Word: nepal
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...drummed up poorly attended rallies in support of the King, political leaders under house arrest smuggled out fearful notes to reporters. "If enough pressure is not exerted on Gyanendra, he may go to the extreme, [taking] dictatorial steps against the political parties, the leaders and the people," wrote Madhav Nepal, leader of the Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist-Leninist), who had been widely regarded as a Prime Minister-in-waiting. Still, even he agreed that the country's political leaders have let down democracy's cause. "The performance and delivery of the parties, especially in power, was not good...
When King Gyanendra suspended Nepal's democracy last week, he incurred the wrath of the United Nations, India and several other countries. But most democracies, from the Philippines to Colombia, have failed to quell domestic rebellions democratically. With much of Nepal now controlled or dominated by Maoist insurgents, strong and centralized leadership is a stark necessity, although Gyanendra will need to somehow forge a national consensus to contain and ultimately end the insurgency...
...While the situation appears grim, there is still hope. First, there is no foreign country backing the insurgents. New Delhi, for example, is worried that the insurgency will embolden Indian revolutionaries in the states of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh. Similarly, whenever the insurgents in Nepal are referred to as Maoists, Beijing is offended. Second, the international community is willing to help. In the latter half of the 1990s, because of human-rights violations by Nepal, the U.S. and Europe were reluctant to provide assistance. Today, the Maoists are on Washington's list of designated terrorist groups, and both...
...Maoists worldwide, including those of Nepal, believe that nothing can be changed without the use of guns. Past peace talks have been failures: on each occasion, the insurgents have infiltrated government-controlled areas and established their presence there even as they were negotiating. The government should remain open to dialogue but incessantly carry out counterinsurgency operations until the enemy is substantially degraded. Here are the key measures needed to overcome the Maoist threat...
...unwilling or unable to offer: jobs and security. Good governance?with an emphasis on efficiency and combating corruption?is required to secure public support and neutralize the Maoists' appeal. If the King can unite his country behind the fight against the insurgency, it is not yet too late for Nepal...