Maoists are winning the election. There are various reasons for that. The most prominent reason is people’s need for a change. They want something different. They have tried congress and they have tried UML.
By Tilak KC in Bremen, Germany
I am usually a political pessimist. I never thought that Maoist would come to dialogues in the first place. When they did, I came up with another excuse. They would never agree to participate in election. They agreed for that too. I was left with no choice but to come up with another excuse. I never thought they would get this much of the political response. They have done it. And for the final time I have come in terms with reality. Nepalese political scenario is changing. And Maoists have done it. They have done what non before them had managed to do. They have fought a decade long war, came to dialogues, came into democratic election and actually lead the election.
It’s often easy to criticize. We just write on. We just say on. We are neither accountable nor responsible for what we say and write. I have read and followed many people who had written off Maoist in this regard. The thirteen thousands of killings cannot be justified. The displacement of millions will never be forgiven. The pain and scars of this civil war will always haunt Maoists. They all make sense. Maoists have done that. They have fought the war. They have done it questionable way. They have done it in inhuman ways. I never believed the ways Maoists had taken. I never believed in the ways of violence and death. And I criticized them for that. But I like many others had missed one very important point. Maoists were doing something. They were getting the results.
Changes were necessary in the society. And Maoists were changing it. The villages were like the ocean before the storm. When you looked at them you felt the calmness. Yet there were numerous friction and tides rising and splashing against each other beneath that very surface. The friction in the society was very much there and it was only in a matter of time before it exploded to its full capacity. There were thousands of stories to be told. The exploitation was very much there. I vividly remember the incidents when few of the Kamis were thrown out of the house because they couldn’t afford to pay the interest on their loan when they had a bad harvest. I vividly remember people working for Jamindar for free. I vividly remember a woman being beaten to death by the families of Jamindar for the reasons I couldn’t understand.
Then the Maoist insurgency started. Those exploited found voices. Those unheard soul found a message. And like any bomb that explodes, they exploded blasting anyone within their reach. They not only took the people that were responsible but also the people that were not with those blasts. The process went on. The insurgency went on. It cost life and property. They kept on fighting and the society kept on changing. Now whether we like or not, Maoists have built a much more even society. They have done the same thing in ten years that would have taken millennia for education. They have envisioned a society free of caste, creed and religion. Feudalism has weakened. Society had to change and they have initiated a change. They have to be credited for that.
The need for change in the society is must. We talk about democracy. We talk about the freedom. But the most fundamental necessity of democracy is often lost during discussion. We need plain battlefield for democracy to work. We need the equality between people for democracy to operate. Democracy isn’t just a process of voting but it’s the process of voting among the equals. It’s that belief that each and every citizen is capable of changing the scenario. Our society lacked that. We had heavily dominated Hindu patriarchal society with few of the feudal on the top. Our power structure was pyramidal in nature.
Few people had access to those opportunities and belief while most of us stood in the bay. Maoist insurgency has changed that to some extent. That power structure has collapsed. I won’t say that it has completely changed. It is still there. But it’s much weaker. The Madhesh Andolan was a chapter of chaging power scenario. The Badhis in Singhdarbar was another of such chapter. The Newa mukti andolan and the Tharuban andolan were similar chapters in the changing power structure. This is a good thing for Nepal. The political field is getting even. The people are fighting for a change. And Maoists must be appreciated for being the front runner of such changes.
Maoists are winning the election. There are various reasons for that. The most prominent reason is people’s need for a change. They want something different. They have tried congress and they have tried UML. They haven’t done much to people’s aspiration. They now want someone new in the place. And they have found perfect alternatives to those. They have found a party with whom they could relate to. They have found a party who talks about change and who promises them what they want. The second reason for the Maoists win is the new generation of the voters. It’s been long since we voted. And many of us were children in last election. Many of us are voting for the first time. The EC estimates nearly 35 percent of the population to be first time voter in this election. And this population swung the elections. The youths have stood for a change. And they have voted for a change. This has swung the pendulum towards Maoists win.
