Oh no the U.S. is talking to terrorists! However, only Jimmy Carter is talking to Hamas! The U.S. is lecturing the Maoists about democracy no doubt bringing up Pinochet as a shining example or support for Papa Doc in Haiti or Somoza in Nicaragua. This is from the BBC.
US in contact with Nepal Maoists
The United States has made its first official diplomatic contact with the leader of Nepal's former rebel Maoists.
The Maoists came first in last month's national elections but are still listed as a terrorist group by Washington.
US ambassador to Nepal Nancy Powell met Maoist leader Prachanda on Thursday, a statement from the US embassy in Kathmandu said.
The BBC's correspondent there says this is a diplomatic milestone, with the US rethinking its policy on the Maoists.
The statement said Ms Powell would visit Washington soon for consultations on US-Nepal relations.
'Words and actions'
The US embassy statement said that Ms Powell and Prachanda, whose real name is Pushpa Kamal Dahal, discussed the outcome of last month's elections to a constituent assembly.
It said Ms Powell encouraged the Maoist leader to ensure that the former rebels showed their commitment to the political process through their words and actions.
The Maoists were the biggest single party in recent elections, winning 220 out of 601 seats.
They are committed to abolishing the monarchy and have urged King Gyanendra to leave office voluntarily.
Prachanda has said that he wants to be president.
The Maoists now have to forge a coalition interim administration to draw up a new constitution.
'Embarrassing'
For the past year the US has tried to bypass the Maoists while dealing with an interim government of which they were members.
Speaking just after the 10 April elections, former US President Jimmy Carter told the BBC he found America's failure to deal with the Maoists "embarrassing".
During 10 years of insurgency which left thousands dead, both the Maoists and the military were accused of gross human rights abuses.
Analysts say there are many problems facing the Maoists.
The other main parties do not trust them.
Since the elections, Prachanda has promised that the Maoists are committed to multi-party and peaceful politics.
However its members, particularly in its youth wing, have been accused of intimidation and extortion.
The army is also opposed to the Maoists' demand that its former fighters be integrated into the armed forces.
The long insurgency has worsened the chronic poverty in Nepal which, like other countries in the region, is suffering from rising food prices.
The Maoists signed a peace accord with Nepal's main political parties in 2006. The year before the increasingly unpopular King Gyanendra had been forced to restore parliament amid a wave of street protests.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/south_asia/7379567.stm
Published: 2008/05/02 09:49:06 GMT
© BBC MMVIII
Showing posts with label Nepal elections. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nepal elections. Show all posts
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
U.S. Statement Re Nepal Election.
This is from the State Dept. website. Hmm..they did not congratulate the Maoist terrorists on their victory! However, it is a bland and non-provocative statement that recognises the legitimacy of the elections so it seems that the U.S. will probably also recognise any government that emerges from this process whether there is a Maoist majority or not.
15 April 2008
Statement on Nepal’s Constituent Assembly Election
U.S. congratulates the Nepalese people on their historic election
(begin text)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
April 14, 2008
STATEMENT BY SEAN MCCORMACK, SPOKESMAN
Nepal Elections
We congratulate the people of Nepal on their historic Constituent Assembly election on April 10. Although there was considerable violence and intimidation during the pre-election period, and some instances of voting irregularities on election day, Nepali voters were able to cast their ballots peacefully in most districts. Over the next days and weeks, as complete results of these polls become known, the United States urges patience and nonviolent observance of the democratic process. We look forward to the formation of an assembly that reflects the will of the Nepali people, ready to begin the important work of framing a constitution that addresses their needs.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
15 April 2008
Statement on Nepal’s Constituent Assembly Election
U.S. congratulates the Nepalese people on their historic election
(begin text)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
April 14, 2008
STATEMENT BY SEAN MCCORMACK, SPOKESMAN
Nepal Elections
We congratulate the people of Nepal on their historic Constituent Assembly election on April 10. Although there was considerable violence and intimidation during the pre-election period, and some instances of voting irregularities on election day, Nepali voters were able to cast their ballots peacefully in most districts. Over the next days and weeks, as complete results of these polls become known, the United States urges patience and nonviolent observance of the democratic process. We look forward to the formation of an assembly that reflects the will of the Nepali people, ready to begin the important work of framing a constitution that addresses their needs.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
Maoist ex-rebels widen lead in Nepal election.
