major alliance seems to have distanced itself from the republican idea. Hindustan Times writes:

Insisting that he was not a republican, Koirala on Wednesday said Gyanendra could be a ceremonial king like the British queen. At a meeting with a delegation of the South Asian Free Media Association, Koirala asked: "What is the harm if he stays as Lord Pashupati?"

Is he ditching the general people? Is this for what we agreed him to be the primeminister? I have always been sceptical about the ideas of Girija. He seems to cling to the idea of monarchy despite the catastrophic actions that have come forth from the monarch in the last couple of years. However, he agrees that he will accept the fate of monarchy as decided by the people. But, look at his haughtiness. Hindustan Times further writes:

Forever a centrist, Koirala defined the ceremonial monarchy-multi-party democracy combination as "borderline" to the republican system. "I've nothing to say if the people want to cross that," he said. "I'm expected to lead rather than being led by popular opinion."

What does this guy think of himself? Look at the last sentence. Agreed, leaders should lead but they are elected to lead based on the popular opinion. We are not their slaves. We decide what should be done and he should be the one to execute.

However, on a positive note, Communist parties have been respecting and capitalizing on the sprit of the people. They are for a republican set up, clearly appreciating the sentiments of millions of Nepalese. Hindustan Times writes:

To a poser on the NC's stand, UML's Madhav Nepal said: "People are above the Nepali Congress, in fact, above all parties, who have to respect their views.Nepal doesn't need monarchy. We are for a democratic republic."

So, what will be our future? And what do you want to see?

(ps: based on article by Vinod Sharma,Hindustan Times, May 10,06)

In-Fighting Continues Among the Parties

These leaders are again faced with the same old dilemma. The power-hungry leaders never seem to change despite the strong protests from the public. A recent meeting of the SPA alliance failed to name the speaker of the house due to serious differences among the parties. The expansion of ministries is awaiting the decision on the nomination of a speaker. Himalayan Times writes:

A meeting of the seven-party alliance today failed to take any decision on the expansion of the Council of Ministers and announcement of the name of Speaker.According to Amik Sherchan, chairman of the People's Front Nepal, the meeting which was held at the PM's residence in Baluwatar this morning, concluded inconclusively following a dispute on the issue of appointment of Deputy Speaker Chitralekha Yadav as the Speaker of the House of Representatives. NC-D proposed Yadav’s name and CPN-UML outrightly rejected her and proposed Subas Chandra Nemwang’s name.

Are we going to have changes for real? What if this in-fighting continues for long? Will the regressive forces become active again? What will be the impacts on the peace talks with the maoists if such tussel for power continues? These are the questions that bothers my mind. I do not understand how these leaders can be so indifferent to the sentiments of the people. They are always for party-politics when in power. Only when they are out of power will they act largely in unison.

What should Nepalese do to make these leaders understand that we do not encourage such delay over the nomination of ministers and proper functioning of government before we start peace talks and consequently election to CA?

UML Threatens the Government

CPN-UML has threatened to walk out of the government if its demands of bringing the army under the purview of the parliament and the government, scrapping the Military Secretariat and the Raj Parishad, changing the national anthem and rechristening the Royal Nepalese Government were not met-writes Himalayan Times.(May 10,Ktm)

UML by its nature is more inclined towards a republican set up than another major alliance Congress. Therefore, it is not surprising to see UML taking a lead to revamp the nation. Though they should compromise with the allocation of ministries for the sake of the general interests of the people, they should not buzz from the demands in the like of scrapping Raj Parishad, and bringing army under the parliament among others. Moreover there is a need for a change in national anthem too. Why should we be chanting the praise of Gyanendra when he killed so many Nepalese? We really need to get away from such national anthems.

I still remember how maoists started the drive of changing the national anthem in their native areas. Though they replaced national anthems with their so-called revolutionary songs, that was a good start to get away with the main suppressor of Nepal for decades.

In addition, we seriously need to revise the name of our government. We are not the puppets of Gyanendra that our government be named as "sri-panch ko sarkar." It really sucks to have been lived under such a slave environment but what options did we have? We need to change the name to "Nepal Sarkar." I feel like UML is doing a good job pressing the government to take these bold steps even before the CA elections.

Despite the fact that I hate Maoists for their bloody revolution, I give them credit for bringing the monarchy down to the ground. Though we are not totally done with the king, there is a high chance that we will establish a republican set up. However, this came at the cost of more than 12000 lives. So, was it worth it? We are still to see the results but definitely we should lead the country to that level which pays a sincere tribute to the death of those people.

Comedian Hari Bansha Threatened

Who did it, it is largely in the dark but the same person who shot Dr. Hemang Dixit recently reportedly threatened Hari Bansha Acharya. It has been reported that the unidentified person called Acharya in his cell phone and told him that there was some business with him too.

Merosansar writes that the person who called had a serious tone and that he is largely assumed to be the same person the police has been searching in relation to the incident of Dr. Hemang. Acharya is concerned about his security but the government is yet to respond to that.

Hari Bansha Acharya's group "maha" had recently started a fund to help cure the victims of the protests against the king's autocracy with a donation of 100,000 rupees from their side. The threat has come at a time when people have been contemplating about getting rid of the King. Hari Bansha Acharya was highly keen in helping the injured in the protests. Is this the reason he was threatened?

Nothing can be said for certain at the moment, but definitely there are some criminal forces within the country who are against the right of people to decide their future.


(ps:to read more visit http://www.mysansar.com/)

Maoist Leader and CDO Come Together

Nepal is increasingly heading towards peace. Feeling of brotherhood and love has overcome many obstacles and chains that hinder the peace process. In what is seen as yet another step in the process towards peace, Maoist leader and a CDO have shared the same podium to address various issues, probably for the first time in the history of Nepal since the insurgency began in 1996. The leaders were talking in a program organized by INSEC in Rukum. Himalayan Times writes:

Speaking on the occasion Maoist in-charge of the district, Purna Gharti (Avash) and Chief District Officer Bal Bahadur Malla agreed that long-lasting peace could be achieved if a conducive atmosphere was created for the same.Both expressed commitment to the ceasefire. Avash said there would be long-lasting peace in the country if the problems were solved politically.He said eventually the Peoples’ Government of Maoists may be dissolved.Chief District Officer Malla, on the other hand, said he would carry out development activities in the district with the support and cooperation of all the people.

We need more of interactions like this so that the maoists can assimilate in the mainstream politics. The leaders of various sectors of society have to come together to build a peaceful and prosperous Nepal. Himalayan Times further writes:

CPN-UML district secretary Sher Bahadur KC said the people of Rukum, who have borne the brunt of war for the last 10 years cannot face another war.He said democratic republic should be established in the country through the constituent assembly.Chief of Maoist Peoples’ Government (Rukum), Barun Bantha Magar, Rukum secretary Anal, NC (D) secretary Krishna Rokaya and INSEC (Nepalgunj) coordinator Bhola Mahat also addressed the function.

I hope we will soon return to peace so that prosperity can bless us all.

(visit: Himalayantimes.com for original article)