Many Hands Of Comrade Prachanda: Though they didn’t speak in the press conference, three deputy commanders of the Maoist People Liberation Army (PLA) were the attraction. Clockwise from left: Baldev (Chandra Khanal), Passang (Nanda Kishor Pun) and Prabhakar (Janardhan Sharma). Pic by Shailendra Kharel
Prachanda will explain his party’s policy and programs on Friday when he will appear publicly for the first time in the past 25 years.
By Dinesh Wagle
Wagle Street Journal
One of my friends in the Maoists circle called this afternoon to let me know that the rebels were going to announce something very important in a press conference in Rastriya Sabha Griha, Kathmandu. He asked me if I wanted to be there at 2 PM, on the second floor of the building. Why not? It’s going to be a big day, I guessed, and I must experience all these events personally. I was planning to meet a female model and singer in connection with my reporting for Kala ra Shailee. “Models later,” I told myself. “Comrades are in priority for the time being. Let me give the bhau to these comrades now.” When I told about my afternoon plan to one my colleague in the office, this is the response I got: “Yes, go, go. There will be no opportunity in future to give them bhau as their arms will be locked up in cantonments with UN lock in the near future and people will start beating Maoists if [rebels] continue bullying at them. :)” I agreed with him. The “Peoples’ War’ was definitely difficult for the rebels but the days of peace will not be easy ride. Answer as plain and straight as “Keep Quiet, we are fighting for the oppressed ones” will not make people quite against their highhandedness. This time, instead of arrogant comrades, ‘poor’ people will be armed and powerful. They will be armed with a weapon called VOTE. The Maoist comrades will be in desperate need of that vote to strengthen their position in the Constituent Assembly, the new battleground of the competitive politics.
Photojournalist Shailendra Kharel and I went to Rastriya Sabha Griha (City Hall) in time. There were three comrades chatting with each other on the backyard of the convention hall. They confirmed that a press conference was to occur in a few minutes. Krishna Bahadur Mahara and the Chairman of Newa Rastriyay Mukti Morcha, a Maoist sister organization, would be addressing the reporters. [Chairman Prachanda was taking part in a gathering of Nepali cine artists in Nepal Academy.] What would be Mahara telling in a press meet organized barely 1.5 hours before the summit talks between Seven Party Alliance and the Maoists in the Prime Minister residence in Baluwataar? Reporters were curious and we waited for about 40 minutes before the press meet kicked off. I was already disappointed as I got the hint from one of the comrades that the press conference was about the upcoming general convention of Morcha. It was announced that the Morcha general convention has been differed by two months and the planned convention has been turned into a Mass Meeting where Prachanda would appear publicly for the first time in 25 years. That was definitely news but one could question: Haven’t we seen Prachanda before? What is this hoopla about his appearance? I wanted to ask Mahara the question but I didn’t because I knew the answer. Maoists are telling that Prachanda hasn’t appeared publicly officially. “We think his appearance is a national event,” said Mahara. “And we decided to give due importance to this national event but postponing the Morcha convention, turning the scheduled gathering into the Mass Meeting to be organized on the central level.”
This announcement, and other developments in the recent days, has confirmed that talks are going to be successful and Maoists are coming into the mainstream competitive politics. In a way, I am surprised how fast these events are happening. I can only imagine how it feels to be Prachanda in these circumstances. He has this huge task of convincing his guerillas about the “achievements” of the bloody and “great” ‘peoples’ war’ and telling them convincingly that the movement has brought about so many changes in Nepali society. There is a big risk of the party being split into more than two factions and one of them continuing the war. That will be counterproductive not only to Prachanda but to all of us Nepalis. We don’t want only a faction of the party coming into the main stream and the remaining part continuing the fighting. For that, we need to give him time to explain his cadres about what he is agreeing with the government and why is he doing so.
That is exactly what Prachanda wants to do on the day of his appearance (on Friday, November 10). He will be explaining about the new political scenario and the role of his party in the changed context. “He will publicize the party’s new policy,” Mahara said. He also hinted that the Maoist mass meeting will be organized in Tundikhel (the Army Dais) instead of the traditionally used Shahid Manch (Martyrs Dais). Prachanda will also speak about the journey his party conducted in the past decade.
So expect a pretty much long speech from the Chairman Comrade!
So, this is how comrades are preparing for the [to be] BIG and HISTORIC ‘Apparance’ mass gathering in Kathmandu on Friday.
