AWTW: Afghanistan Security Forces Vicious & Weak

(AP)

This article was shared with Kasama by A World to Win News Service

Afghan Maoists: Why the U.S.-Led Afghan Security Forces Are So Vicious, Corrupt – and Weak

24 November 2008. A World to Win News Service. The following edited and combined excerpts from issues 18 and 19 of Shola Jawid – organ of the Communist (Maoist) Party of Afghanistan – is a follow-up to the article “Afghanistan’ s ‘ national’ security forces – another big problem for the people” in our 27 November news packet. The explanations in parentheses are by AWTWNS.

The military forces of the regime might seem strong, but they are completely hollow. Never before in Afghanistan’s history have occupiers organized such puppet forces. The British never attempted to form a puppet military force when they ruled Afghanistan. They just gave military and financial backing to the puppet Emirs (rulers). During the Soviet invasion, building a puppet army only went as far as training and educating a section of the high-ranking officers of the army and police, and arming these forces with weapons sold to the lackey regimes. However, the armed forces of the present puppet regime were wholly created by the occupiers. All the officers and soldiers have been trained by the occupiers and the existence and activities of these forces are totally dependent on the occupiers. Even most of their new weapons and equipment were donated by the invaders. These forces do not have their own war strategies and are fully in the service of the occupation forces and under their command.

Indian Newsletter on Farmers’ Displacement and Resistance

Photo: Ashoke Chakrabarty/The Hindu

This is a newsletter from the International Campaign Against Forced Displacement and SEZ (Issue 4 October/November 2008) To subscribe, click here.

Campaign Against Land Grab and Forced Displacement of People

Editorial

The current global financial crisis in the form of a credit-crunch is part of the regular boom and bust that humanity has been experiencing since the inception of capitalism. In Britain, Gordon Brown, when new Labour first took power in 1997, promised an end to this cycle of boom and bust with his “careful” management of the economy. Yet his economic management over a decade delivered the worst economic crisis in UK of our lives. According to some of the economic commentators it is the worst crisis capitalism has faced since the 1920’s. This crisis will be used to consolidate capitalism and expand its global control over emerging and other third world countries.

Indian Maoists Seize Weapons in Orissa

The Maoist movement in India has been gaining strength in recent years. In the mid 1990’s the Naxal movement was only effecting four states and  fifteen districts. However by 2007 Maoism had become prevalent in 18 states and 194 districts. The Naxalites are known for their daring arm seizures. This article provides and example. This article was published by People’s Truth.

“The town people welcomed the attack and even joined in to give slogans along with the Maoists. After the attack it is reported that the Maoists calmly had a full meal in restaurants and paid the bills.”

Seizure of Arms at Nayagarh, Orissa

On Feb.15, 2008, a reported 500 Maoists laid siege to the main stockpiles of armaments at Nayagarh, 85 kms from Bhubaneshwar [the capital of Orissa]. In the ensuing gun battles 13 police and two others were killed and nine injured. The attacks in Nayagarh included the Armoury, the Town police station, the Police Training School, the Police Station at Daspalla, and the outpost at Galeri.

Prachanda: We Must Pause and Ponder Our Next Move

This article was published by the Red Star.

We have the ability to bring about change for the better

by Puspha Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’

We Nepali people have made a great political change after a decade long People’s War (PW) and a historic popular movement of 2006. This change has become possible after forging alliance among the three political forces of CPN (Maoist), the Seven Party Alliance and the Civil Society. We need to continue this alliance until a new constitution is drafted and New Nepal is built.

Basically, the issue of development, democracy and peace, that is, the theme of this conference, are intricately linked. In the absence of one, the other two cannot be realized. Without democracy, we cannot dream of development and peace. Democracy must include participation, representation, accountability, transparency, responsiveness and unity of the people. In fact, these are the pillars for democracy to institutionalize and sustain. Likewise, development ensures prosperity and people’s progress, which eventually contribute to strengthening democracy as well as sustainable peace. We all know that a peaceful environment is a pre-requisite for democracy to flourish and development to occur.

