Himalayan Times:

THT Online

Kathmandu, December 21 - Cadres of the Maoist affiliated Unions this afternoon attacked the offices and personnel of Himal Media. According to reports Maoists affiliated Hotel and Restaurants workers union cadres attacked Himal Media publisher Kunda Dixit and Managing Director Aushutosh Tiwari among others. They also vadalised the offices of the publications. There are reports of injuries to journalists and other personnel of the publications.

Pire,
At HLS, we don't just read history books and "know" everything like you do.  We try to incorporate all the factors of consideration for any argument.

O Pire (alias Nepe).. come here... you diarrhea mouths... Come here.. I will poke your ass and insert enough diarrhea pills so that your diarrhea mouths will instantly stop.. ha ha..

You fugging guys.... talking nonsense things all the time.. go to hell you guys.. or of course, Prachnada will be happy to recieve you in Nepal. so that you guys can be utilized by him.. he will screw you from behind..  coz there iwll not more than 14 hours load shedding.. and he would not even know whether he is screwing Sita or Pire..

That's the place you shoudl go.. and do chakadi of Prachanda...

This place here is not suitable for you guys.. you rotten as$es.

Ved,

Look this is what I am saying. You can judge for yourself who needs a soap to clean the mouth. You are way too desperate. I mean you royalists here can't write one sentence properly, can't conduct any conversation coherently, and when someone challenges you guys, you go ballistic for no reason. Your stupidity cost Gyanendra his throne, and if you continue like this, it will cost him his life. My suggestions to you guys: let monarchy rest in peace.

I don't have to talk to you dishwashers anymore than this. I hope one day you will be able to write something decent.

Pire,"You royalists have nothing left now, nowhere to go ,but to support democratic process, and get behind democrats."

ha ha ha THIS MORON IS DILLUSIONAL. ha ha ha AND WHERE THE FUG WERE THOSE DEMOCRATS THEN AND WHERE THE FUG ARE THOSE DEMOCRATS NOW ? EXCUSE ME, COULD THOSE DEMOCRATS HAVE HELPED PROTECT JOURNALISTS OF HIMAL MEDIA ? IF NOT THEN SHUT THE FUG UP. TALKING ABOUT THE PAST IS BENEFICIAL TO NO-ONE HERE. ITS EASY TO TALK OUT OF YOUR ASS LIKE NEPE, BUT VERY HARD FOR THOSE WHO ARE FACING THE BRUNT OF MAOIST DICKTATORSHIP AND GESTAPO MENTALITY.

 first of all let me tell  YCL please for god shake i don't need you... i am so sorry that we cannot carry liscenced gun in Nepal like in united states. WTF is YCL do they even know who they are i know who they are a bunch of pathetic anarchist fagots who got no proper education played marbles when they were supposed to study and now are hunting peoples. I am from Dhankuta and for gods shake i am telling truth i know lots of guys from there who were studying with me there were some of guys who  were studying in higher classes then mine but unfortunately i don't know wht happened to them they kept failing their classes finally i passed my SLC ..i did passed my +2 with flying colors i didn't have any time to look at those elders but as i saw them i found them roamimg in the streets, standing at the street corner playing carromboard and they wasted their time in the same way .....now after three years since then i am at the united states and almost doing with  my engineering ......i sometime ask about them ....well i was so suprised to hear ....those guys have indeed made good fortune ....when i learned deeper i found that they had joined YCL ..and were involved in random and brutal fightings  collecting money ....scaring peoples and beating them and doing lots of dada giri from sabji bajar to meat market this is their reality.......

get the fuc...off

Pire,

I read your  unsubstantiated "thought"  about me (way above on this thread), and I had had a chuckle.

I decided that you do have a great sense of humor.

Look, I am NOT sure whether I qualify as "a wealthy kid" or as "a member of the [financial] elite" in Nepal.

But thanks for the flattery! 

The sadly verifiable truth is that if I were indeed either, believe me, I would NOT be working full-time -- that too in Nepal, trying to earn a decently straightforward living by working six days a week by happily managing staff members who come from 40 different zillas of Nepal and from 8 different Nepali ethnic groups that follow at least four different religions!