Maoists descend upon valley locals
By Kosh Raj Koirala
in the Kathmandu PostKATHMANDU, Nov 6 – Even as the peace talks are going on and Maoists leaders are pledging to respect people’s freedom and uphold human rights, their cadre are “forcing” residents in the three districts of Kathmandu Valley to provide free shelter to their friends. The Post has received complaints from dozens of residents in Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur informing that the Maoists have asked them to provide shelter to Maoist supporters and cadre who have gathered in Kathmandu to take part in the national convention of the Newa Mukti Morcha scheduled for November 10.
Maoists are launching a massive drive to bring over a sea of cadres and sympathizers from outside the valley to Kathmandu to attend the convention which will be addressed by Maoist Chairman Prachanda.
Some residents in localities including Bagdol, Nakkhipot, Dhobighat, Dholahiti, Balkhu, Thapagaun, Magargaun, Bhainsepati, Khumaltar, Hattiban and Kusunti complained that they have been asked to provide shelter to up to 10 cadre each. They have also asked the residents to feed their cadre for three days. Locals at Pulchowk and Mangalbazar and in Harisiddhi area have even protested against the Maoist demand at the local police offices.
In Kathmandu the rebels have made similar demands at Kalanki, Balaju, Bouddha, Phutung and Buddhanagar and in Bhaktapur at Jadibuti, Gatthaghar and Madhyapur Thimi, among other localities.
According to police sources, the rebels have also captured garment factories at Bouddha and Buddhanagar and the Pashupati Area Development Trust office at Gaushala and other premises for the purpose.
“Maoists reached my house this morning asking me to provide shelter for at least 10 cadre,” said a senior government official residing in Lalitpur district.“Maoists, on one hand, call it voluntary but, on the other, make tacit threats to comply with their demand,” fumed a local resident at Gatthaghar, Bhaktapur.
Talking to the Post, Pawan Man Shrestha, president of Maoist-affiliated Newa Mukti Morcha, said, “It’s true that we have requested the locals to help us by providing shelter to our cadre.” He, however, denied having pressured the locals to provide shelter. “If there are such incidents people can register their complain at the party’s central office,” he said.
Madhav Prasad Nepal, chief of Lalitpur District Police Office, said he has also received several complaints that the Maoists are forcing local residents to provide shelter.
Meanwhile, lawmakers also raised the issue in the House of Representatives meeting on Monday. Taking special time at the meeting, Krishna Lal Maharjan, UML lawmaker from Lalitpur, drew the attention of the government to rebel cadre sending letters to Lalitpur residents asking them to provide food and shelter to their cadre.
United We Blog 
Comments
18 responses to “Nepal Peace Process: Attending Maoist Press Meet in Kathmandu”
well, by now all others have also seen how much water does prachand and co. hold.
I tell you maoists will not get 20 percent of votes after they laydown their arms. In villages people will chase them and many will be killed. Because they don’t have arms, they will be helpless. Almost nobody will vote except their limited militants for them. Even if the Peace Accord is signed today or tomorrow, there will be some instability for two to three months.
I agree with Prof.Because majority of people are not happy with Maoists because they threatened, kidnapped and killed many people. They forcibly asked money at the gun point. It is still continuing.So who will vote for them ? So Maoism is practically finished. SO we, democrats should be happy about the Peace Agreement.
i dream to see every nepali learn to read and write, but when i come accross people like you then i think– may be education is not for everyone, some are better left illiterate.
what a waste of education!!!
Who are you refering to Mr. Mohan? Wagle or the comment above yours?
The Maoists are never going to become a fully democratic party that will put themsleves up for scrunity and follow democratic norms.
And I agree that if the Maoist run in a free and fair elections there is no way they will win a majority!
Life passes you by as you speak and reveals your ignorance to your selves and others.
Ignore the real events around you and waste your time ar what you are good at – writing crap
why you guys are hell bent on forecasting what will happen in the election? how could foretell? if that is your business why don’t you guys find a parrot each and work as a fortuneteller like we see in and around ratnapark.
baat karta hai.
My last comment targeted to– Prof. Pyare
my comment was for the king of crap – the professor
do not disrespect the army so much that u might end up really seeing what tyranny is…..
how can anybody authorize a political program in an army area….
nepal as we all know is in deepshit and i see it going only deeper.
and add that nepali buddhi which is making the leader of a murderer group fuicking prachanda into a celebrity. fuicking nepali buddhi….
like them people in north korea say to their leader… our great leader kim jong il…lets practice saying that our great leader puspa kamal dahal….
frustating very frustating..
