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The struggle intensifies

Red Star Reporter

The political conflict in Nepal is sharpening. The conflict between two different types of forces, one wants to go forward from the present transitional phase, and the other wants to stop things where they are at present. This conflict has emerged just before the process of drafting a new constitution.

Three years ago, the CPN (Maoist) and seven other political parties had reached an agreement to restructure the country through the Constituent Assembly (CA). Later, when the King surrendered and the seven parties came to power, the CPN (Maoist) agreed to a ceasefire and to hold negotiations. As the CPN (Maoist) is a Revolutionary Communist Party, its goals are clear; forward to a People’s Republic to Socialism and ultimately Communism. But the CPN (Maoist) had agreed to struggle peacefully and try to achieve its political goals according to the people. They had clearly stated that a Federal Democratic Republic will be a transitional phase and will proceed forward by peaceful means. A large majority of the Nepali people approved of the Maoist agendas and the CPN-(Maoist) wants to establish a more people’s oriented republic, a republic orientated towards the people.

The CPN (Maoist) have clearly stated that the party wants to write a constitution that is more accountable to the people. At the same time, Maoist leaders clarified that the Republic will not be a like previous and traditional Communist led states. The  Maoist has agreed to multi-party competition. The Maoist wants to establish a Republic and parties can compete within the constitutional framework. The Nepali Congress and some other forces do not want to move a single inch from the failed British Westminster model. This model of ‘democracy’ had been exercised in Nepal for more than 15 years but has failed.

The Nepali Congress leaders are alleging that the Maoist want to establish a ‘totalitarian’ system. This is a common allegation of the bourgeois and the so-called ‘democrats’. In Nepal, the NC and some other parties do not even want to hear People’s Republic and Socialism. If the NC have the right to believe in ‘democracy’, then why do the NC leaders think that the CPN (Maoist) or any other forces do not have a right to follow a different ideology? The CPN (Maoist) has never said that the NC cannot believe in democracy. This single fact proves that the NC is really a totalitarian party that wants to stop others following any other ideology. They can argue about the means to achieve the goals but they can’t demand others to abandon their ideology and goals.

The capitalist economic system is facing a grave crisis worldwide at present. The crisis had raised questions about the capitalist system and ‘multi-party democracy.’ The economy of the US, the role model of capitalism, is on the brink of collapse. Slowly, large sections of the world population are beginning to see socialism as an alternative once again. The countries where socialist system were exercised are not affected so badly. Likewise, countries which are following some sort of socialist methods are also not gripped by the crisis. The Guardian daily (UK) reports that many Germans are attracted to Marx’s writings amidst the financial crisis in Germany too. Marx’s books have been sold a record high. The whole world is debating about the capitalist system, but the bourgeois in Nepal seem unable to learn anything. They don’t want the lesson-the capitalist system generates crisis periodically-but they demand the Communists abandon their ideology.

The NC leaders also oppose the agreement that has already been made about army integration. The essence of the 12-point understanding, as well as other political agreements made after that such as the Comprehensive Peace Accord and the Interim Constitution, is an agreement to restructure the state. The restructure of the security sector is fundamental to restructuring the  state, and this demands the integration of the two different armies. But the NC and some other parties are demanding that the People’s Liberation Army that fought for the Republic be dissolved, while the Nepal Army that fought for the King and against the republic be strengthened. For the political change, the NA should be dissolved and the PLA be made the official military force. However, the Maoist didn’t demand this, instead they agreed to integrate both and develop a national army. The NC and other parties who are opposing army integration want to drag the country back to conflict.

 Other News

Maoist holding national cadre meeting

The largest party in the Constituent Assembly (CA), the CPN-Maoist is going to hold a national level party cadre meeting from November 9-11, 2008. About 1500 cadres up to state-level committee will be taking part in the meeting. The central committee meeting held in the first week of October has taken this decision.   

The meeting is not only the continuation of the regular gatherings of cadre from around the country; the meeting is far more important than that. It is preparation for a great debate on building a revolutionary party for the next party congress at the beginning of next year. After the meeting, the party will hold local level party meetings leading up to the national congress to ensure it will be well managed.

 Along with the debate on institutionalizing the federal democratic republic of Nepal, the debate will be about revolution, reformism, the parliament and the status quo. Because the CPN-Maoist is a revolutionary party as well as the leading party in the government and the largest party in the CA, the debate will naturally centre on the line and decisions of the CPN-Maoist.

All the major parties in Nepal have quite antagonistic contradictions. The leadership have to be consistent and represent the interests of their class. All the parties are discussing the fundamentals and the development of their tactical line. Most of the major parties are going to hold big party meetings soon.

The CPN-Maoist is planning to make a party unity with other revolutionary communist parties thus opening the forum for ideological and political debate. Eventually, the debate will create a new polarization according to class interests. The CPN-Maoist hopes to bring all revolutionaries under its flag.

 Radical programs soon : PM Prachanda

PM Prachanda  has reiterated his commitment to declare programs to make people feel the change in the near future.

“Even with political changes, little has changed in the daily lives of the people, we need to create an environment where every one can feel the change. The government will soon declare some radical programs” the PM said while addressing a two-day national symposium on public private partnership (PPP), 2008 in Kathmandu. Stressing the need of ending the feudal economic relations to start economic development, he said, “If we let the old system remain, we can not develop the country.”