In fact, it so happens that some of those colleagues -- hailing from zillas such as Bhojpur, Sindhu Palchowk, Saptari, Rautahat and Siraha -- put themselves in harm's way to protect and save this Kathmandu boy from the attackers on Sunday.

Surely, Pire, something larger than simple class prejudices is at work here, no?

Since you brought up my background in an unsubstantiated manner, let me tell you that I think of myself as a 'localite' -- in the sense that I am a member of that generation of Nepalis who are equally comfortable receiving -- to give you two examples that happened just today (Friday) -- a 'how are you? heard about the attack' phone call from a member of the Obama transition team (i.e. an old classmate) AND a similar call from a Tharu activist (an old colleague) with whom I worked for more than two years once, traversing  the hinterland of Dang, Bardiya, Banke, Kanchanpur and Kailali!

You see, say what you will about me, but please do understand that some of us Nepalis are very, very hard to pigeon-hole into nice little outdated and false "us versus them" categories!

The real world is a lot more complicated than the Sajha universe!

I say that because, you see, some years ago, some Sajha folks -- who shall remain nameless -- tried very, very hard to paint me as a "raja.baadi" on Sajha when all I dared to do was, in a manner of free inquiry, publicly question some of their thinking.

Later, those friends had no choice but to shut up when, in the real world, I became the CEO of the most republican media house in Kathmandu!

So, have faith. Have trust.

Because of our work, some of us Nepalis are quite capable of bridging the gap between Kailali and Cambridge by way of Kathmandu :-) And I say that in a straightforward manner, that is, quite matter-of-factly!

On a happier note, the two identified Himal attackers turned themselves in at a police station in Kathmandu today.

Have a great week-end.

oohi

ashu

 

         It sounds like Nepal needs another socio-politial revolution. First of all, why the hell is the party of UML still in existence? The people who follow that party should split up either into pro-democracy-capitalistic-favoring-monarchy (RaPraPa+NC) or republican-antimonarchy-neocapitalistic-totalitarianists as in China (maoists). There is too much political freedom and options in Nepal. Hence the opportunitists always have options to keep switching the alliance. And it brings unstabiliy, so this party of Nepali congress should abandon the idea of democracy. F*&K BP and his clans of National Socialism supporters unless they turn into outright capitalists. Then we shall have a republic socialist party of maoists and capitalistic royalist party of congress. This will ultimately bring the political unstability down eventually stopping these nepal bandhas, chakka jams and strikes and vandalisms.  

ashu,

Here is what I wrote... (and I have overall been supportive of you in this thread. It is just that this whole thread is filled with god damn royalists, ready to pounce at any chance to re-introduce raja-au-desh-banau slogan.)

"For the record, I think, Kunda Dixit/Ashutosh Tiwari were rarely hardcore democrats, unlike Kanak Dixit. At least, I never saw them in patrakar andolan in Kathmandu during king's rule. May be because they joined patrakarita later. I also think Kunda supported king's first speech --before he delivered his last speech in fear in baisakh 11-- in bbc or something like that. I remembering being pissed off at Kunda for that, especially since Kanak was in jail at the time. In my opinion, they always thought they were wealthy kids who could take any concept--democracy included-- as long as it benefitted them. They surely thought they were better than other ordinary poor patrakar and avoided hanging out with them...."

I mixed you and Kunda and said you are wealthy kids.. by wealthy, I don't know how "up there" are you, but surely, you are quite up there in Nepal. Your defense that "I would NOT be working full-time -- that too in Nepal, trying to earn a decently straightforward living by working six days a week" isn't true in Nepal where people are defined as poor not because they work six days a week as a CEO. However, god bless you for working six hours a day, fighting with the cut throat terrorists who have masked themselves as YCL, contributing to our country as a tax payer, but the truth remains that you hang out with the most powerful and wealthy people in Nepal, and the outcry that has followed rightnow wouldn't have followed had you been a patrakar in Kailali. Furthermore, I hardly believe Himalmedia is the most republican media house in the country--let's not wantonly use superlatives here, but I respect their work.

