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Chairman Prachanda’s Statement on Current Political Situation

 

Chairman Pranchanda has issued a press statement dealing with various current issues. The text of the statement issued on March 27, 2002, is as follows:

It is well known that our Party has publicly stated two weeks back about our willingness to come to the table of negotiations along with a cease-fire if a conducive environment is made for a positive political solution to the current problems faced by the country. Conscious of grave responsibility towards the country and people, the Party had appealed to all political forces, intellectuals and the general masses to create such a favourable climate.

Our Party has highly appreciated the initiative taken by all democratic forces, intellectual personalities and the general masses to create such a conducive environment after accepting our appeal in a very positive light. However, the palace murderer Gyanendra clique and its vile lackey Sher Bahadur Deuba, who have been waging the royal military terror against the country and the people in favour of the feudal autocracy, have replied to our appeal with a more vicious massacre and terror. This criminal gang has become all the more outrageous and is running to Delhi, London and Washington to hand over the country to foreigners.

Having been soundly thrashed in every real encounter with the Maoist fighters, the hired asses of Gyanendra that go by the name of royal army have been massacring unarmed Nepalese masses in dozens everyday. The genocide of innocent airport workers in Achham and local political workers and the masses gathered for a cultural show in Gumchal of Rolpa, reveals the extent of cruelty, timidity and brutality of the military terror of Gyanendra clique. In the past two weeks this criminal gang has shamelessly attacked journalists, human right activists and intellectual personalities who have been impartially working for peace. The audacious attempt to kidnap and disappear Shyam Shrestha, Dr. Mahesh Maskey and Pramod Kafle has amply proved that no Nepali using his independent conscience in the country is safe from the military terror of murderous Gyanendra gang. Today, the Gyanendra regime has surpassed Nadir Shah’s atrocities in ruthlessly murdering the unarmed political activists in its custody and passing it as encounter death. Murder of hundreds of political activists, including Ajab Lal Yadav, a responsible comrade of our Party and a popular mass leader of the Madhesi community, (and included are the cadres of parliamentary political groups as well), has exposed the medieval barbarity of the Gyanendra regime.

In this context it is clear that there is no alternative other than to resist the regime of Gyanendra and his mercenaries by the whole country in unison. Our assertion that only an interim government, constituent assembly and institutionalisation of the republic can guarantee the liberation, peace and progress of Nepal and the Nepalese people, has been all the more verified by the subsequent events. For this, all the political parties both inside and outside the parliament, organisations, intellectual personalities and the general masses have to rise in unison. Without destroying feudalist fascist’s military dictatorship, the very thought of imagining peace and progress in Nepal or to talk of any name or form of freedom will be nothing other than cheating oneself. Feudal fascist military terrorist’s zenith,(or the zenith of feudal fascist military terrorism) and the sense of sacrifice, devotion, bravery and martyrdom displayed by the Nepalese people against it; even while watching this it is a matter of pity that certain political forces are trying to compromise again with the palace murderers through the so called constitution reforms. Constitutional reform is not the solution to today’s problem faced by Nepalese society, it is historically necessary to understand this correctly.

In this context, we want to clarify once again that we are committed to guarantee party freedom in the new state-power to be constructed after the destruction of feudal autocracy. The state envisased by us will not be an one-party dictatorship. The freedom to operate political parties according to ones’ ideological convictions and contest elections will be guaranteed. There only the activities of such elements upholding feudalism and inviting foreign domination will be curbed. We are committed to establish and develop a people’s democratic system of the twenty-first century. Such a democratic system won't be a mechanical imitation of the traditional kind but will be guided by the people’s needs of the twenty-first century.

To undertake that great achievement we do not see any reason why it should be a problem to all other political forces other than feudalist murderer Gyanendra clique and its henchmen to unite under the slogan of interim government, constitutional assembly and institutionalisation of republic state. The great Nepalese people have risen against the feudalist fascism. Throwing cold water over people’s rebellion will be a great historical blunder. Hence we heartfully appeal to all progressive forces and all the masses to make a  new Nepal by creating hurricane resistance against feudalist murderer Gyanendra force and its henchmen who have unleashed all the more fascist terror even when a peaceful political solution was sought. After having passed through the zenith of 046 year of people’s resistance, let us turn the declaration of five days Nepal Bandh into a struggle to end Gyanendra Shahi’s feudalist military terror, there is no other alternative for the Nepalese people other than this.

