This issue of the Bulletin is reaching to the readers
after almost one and a half year of the previous issue. We are indeed very sorry
for this inordinate delay. However, this formal apology may not be just
adequate. We, therefore, promise at the very outset to endeavor to fulfill our
revolutionary duty more regularly in the days to come.
At a time when the
reactionary ruling classes have tightened their monopolistic hold over all forms
of electric and print media more ferociously to spread their venomous ideas and
mount a disinformation campaign against the revolutionary forces, the
proletarian vanguard, too, needs to sharpen its weapon of mass communication to
educate the masses and counter the propaganda war. After the breakdown of peace
negotiations and resumption of the civil war, the royal genocidal regime has
intensified its disinformation campaign and the revolutionary forces are likely
to get more prominent in the new phase of the war and we will have to
communicate better and more frequently with the international revolutionary
fraternity. Hence this resumption of the publication of the Bulletin!
We would welcome objective
comments and suggestions, while appealing to one and all to make widest possible
circulation of the Bulletin to
develop it into a fighting weapon of the revolutionary forces the world
over.
The seven-month long ceasefire & negotiations between the reactionary monarchical regime and the revolutionary democratic forces led by the CPN (Maoist) ultimately broke down on August 27. Chairman Prachand made an announcement to this effect through a public statement.
It may be recalled that the Party had entered into a mutually agreed ceasefire on January 29, 2003 and sat for three rounds of talks with the royal regime on April 27, May 9 and August 17-19. The negotiations had broken-down primarily over the political and military issues.
On the very first round of the negotiation on April 27, the Party had put forward its political proposal for a minimum programme to bring about a progressive democratic change in the country. At the center of the proposal was the 3-point political agenda of convening a round-table conference, formation of an interim government and election to a Constituent Assembly. Also the basic minimum political and socio-economic content of the future democratic set-up were proposed. The whole thrust of the proposal was to liquidate the feudal autocratic monarchy backed by the arch reactionary Royal Nepal Army (RNA) and complete bourgeois democratic revolution in the country.
The reactionary royal regime, on the other hand, came out with its political agenda after much dilly-dallying only in the third round of talks starting on August 17. The so-called “Concept for Forward-looking Reforms in the State-System” not only completely failed to address any of the key issues raised by the revolutionary forces, but sought to strengthen & perpetuate the autocratic monarchy with certain cosmetic reforms. This virtually closed the door for a negotiated political settlement.
On the military front, the RNA, which has been the traditional support base of monarchy and of late a pampered darling of US-British imperialism, consistently violated the ceasefire and the agreed code of conduct and sought to sabotage & derail the negotiations. The RNA not only openly flouted the decision of the second round of talks to confine its activities to five kilometres perimeter of the barracks, but outrageously massacred nineteen political activists at Doramba (eastern Nepal) on the very day of start of the third round of negotiations on August 17. This was an objective termination of ceasefire & negotiations.
Certain international forces, particularly US imperialism, played a big role to wreck the negotiations. As the US imperialism seems to have bought over the king and the RNA to fulfill its long-term strategic goals in the region, it did everything at its command to stall the democratization process in the country. Its provocative acts of putting the CPN (Maoist) in the so-called “other terrorists” list, conclusion of a five-year anti-terrorist agreement with the royal regime and supply of several billion rupees worth of ultra-modern weapons and hundreds of military advisors & trainers to the RNA, were clearly designed for this. But at the later stage when some contradictions sharpened between the US and the Indian State vis-à-vis their strategic interests in the region, a joint Indo-US front seemed to be in the offing to exercise the “Maoist spectre”. Christina Rocca, US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia, on a visit to India on September 11, is reported to have said: “ The US & India can help Nepal defeat the “ruthless” Maoist rebels”, and, “India’s historic, cultural & social ties with Nepal continue to make it the most important outside influence on events in that country”. (Kantipuronline, September 12, 2003). This obviously sets the cat out of the bag!
The Party has, however, assessed the overall experiences of the past seven months in a positive light. Taking into account the crucial stage of strategic equilibrium in the People’s War (PW) and the specific geo-strategic positioning of the country, it was both correct and prudent to make a sincere attempt for a negotiated political solution, even if the chances were quite slim. This has helped to win over millions of masses and urban middle strata towards the democratic programme of the Party. Huge turn out of hundreds of thousands of masses in the scores of public meetings addressed by the Party leaders in the Negotiation Team were a testimony to this. Also a number of opinion polls conducted by reputed journals and organizations put the Party and its leadership much ahead of all the political parties & their leaders in the country.
