Long Live Marxism-Leninism-Maoism & Prachanda Path!

 

MAOIST INFORMATION BULLETIN- 8 [Occasional Bulletin of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist)]

 

 

News & Views

Anti-Monarchy Struggle Gathers Momentum

The fake and puppet monarchy raised after the infamous palace massacre on June 1, 2001 in Nepal is now facing a massive countrywide movement for its overthrow and replacement with a republican system of government. The anti-monarchy democratic struggle has entered a new phase with the traditional pro-monarchy parliamentary parties, and particularly their
student wings, coming out in streets with overt republican slogans for the past one month.
It may be recollected that the CPN (Maoist) had given a call for institutionalisation of the republic soon after the massacre of King Birendra and his entire family, under a grand conspiracy of internal and external reactionary forces in 2001. The masses of the people had then come into the streets and openly branded Gyanendra (the present 'King') and his
gangster son, Paras, as ‘the murderers’. However, because of the vacillating posture of the major parliamentary parties and support from some international forces the regicidal and fratricidal culprits managed to stabilize themselves in the throne. The genocidal ‘royal Nepal army’ (RNA) provided the major internal support base for the fake monarchy.
After two and a half years, the situation has undergone a fundamental change. Now the major parliamentary parties, particularly the Nepali Congress headed by Girija Prasad Koirala and the UML, are increasingly realizing that the dissolution of parliament in May 2002 and direct royal take-over of power of the old state in October 2002 was under a calculated plan to snatch away the limited democratic gains of 1990 people’s movement and restore an absolute monarchy. Also, the major international players in Nepal seem to have realized that the ‘new’ monarchy is extremely unpopular with the masses and cannot be sustained for long with mere external support.
The simmering anti-monarchy volcano has now erupted in the streets of Kathmandu and major cities. There have been daily processions and violent skirmishes with the royal police and armed forces. Defying the official positions of their parent parties, the students and youth wings of the major parliamentary parties have been raising slogans for the abolition of the
monarchy and institutionalisation of a republican set-up. The royal puppet government and its RNA have, therefore, made wild accusations of  “infiltration of the movement by the Maoists.” This is clearly designed to scare away the parliamentary parties from “the Maoists” and win them over to the royal fold once again, which the students and the masses have been
resisting so far.
Meanwhile, the ‘King’ has started his old game of ‘divide and rule’ by meeting the leaders of the parliamentary parties one by one and offering them some ‘carrots’. There are strong rumours that there will be another change of puppet government soon to diffuse the anti-monarchy movement.
However this time the leaders of the parliamentary parties seem to be more sceptical with the ‘King’ and not likely to be easily trapped in his conspiratorial net. There is tremendous pressure from the lower level cadres and intellectuals upon these leaders to stand firm against the treacherous monarchy.
Hence, unless a dramatic change occurs in the situation, a decisive anti-monarchy movement seems to be in the offing in the coming months.
The CPN (Maoist) has given an open call for the overthrow of the feudal autocratic monarchy and ushering in of a republican democratic set-up in the country. The Party believes that in the specific situation of Nepal even a bourgeois republic would be much more preferable for advancing democratic rights of the masses.¨

 

