Here's a typical email I receive from Nepali business friends. This is quite true. No business growth = no jobs You cannot EAT ideologies and slogans. oohi ashu ***************** "We are seriously considering the shifting our manufacturing base from here to some place where we are likely to survive. Infact, many of the true blue garment exporters from Nepal have started shifting their manufacturing base to much more greener pastures in northern India and in some cases even to Vietnam where the government and the frame conditions are far more favorable. The reason being the current approach of the Maoist towards the enterprises and their perception being the entrepreneurial community being nothing but class oppressors. Most of exporters are saying “We really do not mind having an open dialogue with Maoist Trade Unions and come up with initiative on improve the conditions of the workers and it could be by the means of increasing the remuneration or other perks. Fair enough, our margins may suffer and may go down to the level of 2/3%, however we need to be assured that we can fulfill our orders from our hard earned customers. Let’s say if we get 3000 sq meters of order from a customer and we need to finish the fabrication by March 15, 2007 I am in no position to confirm that I can finish the order. Every other day, the Maoist activists barge into the factory and take the workers to some meetings or conventions with no consideration for work schedule”. As per most of the entrepreneurs, this is the most critical issue i.e losing face in front of their buyers. They say they are willing with take loss but being not able to confirm orders and painfully watching those orders slipping away to either Benaras or China is perhaps the worst thing that can happen to the economy here. This also means that the importers will have to think twice before they trust the Nepali exporters for long time to come Whenever, the maoist leaders are quizzed on this they simply say that this is a transitional phase and some section of the society will suffer and they coolly add we suffered for over 12 years in the Jungle. I wish there was somebody who would drill it to them that this attitude of theirs would render hundred of thousand of workers soon enough…