I went to the streets today because thousands and thousands of maoists from all around the country came to Kathmandu to go on strike, this is some of what I saw

Maoists picketed Singha Durbar, the main administrative area of Nepal, which had never been picketed before. People making music in the streets, everybody was dancing, clapping hands, or screaming and making noise, more than a protest, it looked like a carnival! One important fact is that they respected the peaceful protest they meant.

Of course, all the streets were surrounded by police,

some with guns, some with bamboo sticks











the crowd was enormous, my eyes could not even reach the end, at that time Prachandra, their leader, was giving a speech

people everywhere on top of buses, even on top of publicity pannels...

this was the last day of the second round of protests, “We want the government to address our demands in a week or else face a more aggressive agitation,” said former Prime Minister and chairman of UCPN-Maoist Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’. We will see what the next move from the government is. We all know that if both sides stay rigid with their ideals, nothing will move onwards. The ruling coalition and the maoists must somehow agree on a few basic things including these two hot issues: constitution making and the peace process. Let's hope this happens before the population gets hurt one again, what could remember the hard years of civil war they had to go through some time ago.

There has been a lot of news coming out for the past week about Nepal and the Maoists. I don’t think I will be giving a complete view of all the elements, that is probably unavoidable, plus I have to say that as I’m living in my little bubble, in Raksha shelter, I only got news about these facts from the internet and from talking to the staff or other people I find on the way.

First, you might want to take a look at this page from HRW http://www.hrw.org/legacy/english/docs/2006/03/28/nepal13078.htm to know a little bit about the country’s history, and to this timeline to rearrange your thoughts, http://www.insightonconflict.org/conflicts/nepal/conflict-profile/conflict-timeline-2/

The 2008 elections gave the Maoists a majority in government and, after a 240-year reign, the monarchy was abolished. The Nepali President Ram Baran Yadav, fearful of too much Maoist power, refused to have former Maoist rebels incorporated into the armed forces. This led to Prachanda’s (maoist leader and brand new prime minister) resignation on 4th May.

Since then, the Maoists accuse the government of violating the rights of the population. The Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) UCPN (M) claims to have innumerable reasons to declare their second round of protest programs which started on the 1st of November. The 45-point manifesto addresses a range of issues, including social and economic reform, the restoration of “civilian supremacy”, the fall of the puppet government, and state restructuring and peace process-related issues such as the integration of the two armies and the social inclusion of traditionally marginalized groups. Their detractors however, see that the sole reason for the UCPN(M) is to shake the country and thereby grab power.

This is what was on the streets of Kathmandu last week, on Tuesday night: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8QpsenFGLw&feature=player_embedded

Due to the prolonged political crisis prevailing in the country, Nepal is now in the position of becoming a failed state, something that the political leaders here have not seriously accepted as reality. Besides, if Maoists perpetuate their movement to capture the state with these urban uprisings maybe the nation will not be able to avoid a “political accident” that might drag it into a failed state.

However, Prachanda said that his party was still committed to the conclusion of the peace process and for the draft of the new constitution on time.

The most significant achievement of the peace process to date has been the election of a representative Constituent Assembly. Its central task, and arguably the country’s most important challenge, is to draft a new constitution, for promulgation by 28 May 2010. With just over half of the thematic concept papers having been debated by the Assembly, the overall schedule has been revised for the sixth time. The stabilisation of the country depends on this first step. “The vociferous Tiger has already tasted the Human Blood, it will come back again and pounce”, this is the conclusion of the observers.

For the Chief of United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) Karin Landgren, the peace process is still unfinished business. She puts emphasis on the recommendation of the establishment of a “more formal dialogue mechanism to streamline negotiations and find creative solutions to overcome the current impasse”, while trying to avoid from all parts “provocative statements or actions in order to maintain a positive climate for dialogue”.

If you want to learn more about the actual ongoing situation in Nepal, take a look at the UNMIN’s report: http://www.unmin.org.np/downloads/keydocs/SG%20Report%20Oct%2009.pdf

Today it seems that no public transport is allowed on the road, in the morning there were some courageous drivers who made the costumers pay double for the ride, until they found the pickets and were forced to stop. Some of the staff can’t arrive to the office… but at least bandhaa has not been declared, and we don't have to stay at home, not allowed to go in the streets, and running out of fresh supplies –for the moment-.

and we can still profit from watching kathmandu valley going darker and darker until night falls...

I have to confess that every time I get on the road I fear for my life…

My first experience was a 30 kilometer ride from Kathmandu to Panauti, a village outside of the valley. Goma’s brother had yellow fever and I was going with her to see him. We took the public bus, fortunately we were the first people on it and we could choose our sit. Other people who come later, may as well go for the whole ride on their foot. I don’t know if it was the best choice we made, we decided to stick by the driver, on the first row. But don’t think it is like on our buses, in Nepal, the first road means literally touching the front window. Goma thought that getting to watch all the countryside during the way was a good idea. I thought so too. I didn’t know what this meant.

The driver gets us safely out from the crowded city and we start crossing the mountains. The thing is that in Nepal there are no rules on the road. It is all about going first. The earlier you arrive, the more passengers you get (and u already know that there is no maximum number of persons in public transport, the more, the better!) On the road, there are no red lights, no white lines, no rules. Everybody uses their horn to let know the other drivers that they are going by, but that is the only sign. Our courageous driver doesn’t look on the opposite side of the road to see who is coming, and just presses the accelerator. Goma starts laughing at my “we are going to dieeee” face. He keeps horning to the bikes that come in front of us, I am thinking “why? why do you horn at them if they are driving on their side of the road? IT IS YOU who drives on the WRONG ONE!!”… My jaws felt the pressure…

After the two hour ride and the 30 km road, we arrived safely to this astonishing place. We are surrounded by rice crops, and a marvellous variety of glowing greens… we are in the country side! no more loud horning, we are out of that cloud of pollution which is Kathmandu valley! just relax and happiness…

The women here start working at 6 am, when the sun is not very hot and harvesting is less hard. Me and Goma go to the fields one hour later (yes! for the sceptics, I am waking up this early in Nepal!) ready to help in the task: separating the left grains of rice from the plants so that the animals can eat the rest of the plant (the actual rice cutting was done a week before, it would have been another amazing experience!). Just let you know that one hour later I had two blisters on my hands, could not work any more and sat down on the shade to take some pictures and admire the strength of these women.

Today, we were on our way to see Dakhinkaly temple and same creepy drive. Going by taxi, which this time meant 6 persons on a micro car, was not a much better experience. Plus at some point, Menuka didi says: “there are many many tigers around in this jungle…” I mean, how can this help my “we are going to die” face? As for the taxi, I don’t know why he plays with our lives that way. It is horrifying to pass another car during a bend, when visibility percentage is about 0. I don’t’ know how, but we arrived safe and sound, walked to the temple, took out our shoes to go inside, made the offerings to god, some flowers as necklaces, lit some candles and burned some incense sticks. I like to think that they might have prayed to god for a safe ride home.

 *inside a temple, barefoot, flowers and red colour waterflow*

I guess I have to start doing yoga and learn how to control my nerves if I want to travel and discover other places in this country…

I just wonder how they pass their driving license here!