Maoist leaders visit US

[Saorsa]

They've either just arrive or will arrive soon. Anyone in Boston feel like trying to get an interview with Comrade Gaurav?

Four Maoist leaders issued US visas
Last Updated : 2010-06-24 12:11 AM


Rewati Sapkota
KATHMANDU: The US Embassy in Kathmandu has granted visa to four Maoist leaders to take part in a Boston seminar in which leaders of the Nepali Congress, the CPN-UML and other parties are also participating.

“It appears that the Obama administration has become liberal towards us,” said Maoist Secretary CP Gajurel, who will be visiting the USA for the first time.

The US government, which denied visa to a sitting Maoist minister two years ago, is co-sponsoring their visit, sources said. But the US government has not yet removed the UCPN-Maoist from its terrorist watch-list.

Gajurel, standing committee member Top Bahadur Rayamajhi and politburo members Agni Sapkota and Pampha Bhusal are scheduled to leave for the USA tomorrow. US Ambassador to Nepal Scott H DeLisi had dinner with the Maoist leaders on Tuesday.

The US Embassy had refused to issue visa to Pampha Bhusal two years ago, when she was minister for general administration. It had also denied visa to Maoist vice-chairman Narayankaji Shrestha and Maoist CA member Sabitra Dura, when they were to take part in the UN general assembly last year.

Maoist CA member Suresh Ale Magar was the first Maoist leader to visit the US. Maoist foreign

department chief Krishna Bahadur Mahara went on a political visit to the US last month.

The Maoist leaders are among 23 Nepali politicians who will participate in a seminar jointly organised by the US Department of State, Tufts University Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, US NGO Karnuna Centre for Peace Building and Nepali NGO Institute for Peace, Conflict Management and Development. The 10-day seminar is titled “Boston Negotiation and State Building

Programme for Nepali Political Leaders”.

According to the itinerary, the Nepali delegate will meet members of House of Representatives, senators and Governor of Massachusetts. Theme of the seminar is team building, developing inter-party cooperation and principled negotiations and leadership. Dr Purna Kant Adhikari, chairman of ICPD, Kathmandu, which coordinated the visit, declined to comment on the visit.

http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Four+Maoist+leaders+issued+U S+visas&NewsID=247727&a=3

[Delenda Carthago]

thats not good...

[the last donut of the night]

thats not good...

Why not?

[Raúl Duke]

The US Embassy in Kathmandu has granted visa to four Maoist leaders to take part in a Boston seminar in which leaders of the Nepali Congress, the CPN-UML and other parties are also participating.

“It appears that the Obama administration has become liberal towards us,” said Maoist Secretary CP Gajurel, who will be visiting the USA for the first time.

The US government, which denied visa to a sitting Maoist minister two years ago, is co-sponsoring their visit, sources said. But the US government has not yet removed the UCPN-Maoist from its terrorist watch-list.What if they get arrested for being "terrorists?"
After all they're part of an organization which is considered a terrorist one in the U.S.

Why do they feel the need to hold their conference in the U.S.?
There are other countries they could have done this in.

Although from the looks, perhaps that won't happen.


The Maoist leaders are among 23 Nepali politicians who will participate in a seminar jointly organised by the US Department of State, Tufts University Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, US NGO Karnuna Centre for Peace Building and Nepali NGO Institute for Peace, Conflict Management and Development. The 10-day seminar is titled “Boston Negotiation and State Building

Programme for Nepali Political Leaders”.

According to the itinerary, the Nepali delegate will meet members of House of Representatives, senators and Governor of Massachusetts. Theme of the seminar is team building, developing inter-party cooperation and principled negotiations and leadership. Dr Purna Kant Adhikari, chairman of ICPD, Kathmandu, which coordinated the visit, declined to comment on the visit.


Why not?

Why is the U.S becoming friendly to a self-described revolutionary movement and vice-versa?

[Martin Blank]

To which tendency within the UCPN-M are these four aligned? Are they supportive of Kiran, Prachanda or Bhattarai, or are they non-aligned?

[Nolan]

Why is the U.S becoming friendly to a self-described revolutionary movement and vice-versa?

Maybe it has something to do with them trying to make a deal so India doesn't kick their door down?

