Update on Nepal

With the situation in SE Asia concerning the terrible aftermath of the Dec. 26th tsunami dominating the headlines, there are also other events in Asia that are now occurring, but are not as prominent in the news. I just sent an email to my friend Narendra, and afterward read up on some of the more recent events taking place within his homeland of Nepal. There is an active Maoist rebel group in that nation, that has as of recently, greatly manifested its power throughout the country. From 1996 on up through the present, this group has slowly increased its presence and power, so that as of today, it seems almost on the verge of taking control within Nepal. The Maoists have control of most of the countryside, and conducted a roadblock of the major arteries connecting Kathmandu to the rest of the nation in August of last year. Until reading these latest reports on the situation in Nepal, I was unaware that the progress of the rebel movement had been as drastic and successful as now seems to be the case. My friend Narendra had planned to visit Nepal in December 2004, and I'm not sure if he went or not, but hope everything is ok with him. It seems that the Maoists have modeled themselves largely on the "Shining Path" movement in Peru, another Maoist oriented rebel group, known for its ruthlesness. The Nepalese Maoists seem to have shown themselves to be quite ruthless also, in engaging both civilians as well as government forces known for their own brutality. I'm not sure why the news of the situation in Nepal has not received more coverage in this country, but events are indicating that it is one of the current hotspots upon the world scene today.