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.