I have been trying to start this blog for the last hour and the internet has been so bad I finally decided to type it into the word processor and when I could get on line do a copy and paste. So, as you might expect, just as I started the page the internet cleared enough to get the the blog spot.
There was a bit of a problem in town (Banepa) today. Apparently this morning sometime the finance minister came and gave some kind of speech and the Maoists political party decided to show a little muscle. My understanding is they have been quite unhappy since their highest ranking political person was dismissed last spring and the country has been functioning at the edge of chaos every since. When Lora went to town this morning there were a large number of police in full riot gear and early this afternoon there was some rock throwing by the Maoists and several injuries. Seven were brought to the hospital including two policemen. I figured everything must be over but when I went for some groceries about 3:30 there were still scores of police in full riot gear lining much of the road passing through the center of town. I discreetly took a few pictures from the shelter of a shop and a truck. Somehow, asking for permission to take pictures of the military did not seem the judicious thing to do.
Walking into town I met my assistant for the outpatient department and he said our area is considered 70% communist. I assume this means there is not a lot of support here for the current government. On the other hand, one should not think of "communist" in the same way as we thought of it 40 years ago. As I understand it, those who take this title are simply convinced the government is corrupt and the people are not being properly served. Whatever be the case, I bought by goods and quietly returned to the hospital, back up "penance path" to the relative quietude of our humble abode.
Carlyle
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