Saorsa
24th August 2009, 11:17
http://comradealastair.wordpress.com/2009/08/24/maoists-threaten-peoples-revolt-in-nepal/
Maoists threaten People’s Revolt in Nepal (http://comradealastair.wordpress.com/2009/08/24/maoists-threaten-peoples-revolt-in-nepal/)
leave a comment » (http://comradealastair.wordpress.com/2009/08/24/maoists-threaten-peoples-revolt-in-nepal/#comments)
http://comradealastair.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/nepal-maoist-404_673773c.jpg?w=404&h=240Things are reallyheating up in Nepal at the moment. Obviously all of this is taken from the bourgeois media after being translated from Nepali into English, and should therefore be taken with a shitload of salt, but it’s worth paying attention too nonetheless.
The Maoists, as part of the ongoing nationwide protest movement, are currently holding a series of ‘Training Programs’ around the country to prepare the party cadres for revolt. The Nepali media have reported that “Dahal urged all the participants to be mentally prepared if they would be wage another people’s war in the country“, and that Maoist leaders are currently carrying out “preparation for the people’s revolt”.
Over the past week there have been more media reports of senior Maoist leaders talking about launching a revolt and capturing the state than there have been in the past few months. Prachanda himself has come out with such statements several times, the Chief Whip of their CA representatives has said it, the leader of the Party in Kathmandu… etc etc. At the same time as this has been happening there’s been a noticeable increase in tension and conflict between the Maoists and everyone else over the issue of army integration – the Maoists demanding it more and more stridently, and the other parties saying just as loudly that it ain’t going to happen. India has weighed in with statements that the Nepali army shouldn’t take ‘politicised’ fighters into it’s ranks, which is obviously a big deal. Army integration is the biggest political issue in Nepal at the moment, along with all the issues that flow from it such as the military not operating under civilian control.
http://www.topnews.in/files/Jhala-Nath-Khanal301.jpgUML leader Khanal
At the same time as this is happening, the revisionist Communist Party of Nepal (UML) is embroiled in serious internal conflict between it’s two major leaders, two mean called Khanal and Oli. Khanal is the party chairman and has purged committees and leaders loyal to Oli left, right and centre. Khanal’s no revolutionary, but the struggle is apparently (this appears to be mostly speculation so far) over his leanings towards forming a givernment under the Maoists and Oli’s aversion to that. It’s also been said that Khanal represents a more “pro-China” faction while Oli represents a more “pro-India” one.
The media have made several claims that the UML is facing a possible split, and while it’s by no means certain it’s obviously possible. If this happens it’ll drastically alter the political landscape in Nepal. The Madhesi Forum, an ethnic chauvinist party which I believe was the largest after the Maoists, the UML, and the Nepali Congress (chief reactionary feudalist party), has split into at least two seperate parties and the splits appear to be ongoing, which eliminates them as a major player and I believe would probably move the Maoists closer to being the leading force in the Terai area, where the Hindi speaking Madhesis live, seeing as how the major Madhesi chauvinist party has disintegrated.
If the UML splits with a faction supporting the formation of a government with the Maoists, depending on how many Constituent Assembly members go with this faction it could be possible for the Maoists to form a government with them and some of the other pseudo-leftist parties. That’s a possibility, I’m not saying it’s bound to happen and I’m not taking a position on whether it should happen. If it did, it would open up some new possibilities.
Aside from the manouvrings withing parliament, the Maoists are talking seriously about launching a revolt and there’s reports of concrete preparations for this. The PLA is apparently on high alert at the moment, and is apparently conducting training to refamiliarise itself with battle. As I said above, the Maoist leadership is travelling the country holding training sessions to prepare it’s cadres for revolt, and is making regular references to launching an uprising. This has transcended any factional divides within the party – Prachanda, Kiran (generally seen as the leader of a ‘hard-line’ faction within the party) and other senior leaders have all made these calls, and Bhaburam Bhattarai is the leader of the ‘United National People’s Movement’ tasked with organising the current protest movement.