The negotiations may have failed; but the efforts have not been in vain. It has prepared a favourable ground to raise the PW to the third and higher stage of strategic offensive. Also it has unfolded further dynamism & revolutionary creativity of “Prachanda Path”. +
CALL FOR NEPAL BANDH
(GENERAL SHUT-DOWN) ON SEPTEMBER 18, 19 & 20
On the heels of the breakdown of peace talks and ceasefire, the Party, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and the United Revolutionary People’s Council (URPC) have announced a series of militant programmes of struggle against the genocidal royal regime and called for Nepal Bandh (general shut-down) on September 18, 19 & 20. A joint statement issued by Com. Prachand, Chairman of the Party & Supreme Commander of the PLA and Com. Baburam Bhattarai, Convener of the URPC, on August 28, has flashed the programme of struggle and the immediate slogans.
The programme of struggle includes:
*August 28- September 10: Publicity Campaign
* September 11- September 17: Mass Mobilisation and Mass Action
*September 18, 19 & 20: Nepal Bandh
Similarly, the immediate slogans advanced are:
1. Resolve to establish a republican Nepal.
2. Dissolve the mercenary Royal Nepal Army and create a National Army
3. Stop all foreign military interferences.
4. Concede rights to national & regional self-determination and autonomous rule.
5. Grant special rights and proportional representation to women and dalits
6. Create a secular state.
7. Guarantee education, health & employment as fundamental rights to all.
8. Implement revolutionary land reform on the basis of land-to-the- tiller.
9. Encourage & protect national industries.
10. Abrogate all unequal treaties.
11. Fulfill all genuine demands of all mass organizations.
Meanwhile daring military actions by the PLA
have rocked the country since the morrow of the breakdown of peace negotiations
and ceasefire. Everyday dozens of military actions, mostly in the form of
commando raids, ambushes, sabotage and annihilations, have taken place in almost
all the 75-districts of the country. The discernible new trend has been to focus
the military actions more in the cities and Terai (plain) areas and carry out
more of decentralized actions, which has spread panic on the enemy
camp.
On
August 28, Col . Kiran Basnet, the highest-ranking military officer to
have been targeted so far in the PW, was annihilated in Kathmandu in broad
daylight. On the same day another Col.. Ramindra Chhetri, the notorious spin
doctor of the RNA who headed the so-called psychic–warfare department and used
to conduct a regular TV show maligning the revolutionary fighters, was shot in
Kathmandu but narrowly escaped the death. Similarly the next day, Devendra Raj
Kandel, an ex-Minister of State for Home Affairs who gained notoriety for his
outrageous remark, “Come with bag-full of Maoists’ head and go with bag-full of
money”, when he was in power, managed to survive with multiple gun-shot
injuries.
In some of the most daring money-actions more
than 10 million rupees were captured from government-owned commercial banks in
Tulsipur (Dang) and Chitwan, located just a few hundred meters away from the RNA
barracks, on August 28 and 29 respectively.
Within the next ten days, successful raids
were carried out against police outposts in Sarlahi, Rupendehi, Chitwan and
elsewhere; dozens of RNA soldiers were killed in successful ambushes in Achham,
Surkhet, Kalikot, Kailali, Dhading, Sindhupalchok, Dolkha, Udaipur, etc.; and
several informers annihilated. A series of high sabotages against the government
offices in Kathmandu on September 8 and in Hetauda on September 12 sent chills
down the spine of the reactionaries.
Apart from these innumerable decentralized
actions throughout the length and breadth of the country, a major encounter took
place with a 150-strong RNA force in Korchawang (Rolpa) on September 7. In one
of the longest exercise of
positional warfare extending over 19 hours, the valiant PLA fighters successfully repulsed the RNA
mercenaries, killing 6, injuring dozens and capturing thousands of rounds of
precious ammunitions and other equipments. Four PLA fighters attained glorious
martyrdom during the process.
Meanwhile, the genocidal royal regime has
been killing dozens of unarmed masses and political cadres in daily fake
encounters. An enquiry commission sent by the pro-establishment National Human
Rights Commission to investigate the massacre of 19 persons in Dorambha on
August 17 has corroborated this and censured the RNA for the ghastly
crime.
