Fear Factor or Mongering by Nepali Maoists : Read the following thread.
http://www.sajha.com/sajha/html/OpenThread.cfm?forum=283&ThreadID=59206
Read it:
Just a few quick comments on additional issues raised by NS-jyu..
1. NC represents typical (mainstream) Nepali/Nepal ?
If a relatively financially secure Pahadi high caste male is what a typical Nepali is, then NC probably represents a typical Nepali/Nepal. Otherwise it does not.
Let’s put things in number. When Maoists were away from the scene, NC used to get around 30-35% of the total votes in general elections. That means about 65-70% voters did not identify with NC. And that means NC certainly did not represent typical Nepali and Nepal.
That was when Maoists were absent. Now when Maoists are in the scene we all know how things are.
2. Voters surrendered to Maoists
It depends on how you describe things. Otherwise, as one columnist had written in Kantipur recently, people besieged Maoist and imprisoned them into democracy ! Something to get mesmerized and be proud of Nepali voters’ intellect and wisdom, as I emphasized ealier.
3. YCL
I think Prachanda is wrong to refuse to dissolve YCL. However, he is right to demand that other parties also need to agree to dissolve their so-called ‘sister organizations’.
I am of the opinion that one of the institutional reforms of our public institutions and political parties is to make it illegal for political parties to extend their organ to non-political institutions. And I think it can be done. All it needs is strong voice of civil societies and the public against political invasion of public institutions by political parties and of course co-operation from political parties. [GP's comment: civil society = USEFUL IDIOTS in the eye of Maoists]
4. Kangaroo Courts
I think what we hear about is just some transitional remnants of the old parallel Maoist ‘satta’. They will be irrelevant and disappear once Maoist become the new ‘satta’ and starts running it.
Although it was inappropriate and rightly criticized by the government, media and civil societies, I have heard quite different stories about these Kangaroo courts. I was shocked to read one news about Kollywood calling YCL to settle a dispute !
So I am little skeptic about the eradication of Kangaroo courts as long as YCL exists.
However, since I sense that sooner or later YCL is going to be a burden rather than help to Maoist in power, I hope YCL era will be over.
Nepe
You might also want to know about the following posting regarding Maoists what our Sajha.com people think about them:
NS-jyu,
I really appreciate your gentle style, tough questions and also your interest to see that I am not promoting the wrong party and ideology.
I can assure you that I have never promoted the wrong ideology and practice of Maoist. What I have been promoting about Maoist all along is the POSSIBILITY that this party can be CONVERTED into a DEMOCRATIC party and Nepal can benefit from it’s REVOLUTIONARY ZEAL for CHANGE.
Whether I was right or wrong is yet to be proven fully. Yet, I can fairly certainly say that it does look like I might be right.
Now the tough question is- what happens, or rather what should happen, to the past wrongdoings of Maoist ?
I think this question is so unanswered it actually frustrates everybody and I believe all the Maoist bashing, hatred and cynicism that we see in Sajha and elsewhere actually is a direct or indirect expression of that frustration. So I think this is very important question and everybody should raise this question with priority.
Unfortunately, no civil society organization is talking about this yet. I am reading post-election press releases and reactions of several organization and individuals and am deeply disappointed to find nobody is talking about this critical issue. Everybody is busy congratulating Maoist and cautioning them to fulfill their promises. Nobody is uttering a single word about what to do with the past wrongdoing of Maoist.
The only organization that I know did not miss this issue is “North American Network for Democratic Republic of Nepal (NANDRON)â€
“..We also urge the government to establish a Peace and Justice Commission to investigate human rights abuses during the era of insurgency and begin a countrywide process of justice and healing.â€
http://www.nepalipost.com/index/englishnews.php?&nid=5712
(Disclaimer: I am associated with NANDRON. So this was also for the publicity of the organization :-) )
NS-jyu, I hope this small note and reference gives you some idea about what I personally think about the issue. I do have some more and specific ideas regarding how we should deal with the issue. I will be happy to share them if the discussion goes to that direction.
Now I would like to reply to some interesting questions you have asked.
1. Baban Singh
This indeed is a complex case now. However, as you can also sense from the above discussion, I am for justice to prevail. He should be brought to justice and the victim’s and their families should get the justice. The most important thing is that the victims and their families should feel that they got their justice. Then we are free to do anything, any compromise, any deal.
What shall happen ? I am as anxious as you are. Let’s wait and see what happens.
2. Maoist vote
NS-jyu, I do not know what do you include in the “fear factor†you talked about. If you are talking about “forced vote against the voter’s will†due to threat and intimidation, then I think 50% would be way too exaggerated number.
If I go by the review/reaction made by some trustworthy NC leaders like Narahari Acharya, this kind of forced vote against voter’s will accounts for very small percentage (Narahari Achayra has not mentioned the numbers or even the exact category, however from the language and tone of his and many other people’s review seem to be claiming the “intimidated†votes ranging somewhere between 5-20%). We will need some scientific survey to find out how people actually voted (I hope some media and NGO might do that like they have been doing in the past). However, I myself think that, by and large, the vote reflects the free will voting of Nepali voters. What more is that I think this was the election in which the voters thought very long and hard before casting their vote. Therefore this is very well thought out voting and a reflection of maturity and intellect of Nepali people. This kind of thing never happened before. Therefore I am pissed when I see people making mockery of how Nepali voters voted this time. I think the mockery itself is a mockery and a reflection of our disconnection with Nepal and Nepalis.
Even if 50% votes really were not genuine Maoist vote for this or that reason, Maoist got enough mandate of people, particularly if we also apply the same measuring stick to measure the genuineness of other parties’ votes.
So, all in all, I think Nepali people really and genuinely gave Maoists their mandate to bring all the changes Maoists have been promising.
3. Sajha Maoists
I have learned that anonymous debate where egos run high must not be taken seriously. So I really do not follow all the debate that goes in Kurakani to know and judge all political posters. Yet, my overall impression is that people are just sharing their own views, not official Maoist views. I am yet to come across Maoist imposters who are well versed in Maoist history, thinking and vision. But as I said, I do not follow all the debates. So I might be missing some.
4. Misc.
NS-jyu, you probably have now enough idea about the political person that I am. I am an ordinary person just like anybody else with slightly greater interest in closely following what goes on with our country. Call it a hobby. That is all.
By the way, the VIPs that I said I met in Kathmandu were Ramraja Prasad Singh, Khagendra Sangraula, Krishna Pahadi and Gagan Thapa, all republican icons and some old friends. I just fondly called them VIPs, that’s all.
I will stop here. I hope I answered some of your questions and curiosities as honestly as I could. Thank you once again for your interest and specially for your wholesome style of engagement. Thank you.
Nepe
Last edited: 20-May-08 09:05 AM
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