United We Blog

Month: February 2013

  • Tax Transparency: We Should Have a Good Debate

    Siromani Dhungana UWB IMF working paper on ‘VAT Fraud and Evasion: What Do We Know and What Can be Done?’ says: Like any tax, the VAT is vulnerable to evasion and fraud. But its credit and refund mechanism does offer unique opportunities for abuse… After introduction of Value Added Tax (VAT) revenue in 1997, Nepal’s…

  • Political Stagnation and Maoists

    In textbook of science in high school, we used to read the scientific definition of ‘work’: using a force to move an object to a certain distance. Or, using force is not enough to define work. It seems our leaders have been putting excessive force but no progress in distance front. Their efforts have failed…

  • A Maoist Attempt of Merging the Judiciary into the Executive

    Appointment of the SC Chief Justice as the Prime Minister will be Supreme injustice to the people of Nepal. Political parties in democracy can, of course, be good or bad but most certainly without a capable leadership of political parties, the democratic system will never be anything but bad. –tweaked version of Albert Camus’s quote…

  • Cooking Gas Price Hike: Maoists Take People for a Ride

    It seems ‘people’ is one of the most sellable words for Nepali communists. So what about war? Nothing more than a business strategy for the hammer and sickle lovers. ‘Proletariat‘ are their clients whom they can easily sell their product, that is, ‘false hope of prosperity’. Activities of UCPN (Maoist) in Nepal are glaring evidences.…

  • The Maoist Idea of National Productivity: More Cash for the Party

    King Mahendra reportedly said in the mid-1960s: “Communism does not travel in a car.” Some say he used the word ‘truck’, not ‘car’. Whatever. I think, communism does not but communists do. Communists travel in the most luxurious vehicles according to their availability. Nepal’s ruling UCPN (Maoist) is an example how controversial communists can become when they…

  • Dear Comrade Prachanda….think before using the word ‘democracy’

    Before calling Baburam a democrat, Prachanda should answer the following questions: By Siromani Dhungana UWB Speaking at the seventh General Convention of the UCPN (Maoist) in Hetauda on February 2, comrade Prachanda, after encouraging his followers against main opposition Nepali Congress, posed a close-ended question to his cadres: “Is Baburamjee against peace and constitution? Is he an undemocratic…

  • Nepali Politics is a Game of Corrupt Rulers versus Incompetent Opposition

    It’s very simple to understand current Nepali politics. It’s a game between two blocks. One is incompetent and the other is extremely corrupt. Yes, the ruling leaders are cunning, corrupt, and hell bent on extending their tenure at the cost of national consensus. What about the opposition leaders? Are they serious and capable to end…