Ben Peterson

The government formed in the aftermath of an elite-backed de facto coup against the Maoist-led government in May continues in power — although without moral or popular support.
With the Maoists no longer heading up the government, the Nepalese elites have collectively let out a sigh of relief.
Nepal’s political stalemate of sorts continues.
I recently spent a week talking to people in Rolpa, an especially underdeveloped hilly district in Nepal’s mid-western region.
Less than two weeks after the Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (UCPN-M) won by-elections in six constituencies across Nepal, it is facing fresh resistance by the old elite.
For a country among the world’s poorest, Nepal has some impressive architecture.
On March 3, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), which fought a 10-year war against the Nepalese monarchy, started recruiting new soldiers to fill vacancies.
A senior leader of the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M), CP Gajurel stated that the Maoists are prepared to unleash yet another “massive” struggle to institutionalise the Nepal’s new republic, According to a January 4 NepalNews.com article.
Isn’t it great to be young? Isn’t it great to be a university student?
If you’ve read what the mainstream media has had to say about Bhutan in the last year then you would probably have a strong impression of Bhutan and its government: a monarchy that has “given up its power” and embraced democracy.
Living in Australia, it’s not easy to imagine that young people have the potential to make major social change.
On September 19, Nepal’s finance minister and member of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) Dr Baburam Bhattarai announced the first budget of the Republic of Nepal.