BREAKING: Major Protests Against Disarming of People's Army

[mosfeld]

Breaking: Major Protests Against Disarming of People's Army

By Eric Ribellarsi

Today, the Kiran faction of the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) has launched a major protest program against the disarming of the People's Liberation Army being led by Nepal's new Prime Minister, Baburam Bhattarai. The Maoist rebels are demanding the immediate reversal of the decision to disarm People's Liberation Army, a process which has already begun.

So far, this program has included:

1. A nation-wide one hour blockade of major roads and intersection throughout the country. We have heard this took place at roughly 50 locations in Kathmandu, including Kalanki, the main road used for entrance into Kathmandu.

2. A boycott of major party meetings, including today's Standing Committee meeting.

3. Torchlight marches throughout Kathmandu and in other cities throughout the entire country, beginning tonight at 6:00 PM.

We will keep you posted as we learn more.

UPDATE: We have just learned that the Prachanda and Bhattarai factions have announced that they will not step down from the moves to disarm the PLA. Not only will they hand over the keys, but they will also begin moving the containers out of three of the cantonments. Kiran, Dev Gurung, and Biplab boycotted the meeting.

[mosfeld]

Full Text of Baidhya’s Statement

http://thenextfront.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/kiran-150x150.jpg

We condemn liquidation of People’s Liberation Army: Full text of Comrade Mohan Baidhya’s Press Statement.

(The design and mission of Prachanda and Baburam, who had long been planning to disarm, dissolve and liquidate the People’s Army under various pretexts, have finally come to fruition. They have handed over the keys of the containers, in which weapons of the People’s Liberation Army have been locked, to the Army Integration Special Committee without the consent of party’s vice chairman Mohan Baidhya’Kiran’ and even without consultation with general secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa ‘Badal’ who is the in-charge of the party’s army department. The keys of the containers have been handed over to the government against the spirit of the party’s official decision. This decision is a kind of design to liquidate the PLA. We, therefore, condemn this kind of capitulationism. Following is the statement issued on behalf of revolutionaries on this issue.)

Our party has been committed to carrying the tasks of constitution writing and army integration to a meaningful conclusion in accordance with the spirit of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). We have made it clear that both of these responsibilities have to be accomplished simultaneously. There can be no divided opinion about the fact that army integration is an important part of the peace process. It is known to all that we have been advancing the issue of army integration with consensus.

It is also clear that the meetings of our party held at different levels and on different occasions have taken the decision to integrate the army in a dignified manner. Despite the formal decision of the party to agree on the regrouping of the PLA members only after settling the issues concerning the modality of integration and rehabilitation package, the sudden and surprise decision to hand over the keys of the containers and weapons is against the decision of the party’s standing committee and central committee. This decision is a ploy to dissolve and liquidate the People’s Liberation Army by disarming it. We strongly condemn this type of decision and also appeal to all concerned people and sectors to immediately terminate this suicidal decision.

Mohan Baidhya ‘ Kiran’

Vice Chairman

Unified Communist party of Nepal (Maoist)

[Rusty Shackleford]

http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lqy6ulcs8r1qap9gno1_500.jpg

[RED DAVE]

Just a year ago (July 10, 2010).


KATHMANDU: Senior Maoist vice chairman Mohan Baidya on Thursday said that Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal should be the Prime Minister in the new government.http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Baidya+advocates+Prachanda+a s+next+PM&NewsID=248456

RED DAVE

[Susurrus]

What is their logic in submitting to this?

[RED DAVE]

What is their logic in submitting to this?The logic is the logic of class collaboration. Note that Kiran is not opposed to the integration of the People's Army into the regular army. He is now on the outs in the party and is trying to raise an issue to improve his situation. He only wants it done with "consensus."

RED DAVE

[Red Commissar]

http://30.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lqy6ulcs8r1qap9gno1_500.jpg

Here's a video from within it,

F0fLAB8I9nA

And for more stuff:

http://winterends.net/nepal-stories/126-a-sea-of-torches-that-refuse-surrender


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[OhYesIdid]

Fuck, there's going to be bloodshed

[mosfeld]

Joint Press Statement by Comrade Kiran and Comrade Badal

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VnOXN8Y-zwQ/SNvhZlHZVXI/AAAAAAAAA1k/aFimMQcaHzw/s320/Badal.jpg

Let us oppose the decision of handing over the keys !

Let us implement the decision of a dignified army integration !.

The abrupt step taken at 5 pm on September 1 to hand over the keys of containers of the weapons in the cantonments to the special committee under the Council of Ministers is against the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, Interim Constitution and the decisions of the party’s central committee and standing committee. We, therefore, strongly demand that the concerned sectors immediately abrogate this decision.

So far as the responsibility of concluding the peace process is concerned, we are committed to accomplishing the part of our party’s responsibility. Army integration is an important aspect of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA). In connection with accomplishing this responsibility, party central committee and standing committee have adopted the policy of integration of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) with weapons and in group even if a mixed structure is to be created and developing this structure as an armed force.

The issue concerning its chain of command is also under discussion. The party’s decision is clear that task of integration and regrouping for rehabilitation should be done only after the issue concerning the modality of integration was settled. The handing over the keys of containers of weapons is a step under the concept of disarming the PLA. The ‘Army Integration’ has been clearly incorporated in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and the Interim Constitution. Both the CPA and the Interim Constitution have not stated anywhere the concept of individual recruitment of the PLA members as civilian citizens by disarming them. The handing over the keys of weapon containers is a process of disarming the PLA members. We can never agree on this issue on ideological ground.

