What Nepalnews readers say: President Bush visits South Asia

March 1, 2006
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The US President George W. Bush arrived in Delhi, via Kabul, late Wednesday and held talks with the Indian premier, Dr Manmohan Singh, on Thursday. Follow some of the responses that our readers have sent to Nepalnews regarding the on-going visit of the American president and its possible implications for Nepal.—Ed.

Bush is taking a break from all the mess
Shree Shrestha

President Bush’s visit should be welcomed
P. Poudyal

Bush’s visit can have a greater impact on Nepal
Suwarn Vajracharya

US is concerned about Nepali insurgency
Pankaj Raj Karmacharya

Mr. Bush should pressurize the king
Kiran Khadka
Bush is taking a break from all the mess
President George Bush is doing very badly in all opinion polls in USA. Iraq war is turning into a full blown civil war by day, Dubai Port deal is looking fishy, Secret Wire Tapping scandal is reminding Americans of Nixon Days, Iran and North Korea are raising their fists higher than before. On top of that, the US budget is redder than ever before. So, President Bush is taking a break from it all this week.

During his trip to India he will not be able to get India’s support in UN for Iran Nuclear Resolution and in turn Mr Bush will not sign Nuclear Pact with India. But he will have fun in signing a declaration proclaiming mutual understanding declaration. President Bush will definitely mention the need of democracy in Nepal. He will ask India to take lead in the same manner British and French asked Hitler of Germany to take care of Czechoslovakia.

You know it’s a regional matter. So democracy-minded Nepalis wake up and smell the rats. Our future lies in our hands. Get off the streets! Stop ‘narabaji’ (sloganeering). Participate in the election and choose your representatives.

Maoists need to rejoin Communist Party. Deuba and Koirala Congress should be reunited and elect a new leader. Fighting for democracy means to earn the trust of the Nepali people, not the foreign leaders.

Shree Shrestha
4926 Tokay Blvd
Madison, WI 53711
Mar. 01, 2006
[ Top ]
US is concerned about Nepali insurgency
The visit of the US President to New Delhi will speak volumes about US concern over the fate of the increasingly troubled Nepal nestled up against high Himalayas north of India.

In my opinion, he just can’t help us until we take steps to establish participatory democracy. Over the past year, Nepal has experienced a three-way struggle for power. Maoist insurgents seek to take over the country. The king has sought to consolidate authority in his own hands to fight the insurgents. An alliance of seven parties demands that parliamentary government be restored and has dallied with the Maoists in an attempt to gain political leverage.

US officials say unless a turn-around is engineered in six to eight months, Nepal will collapse into Maoist hands. Besides bringing more instability to South Asia, which would enhance ties between the Maoists in Nepal and anti-government insurgents in northern India and possibly provide a new haven for terrorists.

The US has berated the quarreling king and politicians equally and has asserted that “so long as there is no coherent strategy in place to roll back the massive gains the Maoists have made over the past decade, the Maoists will rightfully conclude that they are winning”.

Its time we heed the US concerns.

Pankaj Raj Karmacharya
3025 Main street
Bridgeport, CT 06606
Mar. 01, 2006
[ Top ]
President Bush’s visit should be welcomed
Visit to South Asian nations by president Bush should be welcomed. This should be continued in the sense that South Asia is club of people under poverty. Therefore, US and other powerful nations should take some effective measures to overcome this problem. It is most welcomed by a Nepali citizen like me. Nepal is facing very difficult time these days. There are three basic issues, which needs to be answered:

Maoist Insurgency: Self-declared democratic parties do not have clear view over this problem nor have strategic planning to encounter insurgency. They are fighting with the King without realising the fact that they will be powerful while making consensus with the King. They are making alliance with the Maoists through 12-point pact against the King. This will in latter dates marginalize democratic voices and parties. Nepalis cannot think a country without King. They want both the King and democracy in the country.

Poverty: Rampant poverty across the country always destabilises the government. The government in power always gave priority to political issues, thereby giving low priority to economic and trade issues.

Indian Interest: We cannot change our geography and neighbours. Earlier, British destabilized Nepal and now it is the turn of Indian government in power. India is destabilizing Nepal through Maoists as they are providing every support to Prachanda, Baburam and company.

They are playing chess with all the political players in Nepal. In this context, president Bush should once visit Nepal to see two things:

1. The rapid growth of Maoist insurgency: Only the monarchy is a legitimate institution to fight against it. So, all military, logistic and moral support should be in place to fight against terrorism.

