Kathmandu Under Threat

The Himal Khabarpatrika (31 July-15 August) in its report said that the Maoist strategy to strangle Kathmandu with a military buildup in the surrounding districts has suffered setbacks, because of the increased efficacy of the army's intelligence in recent months, which has allowed key leaders to be captured and killed. It described the arrest of the Maoists leaders in their 'Ring Area' including Hit Bahadur Tamang, Rabindra Shreshtra, Nischal and Dilip Maharajan in Nepal and India and the killing of Bharat Dhungana as the major set back for the insurgents. The report opined that the formation of 'Ring Area' is to destroy the economic and political centre of the country so that the Kathmandu-based diplomats will be pushed for negotiations and also soften the government's hard-line stance on talks. It emphasized the deployment of army in Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading districts and the improved intelligence sources to crack down on the Maoists influence in this region and achieve an unprecedented success. Observing the special operations under unified command clearly accentuates the army's shoot-to-kill tactics against senior leaders during operations in order to demoralise grassroots cadre, supporters and sympathisers. It warned of the insurgents' revenge activities for the capture and killing of their leaders.

A report in Nispaksha (3 August) quoting the Maoists area commander Prashant said that the capital will be targeted to get international attention so that the government will be under pressure to declare a ceasefire. The analyst said, "Maoists are busy in planning an attack in the heart of Kathmandu." The report opined that the Maoists could be planning high-profile assassinations of politicians, officials and individuals close to the king on the Maoist hit list.

Red Cross Victims

Samacharpatra (16 August) in one of its news items says while most of the NGOs are pulling out their projects in the villages, Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) remains the only organisation to work in all 75 districts of Nepal, even in the most Maoist affected areas. Already 17 Red Cross workers have lost their lives, and more than 50 have been abducted by Maoists. In addition, they are constantly subject to harassment from the security forces as well. Despite all this, NRCS has not stopped work anywhere in Nepal. Officials say that they can still work safely compared to what they face in other countries affected by civil war like Kashmir and Jaffna.

Targeting the Media

Kantipur (19 August) has written that by murdering a journalist and threatening to kill 10 others, the Maoists have once again tried to establish themselves as terrorists and have dared to uproot the achievements of the popular 1990 movement. It was Media's responsible reporting on the nationwide rebellion that informed the international community and shaped outside cooperation for peace talks. The report opines a force that is afraid of information cannot win national and international trust when it comes to peace as the sole agenda. It condemned the totalitarian concept of keeping the media under their control. Rajdhani (19 August) emphasized the Nepali Media's stand along with the Maoists, which has always taken their message - need for change - to all quarters of society and severely criticized the Maoists deplorable and ungrateful act against them. But the difference is that the media tries to bring change through peaceful means, whereas the rebels have taken a path of violence and destruction. Finally, it opines, 'if the rebels believe that they can obliterate opinion from society by killing and kidnapping journalists, they are grossly mistaken.'

Samacharpatra (19 August) said, in the nine-year old insurgency, the rebels have already killed six journalists. When reporters and correspondents are killed or threatened, the entire publication house comes under stress and the more media practitioners have been forced to choose other professions. It warned that if the Maoists continue to antagonize the Media, the press will have to boycott all of their appeals, press statements and opinion articles and instead begin a campaign to expose their violent activities. Nispaksha (24 August) said journalists who hesitate to call the Maoists terrorists have themselves become victims of terror. Specifying the recent incidents of road blockade, educational strike and industries close down, it said that the military power has overshadowed their political ideology and that their political values and principles are already becoming weak. This has led the Maoists to become more distanced from the Nepali people.

Between the Guns?

In Kantipur (9 August), Speaker Taranath Ranabhat said the people are being crushed between the legitimate and illegitimate arms  of the Army of the King and the Maoists. The political parties that are supposed to represent the people and act as their shield are engaged in the game of vested political interest. Ranabhat said that neither the constituent assembly nor referendums were going to be a cakewalk. Processes that are believed to be solutions could lead to more differences and wrangling.  Indicting the power struggle between the King,  political parties and the Maoists he said, "they should seek a common agreement on amending the constitution… otherwise it will open up a new can of worms."