PLA Continues With Successful Military Blows

The heroic People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has been giving serious blows to the royal mercenary RNA contrary to the claims of the royal spin-doctors.
Successful military actions in the form of ambushes, mining, commando attacks and sabotage have been carried out almost daily in different parts of the country. Particularly the ambushes and mining have been so effective that the royal mercenaries have virtually ceased to venture into the rural base areas, except with exceptional preparations.
In the latest successful military action in the Eastern Region, more than twenty RNA mercenaries were killed and several others wounded in Ramite of  Morang district on January 16-18. The royal mercenaries were first caught in the ambush with mining and later the encounter continued for over two days in the forested area. This humiliating defeat of the RNA was completely blacked out from the old state media.
On January 18, a RNA convoy was attacked along the Dhangarhi-Dadeldhura highway in Far-Western Region, wherein five royal mercenaries were killed on the spot, seven wounded and five captured.
Earlier, on December 18 a big armored convoy of RNA mercenaries was ambushed in Shivagarhi of Kapilvastu district (Western-Central Terai), where ten armed personnel were killed and a huge damage inflicted to the enemy.
Four RNA soldiers were killed in a road mining ambush in Jyamire near Hetauda (Central Inner Terai) on December 26.
Three RNA soldiers met instant death when PLA fighters shot at them outside a government bank in Taulihawa of Kapilvastu district on December 30.
On January 2, four RNA soldiers were killed in an ambush near Manohari along the Hetauda- Narayangarh highway.
On January 3, Seven RNA mercenaries were killed in an ambush and subsequent encounter in Jalbire along Mugling- Narayangarh highway (Central region).
However, the PLA also met with an irreparable loss in the martyrdom of Com. Salim, a battalion commander, in this action.
On January 5, a big encounter took place with the RNA in Mahure forest of  Khotang district (Eastern region), in which half a dozen royal mercenaries were killed, several automatic weapons seized and a number of top ranking officials of the district captured (who were let off subsequently).
Similarly, hundreds of small and medium armed actions were carried out throughout the country killing scores of policemen and soldiers of the royal regime. The royal media, however, conveniently hides the heavy losses on its part and highlights the deaths of unarmed persons and prisoners-of-war killed by the RNA in fake ‘encounters’.

 

In recent times the royal spin doctors have been shamelessly parading some
prisoners-of-war in the state media as ‘surrendered’ persons, who are in
reality subjected to inhuman torture and made to sign in blank papers.
However, no amount of false propaganda can conceal the imminent defeat and
collapse of the royal regime, which may occur sooner than expected. ¨

Autonomous People’s Governments Formed

As per the Party’s known policy of granting autonomous rule along with rights of self-determination to the oppressed nationalities and regions, a campaign is now underway to form autonomous people’s governments in the liberated areas. After completing the process of forming elected people’s committees at village and district levels on the basis of revolutionary
united front policies, currently regional level people’s governments are being installed in different parts of the country.
On January 9, Magarat Autonomous Region People’s Government was declared amidst a huge mass meeting of over 75 thousand people in the historic Thawang village in Rolpa district. As may be recollected, this is the main base area of the revolution and is inhabited by the most oppressed Kham Magar nationality. The Autonomous People’s Government was formed under the leadership of Com. Santosh Budha Magar, in which members from various other nationalities and classes and masses are represented. Revolutionary felicitation messages from Com. Prachanda, Chairman of the CPN (Maoist) and Supreme Commander, PLA, and from Com. Baburam Bhattarai, Convener, United Revolutionary People’s Council (URPC), were read to the masses on the occasion. Com. Diwakar, In-charge, Western Command, and Com. Krishna Bahadur Mahara, Joint-Convener, URPC, among others, addressed the gathering.
Similarly, on January 19, Bheri-Karnali Autonomous Region People’s Government was formed under the leadership of Com. Khadga Bahadur B.K. and made public amidst a big mass rally in Jajarkot district. It may be noted that Karnali region is the most remote and backward area of the country. This is also one of the major storm centres of the revolution.
Soon such Autonomous People’s Governments would be formed in Seti-Mahakali
Region, Tharuwan, Tamuwan, Tamang Region, Kirat, Madhesh, etc.
Meanwhile, the URPC has recently issued a “Directory for Administration of  People’s Power, 2004,” to bring harmony to the administration of local people’s power in the base areas throughout the country. In this Directory, separate chapters are included for the administration of Autonomous Regions and Local Bodies, General Administration, Public Security, Revolutionary Land Reform, Forest Management, Industry, Commerce and Finance, People’s Cooperatives, Physical Infrastructure Development, Public Health, Public Education, People’s Culture and Social Welfare. Similarly a Public Legal Code has been formulated to administer the New Democratic people’s power. ¨

