April 27, 2010
On April 26, Maoist supremo Prachanda proclaimed an indefinite nationwide strike to force Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal’s resignation and to topple the current government. Prachanda has made it clear that the only acceptable replacement for the top spot is Prachanda himself. The strike is scheduled to commence May 2, one day after a huge mass May Day demonstration has been organized to grind Kathmandu to a halt.
According to Prachanda, the motive behind the strike is “to ensure peace and promulgation of the constitution and form a national unity government.”
One wonders how paralyzing the country will ensure unity – never mind ensuring the completion of the new constitution by May 28, which no one (except, apparently, for Prachanda) now believes is possible.
One also wonders how pulling the plug on all commerce, education and free movement throughout the nation will promote peace. Widespread violence seems more likely. The Maoists are reportedly planning to bring into the capital four lakh (400,000) demonstrators by the end of this week.
Coercion is already taking place. On Monday, the Maoists shut down more than 8,000 private schools nationwide – more than one million students – and the YCL (the youth movement of the Maoists) have warned the schools to stay closed or face violence. (This is according the Associated Press.)
On Monday, the ambassadors of EU nations Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Norway Switzerland and the European Union met with Prachanda and tried to persuade him to solve the situation at a negotiating table instead of on the streets.
A statement issued by them said they were deeply concerned at the demonstration planned for May 1 and the impact on the economy and tourism the general strike threatened from May 2 would have.
The envoys also broached “worrying” reports of physical training being given to Maoist cadre and of the Maoists raising funds through extortion and threats in the districts, which, they said, was creating a climate of fear.
Prachanda was not moved.
In the meantime, Prime Minister Nepal has answered Prachanda’s threats with his most interesting counter-punch to date. On Monday, while visiting a governmental hospital in Kathmandu, where he had gone to visit fellow party members – who had been assailed by Maoists in western Surkhet district – he told reporters:
“I cannot support any move to have Prachanda, the man who leads a violent agitation and attacks rival party cadres, installed as the Prime Minister. By their actions, Maoists have proved they are not at all committed to the peace process. …People should unite as Maoist atrocities and violence have crossed the limit.” Then, adding in the third person: “If Madhav Nepal can’t be the PM, Prachanda can also not be the PM.”
It would appear that the deadlock will be placed on hold for the next few days.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Nepal left for Bhutan to attend the 16th Summit of Heads of State of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). SAARC Is the economic and political organization of Nepal, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Afghanistan – thus representing 1.5 billion of the world’s population. Also attending as an observer is Robert O. Blake Jr., the US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs. (Blake had spent the two previous days in Kathmandu.) Prime Minister Nepal will return to Nepal on Friday.
The question is: What is the Prime Minister returning to? It won’t be much of a reprieve.
Saturday is May Day. Sunday the strikes begin.
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