A Maoist afterthought
As we mentioned about our journey into and around Nepal, the Maoist rebel group has had quite an impact on the country and subsequently on tourism which dropped to extreme lows last year during a period of heightened civil violence. For the past 12 years or so the current government has been at loggerheads with the terrorist movement, the conflict costing more than 12 000 lives. The terrorism extended to the realm of tourism in a very interesting way.
With Nepal being one of the world's poorest countries, the Maoists quickly identified tourists as a lucrative source of financial support for their 'cause'. Conscious, however, of the fact that their pending new communist government order will continue to rely heavily on tourism for the desperately needed financial input, the money is expropriated most creatively. The movement has already designated 'republics' in certain high tourism areas which are also conveniently remote and easily defended. When entering these 'republics' all tourists eventually encounter a representative of the republic requiring certain tourist taxes based on the number of days to be spent in that area. The transaction is incredibly friendly and inviting (that is if you pay - else it can turn very ugly) and the paying tourist receives a receipt for monies received so that no extra payment can be required of them should they encounter a later representative.
We were fortunate enough to be present in Nepal during the political climax of this long drawn out conflict between the two parties - peace talks. They were on the go since about the time we entered the country and 3 days before we left the long awaited peace treaty was signed. The next day was a spontaneously declared public holiday and national jubilation was everywhere to be seen: the end of 12 years of civil unrest - a truly historical moment. On that note we left Nepal, not sure of how the new regime is going to transform a country previously so politically uneventful it was considered the Switzerland of the East.
With Nepal being one of the world's poorest countries, the Maoists quickly identified tourists as a lucrative source of financial support for their 'cause'. Conscious, however, of the fact that their pending new communist government order will continue to rely heavily on tourism for the desperately needed financial input, the money is expropriated most creatively. The movement has already designated 'republics' in certain high tourism areas which are also conveniently remote and easily defended. When entering these 'republics' all tourists eventually encounter a representative of the republic requiring certain tourist taxes based on the number of days to be spent in that area. The transaction is incredibly friendly and inviting (that is if you pay - else it can turn very ugly) and the paying tourist receives a receipt for monies received so that no extra payment can be required of them should they encounter a later representative.
We were fortunate enough to be present in Nepal during the political climax of this long drawn out conflict between the two parties - peace talks. They were on the go since about the time we entered the country and 3 days before we left the long awaited peace treaty was signed. The next day was a spontaneously declared public holiday and national jubilation was everywhere to be seen: the end of 12 years of civil unrest - a truly historical moment. On that note we left Nepal, not sure of how the new regime is going to transform a country previously so politically uneventful it was considered the Switzerland of the East.
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