Don't want to digress too much, but anytime you write something here, the truth is most of the people who come out supporting you are also those who has wishful thinking of getting Gyanendra back. That's what pissed me off when I was reading all these threads. Nobody pisses me off more than those who has these thoughts.

Anyway, goodluck and stay safe. In one of these days, I will drop by at Himal Media house. One of your workers is my highschool friend... and who knows, I may apply for a patrakar job myself when there is an opening and work for you. Doesn't sound possible with the recent cuts, though.

Pire,

Your saying "I don't know how "up there" are you, but surely, you are quite up there in Nepal" muddies the water unnecessarily.  

What matters is NOT the fact that rajabaadis are saying "khucching!", or that how wealthy or poor or connected or disconnected someone is in Nepal.

These are all irrelevant details, which when cast in dubiously personal terms against named individuals in public only prejudice one set of readers against another for no reason.

Surely, in these polarised times, we need less of this type of "us versus them" thinking, no? 

And just because others engage in this sort of divisive thinking, you, of all people, need not give in to that temptation in public, just to score a point with or vent your anger at rajabaadis. 

What matters, IMHO, is this:

- That Nepalis -- whoever they are -- peacefully going about their work in their private offices in Nepal should NOT be beaten up by anyone. 

Perhaps, Himal's case was a tipping point, around which  those in other industries -- media, manufacturing, banking, etc -- will come together to say, "enough is enough, and let us run our companies legally in ways so that we can make a profit so that we can continue to produce goods and services and provide jobs to people."

Maybe, that tipping point has not been reached yet, and that more struggle is needed ahead.

At this point, we don't know which is which, and we'll have to see how things unfold in days ahead. 

Meantime, let's take one day at a time so that the basic freedom of all Nepalis to live, work and travel in Nepal without fear is stable at all times, and that disputes are settled in a court of law and not through blows and kut-peet.

Surely. we can expect to press for THAT MUCH freedom in our present-day loktantra, regardless of where one's political sympathies lie, hoina ra?

oohi

ashu 

Ashu,

The reality is a "tipping point" -- the point after which people simply give up resisting--- has been long passed, unbeknownst to the likes powerfuls who are now rallying to protect Himalmedia in KTM, and are outraged. Nothing disgusted me more than when people like Dr Devendra Raj Pandey, Khagendra Sangraula and Hari Roka went to PM and demanded a karbahi against the attackers.

You, above all persons, must have known it since long that industrialists have been beaten since long, and even a small restaurant owner can't operate the restaurant without being asked for extra money. God bless Himal Patrika for publishing those excesses from time and time--sympathizing with the industrialists in their plights, and your "unionko nam ma dadagiri" article should be one of the best ever in Nepali media. But the fact remains that when people in villages were crushed, extorted arbitrarily to the point that their children were kidnapped from schools and used as a canon fodder, people like Hari ROka, Khagendra Sangraula, Manjushree Thapa etc were busy praising the Maoist utopia. (I have heard you praising them, but surely that may not prove any association! Plus, I have no rights to demand that you cut off your association with them, but Himal media's cuddling with these Maoists-Goebbles doesn't look compatible with their heroism of publishing kartoot of some relatively unknown union leaders of the Maoists--not to subtract away from the heroism of the patrakars who wrote the report. I will be happy to see the day when Himal media, Kantipur and others cut association with the Maoists sympahtizers in KTM, and brand them danger to the freedom of press in KTM.)

I am a son of an ordinary trader in village. I still carry around a rashid of my payment to the Maoists, my proof that I made a deal with the Maoists, and for a man who hates the Maoists from his guts, this serves as a proof of humiliation I was inflicted upon long ago.Of course, I wanted to be resolute and resist the terrorists, like you did, but -having no friend in Obama transition team or in Kailali-my bravado would have gone unnoticed and I dont' want anonymous death or paralysis. But the humiliation hurt me big time. For some reason, I wanted it to happen to the complacent wealthy class in KTM, who always found a way to support the Maoists. It is either king or the Maoists for most of them. I have long passed a tipping point where I could resist Maoists without appeasing them. I assume most of the industralists in Hetauda-Birgunj corridor, in Biratnagar, in Janakpur did that. When they needed help, Nepal's anti-capitalistic media and elites turned the other way. Frankly, if a YCL goon punches Khagendra Sangraula/Devendra Raj Pandey, especially Pandey, one day, that would be my best day.

