By Binod Tripathi in the Kathmandu Post
Shaktikhor (Chitwan)- A year back, when the third division cantonment had recently shifted to Chitwan from Kamidada of Kavre district, then division commander ‘Sonam’ had informed media that a total of 8,300 PLA fighters were stationed in the camps. Six months later, when the United Nations (UN) verification team visited the cantonment, they registered just 6,100 guerrillas there. The Maoist leadership at third division is tight-lipped when it comes to the 2,200 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) combatants who vanished.
Bhunesh Chaudhary, a PLA deserter who now works as a motorcycle mechanic in Chitwan, has an answer. Chaudhary said that he and seven of his fellow combatants ran away from the cantonment after they saw no future inside the camps. “I had joined the Maoists out of peer pressure,” Chaudhary told the Post, “But I eventually escaped the camp.”
All of them are now working at an engineering workshop in Tadi Bazaar of Chitwan. They are also taking driving lessons to brace themselves for foreign employment. Upon being asked about combatants fleeing the camps, deputy commander of the third division Sanjeev said, “The number seems to have dwindled simply because commissars living here until last year have been deployed for other tasks.” But he was quick to add that rumors regarding the deserters are outright false. Meanwhile, deserters said that they have risked their lives after defecting from the party. (continue reading it here)
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19 responses to “Why Guerillas Flee Maoist Camps?”
I am saying this purely out of instinct, but the number of the deserters must more than what has been disclosed.
In that case, the whole point of the Maoist Militia being a hardcore fighting force, is but a myth. Meaning, there is only a core of say 2000-3000 regular soldiers and the rest were conscripts, just used to swell the numbers.
And more importantly so, it seems, the Maoists were very successful in exploiting the inexperience Nepali Army through fear.
Personally, most of the maoists army should be disbanded and integrated into our society. They are some hard working and determined, underprivileged people. They should be provided opportunities.
The core fighters should be trained and probably be incorporated in the army in different divisions and brigades.
They cannot be made a separate brigade as that could lead to the army being polarized significantly.
Once we’ve done with them, the YCL should also be disbanded and probably be absorbed into intelligence services, secret service and border security services.
Contrary to popular belief, our security forces do need to be specialized if we are to remain a neutral state. The numbers don’t need to increased, only the level of sophistication and training should be increased.
On the issue of financing and supporting the security forces, an economic policy to boost our economy should be simultaneously put into place- as the economy grows, the country will have no problems supporting its security forces.
Because these low level maoists are being exploited by these so called maoist leaders like Prachande.
It is certainly obvious that since they are tired of sitting idle and doing just near to nothing. It has almost been more than 1-1/2 years or more that they are in the camps. Instead, the maoist guerillas should have been used in some constructive works so that they also get busy and with the development of the country as well.
They should be taught to work to earn a living and become a self earning citizen of the nation and help in nation building.
what will the maoists guerillas get in these camps
disease, illness and everything similar.
just look at the top maoists leader, where they are and where are these guerillas?
i just feel pity for these guerillas.
why had they joined the guerillas force and what has the maoist leaders done to them?
Its good sign. These forced and indoctrinate inocent civilians has to break up the wall of uncertainity. Come on ! Boys and Girls open-op your eyes !
Is this fair? On the one hand, People like Prachande, Baburam, Cp Gajurel, Krishna Bahadur Mahara make foreign trips and stay in luxury hotels spending thousand of dollars. On the other hand, they are not even getting their salaries allocated by the government. The government should have distributed their salaries directly to them. This is what happens in Maoist rule.
The question “why guerillas flee maoist camps” is I think intuitively known to most of us. They are just poor people used by opportunists. They hardly know anything about what their ideology is and where their struggle will lead them. What is happening had have to happen- no surpirse.
I suppose ‘late is better than never’ they should leave the camp go to their family contineue their study and be a competent citizen first. No country could ever prosper with a mob-gangs in power. And world history has proved it including the “GREAT 70-YEARS COMMUNIST EXPERIMENT ON SOCIETY” with negative result in the Russian state. China’s diversion further confirms this truth. Whatever the argument is, the result is a historical ‘NO’, and if we dont understand this- hell is only our destination.
