| Username |
Post |
| care |
Posted
on 22-Jul-01 10:07 AM
Deuba's Con's
1. The Maoist people's war started in 1996 when he was the prime minister. He continues to shun the responsibiliy. What are his new plans now.
2. During his first stint as PM, he loosened the grip of the chief executive - key in a parliamentary democracy - to a historical low so as to keep members of his RPP-NC ("jumbo cabinet" as it was then called for its size) govt. in good humor.
When pointed out to this anomaly, his response was, "How can I control ministers who don't even belong to my party?" This man lacks spine.
3. He indulged in open horsetrading - and "buying" MPs - t0 save his government.
4. His Rana in-laws (brother in-laws, etc.), who are now in financial doldrums, will try to piggyback on their Vinaju/Jwain to revive their businesses. The Kathmandu Hotel in Maharajgung could reopen; Enron may make a strong comeback.
5. Poor oratorial skills. Though Deuba at times tends to make powerful impression on the audience with his childlike candor, he lacks the power to steer a shaky nation.
6. He is an exact anti-thesis of Koirala. Half the time you don't even know what his position on key policy issues are. Lacking in power of pursuasion, he can be overly elusive and defensive as the Prime Minister.
Pros later.
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| sally |
Posted
on 22-Jul-01 11:02 AM
Thanks, Care. Very interesting.
You know, a few days ago there was a thread about the meaning of the phrase "young turk." The KTM Post may have made English language history by using "former prime minister" and "young turk" in the same sentence, and about the same person.
(No, this isn't a comment about language. It's about Deuba. Bear with me.)
Now, my casual sense of the word "young turk" is that it would refer to an energetic up-and-comer who is, presumably, young. A former prime minister of 55 can hardly be called an up-and-comer. He's already upped and comed. And while his age is both a welcome change from a septegenarian and fine in global terms for a prime minister--although 55 is, I think, just over the life expectancy of the average Nepali male--Deuba is hardly "young."
But the phrase "young turk" made me wonder about the word's official meaning. And here's what Random House told me:
"YOUNG TURK: ANY PERSON AGGRESSIVELY ADVOCATING REFORM WITHIN AN ORGANIZATION."
Hmmmm. Naturally, this has made me curious.
I have to confess that, before this summer, I really wasn't a Nepali political news junkie. Politics, to me, has been something that Nepali males discuss the way American males discuss sports. Who's up, who's down, Girija, Deuba, Mark McGwire, Em-Ah-Lay, Mah-Lay, Kwah-may Brown, who's your draft pick for the prime minister's job ... it's all pretty much been my signal to blank out of the discussion.
But I give up. OK, OK, I'm listening now! (Trying, anyway.)
What I want to know is: If Deuba is considered a "young turk," does he really "aggressively advocate reform within an organization"? If so, how?
What's his reputation for honesty?
Can someone quickly characterize his first administration?
Yeah, I know, this is Politics For Dummies. Also, I was living in KTM during Deuba: Episode One, and should have paid better attention. But hey, my take on politics at the time was that bandhs were a great chance to take out the stroller. What to say?
Anyway, I'd like to learn more about this new Prime Minister Turkji. Hmmm ... rhymes with turkey. Let's sincerely hope he's not.
Care, Biswo and some others have already put out lots of info ... thanks, and keep it up. Inquiring minds want to know!
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| deuba |
Posted
on 22-Jul-01 11:46 AM
good to be PM again
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| sally |
Posted
on 22-Jul-01 12:15 PM
Well, at least he doesn't look like a bhoot. Wonder what he's made of inside.
Given the "cons" that Care pointed out, what's the general consensus on why Deuba was chosen?
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| Biswo |
Posted
on 22-Jul-01 03:04 PM
Dear Sally:
I think Young Turk was befitting adjective for Deuba. Young Turk
means "the younger one who is eager for change in an organization"
(Meriam Webster ) or "A young person who rebels against authority or societal expectations"(www.dictionary.com).
When Girija was PM and President of NC, he represented leadership.
Deuba brought no-confidence motion against him in parliament,
Deuba ran against Girija in the party presidency, and Deuba has
opposed the approach of Girija in several issues, for example,
he was for CIAA's decision, he was against harrassing media,and
he expressed that by publishing his dissent publicly.
Now that he is PM, he no longer is young turk.This is my opinion.
Please, feel free to dissent.
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| care |
Posted
on 22-Jul-01 03:25 PM
Sally:
Very interesting observations.
Going back to "young Turk", and Deuba's record as PM in his first tenure, he is hardly a 'reformist'. But I don't mind calling him 'young' because he belongs to the so called second-generation of Congressi leaders.
