How do you feed 300,00 Maoists?

Don has made it home! The long flight from Kathmandu was a little exhausting, and then there's the culture shock-no cows chewing cud in the middle of the highway, forcing motor traffic to divert to left or right around the sacred beast, no trash piled by the road, no wandering sahdus covered in nothing but ash carrying their milk pail for rubees, no tiny rickshaws overly decorated with fringe balls and garish paintings of the god Shiva-the-destroyer, cobra snake around his neck, Ganges River pouring from the top his dreads, and most obvious-no tens of thousands of Maoists! So Don arrived a little worn looking from his days in Nepal, a lot leaner, muscular from walking up and down, and hairy, gray beard covering most of face. Good to have him back.

After much research on the 'net, a few very expensive phone calls to Danny in Nepal and consulting Ganesh, the remover of obstacles, Danny agreed to get out of Nepal while it's still possible and go at least next door to India. There, he will head to the Tibetan Colony on the outskirts of Delhi, find a Tibetan guest house and consulate a Tibetan about how best to get up to Dharamsala from there-the home of the Dalai Lama Tibetan Gov't. in Exhile. Once settled into our favorite guest house in Mcloud Ganj, Pink House, (obviously it's painted pink! A wonderful establishment run by two brothers from Kashmir) he will look into teaching English to Tibetan refugees and study Buddhist philosophy at the Tibetan Library located there, which has lots of classes for those seeking such knowledge. Lots to occupy one's time in this area of the Indian Himalayas while waiting for the drama in Nepal to be played out, and at least the area is peaceful-right now. We were there last summer, so I feel better knowing Danny is comfortable with people he knows, and how much better can it be then to be so close to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama!

We will keep contacting our friends in Kathamandu, the Karma Thubten family, doing what we can to help during this stand-off between the gov't of Nepal and the rebel Maoists. Don says Karma's house is currently well-stocked with rice, so they can hold out for awhile while stores are kept closed by the strike. If mail service is still allowed, we can send money to help them, but I wonder how and what they can use it for if stores are not allowed to do business! How do the Maoists eat?? Who is buying and preparing food for the some 300,000 I have heard are now taking up residence in parks and schools of Kathmandu? They are patrolling the streets making sure people are honoring the strike, and must be working up an appetite. How much dahl bhat can be made in a country where no one is allowed to sell or go to market? I have heard they have taken up residence in schools and some other public buildings, and patrol the streets to make sure everyone is honoring the strike. They must have a source of food but the usual chai stands and tea stalls that serve food are not operating. As they say in Nepal, "Que Karne?" What to do? and If anyone knows the answer, please let me know!