In this connection, the party chairman had put forth the proposal in the meeting of the standing committee held a few days ago regarding the handing over the keys. This proposal had been discussed thoroughly and rejected unanimously by the standing committee meeting as the standing committee reached a conclusion that such a proposal was against the principle and spirit of the Interim Constitution and the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.

After that an amended proposal was adopted by deleting and removing the words and phrase concerning the handing over the key. But the way the proposal concerning the handing over the keys of weapon containers, which was rejected by the standing committee, was implemented through the special committee under the government has seriously violated the minimum political honesty and morality.

Even in the process taking such a step and decision, comrade Chairman had not only consulted with the office bearers of the party but has also not informed general secretary ‘Badal’, who is the in charge of the Security Department of the party. Thus, the decision has been taken in a mysterious way.

In addition to this, the step of disarming the PLA members is not only against the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, Interim Constitution and decision of the party. The disarming of the patriotic People’s Liberation Army is also not correct on the perspective of national independence as this is an indication of the act of national capitulation.

We, therefore, humbly call upon the government and party chairman to annul the decision of handing over the keys of weapon containers and implement the dignified process of army integration.

In this connection, we express our gratitude to the patriotic and revolutionary people of Nepal who demonstrated their solidarity with us by symbolically protesting nationwide in the form of transport halt and torch processions.

We also appeal to the distinguished people to carry this act of solidarity to a newer height. In connection with the protest in Biratangar, more than 25 comrades including Kochila State Committee member and Morang district co-in charge of the party Comrade Hem Karki, Comrade Saugat, Comrade Sundas and Morang district secretary of the party Comrade Kushal and members comrade Mahabir and comrade Lochan have been arrested. Similarly, in Nuwakot, five comrades including comrade Laxmi Mudwari sustained injuries in a police baton charge in connection with torch procession. We condemn this kind of suppression and arrest being perpetrated by the government and demand immediate release of all the arrested comrades.

Mohan Baidhya ‘ Kiran’
Vice-chairman
UCPN (Maoist)

Ram Bahadur Thapa ‘ Badal’
General Secretary
UCPN (Maoist)

(September 2, 2011)

http://democracyandclasstruggle.blogspot.com/2011/09/joint-press-statement-by-comrade-kiran.html

[RED DAVE]

Please not that those Nepal Police in the spoiler of Comrade Red Commissar's post number 8 are under the command of a Maoist government.

RED DAVE

[scarletghoul]

Having spoken to some people with first hand knowledge, I can say its not a simplistic "submission" to the bourgeois pressure. The Maoists hold no illusions about a constitution being drafted, armies integrated, etc.. they are not getting rid of the PLA.

Kiran's line does seem to be the most authentically leftist one at first glance, but the more i learn of the actual situation in nepal and within the maoist party, the more i favour prachanda's line. Its a lot like how trotsky's "permanant revolution" seems better than "socialism in one country" to some western people because they are not familiar with the situation of 1920s/30s USSR.

I don't know enough to 'pick a side' for sure, and I know this post probably wont change anyone's mind, but oh well, I guess you'll see what I mean in due time. Either way, I really hope the maoists can avoid a split; they need to stick together

[RED DAVE]

Having spoken to some people with first hand knowledge, I can say its not a simplistic "submission" to the bourgeois pressure.And they're right. The Maoists are not submitting to bourgeois pressure. They are consciously and deliberately in an alliance with the bourgeoisie to build capitalism in Nepal. There is no pressure: this is their choice.


The Maoists hold no illusions about a constitution being drafted, armies integrated, etc.. they are not getting rid of the PLA.If they hold no illusions, they sure as shit are spreading illusions about New Democracy, the peace process, the constitution, etc.


Kiran's line does seem to be the most authentically leftist one at first glanceYour glance is awfully quick. Kiran has been part of the process that the Maoists have been engaging in since the cease-fire 5 years ago. His opposition is because he has been politically outmaneuvered by Bhattarai and Prachanda.


but the more i learn of the actual situation in nepal and within the maoist party, the more i favour prachanda's line.So you favor bourgeois democracy and capitalism. Welcome to liberalism. Have a good time.


Its a lot like how trotsky's "permanant revolution" seems better than "socialism in one country" to some western people because they are not familiar with the situation of 1920s/30s USSR.Trotsky and the Trotskyists were well aware of what was going on in the USSR. The notion of socialism in one country has been discredited over and over again. And permanent revolution is exactly what the revolutionary program should be for Nepal.


I don't know enough to 'pick a side' for sure, and I know this post probably wont change anyone's mind, but oh well, I guess you'll see what I mean in due time. Either way, I really hope the maoists can avoid a split; they need to stick togetherIf there are any genuine revolutionaries in the UCPN(M), they need to get ready for a split, take as many cadres as they can and go into opposition against the bourgeois government led by former members of their own party. They need to do the long and difficult task of rooting themselves in the working class and the peasantry and preparing for real revolution, not this phony Maoist class collaboration.

This is another major crisis for Maoism: once again revealing the rottenness of the roots of its politics; the infamous block of four classes.

A year or so ago, Prachanda and Co. were the poster children for Maoists all over the world, and those who opposed him and his ilk were opportunists, "purists," etc., in spite of the fact that the course of the Nepalese Maoists was clear and was completely within the scope of Maoist politics.

RED DAVE

[Gupotarem]

Hi everyone, interesting article ;)