[RED DAVE]

WWhy is the U.S becoming friendly to a self-described revolutionary movement and vice-versa?Good question.

Can you imagine the leaders of the Russian Revolution traveling to the US for a seminar co-sponsored by the US government?

RED DAVE

[Sasha]

Why is the U.S becoming friendly to a self-described revolutionary movement

if you can no longer repress you need to passivy


and vice-versa?

i assume this represents an reformist tendency within the maoists

[Nothing Human Is Alien]

http://www.thewashingtonnote.com/twn_up_fls/nixon_mao.jpg

[hardlinecommunist]

well well well leaders of the Revisionist Communist Party of Nepal Maoist Unified are in the US Wake up People Prachanda and his Party are not real Maoists now Communists of any kind. they are Revisionists of the worst kind and they must be exposed and opposed for what they really are .

[the last donut of the night]

Can you imagine the leaders of the Russian Revolution traveling to the US for a seminar co-sponsored by the US government?

RED DAVE

Can you imagine any revolution not being the exact same replica of the Russian Revolution, or is the idea too absurd?

[A Revolutionary Tool]

well well well leaders of the Revisionist Communist Party of Nepal Maoist Unified are in the US Wake up People Prachanda and his Party are not real Maoists now Communists of any kind. they are Revisionists of the worst kind and they must be exposed and opposed for what they really are .
They're in the U.S. so they must not be revolutionary or communists? OMG they're going to a seminar about conflict management as if it's going to change the situation in Nepal. Seriously how many people here think four Maoists going to the U.S. to go to a seminar will now make the Maoists not communists or revolutionary? Let me guess, the Peace Accord made them anti-communist revisionists too right? If this made you think they're not communists or revolutionary what were you thinking about them when Prachanda was PM?

[A Revolutionary Tool]

I can just see Glenn Beck/the rest of Fox news going berserk about this, can you imagine all day they run the same thing over and over "Breaking News: Obama let's terrorists fly on plane."

[hardlinecommunist]

They're in the U.S. so they must not be revolutionary or communists? OMG they're going to a seminar about conflict management as if it's going to change the situation in Nepal. Seriously how many people here think four Maoists going to the U.S. to go to a seminar will now make the Maoists not communists or revolutionary? Let me guess, the Peace Accord made them anti-communist revisionists too right? If this made you think they're not communists or revolutionary what were you thinking about them when Prachanda was PM? i am not saying that the Communist Party of Nepal Maoist is revisonist beacause four members of their Party are coming to the US for a seminar. i say that they are revisionist because their Party has sold out the Peoples War in Nepal. or what was the Peoples War in Nepal. and as for your question on what did i think about Prachanda when he was Prime Minster of Nepal. i thought even then when Prachanda was Prime Minster of Nepal. that from the Standpoint of Marxism Leninism Maoism that he was an Revisionist. beacuse if he was an true Marxist Leninist Maoist. his Party would have fought thier way into Kathmandu with the armed might of the Nepali Peoples Army. rater then disarming it and sending the fighters off into Concentrations Camps under the supervision of the United Nations.

[A Revolutionary Tool]

i am not saying that the Communist Party of Nepal Maoist is revisonist beacause four members of their Party are coming to the US for a seminar. i say that they are revisionist because their Party has sold out the Peoples War in Nepal. or what was the Peoples War in Nepal. and as for your question on what did i think about Prachanda when he was Prime Minster of Nepal. i thought even then when Prachanda was Prime Minster of Nepal. that from the Standpoint of Marxism Leninism Maoism that he was an Revisionist. beacuse if he was an true Marxist Leninist Maoist. his Party would have fought thier way into Kathmandu with the armed might of the Nepali Peoples Army. rater then disarming it and sending the fighters off into Concentrations Camps under the supervision of the United Nations.
Because a true communist romanticizes revolution while the faker actually analyzes real conditions.

[Saorsa]

They got called home by the party. Situation is a bit unclear, it appears some pro-imperialist NGOs complained about evil Maoist human rights violators being allowed into the US, plus one of them had his visa denied.

With that in mind, let's continue.


thats not good...

How could this have been anything but good?