It is not our aim to create obstruction in the conduction of SLC examination for youth students in this very period. But, we heartfully appeal to all youth students to put up a pressure on the administration to postpone the examination by few weeks by realising the historic necessity of struggle against the feudalist military terror which is destroying the whole country, its people and their future. The history is demanding special sacrifice from all of us for the liberation of our country and its people. We have faith that instead of giving examination amidst hearing of heart-rendering news of daily killings of our own father mother, brothers, sisters, it will be better to give examination after the solution of the country’s problem and that in such a movement the youth students will happily take initiative.

 

Date: 27 March, 2002

Prachanda

Chairman

NCP(Maoist)

Five-Day 'Nepal Bandh' to Paralyse the Old State

 

For the first time in the revolutionary history of Nepal consecutive five-day 'Nepal Bandh' (i.e. general shut-down) is being observed from April 2 to April 6, 2002.  The political strike called by the CPN (Maoist) and organised by the United Revolutionary People's Council (URPC) is expected to shake the very foundation of the old reactionary state and make way for a forward-looking political change to solve the problems faced by the country and people.

It may be noted that the two-day 'Nepal Bandh' on the last two days of the first phase of the three-month old emergency on February 21^st and 22^nd was grand success due to an overwhelming response of the masses.  However, when the state of emergency was extended by another three months by the reactionary state, it was just natural that the revolutionary forces organised an effective resistance of the masses to the same.  Hence the call for a five-day 'Nepal bandh' was given by the party on February 26.

In an appeal issued by Chairman Prachanda on February 26, the rationale of the 'bandh' was highlighted as the peoples' organized resistance to the royal military dictatorship and the creation of mass pressure for a progressive political change in the county.  The minimum political change sought immediately is the formation of an interim government, election to a constituent assembly and institutionalisation of the republic.

Following the call of the Party, the URPC announced a series of a month and a half long struggle programme culminating in the five-day 'Nepal bandh'.  According to the programme flashed y Com Baburam Bhattarai, Convenor of URPC, on February 27, a publicity campaign was launched from February 27 to March 13, a mass mobilisation campaign from march 14 to 23 and a mass action programme from March 24 to April 2, all of which were highly successful.

Hundreds of armed actions by the PLA all over the country in the weeks preceding the 'bank' have prepared a perfect ground for the total shut-down of the country in the first week of April.  There have been wide spread actions against the most notorious government offices and departments.  The most effective have been the armed action in the heart of the capital city of Kathmandu, where a bomb explosion that claimed lives of 3 security personnel of the old state on March 29 ahs shaken the reactionary classes to their wits end.

The reactionary state machinery has launched a vicious disinformation campaign to mislead the masses against the strike.  Particularly noteworthy has been their full attempt to incite the students and their guardians against the likely disruption of the School Leaving Certificate (SLC) examinations which are scheduled for the same period.  Since the reactionary government has deliberately preponed the exams schedule to coincide with the annual people's movement day on April 6, these has been wide spread demand from the Students to postpone the exams.

The reactionary old state has also issue threats to the transport operators, traders and others to defy the 'bandh' call.  It has also offered them same 'carrots' along with the thick 'stick'.  However, given the genuine democratic cause espoused by the 'bandh' call against the royal military dictatorship, the people in general seem determined to make the 'bandh' a grand success and rebuff the votaries of the old reactionary state.

The grand success of the first-ever five-day 'Nepal bandh' should be the beginning of an end to the royal military dictatorship thrust in the country by the murderous Gyanendra clique.

