June 7, 2007:
The success of the Maoists in getting the government to enact reforms,
has encouraged the tribes and ethnic minorities to do the same. Over the last
few months, several new, armed, and aggressive, militias have appeared in the
countryside. These groups appear to be trying to outdo the Maoists, which would
be ironic, as the Maoists are now part of the government. Meanwhile, the
Maoists and traditional political parties appear to be maneuvering to ease each
other out of the government. The Maoists have always wanted to establish a
communist dictatorship, and the political parties believe the Maoists have not
really changed their political goals.
June 7, 2007:
Maoist groups are now offering, or selling, refuge to tribal separatist
groups (like the ULFA) from across the border in India. ULFA is also a criminal
gang, involved in all manner of scams. Buying sanctuary in Nepal appears to be
a good business move. Indian is in the process of improving its border security
in this area. But on the Nepalese side, there is not much border patrol at
all. The Maoists also appear to be
supplying the ULFA with supplies and weapons.
June 1, 2007:
A coalition of tribal groups
called a general strike that basically shut down commerce in the capital. The
government has long insisted that Nepali be the only language for dealing with
the government, thus making it difficult for many ethnic (and tribal)
minorities to deal with the government. May 30, 2007: In the southeast, there is growing unrest at
refugee camps for 100,000 ethnic Nepalis who were forced out of neighboring
Bhutan over a decade ago. Bhutan expelled the Nepalis because they were Hindu,
and Bhutan wanted to get rid of anyone who was not Buddhist. Nepal does not
want to accept the refugees, and many of the refugees want to go back to
Bhutan. Now the U.S. has offered to accept 60,000 of the refugees, and this has
caused violence between factions who want to go to America, versus those who
believe everyone should return to Bhutan. This has led to violence with Nepali
police, and Indian border guards, as a group of refugees tried to cross the
nearby Indian border, to use the bridge and road leading to Bhutan. That's the
same road used to bring the refugees to Nepal. Some people have been killed,
and dozens injured.
