What can we expect from the government?

Just before the Dasain holidays, the German Unity Day was celebrated here. The German Ambassador had thrown the usual reception at Radisson Hotel. It was nice to meet different people before the festival and exchange greetings with them. Apart from meeting friends, acquaintances and colleagues, Cocktail Man also fully enjoyed the constant flow of whisky served with a variety of snacks, which in spite of being hotel produced, were quite tasty! ... more

The Terror Quotient

Whether or not today’s (Thursday’s) eight party meet will be the penultimate pow-wow deciding the fate of the nation is anybody’s guess. But the crucial question of ridding the country of terror for sake of lasting peace and decision on the peaceful and smooth conduct of the constituent assembly elections will still remain. The fact is that settling the arms issue, if it is settled that is, alone is hardly the quotient for terror. The lay population will have to be made confident that the use of violence, even without arms will in no case figure in the organized competition for the vote.... more

"Loktantrik" Dasain

The word "loktantrik" is Hindi more than being a Nepali word. We have imported this word from India along with the signing of the 12-point agreement between the seven-party-alliance (SPA) and Maoists. Just recently, I saw a Loktantrik Restaurant in town. After introduction of "loktantra", all the government offices, corporations and private institutions remained close for nine days during the Dasain festival. This is a major achievement of the "loktantrik" sarkar in a "secular" state.....more

By PR Pradhan

Model for democracy, development, progress and peace

BY SHASHI PBB MALLA

‘The Line of Least Resistance’ or ‘Beware of the Beginnings!’

There should be no doubt that Nepal is well on the way to being a model for democracy in Asia. Since the Glorious Revolution/Jan Andolan II of April 2006, Nepal has indeed become a showcase for demonstrating how a genuine People’s Movement can achieve all-round success in various fields. According to the aims and policies of the 7+1 government, Nepal is definitely going to be the Singapore or Switzerland of the Himalayas. We have only to look at the progress made in all respects in the areas of politics, economics, society, religion, etc., etc. ... more

Appeasement of terrorism: Doomed to failure in Sri Lanka

BY PAUL HARRIS

Does the LTTE want peace and, if so, what sort of peace? The answer seems clear to me. Of course, the LTTE wants peace, that is to say, peace on its own terms: the terminal division of the sovereign state of Sri Lanka with two thirds of the coast and half of the landmass ceded to the LTTE in perpetuity. ... more

NO MAOISTS

Maoists were conspicuous by their absence at the national day reception hosted by Chinese Ambassador, Sun Heping, at a leading five-star hotel. Rebels certainly didn't boycott the reception. They weren't invited. To recall, Maoists are welcome at the Indian embassy and only some embassies of EU member states. ... more

Excerpts from vernacular weeklies and dailies

"What are they trying to prove by returning Lafaille [Mrs Katia and wife of French climber] the Rs 10,000. They had extorted from her, when they [Maoists] have taken 'donations' from thousands of Nepalis across the country. When will these people get their money back?

(Pukkar Jung, The Himalayan Times, 29 September)

"I have read that the All Nepal National Federation Student Union ANNFSU [student wing of the CPN-UML] is in the process of forming student union for the children.

"This is the biggest mistake that they are making and will ever make.

"Above all, children don't even know what Students' Union or politics is. The ANNFSU has no right to forcefully drag the children into their politics.

"Teaching children about politics in general is a good thing, but forcing them to join unions and feeding them more than they can take is unhealthy."

(Reader reaction to CPN-UML decision to recruit school students in party, The Kathmandu Post, 30 September).. more