2. Nepalis expect cooperation for victims of insurgency including, those who have been made disabled, terrorised and looted by insurgents. The government alone cannot afford to recover this so all should extend their cooperation. All assistance extended should be based on the principle of mutual understanding and co-existence.

P. Poudyal
[email protected]
Mar. 01, 2006
[ Top ]
Mr. Bush should pressurize the king
We all are aware of the fact that the rise of the US after World War II is because of the capitalism. Being a capitalist, USA is always in the hunt of making fortune out of everything it does and acts.

Everyone knew there was nothing like weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. But, Mr. Bush thought otherwise and assumed Saddam Hussein was a big threat. And, here we see the mess!! Iraq is turning out to be another Vietnam. The sole reason behind attacking Iraq was the OIL. It’s an evidence that a capitalist always acts for its benefit. India has never been a good ally of the US before. But, things have changed. The cold war is over. China has moved a long way and become the largest importer to the US market. USA can not afford China to be the key player in world economy.

For USA, India has turned around as a good strategic partner so that it can neutralize China and in the meantime take advantage of growing Indian economy. Because of the Japanese car makers, big three US companies like Ford, GM, and Chrysler are in the brink of bankruptcy. India can be reviving market for these fading US companies. In order to compete with China in the process of being the largest economy in the world, India can not ignore the fact of having new ties with the US. The recent nuclear deal between these two largest democracies tells the extent a capitalist can move forward for its benefits.

Why not Nepal?

There answer is: We do not have anything to offer US.

Then, why Afghanistan? This country is no different than Nepal in terms of resources and economic conditions.

The answer is:

Because, Bin Laden is hiding there.

That is why Mr. Bush made an emergency landing in Afghanistan on his way to New Delhi.

Being the most powerful leader in the world, instead of offering few words for the democracy in Nepal and asking the king to give up absolute power, I expect Mr. Bush to show concern to our devastated country, pressure the king, and let Nepalese people live in complete democracy.

Kiran Khadka
Candidate, Masters in Business Administration.
Missouri State University
630 E. Madison
Springfield, MO.
[ Top ]
Bush’s visit can have a greater impact on Nepal
President Bush’s visit to South Asia can have a greater impact on Nepal and I envision a better hope for resolving Nepal’s political stalemate with his visit. His improved relations with both India and Pakistan will at least create an environment or open a door for talks between the two South Asian nuclear rivals. The two will learn that rivalry can be replaced with competition to help make a better South Asia. But it still depends on both President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh whether they are serious about making good use of President Bush’s diplomacy.

South Asia is watching.

On the other hand, whatever result the US President’s visit may have come out of talks with the two rivals, Nepal can have a greater impact though he avoided visiting Nepal in person this time.

Pakistan may have an agenda of its own to deal with problems being created by al Qaeda and Pervez’s uneasy alliance with the West. But India is sure to put Nepal on the agenda in Singh- Bush talk to break the stalemate in Nepal and thus the visit can create a stronger pressure upon Nepal’s king and the seven agitating parties for reconciliation, which is, of course, the only way out for Nepal’s ill.

It is difficult to think President Bush will ever give a nod to any suggestion of applying his Iraq and Afghanistan strategy in Nepal as it is not going to work in this land. The more force used the more deadlock for peace. The usage of force will only put innocent citizens’ life in jeopardy. What is significant in President Bush’s visit this time to South Asia is that he will force Nepal not by inciting violence arming the powerful party but by forcing the warring parties for reconciliation through his South Asian allies, particularly India.

Therefore, the visit has a better hope for Nepal as it causes no escalation of violence by the meddling of the US in Nepal’s problem. Some may be disappointed with this mild stance of President Bush. But this is going to help Nepal to trust in nothing but talks, negotiations and reconciliation than ever. Bush’s mild stance will remind us the message of Lord Buddha, whose native land is in trouble now for not heeding his message– “Hatred begets hatred. Kindness begets kindness. Nothing but kindness ceases the hatred” (Dhammapada).

President Bush’s visit can also be an untold reminder for all involved in the self-centred deadlock that it is time to learn from their past mistakes. Ironically, it is only the Maoists, who have publicly apologised and shown their remorse over their wrongful killings in the past. Innocent people victimized in the name of national security, party politics and even religion are yet to receive apologies from the perpetrators. President Bush’s visit to South Asia avoiding Nepal can be a great success if his visit awakens these perpetrators that they are not above the law of the land.

Suwarn Vajracharya
2-15-25 Saiwai, Ichikawa City 272-0123