November 10, 2007: Political violence this year has
left at least 150 dead, mainly in the volatile south, where ethnic groups are
battling the Maoists and government forces. Several hundred government
employees in the south have resigned to protest the lack of security. Police
are unable to control the large and well organized ethnic militias. The
parliament is still deadlocked over the fate of the monarchy and voting issues.
November 9, 2007: In an effort to deal with the
growing disorder, the government will recruit 5,000 more police (including
1,500 military police.)
November 6, 2007: Maoists admitted that they had
murdered a journalist in the south last month. The Maoists are very eager to
control the media, and constantly threaten journalists that refuse to follow
the party line. Maoist and ethnic activists are battling for control of
communities in the south, where the population is largely related to Indian
groups across the border. The ethnic Indians are angry with their lack of power
in the national government, and with Maoist attempts to take over. The Maoists don't
just want power, in the south and throughout the country, they also want the
freedom to expand their extortion racket. The Maoists, like rebels everywhere,
impose "revolutionary taxes" on businesses and wealthy individuals.
The population in the south has resisted this violently, as have organized
groups in various parts of the country. The Maoists have even gone after the
families of soldiers, but this has created a backlash from the army as a whole.