And budha netas like KP and GP still address the second-generation leaders as "hamra yuba netaharu" (our young leaders). Never mind the average Nepali life expectancy, NC leaders seem to get better with age. Over the years, I have routinely heard Girija aides (or bhaktas) saying he's so damn healthy and active. No less remarkable has been his transformation - from a beanpole wearing ill-fitted clothes (before 1990) to a pretty decently attired politician.
Back to Deuba. His Pros:
1. He gives the impression to his opposition (unlike GP) that he is willing to listen.
2. He has certainly grown as a leader over the years. He seems to understand ethnic aspirations, minority voices, and respects women's rights (what with Arzu by his side). He als gives me the impression that he wants to tap young professionals - beyond the Congressi jamat.
3. Unlike any other leader of renown, he comes from the far west. He's had very humble beginning. Therefore, he should be able to relate to most Nepalis and vice versa.
4. Seems to be fairly well connected with Nepal Students Union leaders, NC's student wing. He started out as an NSU activist himself.
5. Not the least, he's got a clever wife in Arzu. But clever wives (especilly if that comes with wild ambitions) can be a mixed bag, especially when husbands lack spine. Under worldly Arzu's influence (and her powerful and rich Rana folks), this simple man from Dadeldhura may decide he wants to make hay while the sun shines.
6. The kajis and all the people who have thrived in the Valley (the Ranas, Shahs - Chhetris, Newars and Bahuns with strong kinship to the army/establishment) under the Palace patronage over the generations may not feel as left out with Deuba (a Chetri) as they did with the Koiralas, Morange Bahuns with strong dynastic leanings.
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| umesh pradhan |
Posted
on 22-Jul-01 03:45 PM
CONGRATULATION !!!!
PRIME MINISTER DEUBA..........
GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN....
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| EastSideBoy |
Posted
on 22-Jul-01 06:47 PM
The new government of Prime Minister Deuba should be pragmatic enough to realize that the only way to solve the Maoist problem is to use force. After all, the Maoists call it a 'war' and call themselves and 'guerillas'. They don't want to talk. They want to win at any cost.
No amount of talk will solve this problem because Prachanda and Baburam are hell-bent on turning the country into a Stalinist-Maoist state, and of late they have begun to have real hope (because of the inability of the last government to take concrete action them) that they might even succeed. They will not just compromise and lay down their arms now.
Eventually, the army will have to be mobilized against them with orders to attack, counter-attack and shoot on sight. The seven or so districts under Maoist control should be completely administered by the army. And Baburam, Prachanda and other top echelon Maobadi leaders should be tracked down and shot dead.
Otherwise, the problem will never be solved. In fact, they will succeed in establishing their totalitarian rule in the next 10 years.
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| the real ashu |
Posted
on 23-Jul-01 12:33 AM
Congratulations to Deuba on his being the new PM of Nepal.
That said, I agree with much of Care's assessment of Deuba
(and, as an aside, would hereby like to request Care to post
such great stuff in his/her own real name).
Yes, Arzu Deuba -- with her education at St. Mary's School and a doctorate in psychology from some university in Punjab, India -- is a smart, shrewd and extremely personable woman, but, thankfully, she's no Lady Macbeth or, for that matter, no
Nona or Sujata Koirala.
Deuba has a relatively clean image (i.e. is not considered
to be corrupt), and is considered to be an all-round nice guy,
but he is no leader with guts, vision and salesmanship for
his agenda.
The Nepali Congress is a morally corrupt and intellectually bankrupt political party still living off BP's outdated
socialist sapana and is in a dire need of democracy
within its own ranks, before it starts to preach the
virtues of democracy.
But by temperament and by history, Deuba is hardly the
kind of leader to push for the needed changes within his
own party.
And so, at best, Deuba will be a good enough compromise for the fighting NC hacks to cobble together a make-believe peace within their ranks. This will allow Deuba to hold the factions together
until the next general elections. Meantime, all that Deuba can
do is not let things slide to worse from bad, and that will be
enough for now.
As for the Maoists coming to the table to talk, that's not likely
to happen. Why? If reports are to be believed, the lower-ranked young Maoists have lived far too long in a "lord of the flies" sort of situations and have become too violent and too bloodthirsty and too confrontational to allow even
their top leaders to seek out peaceful measures.
Thanks to Girija's obstinacy which allowed this band of ragtag rebels to coalesce into a sizeable threat, we are in for long innings of spasmodic violence in Nepal.
oohi
ashu
Predictions: Girija, being Girija will be back in po
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