Our Party, too, has expressed sincere regrets
for the loss of a number of innocent lives during sabotage actions in Kathmandu
and elsewhere, and has vowed to exercise more caution in future.+
Com.C.P.
Gajurel (Gaurav) Captured in India
Chairman Pranchanda, in a public statement issued on August 23 (see the full text below), has asked the Indian state to release Com. Gajurel at the earliest, as the case against him is not serious even by the bourgeois standard. Since Com. Gajurel has openly acknowledged his political status even in detention and there are no other cases, apart from the current fake passport case, against him, there is no sound reason why he should not be freed without delay .
With every passing day apprehensions are mounting against the security of life of Com. Gajurel and there is a gradual development of worldwide outrage against this monstrous act. This is testified by strong public statements issued by a number of internationalist revolutionary organizations and Parties, including the Committee of the RIM, World People’s Resistance Movement (WPRM), National Democratic Front (NDF), Worker’s Party of Belgium, Communist Party Norway, and others. The WPRM, in particular, has appealed to one and all to write enmasse to the Indian state asking it not to hand over Com. Gajurel to the royal regime in Nepal and to release him immediately.
We once again urge the Indian state to set Com. Gajurel free forthwith, and appeal to all the democratic and progressive forces to raise their voices for the same.+
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW WITH CHAIRMAN
PRACHANDA
Q.1 Comrade, after the break down of ceasefire and negotiation, how are you analysing the political and military situation in the country? Could you please make clear on this?
After the old state refused to acknowledge the sovereign right of the people to decide on their own future, the country is once again going ahead with political and military confrontation. The serious effort by our Party and the people to arrive at a peaceful and forward-looking political solution has failed because of foreign imperialist intervention and the national capitulationist attitude of the old state. From this it has become clear that the genuine sovereignty, the freedom of the country and the aspiration for the peace and progress of the people cannot be achieved unless one fights decisive battle against this reactionary feudal state which is being bred and fed by the imperialists. It is only by understanding this objective necessity that a correct assessment can be made of today’s political and military positions.
Innumerable facts and events have made it clear that the old feudal state has become totally cut off from the masses both politically and militarily. It is a fact that the old state’s political and military existence is maintained with the help of foreign imperialist forces, mainly American imperialists’ ideological and military support. It is now clear not only before the Nepalese masses but also before the whole world that all the activities that stretch from cosmetic changes in the seat of power of the old state to the strategic planning, training, supply of war equipments and physical needs of the royal army are under the control of imperialists and are directed by them. It is by observing this reality that we termed the old feudal state as the puppet of imperialist forces and have termed so-called royal army as royal American army.
Our conclusion has been more validated with the recent explanation given by the American ambassador. He has said that if one consolidates the internal army there will be no need of open and external military intervention, thereby revealing the ongoing intervention of Americans in Nepal.
The above facts make it clear that the present political and military conflict in Nepal in the form of a civil war is ultimately a national war waged against the imperialist forces. The political and military position after the end of the ceasefire and negotiation is developing into a specific situation whereby civil war and national liberation war has become fused into each other. In this sensitive hour of history all the patriotic people of Nepal must become united for the sake of national independence and democracy. No power in the world can withstand the unity and resistance of the masses.
Q.2 What are the main reasons behind the breakdown of ceasefire and negotiation? The ruling state is blaming you for breaking off ceasefire unilaterally. What is the reality?
The main aim of the ceasefire and dialogue process was to facilitate the forward-looking solution and to solve basic problems of the country through peaceful means. To offer reggression and status quo as a political solution in the background of seven years of civil war, in fact reflects the inability of the ruling class to understand the depth of the problem at all. We had made it clear before entering into the negotiation process that negotiation for absolute peace and without political solution or negotiation for the sake of negotiation will have no meaning. That is why we have presented minimum political agenda with a grave sense of responsibility and flexibility in the first round of talk itself so that the people can be made sovereign. But the old state did not take negotiation as a means to solve political crises but instead it used it as an opportunity to consolidate its own reactionary state. It is only after our consistent emphasis and pressure that the old state presented its “concept paper” on the third round of talk. But that made it explicitly clear that they had no other purpose than to consolidate their feudal regressive policy. They not only refused our proposal for constituent assembly as a scientific and democratic method to make the people genuinely sovereign, but they had the cheek to ask for surrendering the arms of the People’s Liberation Army, thereby foolishly asking us to surrender before them. This foolish and war- mongering demand made by the old state through the so-called concept-paper, was in fact directed by foreign imperialist forces, mainly American imperialists. This fact has been made clear by a series of events. Hence this was the first and foremost reason behind the failure of cease-fire and negotiation.
