Maoists organized a mass meeting on Wednesday to warn the government on issues including Constituent Assembly in a school in Mahendranagar (Kanchanpur). Maoist guerillas present cultural program in combat uniform. Pic by Chitrang Thapa
It’s an open secret in Kathmandu that the recently ‘concluded’ historical Jana Andolan was in fact triggered by the Maoists. These days we can hear many people saying something like this: “They came to me and said ‘either come with us [in the jungle] or go with them [carrying flags in the city area and participate in the Jana Andolan]. And I choose to go to city and take part in the Andolan.” That is why, people say, this Jana Andolan saw such a massive turnout. That was beyond anyone’s expectations. King Gyanendra included. Read what Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, top Maoist leader, wrote the other day in Kantipur daily. Responding to his old time friend Dr. Arun Sayami’s open letter in the daily, the rebel leader claims the same: We sent all those folks in the city to take part in the movement. That was part of the Maoist policy to surround the city after capturing the villages. 19 people died, thousands were injured in Jana Andolan. That is why, the rebel leader argues, it wasn’t a peaceful movement. It was, according to Dr. Bhattarai, part of the Jana Yudda (Peoples’ War).
Maoist guerilla girls were centre of attraction in a mass meeting organized in Birendranagar, the headquarters of the Mid West region. The mass meeting saw massive turnout of general citizens. It is not immediately clear if they were forced to take part in the meeting. It’s not new for Maoists to force people to be present in their programs. When this photo was taken, Maoists were ‘terrorists’ in the eyes of the state. Pic by J Pandey
Maoist Welcomes: Maoist rebels said Thursday that they welcomed the government announcement of ceasefire and dismissal of various charges on them, reports eKantipur. Issuing a statement, Maoist Chairman Prachanda said today that his party was ready for dialogue with the present all-party government. Yesterday, the government had announced a three-month-long ceasefire and dropped the Red Corner Notice and terrorist tag labelled on the Maoists. Acknowledging the government dropping the charges, Maoist supremo Prachanda said, “We welcome the offer for talks as a positive step towards the people’s desire for establishment of Loktantra, peace and progression.”
Stating that his party was ready to sit for dialogue with the present government, Prachanda said, “Our party expresses commitment to help the nation enter into republic era through peace process as per the spirit of the 12-point understanding and the historic people’s movement.”
Now that the government has removed the ‘terrorist’ tag from the forehead of the Maoists, they are free to organize mass rallies around the country. They are now focusing in city areas where they couldn’t organize such rallies in the past. Maoists were organizing rallies like those in the pictures posted along with this blog even before the government decided about the Red Corner notice and the ‘terrorist’ tag.
Residents of Surkhet district heading to take part in the Maoist mass meeting in Birendranagar. Maoists demanded the election of constituent assembly in the meeting. Army created an obstruction in the Salleribazaar region to prevent people from going to that meeting. Some of these people said that they were going to attend the meeting bypassing the obstruction. Pic by J Pandey
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157 responses to “The Days of Maoist Comrades Have Come”
Guess who’s best prepared for the Constituent Assembly elections? No prizes.
the government should ban these people from holding the revolutionary meetings in schools !!!!!!!! get a life
(and no I didn’t read your complete article)
Kirat , tell us 😉
its a good sign that maoists are coming to mainstream. but,
their rhetorics are still high
and i cannot praise this gun/war culture. what a wasted culture in human civilization.
I think I should get my dad’s old army fatigues out of the mothballs. One party communist rule? Oh dear! Well I’m sure our relations with North Korea and Cuba will be really good. I guess all sorts of businesses will be nationalized too…there goes all my hard work down the drain. Pity.
And there will be forced labour camps… and there will be rationing… and there will be che guevera posters donning all the buildings around the country… and capitalism will be considered evil… and the Prachanda Path will replace the constitution… and we will have a kick-ass, brutal secret service… and the western imperialists and their evil mechanisms such as the
And there will be forced labour camps… and there will be rationing… and there will be che guevera posters donning all the buildings around the country… and capitalism will be considered evil… and the Prachanda Path will replace the constitution… and we will have a kick-ass, brutal secret service… and the western imperialists and their evil mechanisms such as the WTO will not be tolerated… and basically, our lives WILL BE SCREWED.