This is from Reuters via Yahoo. Note that the socialist aspects of their ideology seem to some extent abandoned during campaigning. One of their main opponents is also a communist party. I am not sure how the two differ in ideology. Even though the Maoists have a clear majority of the seats declared a complicated election system apparently makes it unlikely that they will have an absolute majority. Given that one of the main other parties is also Communist they may be able to make a deal with them.
Maoist ex-rebels widen lead in Nepal election By Gopal Sharma
Mon Apr 14, 8:38 AM ET
Nepal's former Maoist rebels have widened their lead in crucial elections meant to map the country's political future and create a new Himalayan republic, the latest tally showed on Monday.
Results from last Thursday's elections for a special assembly meant to write a new constitution and formally abolish the 240-year-old Hindu monarchy show the Maoists have won 101 of the 178 seats declared, the Election Commission said. They were leading in another eight seats where counting was in progress.
In their election campaign, the Maoists abandoned many leftist policies like nationalisation to embrace foreign investment and public-private partnerships. Their victory could lead to a focus on improving living conditions in one of the world's poorest nations.
But a Maoist victory will be a challenge for the United States, which always opposed negotiating with the Maoists and still labels them a terrorist group, and India, battling its own Maoist insurgency.
Despite their good showing so far, a complicated electoral system will make it difficult for them to win an absolute majority in the new assembly, charged also with running the country for at least two years.
Their likely win has puzzled many analysts, who predicted the Maoists would place third. The earlier favourites had been the Communist Party (Unified Marxist-Leninist) -- known as Communist UML -- and the Nepal Congress, who have ended up with 24 and 30 seats respectively.
The Madheshi People's Rights Forum, which organised many of the last year's disruptive protests by a disgruntled ethnic group in Nepal's southern plains, has won 15 seats.
"It is amazing. It is a huge defeat, especially for the Nepali Congress and the UML," said Rhoderick Chalmers, Nepal head of the Brussels-based think-tank, International Crisis Group.
"I think it is a vote for change, a change in the way of doing politics and a change in the way state functions."
The Maoists, who signed a peace deal in November 2006 to end the civil war that killed at least 13,000 people, have toned down their use of the rhetoric of Marx and Mao for now.
During the war, human rights groups accused the Maoists of kidnapping, extortion and killings and other brutal tactics that earned them a terrorist tag. The Nepal army was also accused of widespread abuses at the time.
But since joining the peace process two years ago, the Maoists' calls for a "new Nepal" and radical land reform in favour of small-time farmers seems to have gone down well in a country where corruption and squabbling have become almost synonymous with politics.
"Other political parties did not understand the sentiments of the people and failed to live up to their promises in the past," said Ram Kumar Khadayat, a 25-year-old university student. "So people have given the Maoists a chance. Let's see how they do."
Some analysts said that the perception that the Maoists' firmer ideology and vision for the future had given them an advantage.
"The immediate problem is how to raise petroleum prices without any political repercussions," added Kunda Dixit, editor of the Nepali Times.
Ending the monarchy still appears to top the Maoist agenda.
"He should leave the palace immediately," senior Maoist leader Baburam Bhattarai was quoted as saying in the Kathmandu Post, referring to King Gyanendra, who seized absolute power in 2005 but has since been stripped of almost everything but his title.
Copyright © 2008 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.
Copyright © 2008 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved.
Questions or Comments
Privacy Policy -Terms of Service - Copyright/IP Policy - Ad Feedback
Maoist ex-rebels widen lead in Nepal election By Gopal Sharma
Mon Apr 14, 8:38 AM ET
Nepal's former Maoist rebels have widened their lead in crucial elections meant to map the country's political future and create a new Himalayan republic, the latest tally showed on Monday.
Results from last Thursday's elections for a special assembly meant to write a new constitution and formally abolish the 240-year-old Hindu monarchy show the Maoists have won 101 of the 178 seats declared, the Election Commission said. They were leading in another eight seats where counting was in progress.