At a recent training session involving about a thousand cadres, the party leadership came under criticisms from the grassroots activists for the ‘visible drift in their revolutionary credentials’, with one cadre saying “the party leadership has used the cadres as tools to lure the common men at time of the revolt yet after the conclusion of the revolt, the leadership has forgotten their contributions.” Some revolutionary musicians also refused to play the Internationale at the event due to feeling left out of proceedings (although to be fair it appears they were from an area outside of the districts this conference was held for, and it was probably just a buerucratic cock up). However as with other time whens the Maoist leadership have come under fire from the cadres, I draw hope from this rather than pause.
http://southasiarev.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/nepal_may_17_09_maoist_protest_meeting3_b.jpg?w=60 0&h=399
The Maoists continue to display an incredibly open and lively internal democratic culture, a welcome change from the ossified, top-down beurucratic party structures we’ve seen too many times in the past. Over the past few months since the Maoist’s departure from government there’s been a marked radicalisation in both rhetoric and practice from the party and it’s leaders, and we’ve seen such recent developments as the bringing in of a ‘Code of Conduct’ limiting leaders to a simple lifestyle, a commission set up to investigate corruption and excess within the party (headed by Kiran), and a move to a system of collective leadership rather than the one man leadership typical of the past. And there’s obviously also the massive mobilisations of people into the streets, the obstruction of parliament by Maoist CA members chanting slogans and occupying the stage, which has effectively paralysed the new government from enacting any kind of legislation and indeed operating at all… the list goes on. I believe this is due in no small part to the pressure ordinary grassroots cadres have put on their leadership to keep pushing forward with the revolutionary struggle, and the fact that this is possible and is taking place before our eyes in the UCPN (M) bodes well for the immediate future and the likelihood of a seizure of state power, along with the kind of society that would be created after such a revolt.
The deadline for the creation of a new constitution runs out in April next year. So far there doesn’t appear to have been much progress made. The Peace Accords have been broken by the reactionary forces several times, notably with the recruitment of new troops to the Nepal Army and the complete failure to integrate the NA and the People’s Liberation Army. It looks like both sides (the Maoists and the reactionaries) are growing impatient and conscious of the fact that time is running out. Nepal is a country filled with contradictions, and these cannot be sustained indefinitely.
This is not me making prophetic declarations about what’s going to happen over there. This is not me claiming some kind of inside knowledge about events. This is me observing the situation from New Zealand, on the other side of the world, by reading news reports mostly translated from another language into English and provided to me by the capitalist media, hardly renowned for it’s accuracy and truthfulness. But if what is being reported is accurate, and if my analysis of it is in any way close to the truth, I think we’re going to see some very interesting (and hopefully inspiring!) developments over the next wee while.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
http://www.telegraphnepal.com/news_det.php?news_id=6110
Revolt necessary to restore Civilian Supremacy: Nepal Maoist Chief
// TGW http://www.telegraphnepal.com/uploaded/news_images/news_1776217460.jpg
In a threat loaded statement served to the ruling coalition’s partners, the former rebel leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda has said that if the Maoist Party’s Resolution Proposal tendered at the Constituent Assembly was not allowed to discuss, the party was ready to declare another revolt.
“If the government further ignores the Maoists party led stir to restore civilian supremacy, the party will be left with no option than to declare a Revolt”, threatened the former Prime Minister.
At a journalist interaction program organized by Revolutionary Journalists’ Organization, August 24, 2009, in Banke District, said Dahal, “Peoples Uprising will create favorable atmosphere for the Revolt.”
“The Constituent Assembly deadlock will continue unless our demand for discussion over the Resolution proposal is addressed by the ruling coalition”, Dahal said.
2009-08-24 11:58:33
http://www.nepalnews.com/main/index.php/news-archive/1-top-story/1071-dahal-hints-at-withdrawing-protest-if-parties-agree-to-debate-prezs-move-in-house.html
Dahal hints at withdrawing protest if parties agree to debate Prez’s move in House
Monday, 24 August 2009 13:20
http://www.nepalnews.com/main/images/stories/news_photo/prachanda1.jpgMaoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal (Alastair: This one is interesting in that it shows how the same speech and the same developments can be reported upon in two very different ways!) Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has hinted at withdrawing the protest programmes launched by his party if the government and its allies became ready to discuss the President’s move in the parliament.