Harsh reality that realities that we may confront in the future… I shudder to even think about it.
well I believe these Reds are big on theatre-a silver lining. But I fear the theme will be the same and get monotonous. Prakash what can we look forward to?
before this happens the high class people will migrate to india or somewhere else.. provided the airport is still free to run..once the maos capture the TIA.that would not be possible too .. i really dont understnd why the neapalese ppl are so dumb..cant they see the maos are taking them + the SPA for a ride..am disgusted
I have absolutely no idea man. I completley disagree with the tag of “terrorists” being taken off the,. I think that should only have been done when these guys laid down weapons. Now, we have a legitimate political party that (in a way) has been permitted to carry weapons, till such time that they give them up.
Baburam Bhattarai seems to be an intellectual, from whatever I have read of him (and his interviews, etc). I may be wrong also. But what is dangerous is a mix of determination and a great mind. I think he posseses both.
I just hope the political parties do not get totally outplayed by the Maoists at their own game. A one-party state will spell disaster- that I know for sure.
As to what can we look forward to? I’m afraid there’s not much I can think of at this point of time, my friend.
What do you think?
Oh I don’t think Baburam and Prachanda will follow a strict communist system if they ever come to power. They are just wanna be commies… that’s why their children are in the US or Britian and not studying in Cuba or North Korea.
I’m just wondering where there gulag will be in Nepal. I’m sure they will send me there.
Punditji, I can’t help it but I have a bad feeling about the Maoists. You must at least agree that they are at present in the best position to win the CA elections. And for their policies- I can only see us going backward. If they win a majority in the CA I can really see a very big polariztion in Nepali society-perhaps a large section, though not the majority, siding with the king (not me). I would rather they were an ‘influence’ rather than the ruling party.
I just listened to the interview by Baburam in BBC Nepali service. They will not change. If you want to wash an ass to make a cow, it is impossible. I tell you guys, keep in mind, they will stay for talks for some time and with one or other reason, they will boycott it again. Their aim is SATTA PRAPTI by hook or crook or guns and create anarchy in the country. Is that true that Dr. Hamanga was shot for not giving CHANDA to them ?
Anyway guys won’t the Maoists coming to power be like the RNA coming to power sans a political wing (one party military rule-sort of an extreme right party)? Imagine the RNA with a political ideology.
They do say that if you go far enough to the left (or right) you will meet the extreme right (or left).
Just look at the photos of those maoist they are KIDS. I am sure they just know they are dancing and singing but don’t know for what.
The SPA are DUMB. Maoists are trying to rescue their comrades from prison of poilce and army like they did previously (TWO TIME IN THE NAME OF PEACE TALK). They will pick up their comrades and again come back to war with same people(gureilla).
Govt must not free maoists who are in prison in the name of PEACEFUL GESTURE.
Actually this is not realted to this topic but i sincerly wanted to show this. Images from
pro-democracy movement 2046. Images never seen before
http://www.tajim.info
You cannot have your cake and eat it. If you want democracy then you have to be willing to accept the results of a democratic constituent assembly election, whatever they may be. You are perfectly entitled to oppose those results on ideological grounds, but you cannot claim that they are not democratic. If the people democratically choose socialism (what you are calling ‘communism’) then that is what a democratic system has to go for.
And I repeat: a one party state is not part of the equation here. No one is advocating for one. The Maoists believe in fact that the lack of multiparty competition in socialist countries of the 20th century was one of the main causes of their problems. They want a multiparty socialist republic.
I don’t understand what the fuss is all about maoists when they have committed themselves to multiparty democracy through 12 point understanding and other decisions. Maoists mass meetings show that they are attracted to peaceful democratic process and that’s good news for nepal.If Girija prasad koirala, plane hijacker and a terrorists by all measurement at that time can come to peaceful politics and be prime minister, if UML, a terrorist organization during jhapa andolan can come to main stream politics, why should not maoist be given the chance to come to main stream politics ? Now if the maoist come to power through elections, If the people of nepal decide so, then so be it ?
Let the Maoists hand over their weapons (because they have accepted peaceful protests are just as effective) and let them tolerate opposing ideas and philosophies in their territories and I will say they can be trusted. There is definitely double standards when it comes to Maoists from some of you.
An African proverb ‘If you want to know the true character of a person, give him power’ Maoists have had absolute power in the villages they have taken control of. Have they ever practised the democracy that they now claim to embrace in these areas under their control?
Prachanda Path saying : ‘Democracy flows best from the barrel of a gun!’
Kirat saying : ‘ The only good Maoist is an unarmed one!’
does that girl in teh first photograph look unhappy to you guys? She looks unhappy to me.
Regarding the mass turnout: besides coercion, i think people were probably also curious to see what the Maoists were all about, how they look like etc. I would go and see a mass meeting, not necesarily to support it but to find out what it was all about.
