Politics & Poverty

As those of you that know me will have guessed, I have been having lots of heated political discussions with our new friends. I am keen to understand the why of what is happening here. It is a complex situation. Development has it's down sides as it has a damaging impact on rural markets, together with climate change, making life in these mountains harder than ever. Most people don't involve themselves in politics as they feel it is a losing battle, as government and public service is infested with corruption. People choose a career in politics or the army or police to make money! There is no sense of a higher purpose or greater good in the pursuit of these jobs. The good people try to make an honest living elsewhere while crooks and cheats bleed their country dry. While no-one would want to see the demise of hill tribe life, there are such great public health and social needs (problematic drug use being one of them – never mind the basic needs of clean water, sanitation or dare I say electricity) that change can only come with investment and development of public services.
Kathmandu is a very dirty place. The rivers are dried up and filled with human waste of every variety. Every Westerner gets sick at some point. It is inevitable when you are surrounded by such filth (even Tamang women wear a silver spoon tied to their bronze linked belt – to protect them from bad food). Yet they say it is where the Gods live alongside mortals. Like Varanasi I guess. Another city drowning in it's own waste. Tourists on the one hand bring much needed income but at the same time probably produce 10 times the waste as locals.
The most socially excluded in Nepali society are the hill tribes. We mostly met Tamang people when we were trekking in Langtang (and some who spoke Tibetan – Tashi Dulay!). Kathmandu itself is a mix of Hindu castes (generally more wealthy), indigenous hill tribes (so we have friends who are Sherpas from the Everest region; and Gurungs, together with Magars, who were historically recruited for the Gurkhas, and Newari) and Tibetans, alongside the many many volunteers, charity workers and the tourists.
It is no wonder that the maoist insurgency has gained so much support in rural areas (80% of nepali live rurally), due to growing poverty, unemployment and bad governance. Do not be misled by the name as they have no desire to be part of China's oppressive regime but they have adopted a strategy based on Mao's blueprint. Their fight is for a new people's republic to replace the constitutional monarchy and the reactionary ruling classes. Quite understandably they gain sympathy because people want an end to the corruption and exploitation of people here and can't see a way to bring about change other than through violence (but I can't help think that such an argument was made in Cambodia not so many decades ago). The Maoists rob banks and people to fund their arms and much government development money is now used to fund this civil war. The US government has promised $20m anti-terrorist aid to the Nepalese government (because that will clearly help bring everyone to the negotiating table). The crisis worsened after the Royal family were massacred in 2002. The king's son opened fire and killed the entire family before turning the gun on himself. So they say.
First issue here is how does someone who is right handed shoot themselves behind the left ear with an exit wound to the front of the head? Also, there are reports from palace witnesses that all was not as reported. Following Hindu tradition, bodies were cremated within 24hrs so all evidence was destroyed. The event was followed by a news blackout. All TV and communication was cut. Curfew was imposed. The king's brother succeeded the throne despite his unpopularity. This was followed by a terrible period of insurgent activity including bombings in Kathmandu and Pokhara.
I need to get Bijay to explain more to me about the current negotiations as maoists are in negotiation with the government now, but I don't really understand what is going on (in more ways than one).