Biplap: Revolution is Possible in Nepal

“If we pay our attention towards the history, there was a hot debate on it in course of justifying the bases of revolution before initiation of People’s War (PW). The debate was about national and international situation at that time. In course of debate, the aspect to consider international situation more decisive than the national was defeated and PW was initiated. The success of PW justifies the factual reality that the internal aspect- that is people, politics, struggle,ideology and leadership- can have more important and decisive role than external aspect. The same debate has come into existence due to the prolonging peace process.”

Can We Go Ahead?

by Netra Bikram Chanda “Biplap”

The Red Star Vol 3 issue 16

The debate in Nepal is on whether revolution is possible or not. The debate is not only ideological and general assumption; rather, it is centered on the question whether there is possibility to increase intervention in the central power state or not. The two sharp analyses have emerged on the issue. They are on for and against.

India: Maoist Develop Irrigation Systems and Health Care for the People

Special thanks to Indian Vanguard for this article.

Maoist Development Projects in West Bengal

Chhotomoni Mahato (65), who earns her keep by plucking saal leaves in Patri village of West Midnapore, contributed Rs 10 to a Maoist-backed organisation to dig a pond in the area.

Those employed in various jobs in the locality are asked to stump up 20-25 per cent of their income for similar so-called development projects.

India Attempts to Influence Nepal Press by Withholding Newsprint

India holding back newsprint: Nepal dailies

The Hindu

Two of Nepal’s most respected newspapers, Kantipur and Kathmandu Post, may have to suspend publication soon if customs authorities in Kolkata refuse to release newsprint, which has been held back for “investigation.”

According to a report in Kathmandu Post, its consignments have been detained at the Kolkata port since May 27. One thousand tonnes of newsprint, imported from Canada and South Korea in 39 containers, have been held back, with the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence saying they need to be “investigated.”

Nepal: Lies Spread, Foreign Powers Involved in Deadlock

Dahal blames ‘foreign power’ for deadlock

REPUBLICA

KATHMANDU, June 20: Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal said on Monday that he is not making the party to decide to make himself the prime minister and complained that the media is misinterpreting his statements. He argued that his party is only staking claim over the leadership of the government as the largest political party in the parliament.

Nepal: Transitional Demands of Peace & Civilian Control of the Army

photo by E.R.

The following was written as a comment on Kasama by Eric  Ribellarsi.

I am on the ground here in Nepal. I would like to say a few things:

What is happening in Nepal right now is debates. The UCPN(M) has been publicly stating that it is in a period of intense debate over how to go forward. The next two issues of The Red Star are our in paper back form here in Nepal, and they are both written as a sort of polemical back and forward between different strategic approaches to go forward. Vol. 3 Issue 16, is dedicated to debate over this issue and is titled REVOLUTION: Possible or Not! For now, no official strategy or analysis of the situation has been released. The Party’s recent publications are highly militant but contain divergent lines over how to go forward. Vol. 3 Issue 15 of Red Star features an opinion piece calling for leaving the CA. That is certainly one sentiment among a section of the revolutionaries here.

Rumor has it that these debates are concluding and that a new highly militant strategy representing a huge shift in line is coming. This is a rumor that I heard from low-level cadre and should be taken as that.

Nepal’s Crisis: Resistance and the Lies of the Rulers

Burning and effigy of MK Nepal, Photo by Eric Ribellarsi

This was originally posted on thefirecollective.org.

“I interviewed a young Maoist woman outside the Constituent Assembly.  She identified as being from the Association of Unemployed People, and told me that “Only communism can provide a solution for unemployed people in Nepal, and we should take this peace process to its logical conclusion. This government is increasing unemployment day by day, and won’t allow the reforms that Baburam Bhattarai tried to make for us when he was the Finance Minister. People should have power in our country, not a Prime Minister who was not elected….if he does not resign, we will fight until the end, the Constituent Assembly should not be extended without his resignation.” …

I met a leader from the Maoist party there at the demonstration, Prataj Prawanta, who described the situation to me:

“The situation is very crucial….We have not completely left the People’s War, this is a part of the war.  Now, the imperialist and expansionist powers are dominating Nepal, and stopping us from going ahead. But the people are encouraged and want to go ahead. The government always blocks the people’s voice. Today is the last day of the Constituent Assembly…. We are not expecting a solution from them, because they have their agenda, and we have our agenda. We must go ahead with the people’s agenda and complete the People’s War.”

Eric Ribellarsi reporting from Nepal. Photo album also available.