People in Nepal are pretty smart and in the end, they have a deeply democratic conciousness. They don’t like coercion of any kind – either state or revolutionary. I’ve met journalists who were indoctrinated by maoists and found the process deeply repellent – in the same village as those where the young people fawned on the maoists, or found their message deeply liberatory.
I would say that most of these folks would go home and talk about how they went to see the Maoists, but they won’t necessarily support them. Same with the mass gatherings of people who often come out to gawk the king and his entourage.
Kirat
I like the last statement of yours
‘ The only good Maoist is an unarmed one!’
i hope it would not be the situation resembling “Out of the firepan into the fire”.
I’ve been interested in Nepal for a while now, especially since the latest anti-monarchy uprising. I’d like to ask people on this blog to comment on the divisions between urban Kathmandu and the rural parts of the country in terms of class divisions and support for the Maoists vs the SPA.
Most human rights organizations active in Nepal seem to blame the RNA for the violence and ‘disappearences’ much more than they blame the Maoists. What do you all think regarding this?
To me, it seems clear that the Maoists are using this period of calm to campaign for the CA. This makes strategic sense: while the politicians are busy formulating how the CA is going to look and how it’s going to happen, the Maoists are recruiting people to their side. What will be the effect if the vast majority of rural Nepalese vote for the Maoists, whereas the urban middle and upper classes vote for the various flavors of parties in the SPA?
…..
I’m assuming that this blog is run (and mostly commented on) by middle-class Nepalis with knowledge of English and access to the internet. Is this correct? To what extent do you interact with more rural and less educated populations? Most commentators on this blog are not pro-Maoist. Would the situation be different if this blog was run from the countryside?
Please comment either on here or on my blog: 17 Fish Invaded Estonia.
The people must actively campaign to neutralize this potential threat. SPA is not in the best position to do this since it could lead to conflict. Civil society is the right party to lead this. The campaigns have to be clever and well managed.
Are any of you tired of UWB moderation? We, the people who are tired of UWB(interest of Kirat,Pundit,Sherlock,Prakash), have a new platform to express our ideas without any fear of moderation. There are a couple of topics already there including topics on the leaders, CA and maoists and the need for re-structuring of our society.
click on my name up there to visit the site and voice your opinion. Anyone and everyone is welcome and if there is any topic you want to discuss, do write to me and we will have it there.
are the people in the villages more pro-maoists? ask those who whose homes were confiscated and who were thrown out en masse as “internally displaced people.”
there was a guy called chiluwal who started some organization to seek redress from maoist injustice. he was shot by two fifteen year old boys in KTM. are people more pro-maoists in the villages? probably – as long as the gun is held to their heads.
It is highly unlikely that the Nepali Maoists will succeed in Nepal in their current form unless they lay down their weapons, renounce violence, stop forced kidnappings, extortion and coersion. They need to participate in the democratic process peacefully like any other party adhering to the concept tolerance and plurality.
FMLN was a communist inspired guerilla party in El Salvador that took power but were voted out of office by the people within 5 years of their revolution because FMLN could not deliver their promises.
Nepal is not a resource rich country where CPN-M will be able to tap into. Neither do we have a majority of the population who are rich to be heavily taxed or their property confiscated.
The international community will never agree with the CPN-M in their current form. The biggest threat to India is not Pakistan or Kashmiri Islamists, it is the Indian Maoists who are very encouraged by Nepali Maoists. China who is finally shedding the images of Cultural Revolution and the cloaks of the Great Helmsman finds Mao’s rebirth in its southern neighbour not quite palatable when they themselves are trying to loosen it. US is afraid that Nepal will become a failed state and another Afghanistan.
Internally, it is easy to criticize and analyze from the periphery, but, once CPN-M is in the government, they will have to perform. This is where the real test will be…Can they deliver?
Without the barrells of their guns, they do not have any power to deliver. They cannot coerce people to go the rallies, donate money, perform free labour and forced conscription into the PLA.
People of Nepal know what the Maos have done. They will not forget just like in El Salavdor. Communism as an ideology is DEAD. One just has to look around–Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, even China. It is just a matter of time. They claim that they are the movers and shakers of the peoples movement but they are no saints. They have their self-interests.
So if you agree that effigies of Gyanendra and Bush can be burnt, why not Prachanda?
AI Index: ASA 31/036/2004 (Public)
News Service No: 035
17 February 2004
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL BRIEF
Nepal: Amnesty International condemns killing of Ganesh Chiluwal
Amnesty International has condemned the killing of Ganesh Chiluwal, head of the Maoist Victims’ Association (MVA), in Kathmandu on 15 February.