Now, the scenario is interesting. How will Maoist lead the government? Will they enforce the absolute communism? Will they go for socialist democracy? Or will Prachanda be next Hugo Chavez? There are few instances in which the Maoists are being compared to next generation of Nazis. I don’t think Maoists will go for absolute communism. The reason is simple. They won’t be able to withstand the international pressure. The communism is falling elsewhere in the world. The Russia has fallen and so along with it have the east European countries. The Nepal’s dependency on India won’t help either. India stands much more for capitalism as Russia stood for communism. And it would be virtually impossible for Nepal to coexist as a communist blog beside a giant capitalist power. Communism is weakening and Maoists know that. Prachanda has repeatedly said that he is willing to modify values and principals to match the changing world scenario. So I believe complete communism isn’t the option available to them.
Now the second scenario, will they go for socialist democracy? I believe that they will. Their election Manifesto primarily indicates towards this direction. They want a federal state with a powerful central government. They want a prime minister elected via parliament to go with executive president elected via general public. They want to expand state welfare policy. They want the state to fund the basic necessities such as education, health and housing. They want to provide benefits to the old and needy. They want to expand economy and employ people within the nation than send them abroad. These are all the features of the socialist democracy. They have picked up Switzerland as their modal. And if everything goes by their plan we might see a federal government with an executive president in Nepal very soon. Now the third option, will Prachanda be next Chavez? It’s a possibility. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
If Maoist can come up with high majority in the parliament they will have the prime minister of their liking. And without Girija Prasad Koirala as a competitor, I don’t think anyone else would come close to Prachanda in presidential election. He can hold the power as long as he wants with parliament in his hand. He could be next Hugo Chavez. However, this stagnation of power in one party hand could be prevented. The opposition will have to act as one. Congress and UML would have to give up their old ways of fighting with each other and for once will have to walk in hand in hand to check the power of Maoist. This is absolute necessity, if they are to prevent one party rule in Nepal. And now the final question, are Maoist same as Nazis? No they are not.
Nazis had nationalist and racial propaganda. They believed in superiority of a race or a nation. They believed in complete dominance of one nation or race by another. Maoists are different type of force. They believe in multi racial and multi ethnic society. They believe in co existence of all races and castes in the equal footing. They are the nationalist forces however. They believe in minimum interference from outer states. They believe in high national secrecy and sovereignty. They are the socialist forces rather than pro Nazi forces.
We have got a new power in political scenario. People have sought and voted for it. They have seen a gleam of hope on them. They have seen a chance for them. We might question the ways in which they did it, but we will have to acknowledge the fact that they have done a lot. They have fought a war. They have made the changes- some good others bad on the way. They have given the hopes to the exploited. They have given a dream to unemployed. They have given the vision to youths. And Nepal seems to have embraced it. They have promised a lot. They are now in position to deliver those promises. This is the best opportunity Maoist can ever get. They have got the chance to write their own script. They have two options. They can go fighting down the barrel as most of the parties do and be lost in the history as a power that almost did something or do something they have promised for. If they can fulfill the visions and aspirations of people, they would be remembered in the history as the best thing that ever happened to Nepal. Now it’s up to them to choose the path. They are in the position to write the script and it’s up to them to write.
For me, I am optimistic for the first time. I believe that Maoist can do something. For the time being I can just wait and watch political scenario unfolding. I can just pray and hope that these new faces will do something new and good. I am willing to take the risk. I am willing to give Maoist a chance.
United We Blog 
Comments
31 responses to “Let’s Give Maoist A Chance!”
