A Critical Analysis of Conflict, Education and Fragility in Nepal

In February 1996, the then Communist Party of Nepal [Maoist] (CPN-M) announced a ‘People’s War’ in Nepal, with the aim of overthrowing the constitutional monarchy and establishing ‘a new socio-economic structure and state’ (Bhattarai, 2003; Maoist Statements and Documents, 2003). The ensuing conflict spread rapidly across the country as a consequence of failing to respond to longstanding social inequality (Murshed and Gates 2005), abject poverty and deprivation (Deraniyagala, 2005; Bhattarai, 2003; Do & Iyer, 2007), and the lack of insights into, or political will to deal with the rising insurgency through peaceful means (Thapa and Sijapati, 2004; Bohara et al., 2006)