Asia witnessed an unparalleled rise of democratic and nationalist governments through the 1940s to 60s. The European colonial regimes, which perpetuated systematic exploitation of human and natural resources in most of the countries in the region, were overthrown by the upsurge of national liberation movements across the region. The success of anti-colonial movements in the region generated high hopes among the working class and expectations for a rapid change in their social and economic lives. However, those newly established nationalist regimes failed to initiate development, consolidate democracy and provide socio-economic empowerment to their citizens which had eroded their popular support bases and credibility rapidly. As a consequence, many elected regimes in various countries of the Asia Pacific region were replaced by the authoritarian and military dictators. People in many Asian countries including Nepal are trapped in a vicious circle of injustice, underdevelopment and poverty. Due to the feudal system and an exploitative international financial and capitalist system, they could not achieve proper economic growth and productivity.

Samir Amin: We Need a New Communist International

This interview originally appeared in Red Star #18 as ‘We need a new international’. Prof. Samir Amin is major revolutionary thinker with dozens of major works over forty years exploring deeply the development and crimes of international capitalism. He was interviewed by Roshan Kissoon and Chandra.

Can you tell us about yourself briefly and your views on Marxism?

I qualify myself as an activist, maybe an intellectual activist. My whole active life was deeply connected with the liberation movements in Africa during the late 40’s, 50’s and 60’s and the after; that is roughly I could say the Bandung period, starting from 1955. That struggle has changed more than any other struggle, possibly, in the last 50 years.

I was and I am an economist and therefore also a Marxist. And, I don’t recognize the qualification of neo-Marxist. I consider a Marxist as starting from Marx but not stopping at Marx. That is considering that Marx thought, laid the foundations for understanding how to analyze and how to change the world. And in that the long history, as of Marx I consider that of course Lenin and especially Mao wrote and made fundamental contributions for understanding how to change the world, taking into account the fact that imperialism has divided the world into centers and peripheries. And, created the polarization at a global level and deepened it from one period to the other. And the question of the long transition to socialism had to be dealt with in a very different way from the Eurocentric, workers vision; the traditional vision of the 3rd international.

That is about myself; I’m currently the chair for the World Forum for Alternatives. Which is a network bringing together thinkers of the world from all regions of the world, north and south, whose qualifications are to be anti-capitalist, anti-imperialist, of course, but anti-capitalist more than that, however, in a non-sectarian way. i.e. admitting variety of visions of what are the efficient strategies of moving ahead beyond capitalism.

In your book “The Future of Maoism” you exchange polemics with Indian Marxist V. Nandy on Marxism. Tell us something about this:

You see, the main challenge which has been probably to raise the things overlooked in what I call historical Marxism i.e. Marxism as understood by Marx. The main weakness of that historical Marxism is that it has not ever considered the consequences of the very fact that capitalism in its global expansion from the very start, because capitalism from the beginning tended to be a global system, has created the polarization of the dominant centers and dominated periphery. And that, from periods, of course, the imperialist reality has itself changed from period to period in the sense that the way it used to be defined, it has operated, has changed from place to place. That the fact is, that polarization has continuously been created, recreated and deepened from one period to another. That fundamental fact was overlooked. I think that Marx, because he was really an exceptional person, had a feeling of that reality; however, not much more than that.