With the Maoist victory my Nepal is no more. This is my last post. Goodbye my brothers and sisters. May God grant you the peace you deserve. Jai Nepal.
what a joke! Lets give a chance to maoist???? They have alredy got the power mr tilakji! and its not by chance, its by the faith, by strong desire to see the change!
you know guys i actually went to an immigration lawyer yesterday, time to renounce nepalese citizenship
i’d rather be subject of the king rather being subject of these fcking hypocrat commies
election ta maiost le garda bhayeko ho..tara. the things they have done …is unforgivable..n Hope they will bring a better future to Naya Nepal..
” Maoists are unforgivable”
What the ****? What if they bring a positive change? They have already brought many changes. The power structures of our society including Nepotism, Monarchy, Dictatorial rule in parties have change. We cannot deny this change is brought about by Maoists.
* You guys can forgive USA for haphazard killing of 3 lakh Iraqi ppl for nothing but a farse “war for humanity”. Why the hell can’t you tolerate Maoists and see whether they can do good or not?
For people like u:
Check oit this article on:
http://nepaliperspectives.blogspot.com/2007/01/idiots-guide-to-maoist-playbook.html
extract:
“Not surprisingly, those on the bandwagon who believed that the Maoists had had a change of heart in favor of multiparty politics remain in shock at the pace of political transformations in Nepal. That the Maoists are defining the mainstream (as opposed to joining it) may have finally occurred to the most intelligent of Nepal’s intellectuals. If centrist intellections continue to ignore Baburam and Pushpa Dahal’s allusions to the inadequacy of a multiparty framework for Nepal’s needs, these pundits do so at their own peril.
In hindsight, the rabid anti-monarchy activism (that Nepal’s intellectuals displayed) as having facilitated the Maoists’ strategy, is a realization many will find difficult to come to terms with. It will be even more difficult to admit (for some of Nepal’s most conceited and elitist individuals), that yes, the king’s act was foolish but their response served only to exponentially compounded this foolishness, to the utter glee and satisfaction of Nepal’s homegrown killers.”
The diplomatic community and rational minded individuals in Nepal, have no choice but to go along with the Maoist charade because the Maoists are now in the interim government and are part of Nepal’s legal political structure.
Brutal suppression of political opposition for over a decade, using terror tactics and fear-enforced politics has yielded Nepal’s Maoists a position that those who have employed democratic norms and principles their entire lives, have failed to attain.
I’d say you can already see the queues beginning to form as those who were priveleged under the monarchy take their money and prepare to flee………
very nice artile by tilak kc …….. and our wagle bro is creative person, i like his way of presenting the matter in interesting way but u wagle bro got very poor readers in this blog………… seems some are just woke up from drog or sick for drog. its not surprising news for me lots of nepali in foreign land are suffering from drog addiction. in my area in london, the rehab centre is full of nepali youths.
happy new year n welcome to new nepal.
Threats and intimidation won. I’ll tell you what the response should be – how can a so called party with a standing army be allowed ro contest elections – its happened due ro SPA fools.
Next the maoists will want their PLA into RNA. The response should be no as they are political, and if they insist them the further reponse should be – after general elections where the King will fight elections as the supreme commander of the RNA along with other people who the maoists have seen as enemies like the RNA, Why should the maoists be the only ones fighting elections with their army in tow including their PLA commanders, when RNA people cannot fight elections. So the message is as maoists have done vore for us or else — the RNA should do the same in general elections then let us see who wins?
Best case scenario caught between the two everyone will vote for the real political parties and not the RNA or the terrorists.
Hamas also won the elections in the Palestine .. it did not change the attitude of world to judge them any other than a terrorist organization. Hamas could not make the old Palestine a “new” Palestine.
The Christian-missionary-with-a-vested-interest (aka Jimmy Carter) should note that before advocating removal of terrorist tag of the Maoists. Much of the Maoists is still a corrupt terrorist organization. Many Maoist cadres have became multi-millionaire by extortion money during the height of their loot. No amount of election victory, at many places by threat and intimidation (if we lose, gun wins ..) is going to change that.
Don’t raise the hope for “new” Nepal just yet.
