Views of a Nepali Economist

The tributes paid to Havel were truly moving and meant sincerely. US President Obama said Havel had “helped to unleash tides of history that led to a democratic Europe”. German Chancellor Angela Merkel described Havel as a “great European whose fight for freedom and democracy was as unforgettable as his great humanity”. French President Nicolas Sarkozy said, "France has lost a friend, and Europe has lost one of its wisest men." British Prime Minister David Cameron said, “Europe owes Vaclav Havel a profound debt. Havel led the Czech people out of tyranny and helped bring freedom and democracy to our entire continent.”

.....I am sure an internationalist leader like BP Koirala would certainly have issued a statement eulogizing Havel. But on the day of Havel’s death, the current crop of pathetic NC leaders were too busy preparing for a nation-wide “peaceful” strike inconvenienced millions of innocent citizens from exercising their right to peaceful livelihood. 

.....Here in Nepal, our Deputy Prime Minister officially conveyed the “heart-felt condolences of the Government and people of Nepal to the grief-stricken people of DPRK on the irreparable loss of their leader and Nepal’s ‘great friend’ Comrade Kim Jong-Il. Apparently the Nepali Government was shocked and saddened to learn about the sudden demise of the General Secretary of the Workers´ Party of Korea, Chairman of the National Defence Commission of DPRK and the Supreme Commander of the Korean People´s Army.

......But to the best of my knowledge, there was no official statement from the government expressing any sentiments or even acknowledging the passing away of Vaclav Havel. The reluctance of Nepal’s Communist leaders to express any grief at the death of an anti-Communist icon is somewhat understandable, but even the Nepali Congress that prides itself as champion of democracy and human rights found it unnecessary to express any condolence.

Gorbachev's personal fate was to become democratic leader of the world's least democratic institution, the Soviet Communist Party. He was elevated to power by the Party leadership in 1985 to breath new dynamism into the rapidly collapsing Soviet economy. Yet the rigidities and lies of the Soviet economic and political system proved to be largely impervious to change, culminating in the complete collapse of the Soviet state and economy in 1991. 

Experts digging into the mysteries of the famous Mhebrak cave in Lower Mustang have unearthed new clues, which could potentially unravel a significant portion of human history dating back to 450 BC.

# posted by Mukesh Khanal @ 11:01 AM