 

The Royal Army Heightens Genocidal Campaign

 

Mortally stung by the heroic People's Liberation Army (PLA) in the latest real encounter in Achham on February 17, the reactionary Royal Nepal Army (RNA) has increased its genocidal campaign against unarmed masses in different parts of the country in recent weeks.  As if to fulfil a predetermined quota of human sacrifice every day, on an average more than two dozen persons per day have been brutally massacred by the RNA, and all in fake encounters. And the brutalities of torching the entire villages, mass raping of women, torturing and killing of prisoners have reached Hitlerite proportions.

On March 16-17 the RNA had claim to have destroyed a PLA camp at Gumchal of Rolpa and killed 69 persons.  But in reality the RNA mercenaries had butchered local masses gathered for a cultural show-cum-mass meeting.  And there was no question f any PLA camp at the said site. The local Party has challenged the international human rights organisations to visit the place and verify the claims of the royal butchers.

Similarly, in the last week of February the RNA had set ablaze 16 houses of local peasants at Kotwada in Kalikot district and burnt 22 persons alive.  Of these four were airport labourers from Dhading near Kathmandu.

During the same mad frenzy in the aftermath of the crushing defeat at the hands of the PLA in Achham, the RNA had torched all the house of peasants in the give wards (about 100 houses in each ward) of Nalkot VDC in Kalikot, inflicting huge damage to the life and property of innocent masses.

It has come to light that so far more than a dozen of deaf, dumb and blind persons have been brutally shot by the RNA in the so-called 'encounters'. For instance, the 'terrorist' shot by the RNA on December 29 last at Budhagaon in Rolpa was in fact a mute person by the name of Dalu Gharti.

So far hundreds of prisoners have been taken to remote jungles and shot in fake encounters.  The case of Gyam Prasad Chalise, an ex-student leader and Western Regional Bureau Member of the Party, could amply illustrate this.  He was captured by the RNA from Prem Nagar of Banke district on December 10 last, which was acknowledged in the press bulletin issued them.  But he was shot dead in the Raja jungle of Bardiya district on February 9, supposedly in an 'encounter'.

On the contrary, the RNA bulletins and the reactionary media have been conspicuously hiding the figures of RNA casualties in the real encounters.  In the first three months of the so-called emergency about 400 RNA soldiers and officers in the Western Region and 100 each in the Central and Easter Regions were killed by PLA, which was never acknowledged by the reactionaries.

It is also noteworthy that the RNA has been so far largely confined to district into the main revolutionary base areas.  Hence the RNA genocidal campaign has been in an around the district headquarters and the plain areas.

 

Mounting Contradictions Among the Ruling Classes

 

The internecine contradictions among the different factions of the reactionary ruling classes have sharpened further in resent days with the intensification of revolutionary class struggle in the country.  As is common knowledge there is a long standing.  Contradiction among the monarchical and parliamentary factions, which are against sub-divided into pro-Indian and pro-US factions.  Through they were forced to maintain a façade of unity against the common threat of impending people's revolutions, particularly after the declaration of a state of emergency since November 2001, their inherent contradiction is first bursting asunder with the rapid stride made by the revolutionary PW in recent weeks. The 5-day 'Nepal bandh' (general shut-down) starting with April 2 seems to have further hastened that process.

As we write these lines (March 31), the self-proclaimed 'king' Gyanendra in blatant violation of the known practice of a constitutional monarch, is on a surprise visit of the most important war zones in the Western region along with Commander-in-Chief of the RNA, Prajjwal SJB Rana, his known henchman.  And there are strong rumours that this is a prelude to direct take over of the state power by Gyanendra, or some other drastic measures like carrying out massive genocidal campaign under his own direct command to show 'some results' to his foreign masters.  Prior to this on March 27, the RNA chief, Rana, had kicked a vicious political row by publicly accusing the parliamentary political parties of precipitating the current crisis in the country due to their 'bad governance' over the years and not cooperating enough with the RNA in its current military campaigns against the revolutionary forces.

Even before this, Gyanendra had announced through his stooges in the media that he was prepared to hold a national referendum on the question of constituent assembly (as demanded by the revolutionary forces ) or constitutional reforms (as proposed by the parliamentary parties).  This was clearly an attempt to widen the rift between the revolutionary and parliamentary forces and concentrate political powers in his own hands, which was instantly rejected and denounced by all the political forces.