He said that the refusal of the parliamentary political forces to debate the issue of civilian supremacy in the House is an excuse to derail the peace process and to put obstacles in writing the new constitution within the timeframe.
The Maoist chairman was speaking to media persons in Banke Monday morning. He also issued warning of ‘Third Jana Andolan’ if parties continued to ignore the demand put forth by the Unified CPN-Maoist, which is biggest party in the House. He further warned the movement may take the form of ‘people’s revolt’.
“We are ready to sit for talks for resumption of the parliament business,” he said, adding the party may file ‘no confidence’ motion at the parliament secretariat against the coalition government. However, he reiterated that parliamentary debate on civilian supremacy as the precondition to resume the House business.
Maoist leaders are currently in nationwide tour conducting training sessions for party leaders and cadres at local level, to what they said is preparation for the people’s revolt. nepalnews.com
http://telegraphnepal.com/news_det.php?news_id=6106
Frustrated Nepal Maoist cadres criticize top leadership
// TGW
The Unified Maoist Party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda inaugurated a Maoists cadre Training Program in Chisapani, Kohalpur of Banke District, August 24, 2009.
The Maoists’ party has been providing special training to its cadres spread across the country to prepare them for the stir to establish Civilian Supremacy in the country.
In the process, last week, the Maoists’ party senior leadership had participated in the cadre training programs organized in Dharan and Birgunj.
In many more ways than one, Chisapani program began with a wrong note for the party president unlike Dharan and Parsa.
The dissatisfaction among the cadre ranks was already in the air.
Prior the party chairman formally inaugurated the training program the cadres organized a cultural show.
This time though the cultural show gave the party cadres with the opportunity to criticize their own party’s top leadership.
The party cadres openly criticized the leadership for the visible drift in their revolutionary credentials after the Peoples’ Revolt came to an end.
The Maoists’ cadres even blamed some of the party leaders, who were present at the training program, of being corrupt and immoral.
They also complained that the same bunch of corrupt and immoral leaders were at the helm of the party affairs.
“The party leadership has used the cadres as tools to lure the common men at time of the revolt yet after the conclusion of the revolt, the leadership has forgotten their contributions”, the cadres complained amid a huge round of applause from the attending mass.
The Maoists cadres representing Bheri-Karnali, Seti-Mahakali and Tharuwan State Councils were present at the training program.
Including Party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, senior vice Chairman Mohan Baidya Kiran, Vice Chairman Dr. Babu Ram Bhattarai, Naryan Kaji Shrestha, General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa and some one thousand party leaders had also participated in the program. Analysts presume that the dissatisfaction expressed by the Maoists cadres bodes ill for the party of the ex-rebels. 2009-08-24 09:08:18
http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=211196
Artistes vent ire on Maoist leadership
Kantipur Report BANKE, Aug 24 – UCPN (Maoist) affiliated artistes have expressed their displeasure with the party leadership. They
criticised the party leadership, including Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and other senior leaders, after they were denied entry into the party’s regional training at Chisapani of Banke district on Sunday.
During the inaugural session, the artistes refused to come into the dais to sing international communist song despite repeated requests. The leaders themselves sang the song after their refusal.
Kiran Shahi, Bheri-Karnali member of Ichchhuk Janasanskritik Sangam, vented ire to the party leadership. “We were always together during the war. Prachanda,
why such discrimination now?” he questioned while addressing the function.