Agrarian Revolution: Radical Cooperative Movements & Nepali People’s War

This interview originally appeared in Red Star #18 as ‘Co-operative movement within people’s war in Nepal’.

by Thakur Prasad Devkota

The historical initiation of the People’s war (PW) in Nepal brought drastic changes in social, cultural, economic and political aspects. In the international communist movement that initiation adds an important step to build and develop the ideology in communist international. This article is about the “co-operative movement within people’s war” in Nepal during the war period. When the CPN (Maoist) planned and proclaimed the “establishment the base area”, people and party cadre became aware of co-operatives. Co-operative management and mass-mobilization is the major part of the PW in Nepal. To manage the red army, war preparation, weapon management, war-wounded treatment, feeding, clothing etc. were the major tasks of the base area. The major works to do in this area were:

1. Service and Production

2. Management

3. Construction and

4. Security.

To meet these challenges without the mobilization of the people was not possible. Therefore, to meet these challenges, CPN (Maoist) planned to organize and mobilize the people collectively.

India: Remembering Anuradha Gandhi

This article was published by People’s Truth.

Homage to Anuradha Gandhi: A Marxist Theoretician & Great Leader of the Indian Revolutionary Movement

On April 12, 2008 Anuradha (alias Narmada, Varsha, Janaki, Rama) passed away after an attack of falciperum malaria. With this the Indian working class lost one of its ablest and topmost woman leaders who with sheer hard work, deep ideological and political study, and revolutionary dedication rose from the ranks to become a member of the Central Committee of the C.P.I (Maoist).

The oppressed women of India lost one of the greatest champions of their cause, one who, for more than three and a half decades, relentlessly organized them, led them into struggles against oppression and exploitation; the Nagpur dalit masses and workers of the unorganized sector lost a leader who stayed among them, awakening and organizing them; and the adivasi masses of Bastar, especially those of South Bastar, worst affected by the genocidal Salwa Judum, lost their beloved didi, who worked among them for years sharing their weal and woe; and the students and intellectuals lost a revolutionary role model, who gave up the comforts of a middle class life in order to integrate with the oppressed masses.

Nepal: Two Armies Under a Single Command

This article originally appeared on The Red Star.

On The Question of Army Integration

by Maheshwar Dahal

Anti-people powers inside and outside the country have not taken the important issue of army integration seriously.

The question of the integration of the PLA and the NA must be seen from a political point of view. The first thing is that the concrete achievement of the FDR (federal democratic republic)  was achieved through the Peoples War by the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) and the PLA has been established as the principal power to address the political, economic and cultural causes of the revolution.

Biplap on Differences Among Nepali Maoists

This article originally appeared in The Red Star

The differences of opinion within our party

By Netra Bikram Chand ‘Biplap’ (central committee member of CPN (Maoist).

We should say honestly that there is a difference of opinion on how to accomplish the Nepalese Revolution. Mainly, the difference of opinion is about the party line, political program and tactics in our party. This clearly justifies that a serious u-turn has occurred before the Nepalese Revolution. The responsibility of carrying the revolution ahead successfully has fallen upon the shoulders of the revolutionary communists of Nepal and the revolutionary communists of the world. We all should direct our attention to it.

1) The difference of opinion on political program:

The main bone of contention is whether the party should advance ahead for People’s Republic or stay in the stage of democratic republic. In our central committee meeting held from 4 to 6 October 2008, Party Chairman, Comrade Prachanda put forward a program to remain in the Democratic Republic. His spoken proposal pointed out the necessity of the tactics of democratic republic; there is no favorable situation to advance into the People’s Republic. On the contrary, he pointed out the need to synthesize the ideology based on the achievements gained up until democratic republic. After the proposal of Com. Prachanda, Com. Kiran disagreed with the program of democratic republic, and put forward a written proposal for a People’s Republic. Com. Kiran proposed that the appropriateness of the democratic republic is over and the party should advance ahead towards the People’s Republic.

We must understand some of the aspects that the declared and authentic political program of our party was from the beginning a new People’s Democracy. According to the validity of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism, the central question of the People’s War is to achieve people’s state power and that is the new people’s power. This objective has not changed until now. An interesting aspect is that the Nepali Congress (NC) and the Unified Marxist and Leninist (UML) are more active in the operation of the state than during the period of the monarchy, when the PW began. The Parliamentarians carried out barbaric repressions against us. Viewed from this aspect, the People’s War was against even the multiparty parliamentary system. Our slogan was, “Let’s not remain under the illusion of parliamentary system! Let’s prepare for a new people’s democratic revolution!”