Now my friend karlmarx there (in hell or heaven) must be convinced that his thinking was merely an economics principle to be confined in shchool classes but never to be applied in a ‘living’ society. Majority of leftist leaders at present acknowledges at their heart this truth but they use it as a tool to fulfil their egos & ambitions. So please mind it – whatever and however your devotion could be, it is worthless if applied in wrong direction. That is how it is with all my mislead poor fellows of this country.
KarlMAX
http://www.nepalitimes.com/issue/376/Backside/14234
Thanks to all tourists and rural people war has ended.
Ideologies are outdated it took Nepal only 15 years to understand albanians fled Albania, chinese are not happy. Not because your plastic says made in China or Korea, that you have a good life under communist regime.
The problem with help from abroad they would have liked in Germany communism and forget the nice lifestyle is due to capitalism.
Please pay the guirillas Rs 10000 a month at least, how can you ignore the sacrifices they made for the country?? How come you can underestimate their contribution towards destroying once peaceul country? The fianacial losses caused by their ‘people’s war’ worth more than a trillions of rupees, they deserve at least half of it, I request all the concerned authorities to provide all the financial assistance and benifits, you can increase the petrol and gas prices and raise a tax form the ordinery public if need be,but you must stop guerillas from fleeing. Please give them all the facilities needed or ask them to stay in public homes and let locals stay in their camps, it’s payback time for people as well, for guerillas who fought a brave war for them!!
Happy Comrades??
it just proves that the hardcore maoist fighter are out in strees mingling among us as young criminals league. those in the cantonments are not the real fighting force of the maoist but only a distraction. remember the mass kidnapping before the 7 party peace accord. of course those in the camps are abandoning the cause because they never believed in it.
why else will the young criminals league have so much leverage. because they are the harcore maoist gurillas and they are free roaming in the streets still terrorizing the citizens of nepal.
Time for Change
By Siddhartha Thapa
Rarely does a moment come in history when the political leadership is provided with an unchallenged authority to govern in the name of its people. Similarly GP Koirala and the seven parties had been vested with gargantuan responsibilities to steer the country towards stability and peace. However, GP and the seven parties have failed to seize this golden opportunity. It is comical to observe the lackluster performance of this coalition government even when it had such enormous powers, no opposition to fear and lastly an unchallengeable international mandate to steer the country out of the quagmire.
Today, yet again our leaders have unfortunately succumbed to the murky politics that has plagued the progression of Nepali politics for the last five decades. Therefore, it would be accurate to conclude that it is only through our active participation in the political concourse can Nepal progress towards stability and peace. Hence, it would prove detrimental if we Nepalis are to sit quietly and allow our leaders to steer our country towards further disintegration by falsely interpreting our concerns and voices.
Without any further delay, we Nepalis should ask ourselves some fundamental questions regarding the future of our country. What has been most hurtful is the fact that our government sat silently when the statue of Prithivi Narayan Shah was mutated by the Maoists. All across the globe, in all countries the founders regardless of their background are held in high esteem. We might loathe at King Gyanendra, but we cannot escape from the reality that without Prithivi Narayan Shah there would be no Nepal – this is a fact and our history.
It has become equally important for all of us Nepalis to ponder over the founding principles of our nation. This is important because without identifying the principles that founded Nepal, we cannot defend the principles that founded Nepal. A country like Nepal that is so diverse had functioned harmoniously despite some deficiencies. Unfortunately, we are at the brink of disintegration and chaos. Therefore, it is important for us to understand the logic behind Prithvi Narayan Shah’s call for social harmony and unity. It is social harmony, unity, moderation and toleration that are the founding principles of our nation. And the diversity component has only added to the uniqueness of the nation.
But for Nepali politics to evolve progressively it is important that the younger generation now takes over the mantle. Consequently, a political consensus must be developed and a home grown solution must be founded where the people are invited to take ownership of the constitutional process through elections.
The present leaders are responsible for the present state of affairs and they are incompetent. It is wishful thinking for us to expect them to deliver when they have failed repeatedly. Nepal is on the brink of disintegration and even when a forceful radical communist party like the Maoists has posed challenges to the existence of democracy and in tandem disrupted social harmony in the country; even then our leaders remain divided.
