Nepal: A new beginning
Can the country avert a political crisis that has remifications for all of Asia?
Four years after ending a decade long civil war with Maoist rebels, Nepal’s peace process remains fragile.
Major political parties accuse the Maoist party of not honouring vital peace accord commitments.
Central to the political tensions is the issue of what to do with around 20,000 former Maoist combatants who have been languishing in primitive camps for over three years, waiting to be reintegrated into society.
Meanwhile, many Nepalese continue to struggle – unemployment is rising and nearly 40 per cent of the population live below the official poverty line enduring inflation, lack of security and power cuts.
Many rural areas have no access to electricity, clean water, basic healthcare and education.
On this edition of 101 East we ask if Nepal’s Maoist party can transform from a paramilitary group to a civilian political party and if the country can avert a political crisis that has ramifications for all of Asia.
This 101 East episode aired from Thursday, June 17, 2010.