The Maoists are on the US terror list. Under the newly expanded legislation, that means anyone who offers them not just money and other forms of concrete support but even 'expert advice' can be charged with supporting terrorism. If you go to build wells in Rolpa... if you try to help the Maoists with internet propaganda and website support... if you travel there and take photos, you could face jail time. Plus, it gives the US an excuse to kill or arrest any Maoist leaders they please and makes it harder for the Maoists to engage in diplomatic strategies.

If the Obama administration genuinely was becoming more liberal towards the Maoists, if there was any chance at all this trip could have helped get them off the US terror list, that would be fantastic.

Can people please stop to do a bit of research with an open mind before jumping into knee-jerk condemnations of the Maoists? It gets really, really boring.



Why do they feel the need to hold their conference in the U.S.?
There are other countries they could have done this in.

The Maoists didn't organise it - it's not 'their' conference. It was organised by groups in the US who invited the Maoists along.


Why is the U.S becoming friendly to a self-described revolutionary movement and vice-versa?

Neither side are becoming friendly towards the other. This is called diplomacy. Even after the revolutionary victory, the Maoists won't be able to just close their eyes and say "i can't see you so you don't exist lalalalala" to the imperialist powers. I look forward to people denouncing every trade agreement and every treaty they sign as 'pro-imperialist cross-class collaborationism' or something.


To which tendency within the UCPN-M are these four aligned? Are they supportive of Kiran, Prachanda or Bhattarai, or are they non-aligned?

Gajurel, who's Co-secretary of the party, is generally said to be a 'hardliner' and part of Kiran's camp... but it's hard to say with any certainty. I don't know about the others.



Can you imagine the leaders of the Russian Revolution traveling to the US for a seminar co-sponsored by the US government?

No, but I can imagine them travelling to Germany to wine and dine with the German generals and then sign away half of Russia's agricultural breadbasket and industrial economy. I can imagine them brutally and callously betraying the revolutionaries in the Western Ukraine and nearby areas to Geman occupation and murderous reprisals by the ruling class, just in order to preserve the totalitarian rule of Lenin and his fellow bureaucrats back in Moscow.

Not that I'd describe the Treaty of Brest-Litowsk that way, but I'm sure you would have at the time.

This is called diplomacy. It's what the leaders of states, whether they're communists or not, have to do in the real world.


i assume this represents an reformist tendency within the maoists

So, travelling to the US automatically makes you a reformist eh. Is it the air? The colourful lights and TV screens? Remind me to avoid that place, it sounds dangerous :blink:


http://www.thewashingtonnote.com/twn_up_fls/nixon_mao.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Trotzki_Deutsche_Brest-Litowsk1917.jpg

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8a/Armisticebrestlitovsk.jpg


well well well leaders of the Revisionist Communist Party of Nepal Maoist Unified are in the US Wake up People Prachanda and his Party are not real Maoists now Communists of any kind. they are Revisionists of the worst kind and they must be exposed and opposed for what they really are .

Good to see you taking your internationalist duties seriously. :)

Since you're obviously some sort of Maoist, I'd love it if you explained why Nepali Maoists visiting the US is proof of revisionism, but Mao inviting Nixon to China is not? I don't think either are revisionist, but I'd love for you to explain why I'm wrong.


i am not saying that the Communist Party of Nepal Maoist is revisonist beacause four members of their Party are coming to the US for a seminar. i say that they are revisionist because their Party has sold out the Peoples War in Nepal.

So... what was Mao doing when he merged the PLA with the GMD armed forces and made the PLA fighters take their red starts off their uniform? What about all the times he called ceasefires? What about when he proposed a national unity government with the GMD? Even if it was rejected by the GMD, it was still a serious proposal. Were all these things revisionist too?

The idea that once a PPW has been started it cannot be stopped is a recent notion in the international maoist movement. It was developed and popularised by the Peruvians, and was taken up enthusiastically in the West by the RCP. Using this theory, focussing entirely on the armed struggle, the Peruvians won the war and established the People's Republic of Peru. This led to the RCP developing into a mass revolutionary party with millions of supporters.

Hang on a sec...

