[From The Worker, #8, January 2003]
NEW EXPERIENCES GAINED IN CAPTURING SANDHIKHARKA
People's War led under the leadership of Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) is gaining new heights one after the other. The Central Committee of the Party decided to give one thunderous action programme in the process of going from strategic equilibrium to strategic offensive, the result is the excellent implementation in Sandhikharka, the headquarter of Arghakhanchi district. The Arghakhanchi battle has not only influenced nationally but internationally and as a result the war has taken new height.
In the process of gaining new height in the war, the Party has made a new form of cell formation and it has also promoted PLA's formation to the level of Brigade. Emphasizing the necessity of achieving lofty height and centralization, Sandhikharka was attacked by the brigadier level force, under the leadership of Com. Pasang.
Fixation of Spot
Achievements Arghakhanchi is a white area under the Western Central command. In the process of influencing over white area and expanding red area, the attack on Arghakhanchi was planned with the intention of advancing slowly towards Kathmandu. The first shot was fired after having congregated in a fixed place in a fixed day and time, by diverting the attention of the enemy through highly under-cover operation from different regions with the help of the masses. The fire was opened at exact 10 pm. Before opening the fire the PLA had already tightened encirclement after having cordoned all the points, fortifications and forces of the enemy within a circle.
The Fight
After that intense battle started. The fight took place from 10 pm to 2 am. In the process civil police force surrendered around 12.45 pm. Before capturing civil police force the bank had been captured within half an hour. The office of chief district officer had already been captured within one and one and half hour. The Royal army and the armed police force were in fact found fighting till the last minute but before the PLA, which is equipped with Marxism-Leninism-Maoism and Prachanda Path, the forces of feudalist monarchical force could do nothing and at the end they lost the battle. The whole area was captured and was destroyed around 2.30 am.
In the battle, one piece of rocket launcher, 9 pieces of LMG, 2 pieces of 2 inch mortar, 36 pieces of SLR, 72 pieces of 3-0-3 rifles, 15 pieces of MMG, 4 pieces of shotguns, 5 pieces of magnum rifles, some grenades, 4 pieces of 2-2 rifles, mouser and 12 pieces ofpistols, 6 revolvers, all together 173 pieces of ammunitions were captured, 4 crore 85 lakhs Nepalese currency and about 15-20 kg of gold was also captured.
Destruction
The office of the chief district officer, royal military barrack, the chief headquarter of the police, bank, education institutes, drinking water, district development office, court including all government offices present there were destroyed.
The Fortification of the Enemy
The nature of battle waged this time has been different from the rest of the other battles fought so far. This battle was found to be of higher nature in comparison to that of battles waged in Thawang, Gam, Lisne, Accham, Satbaria and Lamahi. The position of the enemy, bunker, their fighting techniques, fortification etc. were all found different from elsewhere.
Because of the defeats incurred by enemies in earlier battles modern techniques were found to be used. For example, the electric current was found circulating through the barbed wire, which was encircled in a new scientific way. In case of electric failure too, there was provision of flow of electricity through generator. The mines that were laid were also found to be of special nature. Around the fortification, pointed iron spikes were imbedded on ground in order to make crawling impossible. It was also found that cement roofing was used as a cover above a bunker instead of Tin cover. Arrangements were made in such a way that even if fired from outside, the line of fire missed the target. Because of such strong fortification and also the use of sophisticated arms, the enemy's confidence was found to be obviously high. Three or four helicopters had also arrived but they were found hovering at a considerable height, otherwise targets would have destroyed them. PLA had occupied all the highest points with LMG, GPMG fittings ready to fire. The two helicopters that dared to hover below were fired upon and were partially destroyed due to gunshots. They had to flee away because of this.
After the successful completion of Sandhikharka battle, the enemy had made plan to block Purkot of Gumli, Algung and make survey against Maoists and terrorize people there. Army personnel were grounded three or four times from the helicopter too. PLA company went ahead to vanquish them. In this milieu 10 royal army personnel were killed while 3 Maoists were martyred. Royal army had come from Deurali, bordering Pyuthan. All of them were chased away by our PLA. This way PLA went ahead breaking all encirclements.
The reactionaries have spread rumour that 50-60 Maoist army had been killed in an ambush in Shaulibang. All these rumours have been propagated to hide their own defeat.
Effect on the People
It was found that the Sandikharka armed action had good and exhilarating influence on the masses. In the beginning there was some doubt that although the place had mass support still it had not been consolidated enough, however it was proved baseless because the people there gave considerable help right from the beginning. After the completion of military action, most of the people, be it UML or Congress, Masal or any other parties, they felicitated Maoists for their success. In a way they organized a victory celebration.