There will be no democratic alliance, there never has been one and there will never be one as long as the leaders of the older generation remain in politics. It is only when youthful leaders belonging to the democratic parties and ethnic groups prevail will there be an alliance. I say this because; we non political Nepalis have a common enemy: Maoists and radical ethnic groups. Today Girija has become Gyanendra and Gyanendra is Girija; the roles have reversed. This is a cyclical phenomenon that has hampered Nepal’s evolution to progress. It is indeed like a musical chair, with seven politicians (SPA and Maoists included) all aiming to oust one another for the executive post.
Politics in Nepal is a catalyst through which politicians and their beneficiaries have consumed enormous amount of wealth. No matter who becomes prime minister, the situation will remain just as grim since the players who aide the prime ministers are the same people who have failed again and again. And deep down the Maoists know for a fact that these leaders can be bought, so, until and unless, there is no change in the leadership, the Maoists will continue to throw generous baits at our leaders and prepare for an eventual takeover.
Our leaders fail to comprehend that foreign brokered alliance will never yield positive dividends. Examples are plentiful – Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and the 1950 Delhi Agreement to name a few. Therefore, a solution must be indigenous and an alliance must formalize after parties agree on a common threat based on the ground reality. For that matter, the 12 point agreement is anti-national and hence, it now makes sense as to why the peace process and the prospects of holding elections have failed so miserably. We know for a fact that our leaders will never rise to the occasion to save our country from further disintegration. They are too consumed with wheeling and dealing.
The cyclical jinx will be broken only when the younger generation of politicians, businessmen, entrepreneurs, journos, civil servants, the youth, and younger army officers unite identifying a common threat – Maoists and radical ethnic groups. It is only then will Nepal move towards permanent peace, stability and economic prosperity. In other words, a new revolution is needed where the people take to the streets carrying the national flag and not their party flags. Most importantly, the realization has to sink in that we are first Nepalis and then only are we Congresi, Maoobadi or Rajabadi.
What we have in Nepal is a catch 22 situation. The young generation capable of changing the country have all left for the US, UK, Australia etc. The young generation in Nepal (with the exception of a few) are exposed to poor educational standards, violence, street politics, constant disruptions etc. Without the environment improving the expatriate young Nepalese (who are for the most part are successful in their respective host countries) will have no incentive to return. So the idea that Nepal will transform with new and fresh leadership seems lofty to me. I had some hope in Gagan Thapa but it seems as if he has disappeared off the face of the planet. Anyone know something different?
Answer is : AS SOON AS THEY realize they are trapped by the
bigest FRAUDS like ……RAM and PRACHANDA they leave the camps. For Prachanda there can be execuse for he is showing flexibility, but I have never seen such a STUPID Ph. D. like ……..RAM.
There is not going to be democracy, peace and security in Nepal at all in this situation.
Girija now realised (Nepal weekly) that he made the mistake by introducing interim constitution. He will fully realise his mistakes when he will be kicked out of out of Balwatar by his collegues. That is why he is known as hawaldar.
They are fleeing becuase like George orwell once written ” Everybody is equal but somebody is more equal than another”. Maoist leaders is living off life of luxury, just see the size of Prachandes bhudi and Baburam’s chillo gala. They are having chicken chilli which is being gulped down by help of scotch whiskey. Most of the top and middle level maoist are busy buying house, sending their children abroad and driving stolen bolero jeeps while those stupid illiterate poor cadre or fighters are in camp deprived of even basic human condition ( though I do not have any sympathy for them as they deserve this for being so stupid in first place) now it is time they realize their mistake and start real revolution starting by wiping out this corrupt and stupid leaders. This will happen sooner or later. Nepal need more bloodshed before we will have peace. We desrerve this becuase basically Nepali are stupid people. Jai So called Gandtantrik Naya Nepal
No they are not going to wait for somebody to manage their lives without respect.
What I don’ tlike about Nepal is that all are managers.
Not my life.
Plus now is reintegration moment and can you see maobadi who are essentially good joining kings shooters?
nothing doing.
Keep it like this.
viva Bolivia.
Siddhartha Thapa
sound and well analyze your written! keep it up
viva bolivia?????????
im cunfused anyone else 2