PM Prachanda said that public private partnership is the suitable model for economic development but he clarified that it will go forward on the basis of ‘our own needs and values.’ He further added “we want to create a new model for economic development.” The CPN-Maoist has been advocating the PPP model of the economic development for some time.

While the discussion is going on in Constituent Assembly on the budget presented by the government for 2008/009, the government is hurrying to start economic development. PM Prachanda has time and again stressed that he will do whatever is needed. Addressing the symposium, he said that the government wants to centralize PPP for mega projects. He also assured that the government is thinking of removing the legal hurdles      to create a climate for investment.

 Nepali Congress cry in vain

Nepali Congress (NC) is now out of the government. The NC talks about its commitment to the role of a constructive opposition. However, at the same time it is talking about revolt.

However, for a rebellion, the NC hasn’t announced its demands, slogans, policies and programs. Every NC leader has ‘rebellion’ on the tip of their tongue. The reality is that it is not in the government now. The NC in the government was used to commissions, smuggling, bribes and corruption as common practice. However, outside of the government they miss out on these things and are expressing their bitterness. In essence, they are even against the state structure of the federal democratic republic. Therefore, they are cunningly diverting the form of their hostility in a colorful way. That is, they are trying to show themselves as more ‘democratic’ and trying to paint the CPN-Maoist as ‘undemocratic’. They are the same fascist leaders who tried to suppress the People’s War by military means. They made anti-terrorist laws and massacred the common people in remote villages of the country.

Now they have forgotten about how they were kicked out of power by the then feudal king and had to compromise with the Maoist. The Nepali Congress, the anti-people party, will be chased away from the villages and towns of the nation if they dare to deceive the Nepalese people in the name of revolt. This is why, one of the Maoist members of Constituent Assembly, Jhakku Subedi, told NC leaders to rebel if people supported them. The fact is that the NC has neither the mandate to govern nor it has right to rebel against the federal democratic republic.

 Pm to bring something new

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that he is going to bring something new before the Tihar Festival. He said this when he visited Far Western Nepal.

Before the Tihar festival, relief will be provided to the victims of the conflict and the families of martyrs. He said that the political nomination in the key posts of the state would be over before the Festival.

He further added that there is no necessary for a tail after the name of the Communist Party i.e. Communist Party of Nepal; with the tail of Marxist-Leninist-Maoist. He said that the CPN-Maoist is the mother party of the other Communist Parties in the country.  He called all the intellectuals and the people to be united in favour of nationality and republic. He said that the corrupted bureaucrats will be driven out and he further added: “If the government under the leadership of Maoist fails; the nation will be failure”.

Discussing his visit to foreign countries, he said that the people of those countries have also felt the change that has occurred in Nepal.

Prime Minister Prachanda said, “There is no dispute within our party, rather there is a new debate on the creation of party”. He said that only after writing a new federal republican constitution would there be welfare for the labouring people.

To make the constitution on time, he has requested the Nepali Congress to be involved in the national government. He claimed that there would be miracle in this period. 

 YCL captured two with pistol

In the meantime, as the NC is talking about rebellion, the YCL has captured two persons in Katmandu Valley in the day time. YCL has handed the two persons over the police in Lalitpur district. One of them is the resident of Katmandu and the other is from Orissa, India.

It is a big challenge to the peace process. The CPN-Maoist is being disarmed and others are arming themselves. Some analysts say that a brutal repression over Maoists is being set up in the near future.

From the feedback of news papers and FM stations, people are saying to the major parties and the government that the peace process should not be changed into a play.   

 UNMIN clears the role

Chief of the United Mission to Nepal (UNMIN) Ian Martin has clarified that the integration of army will be according to the measurement set up by the special committee of the Integration of Army. Martin clarified about the integration of Army in an interaction program held in 16th October in Katmandu

In the program, Martin said that the task of UNMIN in Nepal is to help the government. He added that UNMIN is ready to help according to the request of the Nepalese government.

Martin said that a new model according to the specialties of Nepal is necessary for the integration of army although there are many types of models applied before.

Martin said that the role of the UNMIN is not to assist to any particular party in Nepal. He replied to a complaint of the Nepali Congress and said that UNMIN was requested to come to help in the peace process of Nepal. 

Youth Force entering into barbarism

Youth Force, the sister organization of CPN-UML, is committing serious crimes including murder. They are targeting CPN-Maoist cadres and leaders, the supporters of its sister organizations, mainly the Young Communist League (YCL). They have murdered Krishna Bdr. Bhandari, a Maoist cadre, in the day time by chasing and throwing stones at him in the Dhading district. The number of Youth Force cadres was about two hundred. They threw the dead body into a vast flowing river Trisuli.

The most notable thing is that the UML and NC strengthened their youth wings as they forwarded a demand to dissolve the Maoist YCL. On the one hand, they demanded the dissolution of the YCL as their bottom line for the peace process and the Constituent Assembly; and on the other hand, they have recruited many young people for the Youth Force.

This is the reality of the double standard that is being directed by the American and Indian ruling class. These imperialist foreign powers are trying to use a ‘red flag’ against red flag. The sincere leftists and revolutionaries, along with the progressives, should be aware about the strategy of the foreign intervention in the name of reducing size of Maoist in Nepal.