Nepal Maoists sack army chief

[bemildred]

Source: al Jazeera

Nepal's ruling Maoist party has sacked the country's army chief in a move that analysts warn could trigger a showdown between the prime minister and the military.

Rookmangud Katawal was dismissed from his post "with immediate effect as his clarification for defying the government orders was not satisfactory," Krishna Bahadur Mahara, Nepal's information minister, said on Sunday.

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Katawal was accused of disobeying orders to halt army recruitment and was questioned over the firing of eight senior army generals. His sacking has yet to be endorsed by the president.

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The army and the Maoists have been locked in a dispute over Maoist demands that their former fighters, currently confined to UN-supervised camps, be fully integrated into the regular army.

Read more: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2009/05/200953112020764395.html

[rpannier]

1. This may not end well

Nepal: Civil War Part II

[zogtheobvious]

2. You're right

This definitely looks like it's on its way to something sloppy and violent.

[RedCloud]

3. Run if this guy appears:

He did not even fear Mao. Zhu De founder of the PLA.

[bemildred]

4. Maoist allies quit Nepal government

A crucial ally of Nepal's ruling Maoists has withdrawn its support, leaving the governing coalition without a majority after differences over a move to dismiss the head of the military.

Nepal's Communist party (UML) quit the government on Sunday, shortly after the Maoists announced they had dismissed Rookmangud Katawal, the army chief.

"The party has decided to leave the coalition and withdraw support to the Maoists," Ishwar Pokharel, general secretary of the Communist UML party, said.

UML members and some other small allies reportedly walked out of a cabinet meeting earlier, in which the Maoists announced they would dismiss Katawal.

http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2009/05/20095312562349641.html

[paulk]

6. it's interesting that Nepal's Communist Party doesn't

trust the Maoists... and are siding with the right wing on this issue.

That they would withdraw their support over Maoist interference in the Army (allowing Maoist cadres to join the army) is pretty significant, imo. It means, to me at least, that they don't trust the Maoists long range commitment to democracy in Nepal.

[bemildred]

7. Politics is about power, who's the boss.

Just because you theoretically agree about policy, that doesn't mean you like each other.

Edit: but you are right, it's interesting.

[David__77]

5. Good.

I hope the democratic forces are ready to smash any right-wing coup attempt. The military must be subjected to the command of the civilian government headed by the Prime Minister. The Maoists have the democratic mandate.

[Uncle Joe]

8. Just from reading this article, I believe

the fear in Nepal of a coup attempt from the Maoists is greater than of the right-wing or else the Communists wouldn't have abandoned them.

I wonder if the Maoists were trying the Hitler approach to power and over reached?

[oxygen destroyer]

10. "The Hitler approach"?

Are you retarded?

[Uncle Joe]

11. How do you think Hitler came to power? n/t

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. Maoist PM resigns

See http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3860577

[muriel_volestrangler]

12. President overruled PM on the sacking; general had only 4 months before retirement anyway

Prachanda accused President Ram Baran Yadav of taking an "unconstitutional and undemocratic decision" by overturning his efforts to get rid of Gen Katawal.

His resignation - which is almost certain to be accepted by the president - follows months of worsening tensions between the ex-rebels and their former foes in the military.

Correspondents say that the expectation now is that the Maoists will sit in opposition in parliament. There is no suggestion that the Maoists will abandon constitutional politics, they add, but there are fears that the political crisis could threaten the peace agreement signed in 2006.
...
Gen Katawal is due to retire in four months.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/8032389.stm

So why try to force the issue now, rather than just waiting 4 months?