This is natural because the people of Sandhikharka have never experienced such a high profile battle. Such successful military action has all the more raised the confidence, belief and hope of the people. The people were found commenting "The Party which fights for the people is in essence the Maoist Party". For the people of Arghakhanchi, it was a matter of joy and pride that such a big armed action has been accomplished in their district by the revolutionaries, at the same time this is an important event for the Maoists to find such a mass based people's support of that district, in order to make such an action a big success.
Lessons and Shortcomings
The Arghakhanchi military action has amply proved that Prachanda Path represents correct ideology and policies and that it is striding at higher height. This has raised the confidence of PLA, Party cadres and the masses while it has shattered enemy's confidence. This has not only influenced at national level but at the international level. This attack has also proved that Maoists can attack at any enemy's camp at any time of their choosing and can win. It is certain that if the reactionaries do not solve the problem through peaceful means then, they will again have to face more such shocks.
It is seen that the Maoists have the short coming of being extremely prudent when not winning and becoming too exhilarated more than the situation demands when the battle has been won thus under-estimating the strength of the enemy. It is because of this weakness that casualty in Hanspur must have taken place. That is why this point needs to be taken seriously.
The specificity of this battle was that besides commanders and political commissars of PLA there were many central level leaders and members of regional bureau who had also accompanied the team, thus making the participants more emotionally charged.
At the end, Arghakhanchi military action is the first action based on centralization of force and military. Even though, before this, actions such as in Sisne, Gam, Acham, Dolpa including all other actions have their importance in their own places, however, this action should be seen as having special relevance and representing a high leap. From the point of view of military plan, centralization of power, the art of war, the war fortification, from all points of view, the present action in essence was a specific kind of action. The other specificity of this action is that the enemy had no clue even when such a big formation, centralization of forces and its maneuvering were being mobilized and it was able to give "surprise attack" to the enemy in the first firing itself. Although the war was mainly mobile but there were also high elements of guerrilla and positional warfare used. After concluding this successful intense battle which reflects the centralization of lofty ideological thought, military planning, courage, prudence, confidence and determination, now it can be firmly said that the Maoists can not only win the guerrilla war, but also mobile and positional war.
[A Commander of a team]MAJOR PLA RAIDS DURING NOV. 2001-DEC. 2002
S.N Date Place/Region Target Enemy Force Result 1 23-Nov-01 Ghorahi/West Dist.HQ** RNA+AFP+PF Total Success 2 23-Nov-01 Syangja/West Dist.HQ** AFP+PF Total Success 3 25-Nov-01 Salleri/East Dist.HQ** RNA+AFP+PF Success except RNA 4 07-Dec-01 Ratmate/West Telecom Security Camp RNA Failure 5 08-Dec-01 Kapurkot/West Telecom Security Camp RNA Failure 6 05-Feb-02 Bhakundebeshi/East APO AFP+PF Total Success 7 16-Feb-02 Mangalsen/West Dist.HQ** RNA+AFP+PF Total Success 8 16-Feb-02 Sanfebagar/West Airport AFP+PF Total Success 9 16-Feb-02 Lalbandi/East APO AFP+PF Total Success 10 11 -Apr-02 Satbaria/West APF Camp AFP Total Success 11 11 -Apr-02 Lamahi/West APO PF Total Success 12 17 -Apr-02 Barpak/Center APO AFP+PF Total Success 13 02-May-02 Lisne/West RNA Base Camp RNA (Company) Total Success 14 07-May-02 Gam/West RNA Camp RNA (Company) Total Success 15 07-May-02 Chainpur/East Dist.Sub HQ** RNA Failure 16 27-May-02 Khara/West RNA Camp RNA Failure 17 30-May-02 Damachaur/West RNA Base Camp RNA Success 18 08-Sep-02 Bhiman/East APO AFP+PF Total Success 19 l0-Sep-02 Sandhikharka/West Dist.HQ** RNA+AFP+PF Total Success 20 27-0ct-02 Rumjatar/East Airport RNA Failure 21 14-Nov-02 Jumla/West Zonal HQ* RNA+AFP+PF Success except RNA 22 14-Nov-02 Takukot/Center APO AFP+PF Total Success 23 04-Dec-02 Lahan/East APO +Bank AFP+PF Total Success
Note: RNA=Royal Nepal Army; APF=Armed Police Force; PF=Ordinary Police Force;
APO=Area Police Office; Dist. HQ= District Headquarter* Zonal HQ has Batallion level of RNA formation plus other forces
** District HQ has Company level of RNA formation plus other forces
* Others generally have platoon level of security forces