Nepal: Ending Caste Inequality & Ethnic Discrimination

Dalit people refused entry to a public temple (ICCN)

This article originally appeared in The Red Star

Struggle: The Identity Of Dalit People

by Santoshi Bishwakarma

The Nepalese People’s War (PW) is an important turning point in the history of the Nepalese Communist movement. Actually, a new era began after its initiation. There has never been such mass awareness and the participation of the people. Never have so many tribes, communities, castes, dalits, gender, region and the marginalized ever come into power.

The PW has brought so many changes in the lives of all people in the country. They all have started honourable lives in the society where before they used to be treated without any respect or dignity. Before the PW, the life of dalit people was miserable and poor. Dalits had to spend their lives in awful conditions despite the fact that they possess skill, efficiency, art and professionalism. Dalit women had to bear torture and harassment in the society.

India: Maoists Expand People’s War in Chhattisgarh

Maoist fighters training in Chattisgarh state in central India in 2006 (AP)

From Maoist Revolution Digest # 1562

India Peoples War News: Maoists open fire at Indian Air Force (IAF) chopper, killing officer

NEW DELHI: In keeping with their promise to expand peoples war in Chhattisgarh and throughout India, Maoists opened heavy fire at an IAF helicopter killing an officer.

The Mi-8 helicopter, ferrying three injured paramilitary jawans, election officials and electronic voting machines, came under fire from different directions soon after it lifted off from the helipad at Pedia on way to Bijapur, around 5pm.

“The helicopter was barely 30 metres up in the air when it came under fire from automatic weapons like light machine guns… This means the Maoists were close by and the police had not bothered to sanitize the helipad,” said a senior IAF officer.

The bullets ripped through the helicopter, with one of them hitting flight the engineer, Sergeant Mustafa Ali, on the head. Though no other person was hit by bullets, some suffered heavy bruises because of the
“hard manoeuvring” by the pilots.

The engine, rotor blades and airframe were all hit by the bullets.  The multi-utility Mi-8s, which have a service ceiling of 14,760 feet and maximum speed of 275 kmph, are also armed with a 12.7mm machine gun in the chin as well as four rocket pods.

Mao Zedong: On Revolutionary Leaps Towards Socialism

This excerpt originally appeared in Red Star #18. From WIN THE MASSES IN THEIR MILLIONS FOR THE ANTI- JAPANESE NATIONAL UNITED FRONT (written May 7, 1937)

This piece has a dual importance: It reveals Mao’s view on the connection between the anti-Japanese war and the socialist revolution. In China, the anti-japanese war was a “substage” in the larger anti-feudal new democratic revolution — and that new democratic revolution was the opening of the communist revolution. And, by publishing it, Red Star is affirming (and promoting) a commitment to continuing and deepening the revolution in Nepal — to leaping beyong the current anti-monarchist “substage,” and upholding further leaps to socialism.

* * * * * *

The Question of the Future of the Revolution

Some comrades have raised this question, and here I can only give a brief answer.

In the writing of an article the second half can be written only after the first half is finished. Resolute leadership of the democratic revolution is the prerequisite for the victory of socialism. We are fighting for socialism, and in this respect we are different from those who confine themselves to the revolutionary Three People’s Principles. It is the great future goal to which our present efforts are directed if we lose sight of the goal, we cease to be Communists. But equally we cease to be Communists if we relax our efforts of today.

Interview: Women’s Liberation in India

This article was republished in People’s Truth.

Interview with Com. Janaki (Anuradha) from the March 2001 issue of Poru Mahila, the organ of Krantikari Adivasi Mahila Sanghatan, DK.

People’s War has shattered the hesitations of the women of Dandakaranya!