Only members of Bheri-Karnali, Seti-Mahakali and Tharuwan state committees were allowed to enter the programme venue. A member of Tharuwan State Committee said on condition of anonymity that Dahal urged all the participants to be mentally prepared if they would be wage another people’s war in the country.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
The details of the articles about the conflict within UML are not as relevant as the other ones so I won’t post them in their entirety, but they can be viewed from these links if anyone’s interested.
http://www.telegraphnepal.com/news_det.php?news_id=6109&PHPSESSID=ed7c34b3087240c8dfc2fc2c7f508810
http://www.telegraphnepal.com/news_det.php?news_id=6077
Maoists threaten People’s Revolt in Nepal (http://comradealastair.wordpress.com/2009/08/24/maoists-threaten-peoples-revolt-in-nepal/)
leave a comment » (http://comradealastair.wordpress.com/2009/08/24/maoists-threaten-peoples-revolt-in-nepal/#comments)
http://comradealastair.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/nepal-maoist-404_673773c.jpg?w=404&h=240Things are reallyheating up in Nepal at the moment. Obviously all of this is taken from the bourgeois media after being translated from Nepali into English, and should therefore be taken with a shitload of salt, but it’s worth paying attention too nonetheless.
The Maoists, as part of the ongoing nationwide protest movement, are currently holding a series of ‘Training Programs’ around the country to prepare the party cadres for revolt. The Nepali media have reported that “Dahal urged all the participants to be mentally prepared if they would be wage another people’s war in the country“, and that Maoist leaders are currently carrying out “preparation for the people’s revolt”.
Over the past week there have been more media reports of senior Maoist leaders talking about launching a revolt and capturing the state than there have been in the past few months. Prachanda himself has come out with such statements several times, the Chief Whip of their CA representatives has said it, the leader of the Party in Kathmandu… etc etc. At the same time as this has been happening there’s been a noticeable increase in tension and conflict between the Maoists and everyone else over the issue of army integration – the Maoists demanding it more and more stridently, and the other parties saying just as loudly that it ain’t going to happen. India has weighed in with statements that the Nepali army shouldn’t take ‘politicised’ fighters into it’s ranks, which is obviously a big deal. Army integration is the biggest political issue in Nepal at the moment, along with all the issues that flow from it such as the military not operating under civilian control.
http://www.topnews.in/files/Jhala-Nath-Khanal301.jpgUML leader Khanal
At the same time as this is happening, the revisionist Communist Party of Nepal (UML) is embroiled in serious internal conflict between it’s two major leaders, two mean called Khanal and Oli. Khanal is the party chairman and has purged committees and leaders loyal to Oli left, right and centre. Khanal’s no revolutionary, but the struggle is apparently (this appears to be mostly speculation so far) over his leanings towards forming a givernment under the Maoists and Oli’s aversion to that. It’s also been said that Khanal represents a more “pro-China” faction while Oli represents a more “pro-India” one.
The media have made several claims that the UML is facing a possible split, and while it’s by no means certain it’s obviously possible. If this happens it’ll drastically alter the political landscape in Nepal. The Madhesi Forum, an ethnic chauvinist party which I believe was the largest after the Maoists, the UML, and the Nepali Congress (chief reactionary feudalist party), has split into at least two seperate parties and the splits appear to be ongoing, which eliminates them as a major player and I believe would probably move the Maoists closer to being the leading force in the Terai area, where the Hindi speaking Madhesis live, seeing as how the major Madhesi chauvinist party has disintegrated.
If the UML splits with a faction supporting the formation of a government with the Maoists, depending on how many Constituent Assembly members go with this faction it could be possible for the Maoists to form a government with them and some of the other pseudo-leftist parties. That’s a possibility, I’m not saying it’s bound to happen and I’m not taking a position on whether it should happen. If it did, it would open up some new possibilities.
Aside from the manouvrings withing parliament, the Maoists are talking seriously about launching a revolt and there’s reports of concrete preparations for this. The PLA is apparently on high alert at the moment, and is apparently conducting training to refamiliarise itself with battle. As I said above, the Maoist leadership is travelling the country holding training sessions to prepare it’s cadres for revolt, and is making regular references to launching an uprising. This has transcended any factional divides within the party – Prachanda, Kiran (generally seen as the leader of a ‘hard-line’ faction within the party) and other senior leaders have all made these calls, and Bhaburam Bhattarai is the leader of the ‘United National People’s Movement’ tasked with organising the current protest movement.