The second extremely sensitive and important reason behind the failure of cease-fire and negotiation was the behavior of the so-called royal army which has in reality become royal American army. This bunch of mercenaries in the service of feudal palace and imperialist forces, has in fact never implemented ceasefire and code of conduct. The announcement of ceasefire did not bring any change in its repressive style of functioning and war preparation under the direction of imperialism. Activities against the spirit of ceasefire and code of conduct, such as unnecessary checking, arresting, deliberate murder of patriotic and revolutionary fighters, patrolling, intelligence collection etc., in fact started escalating all the more. At the time when the third round of negotiation was going on, one such incident took place in which 19 of our cadres and the masses were brutally killed after their capture. Even when we vehemently protested against this kind of atrocities by the royal army, the old state only conspired to shield them. From this, it was clear that the talk of negotiation by the old state was only a means to shield its fascist and anti-national activities and a ploy just to buy time.
The third reason behind the failure of ceasefire and negotiation is the class outlook of the reactionary class which cannot understand the actual strength of the people’s war and the actual political strength gained in the last seven years. We had entered into the process of negotiation with the historic sense of responsibility in order to provide peaceful and forward-looking solution to the country. But, right from the beginning different cliques of reactionary classes (who are fighting only to gain crumbs of power in the old state) were spreading all sorts of canards against us from the point of view of their own self- interest . Among such propaganda, the most noted ones were: “There is secret alliance between Maoists and palace forces”; “there is a conspiracy to do away with parliamentary political parties through alliance of two gun -wielding forces”; “The Maoist Party which has come to open and urban political melee will not possibly go back to war” ; “interim government to be formed under the leadership of Maoist Party leaving out other political groups”, etc. This kind of smear campaign which even the main parliamentary groups were indulging in, has at one end, exposed the reactionary class outlook that would never understand our Party’s ideological, political and military specificities and its strength and , at the other end, it only played the role of a wrecker of the negotiation.
From the analysis of the above three main reasons, one can be clear as to who was responsible for the failure of ceasefire and negotiation.
Q.3 As mentioned by you, America including many other countries are helping royal army of the old state by supplying modern arms and ammunitions, providing them economic and logistic support and giving training and strategic direction to them. In such a situation where none of the countries in the world are helping you, how can one believe that your people’s army will win this war?
The intervention by the world imperialist forces by showing their open involvement and support to the so-called royal army has ended any remnant of feudal nationalism within it and converted it into the royal American army. The degeneration of the so-called royal army into royal American army is the objective and scientific basis for the success of the people’s army. Only those who are apologists of the national capitulationists or those who are unable to grasp the nature, laws and history of war are the ones who are not able to grasp such truths. People’s war has become the banner of patriotic and democratic forces fighting against imperialist intervention and renegades who have mortgaged their nationality. And in this historical truth lies the victory. People’s war has become the banner of liberation, freedom, peace and progress for the Nepalese people and it has become a way of life. When one dies hundreds of great sons and daughters of the Nepalese masses are standing in queue to fight the war for the liberation of the country and its people. And it is in this that the victory of Nepalese people’s war lies. Through dedication, devotion, bravery and sacrifice, the great Nepalese masses have developed Prachanda- Path as a form of their specific chain of thought for their liberation. In its span of seven years, the People’s Liberation Army has developed specific military strategy and tactics of “Prachanda-Path” and it is in this that the victory for people’s war is guaranteed.
All the wars that have been waged so far from history to the present day fall either under just or unjust category. In the present context, the people’s war waged under the leadership of our Party is a just war because it has been waged by people in order to achieve national sovereignty and people’s freedom. And it has been waged without any support from the foreign countries. On the other hand the war waged against the Nepalese masses by “royal army” with the support and supervision of foreign imperialist countries is unjust war. In history, always and everywhere, unjust war is waged by the ruling minority oppressive class, while a just war is waged by the representatives of the people. The unjust war of oppressive class is waged on the strength of arms and the technology while the just war of the oppressed classes is waged on the strength of correct ideology and the cooperation of the people. It is historically proven scientific fact that ultimately it is the just war which will reign over the unjust war. It was this very law that was behind the advancement of people’s war to such a height when we did not even possess even 2 or 4 impoverished weapons seven years back at the time of initiation of the people’s war. In the process of waging war we managed to snatch few rifles from the armed police. It is these rifles that are now capturing automatic weapons from the royal army. Thus weapons sent by George Bush to suppress Nepalese people will soon be reaching the hands of Nepalese people which will be directed against imperialism.