Can any1 get me a new passport plz???
When i read that some one is going to renounce lawyer, someone is saying last blog writing and someone is making comments about NA (mind it not RNA) and PLA. These all are your rights to express what you percieve and feel. But before blaming anyone, just see on yourself and ask a question, what have you done so far for the country and people. I know your answer and you know that also that you arenot able to do anything and you don’t have courage to face this truth. Thats why you need lawyer to change citizenship, where you can enjoy as a third degree citizen. Good Luck
After all the wrongs thing n kiilings that maoist done still anyone thinks the election is fair n people actually want a change n give maoist a chance no way.
fcuking maoist doesn’t deserve this shit. i still praise king n support him he is the only one who can run our country……
Reader, on April 14th, 2008 at 1:23 pm Said:
Paribantan, on April 14th, 2008 at 5:07 pm Said:
These guys are well educated and have feelings for nepal and nepli pleoples and apperciated you guys,
Sarki ko choro, on April 14th, 2008 at 6:57 pm Said
Polila polia ta sarki ko choro bhanda pani laz lagthiyo hola aba maoist le gare ko kamko faida uthayera afno reader name pani sarki sakhyo tukka gai khane gada
Yes, definately. Nepalese people have spoken and the ball is in the Maoist’s court. Its high time that the maoists have prove themselves. and prove they have to.
As Mr. Tilak has said, “The most prominent reason is people’s need for a change. They want something different. They have tried congress and they have tried UML and other political parties as well. But all these years these parties have not fullfilled up to the expectations. This is what we can see from the number of votes that they have received.
No. of votes one party has received = total faith one has on that party or the political leader.
Maoists will remain terrorists, and they will govern the country YCL style. There should be no rush to remove terrorist tag as Jimmi Carter suggested. Maoists should not be judged solely on the popular votes they received but on the way they will behave and this should be the crieteria to decide whether or not terrorist tag should be removed.
Well I think it’s safe to say, It’s about bloody time we showed these bastards that we’re afraid of them, we infact.. pitty us and our sadistic imagination. We will be threatened, we will be living our life in fear…
Prachanda and the Maoists had to make their own oppotunities.
It is a time to move forward….
I think it’s very critical that the Maoists really focus in on this economy and financial crisis still being felt very severely by the majority of people….
….and make it clear that Nepalis are not just waiting (or dreaming) to happen….
Who do you think you are to give Maoist a chance? I am sick of ***king ideas.
To xyz, I am a normal conscious Nepali pondering over the changing political scenario of Nepalese politics. Maoists have won the election and I believe given the proper support and belief they can do a lot. I am willing to support them in their endeavors.
You should go through the article first before you comment on it. Its irrational and unethical to target your comments on an individual than on the article. If you fail to agree with my views on the articles I would be more than happy to discuss on the issue. But your comments are abusive as well as personal. Your comments thus bear no significance in my opinion.
I am really grateful to others who had time to go through and comment on the article.
Regards
Tilak K C
Tilak,
you’re ready to support them in their endeavours – ohhhh how gracious of you – did you think you have a choice?
I think it is normal for the common thinking man to be apprenhensive about the ramifications of the Maoists electoral victory. Are they going to stick to multiparty democracy or they going to forcibly implement a one party communist rule? Even if they commit to multiparty democracy what sort of economic agenda do they have? Are they going to stangle the economy with extremely socialist policies and tax businesses to death? How free will the press be given their blemished record regarding free speech? There are hundreds of questions and issues that we would like answers to. The answers will all in come in good time-whether we like it or not and more importantly whether it is good for the people or not only time will tell.I know the elections weren’t totally free and fair but digesting the information that is coming in it does seem largely to have been free and fair.In my own constituency it was very free and fair and the Maoist candidate won. So by and large I believe the Maoists have been given the mandate to lead Nepal into a better future. Whether the Maoists can do this or not only time will tell.