I didn't bring up this "Us Vs Them" taxonomy without any reason. There was no one to protect us when we were victims. My own sister voted for the Maoists in the hope that they would stop their excesses. We long passed by the tipping point of resistance. Now, as sociologists say, there is a pooling equilibrium, where everybody votes the Maoists, follows the Maoists in village, because it is costly not to do so. We wait for another pooling equilibrium--like they did in Dolakha loooong ago--where everybody opposes the Maoists. Dolakha's anti-Maoists movement fizzled out, because KTM didn't bother to support it. I doubt KTM has stamina to start another pooling, in all likelihood, the arrest of the two terrorists will be declared a victory and the country will be run in two parts--one is KTM and another is nonKTM-- and in that case, I am sure you will forgive me in thinking that some people "up there" are more equal than us in the new Maoist ruled animal farm.

(BTW, what I wrote above doesn't mean I disagree with you in that we must work one-day-at-a-time to defeat the Maoists and allow an environment where people entrepreneurship spirit is amply rewarded, not discouraged as capitalistic tendency.  But sometimes, as I walk from my deraa in Sanepa to Kupandol, it comes to my mind that there is no one who is going to fight for my poultry farm back home. The interpretation for me rightnow is this: a few people in Kathmandu are trying to tell me, " Pire, help us to be safe in Kathmandu, and we may help you to be safe in your hometown!". I don't know if that works. I will, today, rally behind you, Ashu, but will you do it for me tomorrow when they come to my house and take my profit? Of course, I will be selfless and support you. But you should always keep this context of "Us-Vs-Them" in mind. I support you, but don't make me feel it is totally nishkam-karma support.)

"Maoist trade union chief" (exmonarchist according to prachanda???) warns of future attacks against press

Maoist lawmaker and president All Nepal Trade Union Federation (ANTUF) Salik Ram Jamarkattel. (File photo)

Chairman of Maoist Trade Union Shalikram Jammarkattel on Friday warned that “Himalmedia episode” may repeat again if the media houses of the country are not serious regarding fulfilling the demands of their workers.

“If their (laborers) rights are not ensured we will bring hundreds of thousands of laborers into the streets,” Jammarkattel thundered at an interaction program organized in the capital. “If the repression (of laborers) continues then episodes like Himalmedia can repeat again.”

He claimed that he and his party – CPN (Maoist) - are “committed towards press freedom”, but said that he will not let any media house owners exploit the workers.

Meanwhile, the siege of Kantipur Publications’ regional office in Biratnagar by Maoist unionist continued for the third straight day on Friday, owing to which Saturday editions of Kantipur and its sister publications the Kathmandu Post could not be printed in the Eastern region.

That's the one... it's PIRE in the photo.. I recognized..

Ashu,

I sympathize with your situation. However, I couldn't resist chuckling with smugness for a while. See, I used to be surprised at people who were associated with Kamaiya movement (you included), because they "assumed" all pahadiyas who kept Kamaiyas were shoshak/samanti etc, and demanded their "release". Obviously, they failed to understand that the system might have sinister beginning at the start, but kamaiyas were actually paid what economists call "competitive wage": if there is a surplus supply of labor, you pay less, as simple as that. Kamaiya movement perhaps was started with a noble motive, but since it didn't understand the issue --not to mention the ridiculous communism-inspired everybody-should-get-10-kattha demand-- it ended up hurting kamaiyas. Lots of them are now equally worseoff, or worse, their daughters have ended up being prostitutes.