At a recent training session involving about a thousand cadres, the party leadership came under criticisms from the grassroots activists for the ‘visible drift in their revolutionary credentials’, with one cadre saying “the party leadership has used the cadres as tools to lure the common men at time of the revolt yet after the conclusion of the revolt, the leadership has forgotten their contributions.” Some revolutionary musicians also refused to play the Internationale at the event due to feeling left out of proceedings (although to be fair it appears they were from an area outside of the districts this conference was held for, and it was probably just a buerucratic cock up). However as with other time whens the Maoist leadership have come under fire from the cadres, I draw hope from this rather than pause.
http://southasiarev.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/nepal_may_17_09_maoist_protest_meeting3_b.jpg?w=60 0&h=399
The Maoists continue to display an incredibly open and lively internal democratic culture, a welcome change from the ossified, top-down beurucratic party structures we’ve seen too many times in the past. Over the past few months since the Maoist’s departure from government there’s been a marked radicalisation in both rhetoric and practice from the party and it’s leaders, and we’ve seen such recent developments as the bringing in of a ‘Code of Conduct’ limiting leaders to a simple lifestyle, a commission set up to investigate corruption and excess within the party (headed by Kiran), and a move to a system of collective leadership rather than the one man leadership typical of the past. And there’s obviously also the massive mobilisations of people into the streets, the obstruction of parliament by Maoist CA members chanting slogans and occupying the stage, which has effectively paralysed the new government from enacting any kind of legislation and indeed operating at all… the list goes on. I believe this is due in no small part to the pressure ordinary grassroots cadres have put on their leadership to keep pushing forward with the revolutionary struggle, and the fact that this is possible and is taking place before our eyes in the UCPN (M) bodes well for the immediate future and the likelihood of a seizure of state power, along with the kind of society that would be created after such a revolt.
The deadline for the creation of a new constitution runs out in April next year. So far there doesn’t appear to have been much progress made. The Peace Accords have been broken by the reactionary forces several times, notably with the recruitment of new troops to the Nepal Army and the complete failure to integrate the NA and the People’s Liberation Army. It looks like both sides (the Maoists and the reactionaries) are growing impatient and conscious of the fact that time is running out. Nepal is a country filled with contradictions, and these cannot be sustained indefinitely.
This is not me making prophetic declarations about what’s going to happen over there. This is not me claiming some kind of inside knowledge about events. This is me observing the situation from New Zealand, on the other side of the world, by reading news reports mostly translated from another language into English and provided to me by the capitalist media, hardly renowned for it’s accuracy and truthfulness. But if what is being reported is accurate, and if my analysis of it is in any way close to the truth, I think we’re going to see some very interesting (and hopefully inspiring!) developments over the next wee while.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
http://www.telegraphnepal.com/news_det.php?news_id=6110
Revolt necessary to restore Civilian Supremacy: Nepal Maoist Chief
// TGW http://www.telegraphnepal.com/uploaded/news_images/news_1776217460.jpg
In a threat loaded statement served to the ruling coalition’s partners, the former rebel leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda has said that if the Maoist Party’s Resolution Proposal tendered at the Constituent Assembly was not allowed to discuss, the party was ready to declare another revolt.
“If the government further ignores the Maoists party led stir to restore civilian supremacy, the party will be left with no option than to declare a Revolt”, threatened the former Prime Minister.
At a journalist interaction program organized by Revolutionary Journalists’ Organization, August 24, 2009, in Banke District, said Dahal, “Peoples Uprising will create favorable atmosphere for the Revolt.”
“The Constituent Assembly deadlock will continue unless our demand for discussion over the Resolution proposal is addressed by the ruling coalition”, Dahal said.
2009-08-24 11:58:33
http://www.nepalnews.com/main/index.php/news-archive/1-top-story/1071-dahal-hints-at-withdrawing-protest-if-parties-agree-to-debate-prezs-move-in-house.html
Dahal hints at withdrawing protest if parties agree to debate Prez’s move in House
Monday, 24 August 2009 13:20
http://www.nepalnews.com/main/images/stories/news_photo/prachanda1.jpgMaoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal (Alastair: This one is interesting in that it shows how the same speech and the same developments can be reported upon in two very different ways!) Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has hinted at withdrawing the protest programmes launched by his party if the government and its allies became ready to discuss the President’s move in the parliament.