Ganesh Chiluwal was reportedly shot dead by two armed men at the offices of the association in Bagbazar. The killing is believed to have been carried out by members of the Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) (Maoist).
“Such killings of civilians are in contravention of international humanitarian law. The CPN (Maoist) should take steps to abide by the principles stated in Article 3, common to the four Geneva Conventions of 1949, which promotes respect for civilians and prohibits reprisals and summary executions of those not actively engaged in the conflict,” said Amnesty International.
“We welcome reports that the authorities have initiated an investigation into the assassination of Ganesh Chiluwal, and urge that the findings be made public as soon as possible,” the organization said.
The MVA is an organization working for the welfare of victims of Maoist abuses. The killing of the MVA leader may be linked to an anti-Maoist rally held by the organization on 13 February, the anniversary of the launch of the Maoist insurgency in 1996, at which effigies of CPN (Maoist) leaders, Dr Baburam Bhattarai and Chairman Prachanda were reportedly burnt.
Enough said that done guys……
Come to the conclusion now…… why are u repeating the same things in all the blogs?
You don’t want king, won’t trust the Maoist, and don’t agree with SPA……. so what do you want?
I know Maoists need to give up their guns, but on what Accord? Is there any in the present context? Why are we externalizing our fear towards Maoists and avoiding them? How long do we need to rely on the past to deal with the present?
Enough of the hypothesis…..
“Enough Said than Done”……. [IT WAS)
I hope Maoists are back to peaceful maintream politics. This is an opportunity for them to show Nepalese people their commitment for peace and democracy and end of autocracy.
Some “democrats” seem really worried about maoists coming to power. If you really believe in ballots, you should not feel bad. I know you guys are trained by some foreign masters, thats why you sound exctly like them. Thousands of people fought for freedom, and some brainwashed idiots from their cosy beds say that people voting for their constitution is not good for Nepal!! What an irony!
You voice democracy (even KG said that he had great faith in democracy), but in practice try to run away from democratic process. If you believe in what you preach, you should respect whatever people decide through free and fair elections.
It looks like they are dancing Dharmendra paji style. “Main amla pagla deewana!!”..ki kaso fellow bloggers?
Rann,
It is difficult to estimate the percentage of people who supports Maoist and SPA at this point. The election is one of the means that we can depend to make an idea about the people’s support. As there is no election since 1999 in Nepal, it is hard to give even rough idea. However, people say SPA, especially Nepali Congress and UML have more support in the country. But there are people who disagree with this. They argue that if the SPA had support why people did not come out from home when SPA organized protest rallies before. Later SPA was compelled to make an understanding with Maoist and signed 12-point agreements then the protest became successful. The role of SPA leaders in last 15 years, who were seen involved in corruption and indifferent to solve people’s problem, was responsible for loosing support.
To me, most of the people are neutral at this point. They will support that party which will bring pro-people programs in coming days. I don’t see that there is difference between Kathmandu and rest of the country. For your kind information, the people of Kathmandu elected mostly Communist party’s candidates (UML Candidates) in last three elections.
Guess What & Kishor,
Well put! I agree with your comments!
Kishor, stop making your points by hiding behind the language your masters had taughtyou by accusing others that they are trained by their ‘foreign masters’. Do you believe in democracy ? does your Prachanda master believe in democracy ? Then what the fck you are talking about ? Where did you hear people not willing to go for constituent assembly election ? What do you expect more ? You people have already been welcomed to join the healing process , what is your problem now ?
Ofcourse there are concerns and it is nothing compared to the Maoists’ agenda towards RNA. If they are feeling insecure, then yes ofcourse people are also feeling insecure by Prachanda’s goons.
Guess what.
Everyone knows that maoists need to give up their arms. Nobody is expecting that they would do that tomorrow. Ofcourse it is weapon and it will play a very important role in negotiations which might take place in near future. But don’t you think that atleast they can give hint about the peaceful solution. Atleast they can promise that they will lay down their weapons ? What is the fcking need of arrogance and threats that they would keep on fighting ?
Sahana,
thanks for your reply. One thing I have very little understanding of is the variety of parties within the SPA. Most media I have read sees them as one block and does not go into differences. Do you know of a good source in English for some information about the various parties?
Another question: Tariq Ali has billed the recent events in Nepal as “a genuine, old-fashioned revolution”. Do you think this is true? Do you think such a revolution has to end in the complete removal of the monarchy or is it ‘revolutionary’ to move to a constitutional monarchy?
So many questions…
Very good definition: Maoists without guns are good Maoists.
