Nepal: Maoists Step Up the Pace of Land Seizures

Planting rice in the mid-hills

My Republica, December 15, 2009

Maoists on land grab rampage

KATHMANDU: In clear violation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), the Maoists have stepped up their land grab across the country. The Maoist party seized public and private land worth millions of rupees [10 million Nepali rupees = $135,000] in several districts including Kavre, Sunsari, Dang and Nawalparasi, and hoisted Maoist party flags on the seized lands.

Local Maoists say they captured the land as per the party´s policy to settle landless people as the government turned a blind eye to their plight.

On Tuesday, the former rebels seized 402 ropanis [20 hectares/50 acres] of private land in Devbhumi Baluwa VDC, Kavre. The Maoists had been selling mangoes grown there, and members of the Maoist-affiliated All Nepal Peasants Union (Revolutionary) and All Nepal Landless People´s Union (Revolutionary) held a rally, hoisted party flags and announced seizure of the land. Previously, the local poor and dalits worked the land on a crop-sharing basis. Maoist joint district in-charge Indra Bahadur Thing and All Nepal Peasants´ Union (Revolutionary) district chief Jhalak Lamichane addressed the rally and said the party will go on seizing lands owned by “feudal lords” to distribute among the poor.

Kobad Ghandy Denounces Fraudulent Confession

Hindustan Times, December 11, 2009

Kobad Ghandy wants to retract confession

Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) leader Kobad Ghandy on Friday moved in a court here an application to withdraw his confession to police following his arrest on Sep 20, alleging that it was fraudulent. “I wanted to retract from the forcible confession recorded by the police during my custody,” said Ghandy, who was brought to the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Kaveri Baweja by the Andhra Pradesh police after their investigations.

Ghandy also alleged he was not aware of the contents of any such confessions as he was forced to sign on blank sheets.

The court remanded Ghandy in judicial custody till Dec 25.  The Andhra Pradesh police had earlier taken Ghandy with them as he was wanted in a case registered with the Karimnagar (rural) police station in 2008. Ghandy, arrested in the capital Sep 20, has been booked under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Meanwhile, the court sought the response of the Delhi Police and All India Institute of Medical Science, by Dec 16, to Ghandy’s plea for his medical treatment at the premier institute. He is said to be suffering from prostate cancer.

Background to the Struggle for a Separate Telangana

Revolutionary balladeer Gaddar speaking at a 2008 mass rally demanding a separate Telangana.

This article was published by the Democratic Students Union, Jawaharlal Nehru University on December 11, 2009.

Stand by the Struggle for a Separate Telangana!

Once again the people of Telangana have come to the streets with their age-old demand for separate statehood. Like any other democratic movement is dealt with by the Indian ruling classes, the AP government is resorting to massive repression of the struggling people.

Students are brutally assaulted and illegally detained; several false cases are registered against them. Educational institutions such as the Osmania University, Kakatiya University and Hyderabad Central University, which have been the epicenters of the struggle, are being forcibly vacated and virtually turned into police barracks. “A holiday has been declared in all the colleges in the region till Dec 18 and there is no reason why any student should stay on campus,” the AP Inspector General of Police said (Economic Times, 9th Dec).

Prohibitory orders have been imposed by the state government over the entire Telangana region under the draconian and colonial Section 144 to prevent any mass mobilisation demanding separate statehood. Hundreds have been arrested and even journalists are being brutally lathi-charged in an attempt to silence any voice which stands for a separate Telangana. DSU condemns the brutal repression of a people’s movement by the state, and reiterates its solidarity with the aspirations of Telangana people for separate statehood.