From the point of view of military organisation there were only a few armed squads and militia forces in the initial period of military formation seven years back. Today it has reached the level of formation of Eastern and Western Division. The formation of 2 divisions, 7 brigades and 19 battalions within the period of seven years by itself reflects the specificity of Nepalese people’s war. Similarly the formation of around a hundred thousand strong people’s militia as a recruiting base is another specificity of the Nepalese people’s war. The mobilization of hundreds of thousands of people along class, caste, nationality, regional, gender questions around the people’s war provides a strong basis for winning this war.
Certainly advancement in this great people’s war has not taken place so easily. For this more than 6000 great sons and daughters of the Nepalese people have given their precious lives. Thousands are facing medieval forms of atrocities in dark cells of enemy camps. Hundreds of women have faced barbaric rape and torture in the hands of the royal American army. Today nobody should dare to dream of saving the feudal wealth and occupying the seat of the old state by playing with the blood of the Nepalese masses. Now nobody will be able to stop this historical trend. The Nepalese people have become conscious of not only the dirty games played by the royalist forces but also the parliamentary forces. Similarly they have now understood the filthy moves of reactionary and revisionist cowards who try to create fear in the minds of people by exaggerating the strength of American imperialism and other imperialist forces. Considering that there is no people’s war being waged in Iraq even then America has failed in its design to contain Iraqi masses despite pumping a huge army into that country. Under such a background, to expect that the Nepalese people involved in a people’s war will be contained by the arms given by the Americans is a mere pipe dream. Even if there is no support from imperialist and reactionary rulers, today the people all over the world are increasingly lending their voice and support to the people’s war in Nepal. Through its ideas and deeds the Nepalese people’s war is beginning to stand apart as a new alternative system to the corrupt and fascist imperialist world order.
Q.4 Can you concretely tell us your present military strategy and tactics after the breakdown of ceasefire and negotiation? How are you analysing the events after the end of ceasefire?
It is not possible to tell right away in details the Party’s entire military strategy and tactics from the security point of view. All the military strategies and tactics are based on the goals of preparing for going into strategic offensive from the present stage of strategic equilibrium . From tactical point of view, at present the people’s army is going ahead with primary and decentralized resistance so as to feel the pulse of the enemy, tire them out and to prepare ground for centralised offensive. In order to enlist support to this goal of the PLA, an emphasis is being laid for national and international mass mobilization. On reviewing the events up to now since the breakdown of cease-fire it can be briefly said that the PLA is able to siege its initiative to attack on small but strategic places with good results. The successful and brave commando attacks in urban and Terai regions in broad daylight and mobile war against big military formation of the enemy in mountainous areas and villages and constant engagement of the enemy in different kinds of ambushes are all techniques to tire out the enemy. Contrary to the deliberate disinformation campaign launched by the so-called Defense Ministry, the PLA has laid hand on big cache of military equipments in the very beginning of the resistance. For example, in Rolpa, the PLA encircled the enemy consisting about 150 personnel, of which six were killed and other 15-16 were seriously injured. They also managed to seize ammunitions for M-16 rifles in large quantities and other logistics. In that incident four PLA fighters lost their lives. But the same event was propagated by the Defense Ministry in just the opposite way.
Q.5 Let us change the topic! How are you looking at the relations between current international situation and the Nepalese people’s war ? How are you going to remove the doubts of the many urban intellectuals that it is difficult for people’s war to succeed in the current unfavorable international situation?