What does not help is people saying they will now renounce their citizenship, or screaming bloody murder and making all kinds of mindless predictions about how Nepal’s future is all screwed up now.
This is a nice article. Maoist won the election thats fine. Yes, they have their army, and it caused fear. But, it is not the fear that caused their landslide victory.
Remember, there is nothing greater than an idea whose time has arrived. So, this time its the time of Maoist to prove their mettle.
And, also Maoist are having reformed economic policy. Its not going to be the hard core Communist way.
Here is the link comparing the manifesto of political parties.
http://sajha.com/sajha/html/OpenThread.cfm?forum=2&ThreadID=58309
//I personally thank Mr. Tilak for such an article. Provoked a lot of thougth in me//
“Let’s give maoist a chance!”, do we have any other choice Mr. Tilak? If not then why are you asking for it, they already got the chance. Whatever be the reason behind it, they are winning the election. Now all they have to do is to follow their manifesto. They have to prove themselves infront of Nepali people. Maoist have a bad history, so they will have to work even harder. Yeah its true that there are people like me, who still don’t trust them. But they breached so many trusts earlier, so it will take a lot of time for them to regain that trust. Let them prove themselves and then I will start trusting them.
well sorry for the naysaying, but does thumping the crap out of a winning candidate (THE FINANCE MINISTER NO LESS) give any of you signs of a peaceful coexistence with the maos.
Well, after being imobile for weeks and having my bike ruined by bad petrol, I’d like to beat up the finance minister myself.
But no, It’s not a good sign.
Mr. Horning, I see you have come a long way and learnt our ways.
Welcome to a new dictatorship in Nepal a.k.a the dictatorship of the Proletariat/ dictatorship of Prachanda……..
Well, frankly speaking I consider Nepal a new North Korea in-making and Prachanda(a cocksucker!!) the re-incarnation of Kim Il-sung. Till now (April 16th, 2008) I consider Prachanda the BIGGEST WINNER in the Nepali politics. With his shrewdness he has sidelined almost every single opposition. As there is a saying in Sanskrit (or is it Nepali!!!) “Saam, Daam, Danda, Bhead”, Maoist used it all and they have emerged victorious.
Many political pundits still claim that there has been a new alliance forged between King Gyanendra and Maoists. This will be clearly understood on the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly.
During his interview with “Nepal weekly” magazine sometime back he shared that Nepal at this time needs a leadership of a leader who is both Gautam Buddha and Jung Bahadur Rana merged into one!!!!!!. This expression suggests his desire to establish an authoritarian regime.
I strongly feel that Prachanda is planning to establish a government which is organized as a dictatorship with a pronounced cult of personality organized around him.So, I call upon all responsible Nepali citizens to be careful and concious not to let this cocksucking faggot Prachanda to be another dictator…
Having fed up with the institutionalized cast and gender discriminations, racism, bureaucratic intimidations, autocratic and feudal governance. The people rightly sought for an alternative but its an unfortunate circumstance that this alternative happened to be the Maoists, that is because we have seen enough of what others were capable of; People felt the need for change and there we have it almost certainly. They (Maos) now have the opportunity to write their own script and implement to fulfil the aspirations and mandate entrusted by people to them but we will always be haunted though; by their cruelty and atrocity during their underworld years against the innocent population in the name of the people themselves. Their actions will never be justified and forgiven for what they’ve done, now the scenario has changed but their wild behaviour has not changed a bit, much to their delight, their atrocities seemed to have been legitimized but nothing more, after all what good is there to expect from a group of bandits, who got where they are by threats and intimidations? Let us not forget, that these thugs has just emerged from the jungle with the terrorist tags on their foreheads? I wouldn’t just day dream of new Nepal yet, we are victims either way!
I would better be a subject of His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah rather than live in a country that appears to become sooner a Communist dictatorship with a pronounced cult of personality around Prachanda (a cocksucker!!!!!)