I think Girija was compelled to go to New Delhi and sign the 12 Point Agreement withe Maoists because SPA was pushed to the wall by Gyane. KG was bent upon to finish the democratic parties.He believed the son of Gen. Padam B Khatri but he never believed the call by major international plyers and the international community. Sometimes it seems that Girija was like-“SAUTA KO RISH LE POI KO KAKH MA PISAB PHERNE” type guy but there was no alternative for him. Thanks to royal Advisors like T. Giri, Bharat Keshar,Sharad Shah, Satchit, Prazwol etc. King’s atrocities continued. for the King, 15 months of absolute power was like MUTKO NYANO. Actually he wanted to rule like the Kings of Saudi Arabia, Morocco or Jordan. He might have said “DIL MAGTA HAI MORE: MONEY AND POWER”
So when you are not satisfied with what you have, you may fall in a big ditch like Grand Canyon. He lost everything because of the greed.It is like “CHAUTA KHANA GAYEKI BUDHI JHOL MA DUBERA MARI”.
But, in this whole game, democratic forces emerged as the real winner because the Maoists will lose everything once they sign this treaty. It is a political suicide of Maoists. Why ? Because almost nobody will vote for them if they don’t have weapons with them. People even chase them because they gave a lot of trouble to the poorest of the poor for the last one decade..
we Nepalese are metally poor. we don’t want to see prosperous Nepal. we only can backbite about others we have never learnt to praise others work or appreciate others progress. Some king of black eggo is dominant on each Nepali. Look at the comments given by like Prof. and others is that the way how you should be writing the comment. If they lay down the weapon …….. they won’t get sit etc. Before maoists were given birth by Girija we saw the worst governce. We need development and safety whoever rules the country does not matter. we don’t need mad democracy where people forget themselves rights and act voilatently. Nobody wants this situation again.
Therefore, we should at least need to learn to appreciate others good work.
Jai corruption free Nepal.
Poor people of Nepal led by the obsolete leadership, I’m very sad with such beautiful country like Nepal now is getting worse and ugly and here we go another obsolete Maoism leadership coming up on politics. Well that was a part of your democratic experience Face it.
For the people of Nepal get some education Don’t be just like a Parrot Go and have some original ideology.
Having a king is anti democratic, even if every person supported it, it would be anti democartic like feudalism, or sexism, and at least sexism, is not a person, the king is a person who would use anti equality, the people of nepal, need power, not a king who opposes them
People like hai ra can never understand the political analysis of higher level.If Maoists will get equal number of seats in Interim House with NC and UML,they will not have any power, because the majority is with NC and UML combined. Actually Maoists will start fading out once they sign the peace treaty. Because they don’t have any people base. If they have any, it is because of guns. If they don’t have guns, all these looters, rapists and killers will lose their power to do so. They will be virtually loose their job.At the same time they may get the collective beating by the villagers. So they are coming to the cities. There is a proverb in Hindi; JAB GIDAD KA MAUT AATA HAI SHAHAR KI TARAF BHAGTA HAI.
Now Maoists are in the same position.
why?
what i want to ask why should the people expect what comrade prachanda to speak about what he and his party did in the last decade?
no we dont want him to tell what he did.. we know that..?
what people expect from him is leadership. No before i am misunderstood and thought as a psudo comrade .. i want to make it cler we expect him to excercise his leadership on his own people..
you know wha .. leading people into battle is difficult .. with the courage required to tell them to face death,, but to lead them out of battle is even more difficult..?
1. Comrade do you think you will be the saviour massiha of nepali people ..?
that you cant be ,,. now the only good you can do is to lead your own men out of this mess .
DO NOT LET YOUR SELF TRAPPED BY THE ORGNISATIONAL MOMENTUM OR THE LUST OF IDENTITY.’
For all the insurgent activities of the past we have seen the only barrier to come on to the main track of mainstream politics is the hunger for identity which the gruop feels.
without the comrades flashing there gun ,.. they are incomplete..
you have to motivate them to feel and sens and rationalise their completeness with the over all good of the nation as a whole..
i say again
YOU HAVE LED THEM TO BATTLE, LEAD THEM OUT OF IT.. THIS IS MORE DIFFICULT BUT MORE NOBLE.
After he signs the Peace Accord with Girija, we should send Prachanda to DPRK. He can have good friendhip with Kim Jong Il and enjoy Korean farmer girls with red wine made in China. In the bottle, there will be five pointed star and the head of Mao.I think why Comrades like Mahara, Dina Nath and Alu Magar came to Europe to see the hegemons capitalists instead of visiting DPRK and Cuba. I think I should urge Maobadis to send some Nepalese to these countries as NRN.There is a chance of earning a lot of money because they have developed their country more than Europe by following Communists philosophy. They can send a lot of money which we can utilise in buying products from Khasa.Is it not a Khasa idea ?