It looks Maoists have not changed their true colour yet. Yesterday some one tried to kill Dr. Dixit because KMC did not donate. Very funny The Blogs and The Newspapers avoided to tell who were asking donations? Perhaps it is easier to them to bash SPA & KG. Are not they scared of MBs with their guns?
We heard the Baburam’s BBC interview on Thursday.
After listening that I will say this again.. Maoists murderers can’t be trusted.. whoever trusts them will pay dearly… very dearly ..
Do you think its safe to travel in Kathmandu now? My mom has to travel there in a week due to a family emergency.
Sorry if this is off topic.
You can respond to me directly at santosh.pandey@gmail.com
Thanks in advance.
Hi Dear All,
I agree with Kirat, Glade, Santosh and some points of Prakash. I don’t want to repeat those things. I endorse.
But equally serious issue in my mind cropped up reading the news on nepalnews.com the statement of Rajendra Pandey, he said “. .. if the court ruled against the government’s decision (of invalidating local elections), concerned Justices may have to face the motion of impeachment at the House of Representatives.”
Read this statement seriously. It is one of the worst testimony of absolutism. How he could speak those things? He is completely an undemocrat and cannot understand the values of democracy. Indepence of judiciary and rule of law are the core of judiciary. In the past, you political leaders did not accept rule of law, you abused laws and tried to rule the country only for petty political interests that resulted in derailing democracy . Don’t repeat the same mistake. Now there is a vast number of Nepalese concious citizenship that does not justify your chronic thinking again.
Firt of all, political decision cannot override laws of the land. Each and every political decision should be justified by the law. If there is not sufficient law make it first.
Second, Radheshyam Adhikari, who is also a lawyer but politically engaged lawyer is also justifying that political decision are immune from legal scrutiny. A pity. After 1990 I fought before the court that no political decision should violate constitution and law of the land. The court did not listen me for a long time but in the end of the day Laxman Aryal convinded and wrote that policy matters cannot override or sidestep law.
Third, a legitimate government can decide and scrape the local bodies elections but it must be based on law of the land.
Fourth, there is law and the government can do it. But don’t profess hegemony and absolutism arguing that a political decision is immune form judicial test and those who test it will be impeached. You are almost a terrorist Rajendra Pandey Ji. You are my friend but i don’t mind criticising wrong things. It is my democratic right. Don’t be a dictator. Radheshyam ji, think there are people watching you. Don’t argue that political decisions are above the law. If you differ with me come have a discussion.
Surendra Bhandari
BlogWatch:
Q: “What is the fcking need of arrogance and threats that they would keep on fighting ?
Ans: How would you define 3-month cease fire?
(and pls. lets not comment on the basis of our preconceived perception about maoists).
Thanx
I just read Amit Dhakal’s “Dr. Baburamlai Khulapatra” [in Kantipur].
I liked his approach to maoists.
Don’t call them terrorists but show their terrorism.
Respect their intent but condemn their ways.
“violence is not an event. It is a culture.”
It is hard for me to be totally objective about a Maoist victory. As a land owner I know that land may be redistributed from the “rich” (land owners) to the “poor” (landless). My hard earned house may end up the “People’s Recreation Centre”. There is no reason for the Maoists to put down their guns if there is no real opposition (the RNA is the only opposition and are currently on the outs with the people). Thr RNA is our only hope (unless you are a Maoist) and they have been rejected. The parties have no guns. Game over.
It is so funny that whole country is suffering from the “Ostrich” syndrome. You put your head in sand and think that it is not there.
Maoists as long as they have arms they can be trusted” — We heard Baburam on BBC on Thursday.. you still don’t see ..Emperor has no clothes guys — why can’t you see that.
This old man named Surendra Bhandari is either a visionless person tangled in the tangle of technical and constitutional problems or a royalist(ceremonial??)
Why do u just get stuck in the lousy tangles of stupid laws and constitution.
Don’t u know we have a political problem here and a long way to go.
Politicians are now trying to undo all the unlawful activities done by sarvochcha and it’s royal nyayadhish.
It Must invalidate local elections.
Sarvochcha must correct all the mistakes it has done during this royal regime (when there was no law and justices were forced to act royal justices)
Why don’t u realise we are under “special” point of political situation.
We are jumping to a next phase to ‘New Nepal’
so under such period,
“political decision are immune from legal scrutiny”
Legal entities also have to bow under people’s voice.
There is no greater law than people’s voice .
There is no greater constitution than people’s dreams.
Now this constitution (which could be easily manipulated by king) has no meaning.
Rajako adhyadehko din gayo aba janatako adhyadeshma sambhidhan samsodhan garera shambidhan sabhama janu parcha.