It is the result of inability of many people to grasp the dialectical truth of necessity of revolution and favourable position within the present hostile international situation that leads them to regard a paper tiger as the real tiger. After the event of September 11, the American imperialism declared all out war against so- called terrorism. It made a strategic plan of consolidating its influence in the name of fighting terrorism by firstly attacking Afghanistan, then Iraq, and now it is attacking national liberation, democratic and socialist movements all over the world. By declaring itself as the messiah of civilization of the world the American imperialism is imposing its own jungle rule on the people of the third world countries. The event of September 11 actually provided excuse for it to exploit even more ruthlessly the blood and sweat of the people all around the world because it was reeling under slow economic growth and increasing unemployment problem. This strategy it adopted after the incident of September 11, following the dictum that reactionaries pick up a stone only to drop it on their own feet , has now become a stranglehold on its own neck. It has now been caught in a quagmire in Afghanistan and Iraq without a possibility of retreating back. The so-called Road Map of peace forwarded by it in order to solve deep conflict between Israel and Palestine has now become an utter failure. Similarly the double standard it has adopted towards India and Pakistan to capture markets in both the countries under the guise of balanced policy towards both the countries has in fact deepened the contradiction between America and India. The American strategy of creating disturbances in Tibet, which is part and parcel of China, is making giant China more and more sensitive. The American maneuvering in the form of supplying arms in the name of suppressing people’s war in Nepal and thus bringing it under its fold whereby strategically encircling India and China is making both the neighbouring countries of Nepal increasingly uncomfortable.
Not only this, the military maneuvering it is undertaking throughout the country is increasingly creating contradiction with other imperialist countries such as Russia, Germany and France and other European countries. The principle contradiction between imperialist countries and the oppressed nations ,the centre of all contradictions , is becoming explosive day by day. When we closely observe all these then it becomes clear how the unfavourable world situation after the September 11 is now turning into a favourable one. It is by recognising these contradictions in the world situation that favourable situation can be tapped for the victory of Nepalese people’s war. We have this conviction that today’s global situation not only makes it possible for the victory of Nepalese people’s war but will also add new dimensions to its importance and glory worldwide.
Q. 6 A few days ago, the arrest of Politbureau Member Com. Chandra Prasad Gajurel (Com. Gaurav) by the Indian security forces at Chennai airport while on his way to Europe, was made known by your statement. What all steps have been taken for his release?
According to the decision of the Party our senior Politbureau Member Com. C.P. Gajurel was going to Europe through underground channel in order to propagate our politics but got arrested in Chennai airport. As soon as the news of his arrest reached the Head Quarter, a public statement was issued to India to make his whereabouts clear and also an appeal was made to the international channels. In Chennai itself, steps to meet lawyers and acquaint the real situation have been arranged. From all the information available , Com. Gaurav has given his statements in the spirit of Party policy. As far as the question of his release is concerned so far he has not been released by the Indian government. Meanwhile Nepalese old state is pressurising the Indian government to extradite Com. Gajurel. As in the past, there is increasing danger of handing him over to the old state of Nepal. Under such a situation it has become important to call for his unconditional release in Nepal, India and worldwide. His release, extradition, or persuing legal actions within India will ultimately make clear India’s outlook towards the freedom loving Nepalese people.
In the end, we request all democratic organisations, intellectual bodies and the masses in Nepal, India and other countries in the world to lend their voice for the unconditional release of Com. Gajurel.
Q.7 Let us now go back to the topic of ceasefire and negotiation! Com. Chairman, while announcing the termination of ceasefire and negotiation, you have mentioned that you have not closed the door for negotiation, for the sake of basic interests of the people. In future how do you see the possibility of negotiation with the old state? Is it possible for war and negotiation to go together?
We have never closed the door of negotiation with anyone, nor will we do so in future. What we are resisting is to negotiate for the sake of negotiation in order to conspire against the interests of the people. There is a triangular political contradiction in Nepal. Hence we proposed to give authority to the sovereign people to decide their own fate and we expressed our commitment to honour the people’s verdct. But the old state is not agreeing to it. So what is now left for negotiation? The question of negotiation with the old state will depend upon its actions. There may still be possibility of negotiation provided they are prepared to give rights to the people to decide their own future. But this is just a hypothetical question. For now such a possibility has ended.
Meanwhile, what needs to be clarified here is that it is not necessary that only after declaring the ceasefire, negotiation will take place. Negotiation can take place with various parties and the old state even amidst the war. The main point is we will never compromise on the sovereignty of the country, on the basic interests and aspirations of the people and on the necessity of change. It is important to grasp and understand the historical significance of this glorious people’s war which is churning, overwhelming and transforming the whole society for the first time in Nepalese history. It is not possible to have negotiations with those who dream of ruling over the people by riding over the back of imperialist forces.