Anti- Imperialist International Gathering in Mumbai

An important international gathering of anti-imperialist forces of different shades is taking place in Mumbai (India) from January 16 to 21, 2004 under the banner of World Social Forum (WSF), Mumbai Resistance (MR) 2004 and other forums. Nearly about hundred thousands delegates from over 130 countries are estimated to have gathered to deliberate on issues ranging from imperialist globalisation, militarism, religious fanaticism, environmental question, women and children’s discrimination and national oppression to almost everything.
Despite lack of ideological and political clarity and minimum necessary homogeneity of such a diverse and massive gathering, this could provide a useful forum for networking and interactions among the anti-imperialist and revolutionary democratic forces of different countries. Particularly at a time when there is no socialist base area in the world and the whole
humanity is bullied by the naked super-power imperialism, this type of  gathering despite its many limitations should be taken in a relatively positive light by the progressive and revolutionary forces. However, one has to beware of both the bourgeois liberal or anarchist outlook and ‘left’ sectarian outlook, to discard the opportunist or reactionary aspect of such
amorphous jamboree and grasp only its progressive part.
As regards the general slogan of the WSF, namely ‘Another World is Possible,’ the proletarian revolutionary forces should definitely attempt to extend it to mean ‘Socialist World is Possible’. But in our view, specially after the bitter experiences of the ‘Socialist’ models of the 20th century, only to say ‘Social World is Possible’ won’t be enough. It will have to be further expanded to ‘Another Socialist World is Possible’. That means it is
not the same ‘Socialist’ world, but ‘Another Socialist’ world. Of course, it will require much more explanation, which may not be possible here. It is precisely in this context that our Party has raised the question of  ‘development of democracy in the 21st century’ [See, “Present Situation and Our Historical Task” in Some Important Documents of Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), 2004'].
The final outcome of the Mumbai gathering is yet to be seen. But, having been organized in South Asia for the first time, it is expected that it will deliberate on ways of resisting the ill effects of imperialist globalisation in the region and imperialist interventions against revolutionary movements, particularly in Nepal and India.¨

Article

A Brief Introduction to the Policies of the C.P.N. (Maoist)

-Prachanda
Chairman, C.P.N (Maoist)

Ideology & Ultimate Goal

It is well known that the guiding principle of the C.P.N. (Maoist), the political representative of the Nepalese proletariat, is Marxism-Leninism-Maoism (MLM), and its ultimate goal is socialism and communism. While firmly adhering to its principles and goals the Party has
been developing its policies in a flexible manner on the basis of concrete analysis of concrete conditions. The Party has been particularly stressing on creative application and development of the principles with ceaseless struggles against dogmatism and empiricism in the realm of ideology.
According to this scientific understanding, the Party has synthesized ‘Prachanda Path’ as a particular set of ideas of its own in the course of providing leadership to the anti-feudal and anti-imperialist democratic revolution of the Nepalese people. Prachanda Path has provided a new
dimension of ingenuity and creativity to the communist movement with the proposed new idea of ‘Development of Democracy in the 21st Century’. The C.P.N. (Maoist) may not be cognigible to those who fail to understand this ingenuity and creativity of the ideas and view it from the old perspective.

Political Strategy

On the basis of study of history of the Nepalese society and its economic, political and cultural specificities the Party has concluded that feudal production relations and imperialist exploitation and interventions are the main obstacles to the progress of Nepal. The Party is firm in its conviction that the development process of the productive forces would take a forward course and the progress of the Nepalese society would be ensured only when
it is freed from the feudal production relations. Hence, the basic political strategy of the Party is to free the Nepalese society from feudalism and imperialism through the bourgeois democratic revolution. The military strategy of People’s War (PW) is objectively based on the goal of achieving this political strategy.

Political Tactics or Immediate Policy

In the light of the particularity of the total international situation and the prevailing balance of power within the country, the Party has been pursuing a very flexible political tactics. A round table conference, an interim government and election to a Constituent Assembly are the minimum political tactics proposed by the Party in this context. Only a new constitution made by a Constituent Assembly can in reality institutionalise the sovereign rights of the Nepalese people. There can be no reason for anybody to disagree with this supreme modality of democracy to let the Nepalese people determine their own destiny and future.

On the basis of this flexible tactical line the Party entered into negotiations with the old regime twice. However, both the times it was proved that the old regime was not in favour of a political solution but was in the path of conspiracy and regression. Rejection of the supreme
democratic method of Constituent Assembly to make a new constitution by the old regime merely proves that it does not rely on the people but on armaments, army and terror.

