Day one to the Maoists

[Nick]

Just to let folk know the strike on day one in Kathmandu is pretty much a total one.A few food shops open on the main streets but get off them and life is pretty normal with most local small shops operating(well where i live anyway
)The goverment were making noises about being able to thwart the strike but as of now this does not seem to be the case.
There has never been a strike of this duration(5 days) called before and the general feeling is people will wait for a few brave souls to open and see what happens from there.
Tourists will be able to get too and from the Airport O.K.for internetional flights with added difficulty and as of now domestic flights are still opereating but likely to be very busy.

Regards from Nick.(pissed off in Kathmandu)

[Daniel]

Thanks for the update Nick. You are saying that tourists can get to and from the airport. How? Do taxis still operate? Or buses? Or rickshaws?
thanks again comrade!

[raaj]

Day one of the bundh passed of peacefully but with uncertainty in locals heart.However towards the afternoon taxis/tempos/buses/micros a few of them were plying on the road.As upposed to pass this could be called very peacefull because none of the government vehicles plying on Kathmandu and elsewhere were attacked.Thanks to the security measures.However 2 ambulances plying on Kathmandu/chitwon/Pokhara were stopped and couple of security forces were killed while rescueing it,damage towards Maoist could not be acsertained.
So that was day one.I for one,being in travel trade for over 3 decades and being an imminent or what you call it an ardent observer of many political strikes and bundhs will strongly suggest to all ,if you are on the trail, enjoy it,if you are in Kathmandu enjoy the valley with some precaution but please wait a while if you have to go to Pokhara/Chitwon or any other destination by road.
For Nick where are you holed up,I am in Mehpi, Samakosi,call me up at356036 and we can get pissed of together over a drink.

[Daniel]

Good on you raaj. Keep the flag flying! Good analysis.

[Nick]

Raj has given a good appraisal of day 1 and if news is to be believed the strike has had a mixed response accross Nepal.Some areas in the country functioning much as normal whilst others have more or less observed the strike, as I understand it was pretty normal in Pokhara.There are no reports of any major incidents in Kathmandu and today there is certainly more movement on the roads(that would not have been difficult compared to yesterday) and a few more shops are open.A fairly strong but not too intimidating Army presence.It is all guess work and wether the strike will last is probably dependent on any Maoist reprisals towards shops that open and cars plying the streets.I will give you a bell Raj after all this is over.One pretty stupid thing I think is the new tactic by the Government offering huge rewards for the capture of the main Mao leaders and lower ranking commanders DEAD OR ALIVE.So now we have the WILD EAST.!!.
From a personal point of view I lost any degree of understanding I may have had for the Maoist cause when they began bombing schools/water supplies and the very basic infrastructures the poor need for a humane existence.There is a general belief here that the Maoist cause is now a divided one lacking any clear guidance from the top and a rift about where to go amongst the Hierarchy.Ditto the Governemnt who have spent the last ten years fighting amongst themselves.

Nepal is still a wonderful country and as of yet safe for tourists although I would suggest to stick to the main trekking regions at present.

Regards. A slightly less pissed off Nick today.

[raaj]

Hi Spencer
Got your email too but just for the public intrest day 2 of bundh too went without much damage.Life in Kathmandu is pretty normal though some shops and restaurent in Durbar Marg was closed .I went around my bike to see bundh and it was beautiful, no pollution,no trafic jams ,tourist enjoying nice walk with a drink in their hand etc.etc.

[Daniel]

No need to cancel anything Kent. It is quite obvious that the bandth (strike) did not disrupt anything much. Plus, tourists are not targeted anyway. As soon as you are on trek you will not even know there is a maoist insurgency.
At least this is the sense I am getting from Nick and Raaj.
Enjoy Nepal. It is an amazing place with very friendly people.

[Nick]

Namaste Kent.

Get yourself over here mate Nepal needs you.And have a good trek.
All is back to normal today,there were a couple of unpleasant incidents but nothing like most people expected.There is no doubt the strike did have a pretty damning effect on the local economy here but there were a lot more shops open than previous strikes.

Happy Trekking.

Nick.