Nepal, on the Brink of Collapse
Seyom Brown, political science professor at SMU's Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences, writes about the political crisis in Nepal.
Since the civil war ended, after the loss of more than 16,000 lives, a stalemate has ensued as each party caters to caste, class and ethnic divisions instead of national unity. Many politicians are maneuvering to get their hands on money from foreign aid, tourism and hydropower; even the Maoists have become crony capitalists, reaping large profits for themselves and their ostensibly proletarian party. Meanwhile, the bureaucracy, army and police — historically dominated by privileged social groups that never held them accountable — are becoming even more politicized and corrupt.
Although Nepal is no stranger to crises, the one currently seizing the country risks turning it into a failed state....