Since neither of those things happened, perhaps we should not turn into a dogma this idea that the armed struggle cannot be paused? The Nepalis have done far better with their tactics than the Peruvians, who have been almost entirely wiped out.


and as for your question on what did i think about Prachanda when he was Prime Minster of Nepal. i thought even then when Prachanda was Prime Minster of Nepal. that from the Standpoint of Marxism Leninism Maoism that he was an Revisionist.

Why? Why is it 'revisionist' to expose to all the people of Nepal that despite the creation of the CA, despite the fall of the monarchy, the people still do not have power? Prachanda exposed that even as PM he could not control the military, which is controlled domestically by a royalist officer corps and internationally by Indian expansionism. Prachanda proved this, and the people now understand it.

Of course, you would know better, having succesfully lead a revolutionary movement of millions of people yourself. And you did it without any negotiations! You sat in your ivory tower and toppled the state overnight, very well done. If only we were all so talented ;)


beacuse if he was an true Marxist Leninist Maoist. his Party would have fought thier way into Kathmandu with the armed might of the Nepali Peoples Army.

Um, there's nothing about MLM that requires you to win final victory through conquering the cities with your armed forces. The Maoists want to take control of a Nepal that actually has some fucntioning industry and has cities in which people aren't starving to death. While you may want them to try and replicate what happened in Cambodia and destroy the cities with peasant armies, they don't seem to want to do that.

They did NOT have the military strength to conquer the cities. They've explained this many times. They also did not want to charge into one of the most densely populated cities in the world, without a properly functioning fire brigade service, and start shooting bullets through slum walls and starting fires. They don't want to turn the home city of millions of Nepali proletarians into a firing range!

You call this revisionist... I'd be more inclined to call it compassionate, or maybe sane.


rater then disarming it and sending the fighters off into Concentrations Camps under the supervision of the United Nations.

AAAAAAAARRRRGGGGHHHHHH

THE PLA IS NOT DISARMED


THE PLA IS NOT DISARMED

THE PLA IS NOT DISARMED


THE PLA IS NOT DISARMED


THE PLA IS NOT DISARMED


THE PLA IS NOT DISARMED


THE PLA IS NOT DISARMED


THE PLA IS NOT DISARMED


THE PLA IS NOT DISARMED

Do you understand what I'm trying to tell you?


THE PLA IS NOT DISARMED


THE PLA IS NOT DISARMED


THE PLA IS NOT DISARMED

http://mikeely.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/5_maoist_women_fighters_peoples_liberation_army_ne pal.jpg

[Saorsa]

Maoists pull out of Boston seminar at last hour



THT Online

KATHMANDU: The UCPN-Maoist has cancelled its decision to take part in a seminar to be held in the U.S. spanning June 25 –July 5, the party said in a press statement in Kathmandu on Friday.

The statement said the party had earlier decided to send four of its leaders including Agni Sapkota to participate in the seminar scheduled to be held in Boston.

The party, however, had to cancel the decision at the eleventh hour following an ‘unhealthy protest’ as shown by some international non-government organisations, the statement added.

Stating that the Maoists had strong reservation over such an act, clearly aimed at spoiling the party’s image, the statement said that the party, after days’ deliberation at its politburo meeting, decided to call back also those of its leaders who had already left for the seminar.

On Thursday, the US Embassy in Kathmandu had granted visa to four Maoist leaders to take part in the seminar that would focus on the issues related with the Boston Agreement and State Building.

Four Maoist leaders – C. P. Gajurel, Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, Agni Sapkota and Pampha Bhusal--were scheduled to leave for the U.S. today.

The U.S. Embassy had refused to issue visa to Pampha Bhusal two years ago, when she was the Minister for General Administration.

The Embassy had also denied visa to Maoist vice-chairman Narayankaji Shrestha and Maoist CA member Sabitra Dura, when they were to take part in the UN general assembly last year.


http://thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Maoists+pull+out+of+Boston+s eminar+at+last+hour&NewsID=247879


Maoists recall leaders from US


Himalayan News Service

KATHMANDU: The Unified CPN-Maoist today decided to recall its three senior leaders — who flew to the United States on Thursday — and directed them not to attend their scheduled programme.

The party has called back its three senior leaders — secretary CP Gajurel, standing committee member Top Bahadur Rayamajhi and politburo member Pampha Bhusal — who are in the US to attend a 10-day seminar on collaborative negotiations in Boston.