In their election campaign, the Maoists abandoned many leftist policies like nationalisation to embrace foreign investment and public-private partnerships. Their victory could lead to a focus on improving living conditions in one of the world's poorest nations.
But a Maoist victory will be a challenge for the United States, which always opposed negotiating with the Maoists and still labels them a terrorist group, and India, battling its own Maoist insurgency.
Despite their good showing so far, a complicated electoral system will make it difficult for them to win an absolute majority in the new assembly, charged also with running the country for at least two years.
Their likely win has puzzled many analysts, who predicted the Maoists would place third. The earlier favourites had been the Communist Party (Unified Marxist-Leninist) -- known as Communist UML -- and the Nepal Congress, who have ended up with 24 and 30 seats respectively.
The Madheshi People's Rights Forum, which organised many of the last year's disruptive protests by a disgruntled ethnic group in Nepal's southern plains, has won 15 seats.
"It is amazing. It is a huge defeat, especially for the Nepali Congress and the UML," said Rhoderick Chalmers, Nepal head of the Brussels-based think-tank, International Crisis Group.
"I think it is a vote for change, a change in the way of doing politics and a change in the way state functions."
The Maoists, who signed a peace deal in November 2006 to end the civil war that killed at least 13,000 people, have toned down their use of the rhetoric of Marx and Mao for now.
During the war, human rights groups accused the Maoists of kidnapping, extortion and killings and other brutal tactics that earned them a terrorist tag. The Nepal army was also accused of widespread abuses at the time.
But since joining the peace process two years ago, the Maoists' calls for a "new Nepal" and radical land reform in favour of small-time farmers seems to have gone down well in a country where corruption and squabbling have become almost synonymous with politics.
"Other political parties did not understand the sentiments of the people and failed to live up to their promises in the past," said Ram Kumar Khadayat, a 25-year-old university student. "So people have given the Maoists a chance. Let's see how they do."
Some analysts said that the perception that the Maoists' firmer ideology and vision for the future had given them an advantage.
"The immediate problem is how to raise petroleum prices without any political repercussions," added Kunda Dixit, editor of the Nepali Times.
Ending the monarchy still appears to top the Maoist agenda.
"He should leave the palace immediately," senior Maoist leader Baburam Bhattarai was quoted as saying in the Kathmandu Post, referring to King Gyanendra, who seized absolute power in 2005 but has since been stripped of almost everything but his title.
Copyright © 2008 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.
Copyright © 2008 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved.
Questions or Comments
Privacy Policy -Terms of Service - Copyright/IP Policy - Ad Feedback
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Nepal's Election and Beyond..
This is from prismweb. The election is for a CA (Constituent Assembly) that will both draft a constitution and serve as interim parliament. The Maoist insurgents are participating but are suspicious of vote-rigging and also have been participants in and also victims of election violence. It remains to be seen if this election will terminate the long period of civil war and lead the Maoists to accept a more peaceful political process.
Nepal’s Election and Beyond
Kathmandu/Brussels: Elections for Nepal’s Constituent Assembly on 10 April could be marred by political violence, but if all parties cooperate, it will open the next stage in the peace process. Nepal’s Election and Beyond,* the latest report from the International Crisis Group, examines the positive signs and challenges in the run-up to the elections and calls upon the current seven-party coalition, including the Maoists, to prepare for difficult negotiations in the post-poll period in order to manage a transition to a new unity government.
There are many encouraging indications for the upcoming elections. Party campaigning has built up momentum and, combined with critical media scrutiny, has been boosting public awareness of the electoral system and party positions. The country has considerable experience of elections, although this is the first time Nepalis will elect a constitution-drafting body.
“It will be hard for any major party to back out of the elections now”, says Rhoderick Chalmers, Crisis Group’s South Asia Deputy Project Director. “But the vote itself is only one step: in the days and weeks afterward, leaders will need to respect the outcome of the poll, cope with challenges to the results and then prepare a unity government”.
The 23-point agreement of December 2007 committed the governing parties to make Nepal a federal democratic republic as soon as the Constituent Assembly (which will both write a constitution and serve as interim parliament) convenes and to implement still incomplete aspects of the peace process.
