Inside Orissa’s Maoistan

Supporter of Maoists vs. supporters of Memoradums of Understanding

This article appeared in India Today on February 11, 2010.

Inside Maoistan

Dinesh Manji is a local libero hero. In volleyball, libero is a defensive player position and allowed only underarm passes. In a clay court off Orissa’s Deomali mountains, Manji jumps and smashes every oncoming serve. I give a second to attune myself to the motion of the ball.

The unruly libero is my first exposure to the liberated zones, where Maoists are changing the rules of the game and setting up Janathana Sarkars – People’s Government – a Maoist Xanadu, a vital building block of the Maoist society based on ideological rhetoric. Janathana Sarkars collect “taxes”, decide on local disputes, fix prices of local products, run local amenities and provide basic healthcare. In the huge region of mineral-rich forests in eastern and central India from West Bengal through Jharkhand, Orissa and Chhattisgarh, these committees, mostly managed by local villagers, but with severe Maoist mentoring, control all things in life – even tippling habits to eternal supply of volleyballs.

“Instead of explaining to you what we intend to do if we assume power in the country, I can show you what we do in the areas we hold power over,” says a Maoist leader, before sending me off on a bike of one of his cadres, my destination uncertain. Two hours into our journey, through narrowing road, often slipping down side-alleys, I ask him which village we are heading. He smiles with a glint of mischief.

Nepal: Shrestha Calls for Consensus Government and Constitution

This article appeared on Telegraph Nepal on February 10, 2010.

Unless we have right to self determination, constitution can’t be drafted

Narayan Kaji Shrestha, Senior Maoist Leader

TGQ1: What measures are being taken to come out from the current political impasse? What the High Level Body has been doing of late? And also tell us something about what could be the solutions to the political dispute? Mr. Narayan Kaji please.

Mr. Narayan Kaji: The High level Body’s main job is to end the political dispute, carrying the peace process to its desired logical end and to draft the new constitution on time. Talks have begun freshly in this regard in the said Body. The High Level Mechanism has primarily raised the issues on how to sort out the current political mess as its prime agenda. All the leaders engaged in this Body have agreed to sort out the issues confronting the nation both in a formal and informal manner.

As regards to your second question, a correction should be made which created this mess. I mean, the current mess is due to the unconstitutional steps taken by the Nepal President, May 3, 2009, has got to be corrected primarily. In effect it was this decision which facilitated the current political differences. This is my party’s first and foremost condition. Yet in order to ease the process, we have forwarded a three point formulae in a package for the solution to the current mess.

Gajurel: Capturing the State is Maoist Ultimate Objective

This article appeared in Telegraph Nepal on February 12, 2010.

Nepal Maoists ultimately want state capture: C.P.Gajurel

Chandra Prakash Gajurel, Seceratry, Nepal Maoist party, February 10, 2010, making a grand revelation in Biratnagar, has said that “Indeed my party wants to Capture the State”. He made these hairraising remarks while addressing the concluding session of his party’s “Organisation, Struggle and Transformation campaign” in Biratnagar, February 10, 2010.

“We want to draft the new constitution on time but the 18 party conglomerate are not allowing us to do so”, said a pretty annoyed Gajurel.  “The 18 parties are hell bent on not to draft the constituition on time”, he added. Dubbing the coalition of 18 parties as “unholy and unnatural”, Gajurel further says that “these parties are pushing the country into yet another civil war”.

He encouraged his attending party cadres and the likes by stating that “the war continues yet, however, only the war has seen some sort of transformation at the moment”.  “Yes! We want to Capture the State, there should be no illusion over our ultimate objective”, declared a beaming Gajurel. He, however, clarified that the movement against India was not aimed against the people but was definitely against the Indian expansionism.

Manipur United National Liberation Front Calls for Coordinated Struggle

Manipuri women protest fake encounters

This article appeared in The Sangai Express on February 10, 2010.

UNLF underscores coordinated struggle

Imphal:  The proscribed United National Liberation Front (UNLF) has underscored the crucial importance of close coordination among insurgent groups of Manipur and waging the liberation movement collectively.

 While greeting the people as well as fraternal armed revolutionary groups of Manipur on the 23rd raising day of the Manipur People’s Army (MPA), the UNLF noted that one major factor for the failure to carry forward the liberation movement to the desired pace has been the inability of revolutionary groups to work together.

A statement issued by Chairman of the UNLF, Military Affairs Committee Sana Yaima conceded that it would be really hard for any single group to bring the liberation movement to a higher plane even if they may be receiving support and assistance from the people and foreign countries.