(In this issue of Poru Mahila we are introducing to our readers Com. Janaki who had been working in the urban movement and had come to Dandakaranya to observe the adivasi peasant movement and to participate in it. Com. Janaki had led the guerilla squads directly as a divisional committee member of South Bastar from 1997 to 2000. Poru Mahila chatted with her on her experiences in the urban movement and in the adivasi peasant movement. We are here presenting the main features of that conversation – Editor, Poru Mahila. People’s Truth is reproducing that interview in the light of her martyrdom).

Po. Ma: Com. Janaki, would you please first explain to us the oppression faced by urban women?

Com. J: Though all women in India are under feudal, capitalist, imperialist and patriarchal oppression, it is seen in various forms in different areas, the urban and the rural areas. The working class and middle class women in urban areas have some specific problems.

Firstly, if we look at the problems inside the family, even in urban areas women are oppressed by the feudal culture. Though the oppression of this culture may be less severe, still the majority of the young girls and women do not get the right in their families to take important decisions regarding their lives. The unmarried girls are under pressure to marry men from the same caste and same religion according to the decisions of the family. If a girl decides to marry a man of her choice from another caste or religion she will be subjected to a lot of pressure. She would have to face severe opposition from the family. Even if a woman wants to work outside home she will have to take the permission of her father, brother or husband. People of some castes and religions (for e.g. the Muslims and Kshatriyas) do not like their woman to do jobs. So it becomes inevitable for women to fight even for economic independence. In addition, since capitalist values have spread widely man-woman relations have also become commercialized and women are facing severe problems. The dowry and other items which have to be given to the grooms’ family before and after marriage has become a big problem for the parents who have given birth to girls. Added to that, it has become common to all communities to harass women for dowry both physically and mentally. When the wife’s life can be measured in money and gold killing her for their sake is not far behind. This terrible situation can be found in many households in the urban areas now-a-days. Especially since the past 25-30 years, maybe India is the only country in the world, where the new crime of burning brides for dowry has come into vogue.

India: Uprising in West Bengal

This series of articles appeared on Sanhati.

Nov 13, 2008: Background of the movement

By Partho Sarathi Ray, Sanhati.

The events that have been happening during the last one week in the adivasi (tribal) belt of West Midnapur district in West Bengal are so unprecedented that the authorities do not know how to respond to them, and the media doesn’t understand their significance.

Even the political parties and civil society are at a loss trying to come to terms with what is happening. What had started off as protests against police brutalities have turned into a full scale uprising against state oppression and dispossession. Nothing like this has been witnessed in West Bengal in living memory.

The entire chain of events started after the 2nd November land mine explosion targeting the convoy of West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and union steel and mines minister Ram Vilas Paswan as they were returning from the inauguration of the Jindal Steel Works special economic zone (SEZ) in Salboni in West Midnapore district.

Interview on Maoist Strategy in India

Interview: An Inside Look at Maoist Strategy in India

This is an interview with G.N. Saibaba, the Deputy Secretary of the Revolutionary Democratic Front (RDF), an All Indian Federation of Revolutionary People’s Organisations. He is 40 years old and was born in Andhra Pradesh, a state in southern India. The new Norwegian party Rødt [Red!] conducted this interview in early December when Saibaba was in Norway for the memorial service for Tron Øgrim. The interview was conducted in English. Thanks to the Fire on the Mountain blog for posting it.

Red!: If someone said to you that the Maoist movement in India is a marginal movement that is mainly operating in very backward, lowly populated areas, and it has been doing so for over thirty-five years without getting anywhere, what would be your answer?

Saibaba: The Maoist movement in India is not confined to the backward areas. It’s a vast movement, and includes the “developed” areas. Maoists work both in the countryside and the cities. The government says that the Maoists are active in 15 out of 28 states. And these include the major states. The Union Home Ministry says that 167 districts out total 600 districts in the country are covered by Maoists. This is a little less than 1/3 of India.