Nepali civilians have seen quite a political dance since early September 2005. Vying for their attention (if not affection) is the reigning monarchy of King Gyanendra (see photo above), the Maoist rebellion led by Pushpa Kamal Dahal also known as Prachanda (“the fierce one”) (see photo below), and a coalition of the seven largest political parties led by the Nepali Congress party. When the King dissolved Nepal’s Parliament in February 2005 (WAR Report), he essentially drove members into this new alliance with the rebels. It only took senior members of both nine months to meet and confirm a shared political agenda and finally build a partnership that is potentially attractive to the disillusioned populace. Nonetheless, by exploring more fully the maneuvering that led to the current partnership, it should become apparent that this union is fragile, at best, and, unless careful attention is paid to foster its growth, it could easily be just another brief dalliance during the political ball.

The current round of public diplomacy began on September 3, 2005 when Prachanda announced a unilateral three-month Maoist ceasefire ? refraining from offensive operations. What little public good will they had secured vis-?-vis the King, they soon learned was lost after attacks against civilian targets, especially after a particularly deadly strike against a bus only a week earlier . By mid-September, the Maoists were soliciting UN involvement openly and had begun releasing dozens of Nepali soldiers held for education and indoctrination after skirmishes throughout the summer. Without specific actions, the monarchy countered with a smear campaign, noting that the rebels had violated ceasefires in 2001 and 2003 when talks failed and suggesting that the Maoists continue to hold hundreds of students, teachers, and even common villages ? not just government troops ? for days and weeks for indoctrination.