The rich in villages were never as rich or as cruel, but the likes of Khagendra Sangraula or Manjushree Thapa created the world where there were abundancy of tamsuk-writing anti-woman rights shoshaks in the villages who were being rescued by the khukuri-wielding red-bandanna-wearing revolutionaries. Their view was romantic, and contradicted the reality in village. Sure, there were one or two shoshaks in perhaps in every villages, but they were neither all too powerful, nor had they forced outcomes against individual's wishes anymore than the elites in KTM. But, as economists like to say, people attack the weakest quarries first (the one associated with the lowest marginal costs). And because of their half-baked western education , or perhaps due to the intention to distance themselves from caste system,  elite brahmins in KTM were the first one to encourage the impression that the village Brahmins were all chor-daku -"and, oh, no, we are not like them" impression. When poor Brahmins motorcycle (or TV)-owners were persecuted in villages by the Maoists, the latter were clapped as savior. If interest rate in village was higher, then it was the result of competitive rent setting; the lender factoring in all risks associated with lending the money, and if the government doesn't like it, the solution is to expand the reach of state owned credit institutions, not to excoriate/maim the village based lenders.

It all has culminated to today's chaos. When Maoists have attacked their own kinds, our KTM based wealthy class feigns surprise, and asks, "Who? Us? No way." Forgive me, if like others, I too fail to have sympathy for recent incidence's victims. And I too admire your media house a lot, but have a lot of complaints. Where were you when the country was declared secular without going to vote? Kanak Dixit, a man with admirable character, once wrote in an article that "He is atheist, ...". I was thinking how come a secular man wear his 'nonreligion' in sleeve. Why can't he just shut up, practice his faith without letting everyone know? Similarly, Himal ran two news articles in last few issues about a child's murder in Nepalgunj, and pinned the blame on Hindu baba who , it said, were killing kids. When the real killer was found out there was not even an apology. Hinduism in Nepal is attacked easily because most of the people who go to temple are poor villagers, women and children, and these are not the people who go to streets to protest. Democracy and press ethics has been never remembered when thrashing poor villager's/women/children belief. (To give you an example of how democracies work, gay rights was voted down in california this time around. Democrats should push for going to people regardless of their belief about it. Afulai secular man paryo bhane backdoor bata secularity pass garne pani hunchha?)

I can go on about it. But just like our elites in Kathmandu assumed things about village, the Maoists also assumed things about them. Those trained in reading Russian literatures are likely to see all factory owners as shoshak/samanti, as Lenin's movement was worker-inspired movement. Those familiar with Chinese literature are likely to regard all village heads as shoshak because Chinese movement was peasant inspired. The revolution has found its way towards culmination point, and kudos to capital based elites for stoking it all their life. Thankfully, some have already learnt the art of surviving revolution by joining the revolutionaries, such as Jyoti brothers....

I find it interesting when people ask where were you when the villagers were being extorted. Leaders are born because they have to face direct hardship. It's just the way things are. You are not going to start to feed yourself when you see others hungry around you. Hunger has to affect you before you start thinking of how to feed yourself.

The same way, I see Ashu and other members of the media more concerned about the direct act of illegal harassment of a private company by members of the ruling government. The comparision of atrocities in villages are not even comparable here since back then the Maoists were not the government whereas now, they are and that's why it makes a big deal when people who are in the government are involved in physical beatings for not following their orders.

The "tipping point" mentioned by Pire is for those who have lost hope and are now willing to be slaves of the Maoist government. The tipping point that Ashu and lot of other democracy loving people are experiencing thesedays is the point whereby we are not going to stand quietly while the Maoist government does whatever they want without any respect for human rights or for democratic rights of the people.

This is serious times and we cannot listen to the likes of Pire and Nepe, the latter of whom still belive in the hope that his Maoists masters are going to come through and work for a better democratic society, while the former is preaching everyone to accept maoists no matter what they do.