“The party rang them up this morning and asked them to return,” said Agni Sapkota, a politburo member — one of the four invitees of the function.

While the party in its press statement has claimed that it was forced to take the decision in the wake of objections by some International Non-Governmental Organisations, it is believed that the party’s decision to recall the leaders was purely because the US embassy denied visa to Sapkota.

Maoist spokesperson Dinanath Sharma said the party had earlier decided to send four of its leaders, including Agni Sapkota, to participate in the seminar.

Sapkota said some INGOs were always against some Maoist leaders alleging that they were involved in human rights violations during the ‘people’s war’.

On Thursday, the US Embassy in Kathmandu, according to the Maoists, had granted visa to four Maoist leaders to take part in the seminar that would focus on the issues related with the Boston Agreement and State Building from June 25 to July 5.

But US Ambassador Scott H DeLisi today made it clear that the US embassy issued visas to only three Maoist leader. “Fourth proposed participant could not be approved for travel due to serious and specific human rights allegations associated with his conduct during the insurgency,” said DeLisi in a statement.

The US has not removed the party from its terrorist list. “Although the Maoists remain on two US terrorist lists and we are generally precluded from providing substantive support to the UCPN-M, the US government will authorise exceptions for them to participate in US government-funded programmes that support the peace progress,” said DeLisi.

“Given the importance we attach to the search for lasting peace in Nepal, we welcomed the UCPN-M’s participation in the collaborative negotiations programme and we sought special clearances necessary for them to travel to the United States despite their inclusion on our list of terrorist organisations.”

The US envoy has termed the Maoist decision to call back the leaders unfortunate. “Despite the disappointing withdrawal, the collaborative negotiation programme will continue,” he said.



http://thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Maoists+recall+leaders+from+ US+&NewsID=247904

[Saorsa]

Maoists abort US visit over one visa denial KOSH RAJ KOIRALA

KATHMANDU, June 25: Dissatisfied over the refusal of a visa to their politburo member Agni Prasad Sapkota, the UCPN (Maoist) on Friday decided to call back all members of the party that flew for the USA on Thursday to take part in a training program.

Issuing a press statement, the UCPN (Maoist) said the decision of the US authorities was an attempt to harm the dignity and standing of the Maoist party. “..we want to make it clear that we are compelled to take a decision to immediately call back comrades who have already left to take part in the program, to express our objection to this type of treatment,” the statement said.


Maoist leaders CP Gajurel, Top Bahadur Rayamajhi and Pampha Bhusal are among 22 political party leaders and civil society members who left for the US on Thursday to take part in an intensive 10-day program in collaborative negotiations beginning June 25.

The program aims at honing practical negotiating skills to address critical political issues such as state structures and minority rights, army integration, constitution drafting and promoting cross-party trust and cooperation.

The US embassy in Kathmandu said Sapkota "could not be approved for travel due to serious and specific human rights allegations associated with his conduct during the insurgency".

“Until those allegations can be investigated and resolved we believed that it would be inappropriate to approve his travel to the United States,” US Ambassador to Nepal, Scott H DeLisi, said in a statement Friday.

"Although the Maoists remain on two US terrorist lists and and we are generally precluded from providing susbtantive support to the UCPN-M, the US government will authorise exceptions for them to participate in US government-funded programs that support the peace progress", the statement added.

The Maoists claimed that Sapkota had to shelve his visit at the eleventh hour after being denied a visa "partly also because of unsound objection by some INGOs, among others´. Adding that the party is taking the incident seriously, the Maoists said there was a serious discussion over the issue during the ongoing politburo meeting on Friday.

Earlier, the Australian embassy had also denied a visa to Sapkota, who has a diplomatic passport. He is accused of involvement in the murder of one Arjun Bahadur Lama in April 2005 in Kavre during the Maoist insurgency.

The Supreme Court has already ordered that a case be filed against Sapkota along with five other Maoist leaders: Yadav Poudel, Bhola Aryal, Karnakhar Gautam, Surya Man Donga and Norbu Moktan.

