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Nepal News: Bandh successful; gov't begs US for guns/$$

by Slacker65
Nepali Prime Minister Dueba visits Bush today and Blair tomorrow, pleading for gun-money to finance the CIA-backed coup leaders in their hopeless fight against the People's Army, comprised of Maoist rebels.
Meanwhile, back in Nepal...

'…Still, the stores there did not open…But despite these efforts, the large stores in the city did not open, while smaller storekeepers kept their shutters partially open.

…The Maoists have severed communication with many districts. Even newspapers cannot reach districts that do not have air transport. All types of newspapers, big and small, were affected by the last general strike. Although the transport entrepreneurs said they would operate their vehicles, buses did not ply on long and short routes. The security forces had said that buses should be run in groups of 10, but that was not done.

…Government efforts alone are not adequate to make society fearless and capable of standing up to bandhs...'


Also:

'Government has come out and announced its worst fears. Defence spending is expected to almost double, government may have to borrow to pay for salaries and other recurrent expenses, revenues will remain low and development expenditure will shrink.

Finance Minister Ram Sharan Mahat, who has been keeping a pretty tight hold on the purse told the State Affairs Committee he is worried about being able to manage the treasury in the coming years. The security agencies’ wish list is long—14 helicopters (nine for the military), three for the police and two for the armed police, in addition to new armaments, recruitment drives and other logistics. Last year the government allotted Rs 10.28 billion for the army, police and armed police combined. It has spent roughly Rs 3 billion over that to meet the security spending after 26 November. The military has already spent Rs 2.1 billion and has a request for Rs 700 million awaiting approval at the Finance Ministry. The Home Ministry, for its part, has spent Rs 908 million over its budgetary allocation. For the next fiscal year (2002/03), the defence and home ministries want a combined increase of Rs 9.85 billion.

These figures are especially worrying in light of the massive slowdown in revenue collection, which is growing by about 4.5 percent, compared with the 19 percent target that had been set for this year. In terms of rupees, this translates into Rs 7 billion less than the roughly Rs 60 billion the government had hoped to collect this year. The numbers include the collection after the imposition of war taxes and duties announced earlier this year. The increased expenses and low revenue collection mean that government will need to begin borrowing heavily to meet spending, even if it were to remain at last year’s level. The slowdown in development spending due to the security problem has temporarily eased pressures on the treasury, but the impact of lower spending now will be felt in the future.'


And finally:

'Last week all Nepalis were shown, on television, the most recent pictures of Maoist leaders, and were told that they were crooks. The security forces told us: take a good look at these guys, because we have been looking all over for them, but we can’t find them. Have you seen any of them? We all dutifully took a long look at them. Baburam comes across like he is leaner and meaner without his beard. Comrade Prachanda has developed quite a midriff. It was interesting to see how the appearance of our revolutionaries has changed over the years.

Anyway, on Tuesday we are told that Chakra Prasad Bastola has taken a letter from Girija Prasad Koirala and delivered it personally to Dr Baburam in Noida outside New Delhi. Huh? Then on Wednesday the government announces a Rs 50 lakh reward for the capture of Dr Baburam and Comrade Prachanda, dead or alive. There is also half that amount for anyone that gives information leading to the arrest of the two. So, that basically makes Chakraji eligible for Rs 25 lakhs since he knows where Dr Baburam is hiding.

Riddle: If you are asking for their heads, then why talk? If you are talking, then why not deliver their heads?
That’s not all. The army is also offering a reward of Rs 25,000 for “factory-made revolvers and pistols”. Trouble is, factory-made pistols are available in Darbhanga (in Bihar) for about Rs 5-10,000. I expect there is now going to be a big boom in the sale of factory-made pistols across the border. And why not, if you can make a cool Rs 10,000 profit on each pistol?'


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