The main challenges concern the violence and intimidation that have dogged the campaign. Public security has been dismal throughout the ceasefire. Armed groups active in the Tarai plains have vowed to disrupt the elections, and the main parties have also engaged in misconduct. The Maoists are responsible for the most systematic attacks on other parties, but they have also been the greatest victims, with eight of their activists killed. The widely respected Election Commission has to manage a complex parallel electoral system, which poses considerable technical and logistical challenges, as well as dealing with likely appeals.
The post-poll period will likely be difficult and dangerous. Under the best of circumstances, it will probably take three weeks to determine final results, and the behaviour of powerful losers will shape the immediate aftermath. Therefore, the parties’ first commitment must be to respect the election’s outcome, as long as it is broadly free and fair. Whatever the results, seven-party cohesion would smooth the way forward, but leaders will need to prepare for a broader unity government that includes other parties that do well at the polls. The priority will then be to tackle the sensitive remaining parts of the peace deal, starting with grasping the nettle of security sector reform and converting the extended military ceasefire into structural support for sustainable peace.
“Surviving the rocky road to the polls and their probably turbulent aftermath will require cooperation and forward planning from the main parties”, says Robert Templer, Crisis Group’s Asia Program Director.
This entry was posted by Tremane Barr on April 7, 2008 at 12:33 pm and filed under Human Rights. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post. Post a comment or leave a trackback: Trackback URL.
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Nepal’s Election and Beyond
Kathmandu/Brussels: Elections for Nepal’s Constituent Assembly on 10 April could be marred by political violence, but if all parties cooperate, it will open the next stage in the peace process. Nepal’s Election and Beyond,* the latest report from the International Crisis Group, examines the positive signs and challenges in the run-up to the elections and calls upon the current seven-party coalition, including the Maoists, to prepare for difficult negotiations in the post-poll period in order to manage a transition to a new unity government.
There are many encouraging indications for the upcoming elections. Party campaigning has built up momentum and, combined with critical media scrutiny, has been boosting public awareness of the electoral system and party positions. The country has considerable experience of elections, although this is the first time Nepalis will elect a constitution-drafting body.
“It will be hard for any major party to back out of the elections now”, says Rhoderick Chalmers, Crisis Group’s South Asia Deputy Project Director. “But the vote itself is only one step: in the days and weeks afterward, leaders will need to respect the outcome of the poll, cope with challenges to the results and then prepare a unity government”.
The 23-point agreement of December 2007 committed the governing parties to make Nepal a federal democratic republic as soon as the Constituent Assembly (which will both write a constitution and serve as interim parliament) convenes and to implement still incomplete aspects of the peace process.
The main challenges concern the violence and intimidation that have dogged the campaign. Public security has been dismal throughout the ceasefire. Armed groups active in the Tarai plains have vowed to disrupt the elections, and the main parties have also engaged in misconduct. The Maoists are responsible for the most systematic attacks on other parties, but they have also been the greatest victims, with eight of their activists killed. The widely respected Election Commission has to manage a complex parallel electoral system, which poses considerable technical and logistical challenges, as well as dealing with likely appeals.
The post-poll period will likely be difficult and dangerous. Under the best of circumstances, it will probably take three weeks to determine final results, and the behaviour of powerful losers will shape the immediate aftermath. Therefore, the parties’ first commitment must be to respect the election’s outcome, as long as it is broadly free and fair. Whatever the results, seven-party cohesion would smooth the way forward, but leaders will need to prepare for a broader unity government that includes other parties that do well at the polls. The priority will then be to tackle the sensitive remaining parts of the peace deal, starting with grasping the nettle of security sector reform and converting the extended military ceasefire into structural support for sustainable peace.
“Surviving the rocky road to the polls and their probably turbulent aftermath will require cooperation and forward planning from the main parties”, says Robert Templer, Crisis Group’s Asia Program Director.
This entry was posted by Tremane Barr on April 7, 2008 at 12:33 pm and filed under Human Rights. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post. Post a comment or leave a trackback: Trackback URL.
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