DOCUMENTS
PRESS STATEMENT ON THE
CAPTURE OF COM. C. P. GAJUREL
“Indian security forces have taken Comrade Chandra Prasad Gajurel (Comrade Gaurav), a Politbureau Member of the Central Committee of our glorious Party, Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), in custody on August 20 from Chennai Airport. Comrade Gajurel was heading towards Europe clandestinely according to our Party decision for the propagation of our Party policy and programme. In the context of the ongoing peace negotiation between our Party and old state of Nepal, to which the Government of India has extended its support, we urge the Government of India to release Com. Gajurel immediately, without making the technical question of going to Europe clandestinely as an unnecessarily serious matter. His release will not only confirm the Government of India’s willingness to bring peace in Nepal but will also provide new dimension to our diplomatic relation. At the same time our Party appeals to all intellectuals, journalists, lawyers and broad masses of people to facilitate the release of Com. Gajurel fighting for real emancipation and progress of the Nepalese people and give a new dimension to the unity of the Nepalese and Indian people
23 August 2003
Prachanda
Chairman
CPN (Maoist)
Central
Committee
LETTER TO UN SECRETARY GENERAL KOFI
ANNAN
H.E. Kofi Annan
September 1, 2003
Secretary
General,
UNO.
Your
Excellency,
We highly appreciate the deep concern expressed by you on behalf of the august international body, the UNO, about the break down of peace talks between the old monarchical regime and the revolutionary democratic forces led by our Party in Nepal. We have also noted with a high sense of responsibility your call for the solution of all outstanding problems through dialogue and peaceful means in future.
As the entire international community knows, the fratricidal and regicidal ‘King’ Gyanendra has systematically usurped all democratic and civic rights of the Nepalese people, including the fragile parliamentary institutions since October 4 last, and imposed a royal military dictatorship through his traditional hold over the mercenary Royal Nepal Army ( RNA ). Our Party, along with other parliamentary and non- parliamentary democratic forces, has been leading a powerful resistance movement in the country against this royal dictatorship, and the autocratic monarchy totally isolated from the people has been surviving merely on brute military force increasingly backed by some foreign powers.
However, taking into consideration the state
of strategic equilibrium between the two armed forces and the sensitive
geo-strategic positioning of the country, our Party opted for a ceasefire on
January 29 last and entered into a negotiation process with the monarchical
regime to find a forward – looking political solution to the problem. In the
very first round of the peace talks on
April 27 we proposed a three-point compromise formula of a round-table
conference, an interim government and election to a Constituent Assembly to end
the half century old contention between monarchy and democracy in a peaceful
manner. But after much dilly-dallying the monarchical regime rejected the said
proposal enjoying overwhelming support of every section of the people in the
country and instead produced a very regressive political agenda to consolidate
and continue with the hated monarchy and its RNA dictatorship in the third round
of talks on August 17-19. A cursory glance at the so-called ‘Concept Paper’ produced by the monarchical regime
during the talks would suffice to expose its arch reactionary and
anti-democratic essence to perpetuate the autocratic monarchy, which has been
rightly rejected even by the parliamentary political parties agitating for minor
reforms within the present set-up. This obstinate stand of monarchy and its
principal support base, the RNA, against a forward-looking political solution
through democratic means in the form of an elected Constituent Assembly
objectively sealed the fate of peace talks, which were formally broken on August
27.
Apart from this, whereas our Party and the
People’s Liberation Army ( PLA ) strictly observed the ceasefire throughout, the
RNA provocatively flouted it all
along killing dozens, the most blatant case being the brutal gunning down of 19
unarmed cadres and general masses on the eve of third round of talks on August
17 in Dorambha ( Ramechhap ), eastern Nepal. To camouflage its essential
anti-democratic and militarist character and objective termination of peace
talks through denial of progressive political solutions, the monarchical regime
has now unabashedly launched Goebbel-style disinformation campaign against the
revolutionary democratic forces, which deserves to be exposed by one and
all.
We hope the international community would
appreciate the complexities of life and death struggle between feudal
monarchical forces and progressive democratic forces currently going on in Nepal. In this context we would once
again reiterate our commitment to find a forward- looking political solution
through dialogue and peaceful means at an appropriate moment, but would feel
duty–bound to resist armed onslaughts of the monarchical regime against the
people fighting for their genuine democratic rights. Finally, we would appeal to
the international community in general, and the UNO in particular, to do
everything in their might to stop all foreign armed and otherwise interventions
in Nepal and let the Nepalese people decide their own future
themselves.
Looking forward to cordial and mutually
beneficial relations,
(
Pranchanda )
Chairman,
Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist)
Published by the
International Department, CPN (Maoist)
E-mail address: inf_bulletin@yahoo.com,
inf_bulletin@hotmail.com