The Maoists are the ones who have taken the lead on the question of a constituent assembly. None of the big parties were for it for the longest time.
Why It Is Important To Me The Congress Takes Up A Federal Republic
Time For The Nepali Congress To Take A Stand On The Constituent Assembly Question
The Maoists have accepted multi-party democracy as a matter of principle.
They have brought the Dalit, Janajati issues to the forefront. (Janajati Angst)
A big chunk of their soldiers are women. I wish that were instead the case for a non-violent, political outfit. But it is still impressive.
Matrika Yadav has spoken more forcefully for citizenship papers for the six million Madhesis who have been deprived the same than anyone else. He is a Maoist. (June 17 Madhesi Gathering In New York City)
More than 75% of the deaths in the decade long civil war have been at behest of the Royal Nepal Army.
Human rights abuses have been perpetrated by both sides, but most of them have been perpetrated by the state army.
Not only on the democracy question, but also on the market question, the Maoists have come out for a mixed economy. They are not wanting to nationalize everything. A command economy is not what they have in mind.
And Prachanda is right about the army having been an unnecessary burden upon the people, financially and otherwise. It has primarily been used to sustain the staus quo by the autocratic power elites.
An army that is 90,000 strong is too big. 20,000 would be enough, Prachanda said. I would agree. I would go one step further to what Kul Chandra Gautam, in some ways the most accomplished Nepali on the planet, just said, that Nepal should think in terms of not having an army at all. Why waste money?
If we can disband the two armies, if the Maoists are for both multi-party democracy and a mixed, market economy, and if Prachanda were to win elections and become president, the country will simply have to prepare to accept that result. I am not sure that is where we are headed. As to who will become Nepal's first president is anyone's guess at this point in time. It might as well be some Congressi. It might be some UML person. We don't know. But it might as well be Prachanda.
It was wrong of the army to have come out with its press statement. The army is not an autonomous institution. If KP Oli is so concerned, he should have said it first, as Deputy Prime Minister and acting Defense Minister.
Oli is right in alleging the Maoist army of human rights abuses. But the Nepal Army has to take the bigger chunk of the blame.
And that is why the country needs a Truth And Reconciliation Commission. It is amazing how silent the eight party leaders have been on this vital question. We don't want the peace process to go down the drain of finger pointing.
Land Reform, Truth And Reconciliation
I have not heard of any of the seven party leaders speak in terms of seeing what Nepal's April Revolution means to the world.
Not So Fast, Indian Communists
Prachanda has also come out saying he is willing to integrate the two armies before the constituent assembly elections. That is a new stand, different from what was in the 12 point agreement. He is exhibiting flexibility. We have to respond likewise.
If the UML feels the need to compete with the Maoists, it should hope to do so at the ballot box. Hurry up the peace process and go face the people.
A New Scenario For The Maoists
Prachanda, on his part, has to realize non-violent politics is a whole different ball game. He will be holding mass meetings, press conferences. He will be giving out interviews. His cadres will not be obeying his orders, more like following his leadership. His political opponents will engage in posturing here and now. Not every unfriendly word he might hear is an alarm bell. The adjustment he has been attempting can not possibly be easy, but overall I think he has been doing a good job of it.
The Nepali people want peace and democracy. And he has to continue doing his best to give both to them.
In The News
No participation of Maoists in govt before arms management: Home Minister NepalNews preparations were underway to formally request the United Nations for its involvement in arms management ...... UN has expressed readiness to supervise the armies of the state and the Maoists and manage the arms ...... UN assistant secretary general and deputy executive director of the UNICEF, Kul Chandra Gautam, said it would take few months for the UN to make internal preparations before engaging in Nepal’s peace process.
DPM Oli defends NA statement; criticizes Maoists Prachanda had alleged the NA of doing nothing in its history other than killing Nepali people...... Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) KP Sharma Oli .... remark of Maoist chairman Prachanda about the NA was not balanced and unsystematic...... Oli also added that Maoists are not only involved in development activities but also involved in raping women.
Maoists in favour of revolutionary land reform but not against liberal economy the Maoists would not go for blanket nationalisation of big industries ..... hey have no problem with liberal economic policies while the main focus will be on revolutionary land reform and promotion of small industries........ We are not saying we don’t want multinational companies or to prevent them from investing here. ...... the revolutionary land reform would be focussed on Terai where most of the cultivable land is owned by Shahs and Ranas. He said the land would go to the tillers but the landlords will be allowed to keep up to 10 bighas of land for their upkeep, as “they are also Nepali citizens”........ “The national capital is squeezed because of the monopoly of foreign capital.”
8-point agreement improved form of 12-point agreement: Prachanda “India and the United States are trying to break the agreements.” ...... He also added that the people's liberation army and Nepalese Army could be united before elections to the constituent assembly after forming an interim government following the adoption of an interim constitution........ On budget management, he said, “We are accused of extorting cash. If we have to discontinue collecting donation, a budget should be allocated for us also.” ...... Dr. Babu Ram Bhattrai said that there were no inner conflicts in the party anymore.
Reconstruction, economic agendas should be top priority: Gautam “A characteristic of Nepal and South Asia in general – in contrast to Southeast Asia – is that we are so obsessed with politics, that the economic agenda is left as an afterthought,” Gautam said ....... neither the 12-point understanding nor the 25-point code of conduct, nor the 8-point statement, offer any specifics on improving the people’s livelihood ...... very soon the “exhilaration of political revolution will wear off and people will be looking for the fruits of peace and democracy in terms of improved livelihood and basic services”...... First, the insecurity caused by remnants of armed groups, proliferation of small arms and poorly managed disarmament, demobilization and reintegration process which leads to resurgence of conflict and criminality even after successful peace settlement and, second, insecurity caused by human deprivation and lack of basic services.......... the efforts of the international community in resolving Nepal’s conflict, which is entirely homegrown unlike in many other conflict-hit countries, has largely been ineffective. ....... at the height of the people’s movement the international community, including the Kathmandu-based diplomatic missions seriously misjudged the popular mood and people’s movement ....... (1) massive expansion of basic social services (2) disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (3) local development activities, through bloc grants (4) targeted programs for disparity reduction (5) upgrading of physical infrastructure, and (6) creating a conducive environment for investment by the private sector, NRNs and FDI (foreign direct investment)....... The number of armed forces, according to him, could be downsized and the Nepali Army (NA) and the Maoist People’s Liberation Army (PLA) could also be demobilised for development activities and the military expenses that is saved could be channeled to the development sector......... “First, It would seem objectionable to have an ideologically indoctrinated contingent loyal to one political party becoming part of a national army. Second, at a time when we are trying to downsize the army, expanding it by adding contingents seems illogical.” .........
Villagers Take On India's Maoists BBC Maoist fighters, who now operate in almost half of the country's 28 states.
New uncertainty in Nepal Khaleej Times, United Arab Emirates giving way to confusion and doubts: doubts as to whether the politicians are going to fail the nation again. Such feelings are strengthened by the differences that have surfaced between the political alliance and the Maoists ..... Indications are that the system of monarchy will be abolished, and Nepal will be turned into a republic run by the people .....
The fuzzy logic of Maoist transformation in Nepal