He said that the refusal of the parliamentary political forces to debate the issue of civilian supremacy in the House is an excuse to derail the peace process and to put obstacles in writing the new constitution within the timeframe.
The Maoist chairman was speaking to media persons in Banke Monday morning. He also issued warning of ‘Third Jana Andolan’ if parties continued to ignore the demand put forth by the Unified CPN-Maoist, which is biggest party in the House. He further warned the movement may take the form of ‘people’s revolt’.
“We are ready to sit for talks for resumption of the parliament business,” he said, adding the party may file ‘no confidence’ motion at the parliament secretariat against the coalition government. However, he reiterated that parliamentary debate on civilian supremacy as the precondition to resume the House business.
Maoist leaders are currently in nationwide tour conducting training sessions for party leaders and cadres at local level, to what they said is preparation for the people’s revolt. nepalnews.com
http://telegraphnepal.com/news_det.php?news_id=6106
Frustrated Nepal Maoist cadres criticize top leadership
// TGW
The Unified Maoist Party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda inaugurated a Maoists cadre Training Program in Chisapani, Kohalpur of Banke District, August 24, 2009.
The Maoists’ party has been providing special training to its cadres spread across the country to prepare them for the stir to establish Civilian Supremacy in the country.
In the process, last week, the Maoists’ party senior leadership had participated in the cadre training programs organized in Dharan and Birgunj.
In many more ways than one, Chisapani program began with a wrong note for the party president unlike Dharan and Parsa.
The dissatisfaction among the cadre ranks was already in the air.
Prior the party chairman formally inaugurated the training program the cadres organized a cultural show.
This time though the cultural show gave the party cadres with the opportunity to criticize their own party’s top leadership.
The party cadres openly criticized the leadership for the visible drift in their revolutionary credentials after the Peoples’ Revolt came to an end.
The Maoists’ cadres even blamed some of the party leaders, who were present at the training program, of being corrupt and immoral.
They also complained that the same bunch of corrupt and immoral leaders were at the helm of the party affairs.
“The party leadership has used the cadres as tools to lure the common men at time of the revolt yet after the conclusion of the revolt, the leadership has forgotten their contributions”, the cadres complained amid a huge round of applause from the attending mass.
The Maoists cadres representing Bheri-Karnali, Seti-Mahakali and Tharuwan State Councils were present at the training program.
Including Party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, senior vice Chairman Mohan Baidya Kiran, Vice Chairman Dr. Babu Ram Bhattarai, Naryan Kaji Shrestha, General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa and some one thousand party leaders had also participated in the program. Analysts presume that the dissatisfaction expressed by the Maoists cadres bodes ill for the party of the ex-rebels. 2009-08-24 09:08:18
http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=211196
Artistes vent ire on Maoist leadership
Kantipur Report BANKE, Aug 24 – UCPN (Maoist) affiliated artistes have expressed their displeasure with the party leadership. They
criticised the party leadership, including Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and other senior leaders, after they were denied entry into the party’s regional training at Chisapani of Banke district on Sunday.
During the inaugural session, the artistes refused to come into the dais to sing international communist song despite repeated requests. The leaders themselves sang the song after their refusal.
Kiran Shahi, Bheri-Karnali member of Ichchhuk Janasanskritik Sangam, vented ire to the party leadership. “We were always together during the war. Prachanda,
why such discrimination now?” he questioned while addressing the function.
Only members of Bheri-Karnali, Seti-Mahakali and Tharuwan state committees were allowed to enter the programme venue. A member of Tharuwan State Committee said on condition of anonymity that Dahal urged all the participants to be mentally prepared if they would be wage another people’s war in the country.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
The details of the articles about the conflict within UML are not as relevant as the other ones so I won’t post them in their entirety, but they can be viewed from these links if anyone’s interested.
http://www.telegraphnepal.com/news_det.php?news_id=6109&PHPSESSID=ed7c34b3087240c8dfc2fc2c7f508810
http://www.telegraphnepal.com/news_det.php?news_id=6077