India: Days & Nights in Heartland of Rebellion

In January 2010, Gautam Navlakha accompanied Swedish writer Jan Myrdal to the jungles of Central India, and engaged in conversations with the leadership of CPI(Maoist). In the following essay, originally published at Sanhati, he explores further the various facets of Maoist politics and the socioeconomic and cultural life in the Dandakaranya region.

(Click here for a pdf version of the article)

By Gautam Navlakha

When every abuse has been hurled and epithet employed against the Maoists, half-truths and untruths begin to acquire wings. They are diagnosed, dissected, and demonised; the intelligentsia are reluctant to face facts. Yet we are still compelled to demystify reality and to answer some fundamental questions: Why this war? Who are these people, the “single biggest threat” to India’s internal security? What is their politics? Why do they justify violence? How do they perceive their “people’s war”, their political goals and themselves? How do they intend to take a leap from their forest strongholds into the world outside?

This desire to humanize the demonised and to get to know the Maoists first hand, i.e., not simply through conversations, books, and documents, but to travel and meet and to see for myself, had been building up for many years. Twice I came close to making the trip. On the first occasion, I was ditched by two young journalists who failed to show up at the rendezvous. On the second occasion, I was unable to prepare myself at short notice. I was not going to miss out on this, my third opportunity. Anyways, what follows is that I – along with Swedish writer Jan Myrdal – saw, heard, read, discussed, debated, and argued during a fortnight-long journey in January 2010 in what the CPI (Maoists) describe as a guerilla zone, where they run Jantanam Sarkar (JS) or their “people’s government”. Although “guerilla zone” is still an area of contention and control between the government and rebels, it is nevertheless an area where the Indian State has been forced to retreat and is using military force to re-establish its authority.

Introduction

Truth, it is said, is the first casualty of war. Therefore, it is not surprising that Indian government denies the very fact of prosecuting a war against the CPI(Maoist)! Instead, it is said that they are merely carrying out “police action” to restore civil authority.

Nepal’s Bhattarai: People’s War Not Yet Over

Picture from THT - Dr. Baburam Bhattarai

This article was published on The Himalayan Times.

War not yet over: Bhattarai

Dr Baburam Bhattarai
Himalayan News Service

KATHMANDU: Referring to recent statements against federalism and secularism from various quarters of the society, Vice-chairman of the Unified CPN-Maoist Dr Baburam Bhattarai today said that people’s war was not yet over and his party could continue the war until it achieves its goal.

“People are still unaware that our party had not denounced violence even after signing of 12-point agreement with the seven parties,” said Dr Bhattarai while addressing a book launching ceremony of “The Final Days of the People’s War” penned by senior journalist Manarishi Dhital.

“We had decided to develop People’s Liberation Army (PLA) to seven divisions during the Chunbang meeting with an intention to lead both the peaceful and the armed movement together so as to achieve our goal.”