I read in this morning's paper that the rhino which had its horn removed by poachers a couple of weeks ago died on Friday evening in spite of "round the clock" medical care. And a very sombre Bev has just returned from the vet's to tell me that the owl has died too. Injured animals such as these must go through such stress and pain and I know from experience of living here how the smallest of wounds becomes readily infected.
A new hardline Maoist party has just formed in Nepal based around prominent revolutionary Matrika Yadav who left the main party accusing its leaders of nepotism and of being revisionist. Over the weekend many have deserted the mainstream Maoists to join his party. It seems that there is a great deal of discontent in the rural areas, some of it ethnic but some also arising because those who fought in "The People's War" feel overlooked and betrayed by their former leaders who are now in power. This is but another problem to add to those that are besetting the new republic and it echoes the difficulty that has arisen with the peace process back in my home country, Northern Ireland. There too we are now witnessing renewed attacks on the police and security forces from diehards and the biggest obstacle to resolving residual disquiet seems to be time.