You misunderstood me, Bhusan. Yes, I want my personal suffering to be shared by others in Kathmandu too. I want those who encouraged the Maoists in the first place to pay in some way. It is not like we didn't know there were Maoists victims, there were, those in media who saw Chiluwal being killed in broad daylight went gaga over Prachanda at his first appearance (still remember Rishi Dhamala's introduction of Prachanda in sonorous voice).Doggoneit, Bhusan, you need to understand that I am looking around to rally after a bona fide hero. Perhaps the wife of Birendra Sah, but she doesn't have intellectual firepower to lead the movement. But even when they become victim, I have hard time rallying around the intellectual class of Kathmandu who had long ago made a deal with the Maoists, hobnobbed with the Maoist Goebbles and found justification for Maoists agenda.

Arresting the YCL goons who attacked Himal is a solution in patchwork. At this moment, I don't know what to do. I feel for Himal, but what keeps on coming in my background is this fact: afterall, their property loss is not more than 1 lakh, and a few of them got a few mudki. It doesn't shock me as much as it does to others. A man I used to eat khaja/beer with was beaten, and he passed away being paralysed for three years. Not one single news about him ever made a headline in KTM, eventhough he was a headmaster, much beloved, of his students.I am looking to hear the answer of this question: do we have a solution that spans the country? do we have a plan that works not only for Himal or KTM based firms but everyone in the country? Do we?

herealone,

Well, my grandfather was not there, that's why last 12 generations of my family had to serve the last 12 generations of PN Shah's family. How much more flesh/servility will repay the debt? And in any case, how better off I am today than under the regime of another Shah king who used to rule my ancestor's principality?

I think we paid all the loans in last 12 generations to the descendants of PN Shah. It is time to move on, as people have already showed. All loans in this world should be payable in one generation.

Pire there is few things fundamentally wrong with your analysis.

You say " I want my personal suffering to be shared by others in Kathmandu too. I want those who encouraged the Maoists in the first place to pay in some way."

You seem to think that people from Kathmandu encourages the maoists. The fact stands that the Maoists were encouraged from the support they received from uneducated villagers to whom they promised better lifestyle and access to better amenities, some even the consolation that they will receive house/land in Kathmandu.

It is wrong to blame the people of Kathmandu for the Maoist infestation. What's been wrong is the governance which has been mostly due to the Shah kings, who have ignored the plight of the villages in Nepal. For this the most recent former Shah king had to pay dearly - not that I hold him totally responsible. The responsibility had been ignored from long time back Possibly since PN Shah's time.

Pire, you are putting on the blame upon Kathmanduites because it is convenient for you. As I said most of the blame goes to the Shah kings' rulings. Secondly, the blame goes to india for harboring terrorists like Prachanda and Baburam Bhattarai.

Nepal and India have had many differences in the past but it took a different turn when ex king Gyanendra openly supported China and even made recommendation to the SAARC to include China within SAARC as observers. For India, this came as the last straw specially when they were on top of their game within the SAARC and could not tolerate king G's tilt towards China. That is the reason, Prachanda and Baburam were free to live in India and command the Maoist guerellas who had already been marked as terrorist even by the US. India not only gave them freedom of movement but also monetary and arms support to carry out the grand plan of overthrowing the king. Even after the Maoists joined the seven party alliance, the maoist big shots Prachanda and Baburam made many trips to India.

It is simply wrong to blame ordinary folks, businessmen or intellectuals in Kathmandu for what happened in the Villages. Every citizen wants to have a normal life, work for a living with the hope of betterment and that's what the people of kathmandu did while the India supported maoist movement began it's crusade of murder and exploitation. Before the maoists seeped into their daily lives, even the villagers did the same thing ie wanted to have a normal life according to their own definition and to work for a living with the hope of a better future. Many times we are led to believe that most villagers joined the maoists of their own free will but this is simply a case of the winner writing history. Most people joined the maoist movement because of fear and nothing else. Try chopping of few teachers in front of everyone and see how many people disagree with what you have to say.

The politicians didn't do anything concrete all this time besides fighting amongst each other to amass the most wealth. King G didn't do anything smart either. In fact he had a great opportunity to set everything right but he probably has wrong advisors to advise him. He made very bad choices such as selecting a murderer for a minister. That was a tipping point in him losing his thorne. The people of kathmandu had some hope in the king but his choices of ministers just proved that there wasn't going to be anything new or spectacular in what the king could ever accomplish for the people.