However, whether Gyanendra assumes direct control of state power of state or not is just a legal and immaterial question.  Because as has been consistently highlighted by our Party, the old state power in the country is practically concentrated in the 'hands of the murderous Gyanendra-Paras gang since the infamous palace massacre of June 1, 2001. The parliament and parliamentary parties have been a mere a fig leaf to hide the royal military dictatorship headed by Gyanendra.  This was proved beyond any iota of doubt when all the parliamentary parties, including the main position UML, where ordered by Gyanendra to give a seal of approval by the toothless parliament to the declaration of state emergency and virtual suspension of the constitution on February 20 with open threat of incarcerating all of them on corruption charges.

Meanwhile, there have been serious divisions within the ruling Nepali Congress and the parliamentary opposition UML on the question of extending support to the monarchical dictatorship whereas the pro-US factions of these groups have been openly supporting the dictatorship, the pro-Indian factions seem to be more reticent about it.

However, our Party has taken responsible initiative to bring all the progressive, democratic and leftist forces for a united fight against the royal military dictatorship and build a broad consensus in favour of an interim government and election to a constituent assembly to institutionalise the republic.

 

Deuba's India Visit Flops

 

The much- hyped  India visit of Sher Bahadur Deuba, a loyal stooge of Gyanendra and foster kid of US Imperialism, from March 20 to 25 has largely flopped. In keeping with the age-old practice of the reactionary Nepali rulers to seek the material and spiritual blessings from their southern counterparts to save their shaking throne, Deuba had gone to India with a SOS call against the advancing revolutionary PW and hoping for massive military and financial aid. But, apart from usual diplomatic niceties and some hard bargainings on the military aid front, Deuba did not have much to show on his return via Calcutta, where he had gone to learn some secret tips about the ruthless crushing of Naxalbari movement from CPM 'comrades'.

Two things seem to have apparently played spoil sports for Deuba in his coveted Indian mission. Firstly, the Gyanendra-Deuba murderous gang played their American card a bit too much and too early. Just before this visit this gang had invented a ludicrous theory that the revolutionary PW in Nepal was fanned from India and the Indian government was duty-bound to militarily crush it in keeping with the new war logic of US imperialism after September 11. The pro-western lobby of the ruling classes and the media had trumpeted this manufactured logic to a hysterical pitch. This was basically designed by the Western advisors of the regime to create a permanent rift between India and China over Nepal and justify stationing of 'neutral' US troops in Nepal to tackle the Maoist 'terrorists'. It is noteworthy that after the first ever Nepal visit of a US Secretary of State, Colin Powell, in January last the US has already announced $200 million in military aid against the revolutionary PW and there are reports of plans for keeping permanent US troops in Nepal. The strategic US objective of keeping a watch on both China and India through this project should be obvious to everybody. Despite their recent pro-US tilt the Indian ruling classes, who have traditionally claimed exclusive strategic domination in the South Asian region including Nepal, could not have taken to this overt US imperialist intrusion very kindly. Hence, it is learnt that the Indian ruling classes politely arm-twisted Deuba for his overt pro-US activism and made him to buy Indian military hardwares and trainings through the recently gained American dollars. Of course, some more sweeteners must have been offered to the little lackey.

Secondly, given the increasing support for the Nepalese people's democratic movement among the Indian masses and democratic forces and near sure collapse of the hated Gyanendra-Deuba regime in their immediate future, the Indian ruling classes did not want to risk their stakes on the losing horses. Thus, Deuba was made to acquiesce to more humiliating terms to prove his loyalty to the Indian ruling classes, in return for more military and otherwise aid.

Meanwhile, Deuba was greeted with black flags by hundreds of emigrant Nepalese workers in New Delhi and  his effigies were brunt at several places. At a largely attended seminar at Jawaharlal Nehru University organised by the Nepalese students in India, several well-known scholars from both Nepal and India had lively discussions on "Current Political Situation in Nepal and the role of the International Forces" and suggested the Indian rulers to stop hacking the monarchical autocracy in Nepal to establish harmonious Indo-Nepal relations.