As I watched on May 28^th, thousands of people surrounded the Constituent Assembly building to burn effigies of Prime Minister M.K. Nepal, a man who has repeatedly blocked the restructuring of Nepal’s society that was agreed upon in the 2006 Peace Accords. A young man standing right near me would lift the burning effigy high into to air on a pole so that all could see, and people would respond with loud, determined cheers. It is hard to convey just how hated this man is, even by many in his own party who have threatened to split. These events characterized the sentiments of a people determined to win against a foreign dominated government.

Nepal: Interview With Gopal Chitham

On May 30th, radical journalists interviewed Gopal Chitham, a Maoist Lawyer who has done extensive theoretical work on water relations between Nepal and India. Dr. Chitham was part of the drafting process of the People’s Constitution announced by Baburam Bhattarai the day before. Dr. Chitham explains the details of this draft constitution and the on-going debates in society and among the Maoists about how to go forward in Nepal, and in what direction.

Nepali Maoists Prepare Return to the Streets

from the Kathmandu Post

‘Betrayed’ Maoists to resume street war

The UCPN (Maoist) on Thursday concluded that the ruling Nepali Congress and the CPN (UML) betrayed the party by not implementing the “unwritten agreement” and the May 28 three-point deal. The party also decided to intensify protests against the government.

In a meeting of the Standing Committee of the party, the Maoists decided to come up with protest programmes if the prime minister does not quit “immediately,” according to a party source.

The main opposition, which has been saying that Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and senior leaders of the ruling parties have agreed to form a new unity government within five days of signing of the three-point deal on May 28, is miffed at the ruling parties.

Nepal: Female Student Maoists Speak Out for Revolution

This article was published on People of Color Organize.

Choosing the Maoists: Conversations with Nepal’s Young Female Revolutionaries

In the aftermath of the Maoist-called ´indefinite´ strike which ended up lasting for the entirety of six days, many contentious issues with regards to the roots of the party´s supports were raised. While the party leadership, namely the Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal claimed that the urban population of Kathmandu was branding the supporters a variety of things, and while the media itself indeed played a role in this portrayal; the supporters in the streets did not comprise of solely uneducated and rural masses that flooded into Kathmandu for the strike.

A major support base for the Maoists during the rallies, and still standing in their support are a large number of students whether they be from Tribhuvan University (TU), its affiliated campuses or even some from private colleges. Students have been a backbone of Maoist´s support for quite some time.

When speaking to a group of young and intelligent female students at TU, it became apparent that these young voices had not an inkling of doubt or speculation in their beliefs and their faith in the Maoist party and its leadership. They had a justified view of Nepal´s past, the injustices faced by its people, and solid reasons for being a part of the ´revolutionary´ party of Nepal.

Pratibha Jha, a 23-year-old Master´s level student at TU was probably amongst the most vocal and spoke of the “necessary change” that Nepal now needs. In accordance with the party´s chairman´s address on Wednesday, she also spoke of the “battle between those who want change and those who wish to protect the status quo.”

And of this truth, all the girls were convinced. Bibhuti Bhattarai, a 24-year-old student from Syangja alliterated the notion that the Maoist party was the “only party who has convinced the youth with the truth” and for her that truth stems from the knowledge of Leninism and Marxism.

However, their beliefs are not based on practical teachings of Marx or Lenin. They claimed to be “analyzing what is going on” and that political support isn´t based on politicians or their speeches, but who they see as the party capable of “moving forward”.

“Inherent to the nature of being young, the youth will always want to move forward and create change,” added Bibhuti.

Also inherent to the nature of being young, and as students, is that they will support whatever political presence best fulfils their daily demands and practical needs. On this front, they claim the Maoists have really brought change to their university life. The party´s presence on campus has been represented by TU´s Free Student Union, whose general secretary was also present in this quaint gathering. “As a union, we have made the hostel facilities fairer to all and in accordance to the needs of the student,” said Manushi Yami Bhattarai, General Secretary of the union.

“Before, to get a place in the hostel, political influence played a huge role, but now it is fair and balanced and students with all political inclinations are given the same importance,” said Education student Pratibha.

India – CPI-Maoist and PCAPA: No Involvement in Recent Train Derailment

This article was published on Indian Vanguard.

CPI (Maoist) and PCAPA deny any involvement in Friday train derailment

Statement from the Revolutionary Democratic Front (RDF):

Yesterday’s( 28 May 2010) Gnaneshwari Express and a goods train tragedy near Kharagpur in West Bengal in which 80 people were killed and 200 injured was attributed to CPI(Maoist) and Peoples Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA) by the media. The media unscrupulously played false news stories blaming CPI (Maoist) and Peoples Committee for two days. Some political parties like Trinomial Congress and the ruling CPI(Marxist) also blamed these organisations without any verification. Significantly Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram has declined to attribute the blame on the CPI (Maoist) and also announced that there was no evidence of any bomb blast in the incident.