Thus, when the election came the people of kathmandu made the wrong choice of supporting the maoist simply due to lack of better alternatives. Little did they know that the maoist govt would go on to become worse than the kings rule. At least in the king's rule there was only one family at the top of the pyramid. Now in the maoist regime there are many families at the top of the pyramid. Plus these families had to take help of others to get there so there are a lot of favors to be paid. So the murderer of ram hari shrestha gets to go scott free thanks to the favors he had done for the current rulers. Same way, many YCL activists who beat up people and businessmen for not paying hafta gets to roam around without any fear. During the kings time noone went to businesses and demanded money or beat up ordinary citizens who were just working hard to make ends meet. But now, in this maoist regime, their ego is superior to democracy and anyone who stands against it, whether it be supportive of law or not. Law and order a thing of the past in this maoist regime. The sense of security that existed during the Kings regime has been replaced by total lawlessness and gunda gardi of the maoist protected elements. Don't call me a monarchist for this observation. It is the truth. I have blamed the kings where it's due.

Today, few months after the maoists have been in power, the future of the country looks bleak. With the recent attack on himal media they have boldly stated that if anyone goes against them then they will be retaliated with force. This is not what democracy stands for and it's time for us people in Kathmandu to come out to the streets and fight these goons. They don't deserver to be where they are right now.

Pire, I hope I have made myself a little clearer here. The circumstances of the attack on the villagers back then when maoists were called terrorists is a lot different than the maoists attacking a media house now that they are running the government. So let's not compare those and work together to get rid of these parasites who are sucking our nepal and nepalis dry.

Thanks, everyone, for your heartfelt comments.

 I sense that there's a lot of anger here against:

(a) civil society leaders such as D R Pandey et al. 

(b) relative silence in KTM when village brahmins/village traders/village elites were being attacked or mistreated by extortionists.

(c) the way Nepal was declared secular "through the back door", and so on and on. 

Because of  a,b,c above, I sense that there's this sympathy-laced "Khucching", from some of our friends. That's fine. Thank you for your thoughts. 

As for Himal's supposed (mis)coverage of issues, please do write letters to editor and do set the record straight whenever possible. Himal is NOT infallible. It is put out by human beings afte all. And, since I myself fundamentally believe in the separation between the editorial and the management sides of a media house, I, for one, have nothing to do with the editorial content, though I can surely share your grievances with the editor.   

As for the kamaiyas, well, most have done much better; some have not -- like free people everywhere. To be fair, the verdict on the freed kamaiya is mixed, and my involvement was focused on their complete freedom of debt-bondage, and NOTon the ongoing, multi-year rahab work. Still, my sources tell me that all ex-kamaiyas are now FREE (though are poor) citizens of Nepal.  

But wasn't that the mantra?

We'd rather be free and poor than be in debt-bondage and poor? 

Justifying the practice of indentured servitude as an economically efficient social arrangement in public is a pedantically logical but a morally bankrupt position.

Even Robert Fogel, the economics Nobelist --- whose two-volume book "Time on a Cross" argued that agriculture done by slaves in the southern US was "efficient" than agriculture done by non-slaves -- was careful to separate normative considerations (i.e. Fogel opposed slavery) from positive ones (i.e. but Fogel showed that slavery made the efficient deployment of agricuture labour possible.)   

More later, thanks again for your thought.

oohi

ashu

 

 

 

 

This may be of interest:

"The Prime Minister and Jammakattel had a heated debate over taking legal action against [Himalmedia attackers Ramesh] Panta and [Ramesh] KC. Under intense national and international pressure over the Himalmedia case, the Prime Minister was under pressure to act fast.

He asked Jamakattel to cooperate with the party and the government in arresting the accused duo. Jammakattel finally agreed to the Prime Minister about taking legal action against the accused after the Prime Minister assured him of  initiatives to reinstate 16 staffers sacked by Himalmedia."

Source:

http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=611