The US envoy expressed hope that the collaborative negotiation program will continue despite the disappointing withdrawal of the Maoists. “I hope it will prove to be helpful in building trust among the participants and will lead to creative and constructive thinking about the challenging issues under discussion,” he added.

http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=20319

[pranabjyoti]

Comrade Alastair,
Problem with some "leftists" here is that they just live and want to live in their IMAGINARY, IDEAL world AND ARE JUST UNABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE TAKE ACTION AS PER REALITY.

[Sankofa]

Who is Lenin with in that picture? That's one I have never seen before.

[Honggweilo]

Good question.

Can you imagine the leaders of the Russian Revolution traveling to the US for a seminar co-sponsored by the US government?

RED DAVE

Remember Lenin and the train?

[RED DAVE]

Can you imagine the leaders of the Russian Revolution traveling to the US for a seminar co-sponsored by the US government?
Remember Lenin and the train?Figured someone would bring that up.

Lenin accepted transportation from Switzerland to Russia in order to foment revolution which occurred about 7 months later. He did not get involved in a seminar on conflict resolution. Marxists are not interested in ending conflict with bourgeois governments, except insofar as the forces of the people, led by the working class, win.

RED DAVE

[the last donut of the night]

except insofar as the forces of the people, led by the working class, win.

RED DAVE

Highlighted for emphasis.

Don't you think it's weird that you get really annoyed by the Maoists' theory of alliance of classes but when it comes to the Russian Revolution, it's fine to have a "force of the people, led by the working class"? Also, how ironic that you're using a word --"people"-- which really gets you mad when Maoists use it, but it seems fine when Trots use it? I thought the word "people" was for liberal revisionists that hate and dupe the working class and really want to establish state-capitalism, because, sadly, that's all those dumb and uncultured brown workers can do without the smarter white workers leading a very perfect, linear, and quick revolution. Am I right, or do you have another argument to fathom out of thin air on why the only revolution that ever went right was carried on by urban and white workers?

Indeed, a pile of self-contradicting bullshit.

[RED DAVE]

except insofar as the forces of the people, led by the working class, win.
Highlighted for emphasis.

Don't you think it's weird that you get really annoyed by the Maoists' theory of alliance of classes but when it comes to the Russian Revolution, it's fine to have a "force of the people, led by the working class"?No, I don't think it's weird at all. It is obvious from that actual practice of the Nepalese Maoists that their revolution is not "led by the working class." Strike one.


Also, how ironic that you're using a word --"people"-- which really gets you mad when Maoists use it, but it seems fine when Trots use it? I thought the word "people" was for liberal revisionists that hate and dupe the working class and really want to establish state-capitalismI used the word deliberately to indicate that the working class was the leader of "the people," which included the peasantry in addition to the working class itself. Sorry, Comrade, strike two.



because, sadly, that's all those dumb and uncultured brown workers can do without the smarter white workers leading a very perfect, linear, and quick revolution. Am I right, or do you have another argument to fathom out of thin air on why the only revolution that ever went right was carried on by urban and white workers?Strike three. You have completely ignored the content of my criticisms, which is that Lenin accepted transportation to Russia to overthrow the Russian government while the Nepalese Maoists do not seem to have the same motivation. Their motivation seems to me (heavy opinion here) a desire to demonstrate to the rest of the world (including the bourgeoisie of the world's most powerful capitalist nation), how warm and fuzzy they are.

Radek article about Lenin's trip to revolutionary Russia (http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=1&res=9B02E0DF1E3CE533A2575AC1A9649C946395D6CF)


Indeed, a pile of self-contradicting bullshit.We need a pinch hitter for this guy. :D

RED DAVE

[A Revolutionary Tool]

Who is Lenin with in that picture? That's one I have never seen before.
It was actually Trotsky and those are pictures of him with German officers to discuss the peace treaty.

[chegitz guevara]

http://mikeely.files.wordpress.com/2009/03/5_maoist_women_fighters_peoples_liberation_army_ne pal.jpg

Hey, my new desktop!

[chegitz guevara]

Comrade Alastair,
Problem with some "leftists" here is that they just live and want to live in their IMAGINARY, IDEAL world AND ARE JUST UNABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE TAKE ACTION AS PER REALITY.

Pot, meet kettle.