Economist on Maoists in Nepal: ROTFL

August 27

The Economist India stringer is a would-be comedian.

"The Maoists' politics are a far cry from anything the Chairman would
recognise. They want to overthrow the monarchy and replace it with a
genuine democratic system—not one, as at present, in which the king
can dismiss the government at his royal whim. But if their ostensible
aim is noble enough, their tactics are often brutal. And as this
month's blockade shows, their stunts can easily backfire, worsening
the lives of the very people they seek to rally to their cause."

bwahahahahahahahahahaha: "replace the monarchy with a genuine
democratic system". yeah: "one man, one vote, one time", just like in
W Bengal. after all, the maoist head is one bhattarai, trained at the
JNU.

isn't it also interesting that this fellow (and all other white
reporters too) keeps on asserting that the Maoists in Nepal have
nothing -- nothing whatsoever, shocking you should think they might --
with China? he must be from the N Ram school of thought.

==== Excepts:

Bombs on the tennis courts; no petrol in the pumps

Aug 26th 2004
From The Economist print edition


Maoist rebels show their power

Reuters


Better stay at home

Potatoes usually cost 25 rupees (35 cents) a sack on the streets of
Katmandu. But during a week-long blockade by Maoist rebels, prices
doubled, and even tripled. Most other foodstuffs followed suit, fuel
was rationed at petrol stations and buses in and out of the Nepalese
capital were suspended. The blockade was eventually lifted on August
24th after calls from businesses, human-rights groups and, above all,
ordinary citizens.

... deleted


On the whole, the Nepalese economy has shown amazing resilience in the
face of the many disturbances it has endured. But growth has
undoubtedly been slowed by the conflict. Nepal's finance minister
admitted as much in his 2003-04 economic survey, released last month,
though he was still able to record an impressive (in the
circumstances) growth figure of 3.6% for the previous fiscal year.

Tourism, on which some 1.25m people depend, is also suffering.
Although there are no reports of direct attacks on tourists, incidents
such as the four bombs dropped on the tennis courts of the Soaltee
Crowne Plaza hotel on August 16th hardly make good publicity. Since a
record high of 500,000 visitors in 1999, tourism has steadily declined
as the conflict has escalated: by 2002, the number had fallen to
215,000. Since then, the situation had begun to look more promising,
with arrivals up by a quarter last year and by a further third this
year. But recent events hardly bode well for the post-monsoon season.

The conflict-ridden areas, notably most of the western half of the
country, are bone poor. A recent survey found that less than 37% of
children were vaccinated in two districts affected by the rebellion,
compared with a national average of 75%. Education is also affected.
Attacks on teachers have forced many to leave, and charities have
reported security difficulties in remote areas.

... deleted

Instead, the economic mainstay of the kingdom has become the money
sent home by young Nepalis abroad. Hard statistics are scarce, but
remittances are thought to comprise 12% of GDP, and the figure is
growing.

The Maoists' politics are a far cry from anything the Chairman would
recognise. They want to overthrow the monarchy and replace it with a
genuine democratic system—not one, as at present, in which the king
can dismiss the government at his royal whim. But if their ostensible
aim is noble enough, their tactics are often brutal. And as this
month's blockade shows, their stunts can easily backfire, worsening
the lives of the very people they seek to rally to their cause