The past 53 years of political developments in Nepal have proved time and again that the feudal monarchy is the principal impediment to the democratic rights of the people. The eight years of PW, the infamous Narayanhiti palace massacre and the regressive step of October 4, 2002, have inflated the hatred and wrath of the Nepalese people against the King and the monarchy to its peak. Scared of the reality that republican consciousness has now become
the consciousness of the general masses, the fake monarchy erected after the palace massacre has consistently opposed the proposal for a Constituent Assembly. Now it is making a vain attempt to perpetuate the rule of genocide and terror on Nepal and the Nepalese people by appeasing and kowtowing mainly American imperialism.

As a conspiracy to hoodwink the international community and to perpetuate its feudal military dictatorship, the old regime has labelled the great & historic democratic movement of the Nepalese people as “terrorism”. The Party has been cautioning the international community against the false and conspiratorial propaganda of the old feudal regime of Nepal that has
degenerated into a pawn of American imperialism to maintain its hegemony in South Asia.

In this context, the Party once again reasserts its commitment to the following minimum policies and programmes:

- The Party still maintains the proposal of round table conference, an interim government and election to a Constituent Assembly to make a new constitution as its immediate minimum political proposal for a forward-looking political solution to the present crises in the country.

- The Party wants to institutionalise a republican form of state through the Constituent Assembly and believes that in a free and fair election the mandate of the Nepalese people would be in favour of a republic.

- In the given context of the existence of two ideologies, two armies and two states in the country, the Party is agreeable to demobilization of both the armies and carrying out of elections to the Constituent Assembly under the supervision of United Nations Organization and international human rights organizations.

- The content of the new constitution would be:

(a) Political

Full sovereignty to the people; secular state; elected house of representatives as the highest representative body of the people; reorganization of a unified national army; provision of national and regional autonomy along with rights of self-determination; provision of
constitutional changes or refinement according to the wishes of the people; guarantee of multi-party competition, periodic elections, adult franchise, rule of law and fundamental rights including freedom of speech and press; provision of special rights for women and dalits (i.e. oppressed caste); etc.

(b) Economic

Revolutionary land reforms for judicious redistribution of land on the principle of ‘land to the tiller’; self-reliant and national industrial policy; promotion and development of national capital; formulation of an integrated national policy for proper utilization of natural resources; etc.

(c) Social

Development of a mechanism for strict punishment to the corrupt, smugglers and profiteers; development of employment-oriented national and scientific education system; universal health service; provision of state care for the destitutes, the elderly and the children; end to all forms of exploitation, discrimination and dishonour to women and dalits; guarantee of minimum wages and worker’s participation in industrial management; guarantee of
intellectual & academic freedom and professional rights; promotion of democratic and scientific culture in place of feudal and imperialist reactionary culture; plan of integrated national infrastructure development; guarantee of full employment to all; fulfillment of demands of class and mass organizations; etc.

(d) Foreign Policy


- Independent foreign policy of maintaining friendly relations with all on the basis of Panchasheel (i.e. five principles of peaceful coexistence) and non-alignment.

- Abrogation of all unequal treaties from the past and conclusion of new treaties and agreements on a new basis.

- Promotion of good neighbourly relations with neighbouring India and China with mutual cooperation in the fields of utilization of natural resources, trade and transit, etc. for mutual benefit, keeping in view the particularity of economic, political, cultural, historical and geographical relations with them.

It is obvious that these immediate policies reflect the most flexible and democratic methods for peaceful and forward-looking political solution to the ongoing civil war in the country. However, the old feudal regime that has lost all support and confidence of the people is unleashing a naked military terror on the people relying on the military assistance of
imperialism. In this context the Party highly values the solidarity of all the democratic forces inside and outside the country against the autocratic monarchy and in favour of the republican movement of the people. Hence the Party appeals to all concerned to lend their voices in favour of the democratic movement of the Nepalese people.¨

January 12, 2004


Just Published

1. Some Important Documents of Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), 2004
2. Problems and Prospects of Revolution in Nepal (A Collection of Articles
by Com. Prachanda and other Leaders of the CPN (Maoist), 2004