 |
|
| Kathmandu, Friday April 26, 2002 Baishakh 13, 2059. |
|
Rally against bandh
This refers to the ongoing nationwide bandh and
a rally organised in the capital yesterday. Yesterday’s rally consisted of not more
than a few thousand people. But the rally was organised by various political parties,
businessmen, transport operators and government officials. This shows that very few people
are willing to come out in the streets against the Maoists.
The political parties could have organised a
huge rally. But the people do not want to protest in the street, though there are many who
condemn violence. Why? There are many reasons.
The country is facing a serious crisis. Not only
due to frequent Maoist strikes, but also we have yet to counter the Maoists. How can the
Maoists be countered? Not a single political party has been able to organise a
well-coordinated rally to convince the people that the Maoists are terrorists. And our
leaders, most of them corrupt, are unwilling to do so.
Nepali Congress president Girija Prasad Koirala
encourages the Prime Minister to initiate talks with the Maoists. Koirala should have
rather organised a rally to condemn the Maoist atrocities instead of creating conflicts
within his party. The country does not need leaders, like Koirala, who have pushed the
country to the brink of civil war. The country needs genuine leaders who can
"objectively" serve the poor and restore peace.
Suraj Bhattarai
Jhapa |
