Maoist Declaration of Federal States rattles nerves in Nepal

international | rights, freedoms and repression | news report

Tuesday December 15, 2009 05:44

by Rose Kelleher

rose_kelleher at hotmail dot com

The Government in Nepal is set for stormy weather in the coming days as the Maoists declare autonomous states despite protest from the leading party. As the country tries to hammer out a constitution and introduce some long-awaited stability, ordinary citizens are worried about rising tension and continuing strikes.

Nepalis are looking on nervously as the country's main opposition party, the UCPN-M (Unified Communist Party of Nepal- Maoist) is raising tension with the leading party by declaring 6 new autonomous states in the country today.

As tension rises in the landlocked country, citizens are worried that the continuing infighting will lead to more public strikes, or bandhs, in a country that saw 254 days of strikes in 2008 alone.

The UCPN-M declared on November 25 their intention to fulfill a campaign promise of giving autonomous rule to 13 different regions of Nepal, based on ethnic communities. They are due to complete the inauguration of the states by December 18. Prime Minister Madhav Kumar has urged the UCPN-M to withdraw all decisions to form federal states or risk political confrontation.

People are also worried about a return to the type of violence that that caused more than 13,000 deaths in 10 years, before a peace deal was signed by the multi-party government and Maoists rebels in November 2006.

There is a heavy police presence on the streets of the capital Katmandu today, police dressed in riot gear wait on street corners to quell any sign of unrest as the government fight among themselves to preserve a tenuous peace in light of the move from the communists.

The feeling among ordinary Nepalis ranges from worry about potential violence and a weariness of continuing strikes that cripple public services and affect their ability to work and feed their families. Both sentiments illustrate the feeling of detachment the public feel from the workings of government in Nepal, one of the worlds poorest countries.

“They are just fighting for power; they don't care about the ordinary people; I don't pay attention anymore” says Rajendra Subede, a trekking guide in the capital who, like many others depends on tourism for his livelihood. When asked the consequences of breaking one of the many strikes that plague the country he laughs “My car would be set on fire. If I could afford one”

save preference

Comments (3 of 3)

Reports on Nepal

by pat c

Sun Dec 20, 2009 14:17

Members of WPRM (Britain and Ireland) were in Nepal for six weeks from August 2009 to talk with leaders and masses to try to better understand the contradictions in Nepalese society and how the UCPN(M) is providing leadership in making revolution. Below are links to the reports and interviews conducted in Nepal by the members of WPRM who visited Nepal.

[1] Nepal: Interview with Comrade Binod
http://www.wprmbritain.org/?p=713

[2] Maoist Cultural Group: A Vital Link in the Party’s Mass Line
http://www.wprmbritain.org/?p=723

[3] Nepal: Interview with Comrade Jayapuri
http://www.wprmbritain.org/?p=728

[4] Maoist Practice in the Heartland of the Revolution
http://www.wprmbritain.org/?p=761

[5] Nepal: Interview with Comrade Sonam
http://www.wprmbritain.org/?p=767

[6] Educating Revolutionary Successors: A Maoist Model School in Jiri
http://www.wprmbritain.org/?p=772

[7] Comrade Rashmi: Mobilising Youth for New Democratic Revolution
http://www.wprmbritain.org/?p=781

[8] Nepal: Interview with PLA Division Commander, Comrade Jeevan
http://www.wprmbritain.org/?p=821

[9] The PLA: Magic Weapon of the Nepali People
http://www.wprmbritain.org/?p=825

[10] Nepal: Comrade Gaurav speaks on Democracy and Cultural Revolution
http://www.wprmbritain.org/?p=878

[11] Nepal: Interview with Comrade Basanta
http://www.wprmbritain.org/?p=914

[12] Nepal: Interview with Comrade Baburam Bhattarai
http://www.wprmbritain.org/?p=926

[13] Final Report: Nepal Visit 2009 Members, WPRM Britain & Ireland
http://www.wprmbritain.org/?p=960

maoism anarchism

by G

Tue Dec 22, 2009 12:34

An interesting and perhaps challenging argument for anarchists and maoists alike can be found at the Attack the System site

"In many ways I see aspects of Mao Tse Tung’s philosophy as being not only compatible with anarchism, but also offering new insights that are largely absent from contemporary anti-authoritarian discourse. Non-anarchist and even anti-anarchist works can be of tremendous value for anarchists; if we had to rely on the analyses of anarchists alone, anarchist theory would be in an unfortunate situation. We should be open-minded and critical about this instead of throwing out the baby with the bath-water, and steer clear of immediate judgements and entrenched ideas. Some of the most important developments in anarchist theory and practice have occurred entirely outside of the anarchist movement, which remains largely unaware of them. "
http://attackthesystem.com/what-maoism-has-to-offer-ana...hism/

Of course what links the two outlooks is a profound antipathy to Trotskyism .

Nepal's Ambassador to US calls for Suharto- or Pinochet-Style Military Coup as "Solution" to Maoism

Wed Dec 23, 2009 11:53

The Spectre of a coup is haunting Nepal. This Ambassador is unlikely to be speaking just his own opinion.

There is little or nothing to take a bet on how the events are going
to unfold over the coming months and years, but the present cat-and-
mouse maneuverings by political parties and Maoists are likely to move
the conflict to center-stage for a showdown. If this comes to pass,
army will have a greater chance of claiming victory, provided that the
conflict involves mostly the leadership on the top. Another big
uncertainty is if Nepal has the good fortune of some strongmen rising
to the occasion—the likes of Korea’s Park Chung-He, Chile’s Pinochet,
Indonesia’s Suharto—to take up the challenge of suppressing dissent
and mobilizing the machinery of the State to focus on only one
mission:

Building a strong and prosperous nation.

Upcoming Events

New Events

Other Press

User Preferences

Feeds

Blog Feeds

Anti-Empire

Human Rights in Ireland

Lockdown Skeptics

Voltaire Network

Maoist Declaration of Federal States rattles nerves in Nepal

Comments (3 of 3)