This is a very crude basic overview of the conflict in Nepal. Please recognise that when reading this.
There is three-way struggle for power in Nepal between the King, the political parties and the Maoists. All three individually think that they represent the people.
The king
The king took seized power last year and since then regularly calls curfews, disconnects phone lines, arrests civil society leaders and politicians when he feels there is unrest, usually around planned protests. It is rumored that he receives advisement from corrupt and power hungry people. The king controls the army.
The political parties
They are seen as corrupt and often without focus. They do have clear policies on topics such as education. There are no strong leaders or groups. They blame their lack of action on a lack of power which is held by the king.
The maoists
They believe that they are the answer to the king and the political power. They do not have the support of many Nepalis, it is told to me, because of the tactics they employ, often violence and intimidation.
Nepal has been based on a fuedal system. It is mostly hindu and heavily incorporates the structures of the caste system. Although, the conflict - between the king and the maoists - reaches Kathmandu, it is in the villages where the conflict really affects the people.
In the village, people are extremely poor. The maoists use the villages for food, money, recruits, and protection. People are threatened through violence and intimidation. Similarly, some villages are controlled by the army, and some villages are faced with both. The army incorporate similar violence and intimidation on the villagers.
Tourism had always been a strong contibuting factor to the Nepal economy but with the maoists blocking entry to some regions or demanding large entry visa fines tourism has declined, furthering the poverty in the region.
The situation is in a critical stage now. The protests and bandhs are coming more and more frequently and recent clashes between the maoists and the army are increasing and becoming more extremely like the helicopter incident.
It will be interesting to see what happens next.
There is three-way struggle for power in Nepal between the King, the political parties and the Maoists. All three individually think that they represent the people.
The king
The king took seized power last year and since then regularly calls curfews, disconnects phone lines, arrests civil society leaders and politicians when he feels there is unrest, usually around planned protests. It is rumored that he receives advisement from corrupt and power hungry people. The king controls the army.
The political parties
They are seen as corrupt and often without focus. They do have clear policies on topics such as education. There are no strong leaders or groups. They blame their lack of action on a lack of power which is held by the king.
The maoists
They believe that they are the answer to the king and the political power. They do not have the support of many Nepalis, it is told to me, because of the tactics they employ, often violence and intimidation.
Nepal has been based on a fuedal system. It is mostly hindu and heavily incorporates the structures of the caste system. Although, the conflict - between the king and the maoists - reaches Kathmandu, it is in the villages where the conflict really affects the people.
In the village, people are extremely poor. The maoists use the villages for food, money, recruits, and protection. People are threatened through violence and intimidation. Similarly, some villages are controlled by the army, and some villages are faced with both. The army incorporate similar violence and intimidation on the villagers.
Tourism had always been a strong contibuting factor to the Nepal economy but with the maoists blocking entry to some regions or demanding large entry visa fines tourism has declined, furthering the poverty in the region.
The situation is in a critical stage now. The protests and bandhs are coming more and more frequently and recent clashes between the maoists and the army are increasing and becoming more extremely like the helicopter incident.
It will be interesting to see what happens next.
posted by Heidi at 5:40 AM
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