---cntd The spokesperson of the RNA publicly announced yesterday, and was also quoted by Reuters on February 4, that 'Now we can solely go after the Maoists in a single-minded manner without having to worry about what's going to happen on the streets, people's agitation.' The Chief of RNA reiterated the commitment towards human rights and the Geneva Convention in the course of fighting the Maoists, and also vowed to crush the Maoists militarily so that they would come to the negotiating table. These words are obviously hollow for the following reasons: (a) it is now accepted nationally and internationally that solely military action will not resolve the civil war in Nepal, (b) the RNA and the king do not have any political organizational base in rural Nepal, and pushing the political parties into total opposition will weaken their capacity considerably, (c) the latest military coup by the king hurts the pro-democracy political forces in the short run, but will bolster support for and morale of the Maoists, who are used to fighting the RNA anyway, (c) there will be strong opposition to the RNA getting further military support from India, UK and the US, which it and the king clearly misused to clamp down on democracy and to further their authoritarian grip on power, (d) the coup has suddenly made the prospects of pro-democracy political parties or at least a large section of their cadres negotiating with the Maoists for toppling monarchy, (e) the claim or hope that there will be no pro-democracy peaceful movement on the streets is very naïve, and (f) it is totally unbelievable that the RNA and the king, who have so nakedly clamped down democratic rights in Kathmandu despite near universal condemnation, will respect the human rights and humanitarian laws in rural Nepal, which will in a very short period anatgonize even more rural people against them. There is a distinct possibility of some of the political activists of democratic dispensation getting radicalized and led into believing that the international and national community recognizes and negotiates only with those with guns and army, if they feel they are cornered only because they are unarmed. This could lead Nepal into a disaster. Free media remains dead: creative resistance reminds of Panchayat days The Kantipur and Rajdhani dailies in Nepali did not carry any editorial today. Kantipur yesterday carried an editorial on women's cricket in Nepal, and on the need for internationalizing the Nepali tradition of archery, the day before. The Kathmandu Post's editorial today was on 'Socks in Society', and yesterday on the nice weather in Kathmandu which the editorial complained was not usually appreciated by the Nepalis. The Nepali Times weekly yesterday carried the editorial titled, 'Hariyo Ban, Nepalko Dhan', the Panchayat time rhyming cliché, 'Green forests are Nepal's wealth'. The Nepal Samachar Patra daily's editorial today complained about the frequent 'load shedding', the power cuts, in Nepal. The announcement on Thursday by the government that nothing critical of the king's move may be printed, published or broadcast for the next six months were repeatedly broadcast from the television channels, published as notices in the major newspapers and repeatedly emphasized in the news and bulletins of the government-owned media. The notice that the FM radio stations, community radios and private television channels were forbidden from broadcasting any news, views or opinions not favourable to the king's address were also advertised or broadcast many times today. The free media remains completely crippled and under close and continuous surveillance. Kantipur daily, for instance, was made to publish on Thursday the report of the last meeting of the Royal Council Standing Committee, a rights wing group of royalists who had drawn much criticism from Kantipur several weeks ago. Communication remains disturbed The phone lines were operational for about two hours last night and also for about two hours this afternoon. The mobile phones and internet services are not yet operational. According to sources at the Nepal Telecommunication Corporation, there are rumours in their office that the phone lines will not be fully operational for at least another 11 days and that mobile phones will not be operational for about one month. ________________________________ [1] Regular E-Updates by the Nepal Democracy Desk(s) in Kathmandu: dozens of pro-democracy activists based in Kathmandu have started this e-update from 5 Feb 2005, five days after King Gyanendra staged the military coup on February 1 2005, suspended all civil liberties, jailed political leaders, muzzled the media, and continues his reign of terror with daily arrests of political and civil society leaders despite the near universal condemnation of his authoritarian move. this is dedicated to the people of Nepal who deserve more, not less, democracy to correct the ills of our country)