Maoist Radicals to Block Return of Seized Land

“Wherever Baburam sends police, I will be there. We will see how the police will fire at us”

Many times over the past five years, there has been talk of the Maoists ‘returning’ property – agricultural land, buildings and homes – seized by the poor during the People’s War. Until now, this has for the most part not taken place. With the beginning of the peace process there was an understanding that Nepal would see significant land reform, and as this has not happened, the squatters and poor farmers who live on the captured land have not left. 

Now, with the leader of the conservative right-wing faction of the Maoists occupying the office of Prime Minister, there is once again talk of forcing the squatters to leave and hand their homes back to the landlords. This time the talk appears to have serious intentions behind it. What anti-Maoist governments could not even begin, a Maoist-led government appears set to to try and finish.

Large sections of the movement see this as a horrific betrayal… and they intend to fight against it. 

From Myrepublica

Chand to block return of seized properties

KIRAN PUN

KATHMANDU, Sept 26: UCPN (Maoist) Standing Committee Member Netra Bikram Chand, who is close to Senior Vice-Chairman Mohan Baidya, has threatened to block the government bid to return properties seized by the Maoists during the conflict.

Addressing a function in Kathmandu on Sunday, Chand announced that he would go to the places where the government will deploy police to return the seized properties and obstruct the police.

“Wherever Baburam [the prime minister] sends police, I will be there. We will see how the police will fire at us,” a participant in the closed-door meeting quoted Chand as saying.

Chand also accused Bhattarai of forgetting the circumstances in which he became the prime minister, a reference to the Dhobighat meeting based on which Bhattarai became prime minister.

The meeting had brought together Vice-chairmen Baidya, Bhattarai, Narayankaji Shrestha and General Secretary Ram Bahadur Badal, which apparently prepared ground for Bhattarai´s election as prime minister.

“He should not forget the ladder that he used to climb up to be the position of prime minister. If he throws the same ladder, how will he ever come down? If he tries to jump down, he will end up breaking his limbs,” the source further quoted Chand as saying during the function.

Similarly, addressing the same function General Secretary Thapa informed that he would table new agendas for discussion–whether Marxism or Buddhism should be the party´s ideology or whether the party should side with bourgeoisies or suppressed group.

Thapa´s remark was an allusion to the fact that party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal is a co-chairman of Asia Pacific Exchange Cooperation Foundation that recently floated a plan to develop Lumbini, the birth place of Gautam Buddha.

“The central committee meeting should come up with the party´s work plan and decide on its ideology,” another participant quoted Thapa as saying. Thapa also accused Chairman Dahal of trying to split the party.

“He went Siliguri [India] without informing the party and met with RAW [Indian intelligence] and other persons. He handed over the keys of arms containers without discussing the matter within the party and signed a four-point deal with the Madhes-based parties without informing the party,” he said.