The Union Home Minister has ordered an enquiry to find out any possibility of sabotage. During the day the leaders of CPI (Maoist) clarified through a long statement that they were not responsible for the train tragedy and condemned any possible sabotage work if any force involved behind the incident. They have also expressed their condolences for the families of deceased. The PCAPA also clarified that their activists are not involved in this incident. They suspected the ruling CPI(Marxist) to have been involved in the sabotage desperately trying to tilt the public opinion against the fighting forces.

Purposefully the media did not cover the statement issued by the CPI (Maoist) while playing the false stories and commentaries blaming the CPI (Maoist) for the incident. Some all India newspapers like The Hindu wrote editorials blaming the CPI (Maoist) for the incident. Many other newspapers wrote major articles decrying the CPI (Maoist) as terrorist attributing the blame on them. Now when the clarifications come from CPI (Maoist) and PCAPA, will these media houses withdraw their false stories and give the facts to the people? Will they regret for propagating the false news?

These two days of false propaganda is made with a malicious intension of maligning the CPI (Maoist) and PCAPA.

I attach here news reports covering the statement of clarification from the CPI (Maoist) and PCAPA by a section of newspapers in West Bengal. The same newspaper didn’t cover it in their editions coming from all other cities.

G N Saibaba

Revolutionary Democratic Front (RDF)

Statement on Train(Jnaneswari Express) accident by the Maoists

The following report was published in the Bengali Ananda Bazar Patrike dt. 29 May 2010, page 7, Kolkata edition. It bore the caption ‘Denying allegations about their involvement, the Maoists demand enquiry’ and written by Prasun Acharyya. The statement was issued in the name of Aakash, the Maoist WB State Committee leader.

Nepal Prime Minister to Resign, Constitutent Assembly Extended

Soon to be former Nepal Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal

from the New York Times

Nepal Avoids Political Crisis With Broad Deal to Extend Parliament

By Kiran Chapagain and Jim Yardley

KATMANDU, Nepal — Nepal averted political chaos on Friday when the leading political parties reached a last-minute agreement that prevented the dissolution of Parliament and provided another year for the Himalayan nation to complete its peace process.

Faced with a midnight deadline, Nepal’s Maoists reached a broadly worded deal with leaders of two other major political parties in which the Maoists agreed to extend the term of Parliament, the Constituent Assembly. In exchange, Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal agreed to resign at an unspecified time in the future to “pave the way” for a new government.

Members of the assembly took up the measure before midnight and passed it around 1 a.m., after leaders had signaled their approval. The Maoists had been demanding the resignation of the prime minister before Friday’s deadline as a precondition for extending the assembly. But Mr. Nepal had refused and other parties had insisted on certain commitments by the Maoists.

Nepal: Revolutionary Leader Speaks on the Future of the Movement

This article was published in MRZine.

Nepal: Interview with Maoist Leader CP Gajurel

by Kaveri Rajaraman

Chandra Prakash Gajurel is a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist).

Q: Let me start with the most pressing question of the day.  Now that the strike has been called off, and it looks like the May 28, 2010 deadline for writing the constitution will not be met, what are the expectations and conditions under which the party will extend the tenure of the Constituent Assembly, and what is the party strategy if its conditions are not met?  What will happen after May 28th?

A: The political environment around May 28th will decide our strategy.  Right now NC, UML and India are continuing to hope that we will change our minds at the eleventh hour.  Even if we deny this now, they are hoping for our last minute acceptance of the extension of the CA’s tenure without our conditions being fulfilled.  But I can say this: no, we will not.

This means there are the following options for what happens after May 28th: one, that the CA’s tenure is extended under our party’s leadership, an option provided for by the interim constitution; two, that the government will declare emergency, in which case the CA’s tenure will be extended by 6 months as per the interim constitution; three, worst of all, that Presidential rule will be established on an unconstitutional basis.  If emergency is declared, this will be an unpopular move and we will oppose it.  It is supposed to be declared, as per the constitution, based on the fulfilment of one of three conditions: external intervention, uncontrollable internal chaos, or severe economic crisis.  If President’s rule is declared, we will oppose it and view it as basically a military coup.  Our tactics of opposition will depend on the mood of the masses.