 

 

US Diplomat's Uncouth Remarks Assailed

As an indication of rising US interference in the on-going democratisation process in Nepal, one senior US ex-diplomat, Peter Burley, who has served as Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Permanent representative to UN, Consular General at Calcutta and Peace Corp Volunteer in Nepal in the 1960s, has kicked a political row by making motivated and uncouth remarks against the revolutionary PW.

While not bothering to visit any of the 'n' number of killing fields of RNA and to raise an eye-brow against the daily massacre of unarmed masses and political activists in dozens by the RNA, this self-styled spokesperson of US imperialism has recently visited the district headquarters of Achham, where the RNA was routed by the PLA on February 17, and launched a tirade against the revolutionary forces.  Surpassing even the reactionary rulers of Nepal he has dared to equate the CPN(Maoist) with Taliban and Al Qaida terrorists and called for international counter-revolutionary reprisal against it.

Later on, in an interview to a Nepali fortnightly, Nepal (March 14-28, 2002), he has blatantly charged our Party leadership to be sheltered in Indian and demanded of Indian government for their prompt arrest and extradition to Nepal.  Burley has also hinted at the future intent of US imperialism to keep a military base in Nepal and has sought to provoke India against the Nepalese People's democratic revolution.

Burley's tirade against the revolutionary people's movement in Nepal has been widely resented and condemned by the patriotic and democratic political forces and the masses in general.  Similarly, his provocative remarks against India and allusion of more direct US intervention in Nepal are seen as the sign of changing strategic equations in the Himalayan Region.

Our Party unequivocally rejects and condemns with due contempt the baseless charges made by Burley and cautions all the patriotic, democratic and leftist forces of the region to fight unitedly against the increasing US imperialist domination in South Asia.

 

No Threat to Foreign Tourists

 

Perhaps terrorised by its own guilty conscience the US State Department has recently ordered its citizens not to Nepal. This is also an attempt by the supercop of the world to misrepresent the distinct progressive democratic political credentials of our movement as 'terrorism' to the broad masses of the Western World.

However, any keen observer of the past six-years history of PW in Nepal would realise that there have been not a single incident of our people's guerillas having made any foreign tourist as target of attack. For that go against the proletarian internationalist character and commitment of our political movement. Hence, there is no need for any foreign tourist to feel threatened from our movement, whether in Nepal or elsewhere.

Nevertheless, the foreign tourists are advised to skip the time and places of active military engagement between the PLA and the RNA to avoid being caught in the cross-fire, and are particularly requested not to patronise the tourism services offered by the arch-reactionary Shah-Rana families who monopolise the high class tourism business. This is exactly what the 'Open Letter' to foreign tourists issued by Com. Baburam Bhattarai, Convener of URPC and In-Charge of International Department of CPN (Maoist), on March 15, 2002, attempts to clarify and appeal to.

On the basic ideological-political position of the movement the Open Letter says: "As regards the false accusations of our xenophobic inclinations and preference for a closed political system, this is another example of a sinister disinformation campaign deliberately launched by the counter-revolutionary forces. By ideological persuasion we are for the ultimate withering away of all national and state boundaries and creation of a classless and stateless global community of people. Rather the fake votaries of 'globalisation' of capital are mortally against the globalisation of labour as well as hence, in essence, against genuine all-round globalisation. Foreign tourists are, therefore, most welcome in the country and will  be so in future as well."

Advising the tourists to avoid the specific periods of Nepal Bandh the Open letter concludes:"-- in view of the 5-day long Nepal bandh (i.e. general shut-down) from April 2 to April 6, 2002, and the subsequent surcharged atmosphere in the aftermath, the foreign tourists are well advised to skip the tour itinerary, if any, for the said period.  We deeply regret the inconveniences likely to cause to you all."

 

 

 

 

 

 

Published & Edited by:  International Department, CPN (Maoist)