October 2, 2007: While Maoists and veteran
politicians maneuver to abolish the monarchy, a real war continues down south,
along the Indian border. In the last few weeks, over a hundred have died, many
more wounded, and thousands forced out of their homes by the violence. Nepal
believes that Indian gangsters are helping promote the unrest. India believes
that Indian Maoists have established refuges in Nepal. So both countries have
agreed to share information about border security, and crack down on criminal
groups that work both sides of the border. The violence in the south, where
various ethnic groups are demanding more power, has spread north. Police
recently arrested four men from the south, and accused them of setting
off bombs in the capital last month. Bombs are still going off, yesterday someone
threw a small bomb at the Japanese embassy. No one was hurt, no one took
responsibility for it.
While the shooting has stopped
in most of the country, the Maoists, political parties and royalists are all
getting ready for another round of violence. The Maoists are trying to use
intimidation to sideline opponents, or gain allies. When the national elections
are held in November, someone is going to lose, and that could lead to more
shooting.
