Maoist rebels infiltrate Indian cabinet meetings

Bruce Loudon, South Asia correspondent

MAOIST guerillas have infiltrated the highest level of the Indian Government, gaining access to documents from top-level cabinet meetings in a major security breach. The guerillas, who are waging an armed insurrection across 16 of India's 28 states, obtained minutes of a meeting presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that discussed tactics to deal with the insurgents. According to the magazine Outlook, the documents outline the success of the Maoists, known as Naxalites, in penetrating the Government. Those at the meeting, the magazine said, included the chief ministers of all states affected by the Maoist insurgency, along with senior intelligence and security officials. With intelligence and security officials expressing alarm at "a serious security lapse", the disclosures are galling for Dr Singh.

The Prime Minister has expressed concern about the challenge posed by the Maoist insurrection, describing it as the "biggest threat to the country's internal security". The Naxalites, well-armed and disciplined, operate in a swathe of states along a so-called "Red Corridor", from the border with Nepal stretching through to Andhra Pradesh. They take their name from the village in West Bengal where they began their uprising against "capitalist classes" more than 30 years ago. The rebels have between 5000 and 10,000 armed men and women to launch attacks against rural police and administrative centres, as well as trains and factories. They have also been involved in high-profile assassinations, including the recent gunning down of an MP and an attack on a police station, which killed more than 50 officers. There is evidence that their influence is spreading to the cities and that they have joined forces with unions.

The magazine quotes a senior intelligence officer as saying: "It's clear the Maoists have access to secret information and plans ... no wonder there hasn't been much success in our operations against them." Apart from the minutes of the meeting held at Dr Singh's official residence a year ago, the minutes of a second meeting in the heart of the Home Ministry in New Delhi's North Block government offices -- which involved members of the Joint Operations Command of the security forces in a discussion about strategy and the deployment of forces -- were also obtained by the Maoists, Outlook said. The first the Government knew of the security breach was when Indian army forces stumbled on an eight-page annual report of the Maoist Communist Centre.
"An explosive part of its contents relates to the outfit's precise and detailed knowledge about what was discussed in the two closed-door and high-profile meetings," the magazine said.

Source: The Australian Defence News, April 30, 2007

Drifting aimlessly: Loktantra in doldrums

SHASHI P.B.B. MALLA & CHANDRA BAHADUR PARBATE

With celebrations marking the first anniversary of Jan Andolan II (or as some might say the end of King Gyanendra’s rule), at the beginning of this week authorities had urged residents to illuminate their homes for three days. In his message to the Nepalese people on the occasion of the first "Democracy Day", PM Koirala made the tall claim that the achievements made exactly one year back had reached record heights, "democratic practice" had been established and could "never be usurped". However, the confusion about the date of CA elections, the violent campaign for autonomy in the Terai, doubts over the sincerity of the ‘former’ Maoist rebels and a weak government result in Nepal remaining at a crossroads with many challenges ahead.
Under the present 8-party government, the country is not moving forward as expected by the people, and promised by those in power. It is day by day showing its weaknesses in all sectors. The Maoist minister for Information and Communications, Krishna Bahadur Mahara has already accused the non-Maoist led ministries of non-cooperation, and even of disruption of their regular work by the political appointees.

US ambassador, James F. Moriarty, said in Biratnagar, South-Eastern Nepal that the peace process would not be successful as long as violence and terror prevail in the country. The government has failed abjectly in making a breakthrough in the Terai/Madhesi imbroglio. Bandhs and violent clashes are the order of the day. Baluwatar (the PM’s official residence) is making no headway at all in the various crises facing the country.
In an exemplary report, the UN office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Nepal has now held the state apparatus, the Maoists and the Madhesi People’s Rights Forum (MPRF) all responsible for the blood-bath sometime back in Gaur. In a most damaging manner, the report highlighted the weaknesses of the law enforcement agencies (the Chief District Officer, Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force) which were "grossly ill-prepared" in spite of being aware of the grave possible developments. In any other normal country, this would be reason enough for the home minister to resign. However, all the accused parties have shielded themselves behind a wall of silence.

Of course the Maoists have not stopped their intimidation, threats and acts of vandalism. The Maoists and their Young Communist League (YCL) have become a law unto themselves. Their continued extortion of businesses is counter-productive to any efforts of regaining the confidence of investors, domestic and abroad. Recently, it has been reported that they have seized assets belonging to the King to "utilize them for the benefit of the people".
The situation is even worse for law-abiding citizens. They cannot hope for justice from interior minister and Maoist sympathizer Sitaula. The Maoist strategy of weakening the state structure (previously from outside, now from within) continues unabated. The victims of the Maoists’ 11-year People’s War have not received any succor. Thousands are waiting still for the return of their looted land, property, jewellery and cash. In the meantime the interim (now probably permanent) government and the constituent political parties leave no stone unturned to honour the "martyrs" of last year’s April agitation, while the families of the 14,000 dead in the Maoists’ killing terraces remain totally forgotten. With the grievances of so many not being addressed, civic sense is rapidly dwindling away.

The so-called interim parliament is dysfunctional. Its proceedings are a travesty of democratic and parliamentary norms. There is no respect for democratic behaviour. Only last week, a Madhesi MP, Hirdayesh Tripathi and the Maoist MPs disrupted the orderly working of the legislature by raising slogans and forcefully preventing parliamentary business. At this rate, concerned citizens should be asking themselves about the necessity of such a body. It is being used by disgruntled groups and parties to vent their views in an aggressive manner, similar to people burning tyres on the streets for every little personal and group grievances.
All of these antics show that the presence of a parliament is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for democracy. Where the parliament should be promoting due democratic process, it promotes anarchy. If it fails to set an example for behaviour along democratic rules and due process of law, how can the people be expected to refrain from anarchy?, dwindling away.

The people at the top are only interested in holding on to power. Also last week, much was made of the fact that for the first time, PM Girija Prasad Koirala "made history" by receiving the credentials of new Chinese ambassador, Zheng Xiangling in the State Hall of Singha Durbar and not the King as head of state in Narayanhiti Durbar. Unfortunately, like everything that Koirala does (or the men and women behind him) there is no respect for the rule of law.
He has "abolished" the role of the monarchy through the back door, without the people’s mandate and without waiting for the results of a referendum or the decision of the Constituent Assembly (CA). His foreign policy lies in tatters, and his administration has not yet been able to appoint envoys to the still vacant embassies. Not surprisingly, our image has sunk to a new low in the international arena. All in all, Koirala is a consummate wheeler-dealer. Perhaps this is skill required in politics, but this makes him neither a statesman nor a Nepalese patriot.

At the same time, the Maoists and the other Communist parties that represent the second political force majeure are now attempting to forge an alliance. Maoist supreme Prachanda has demanded that they are in favour of only one Communist party in Nepal. Rhoderick Chalmers of the International Crisis Group opined that the Maoists’ strength was not in their weapons, but in the militarization of the political process. He continued that it was crucial to encourage the Maoists to stop using fear as a political strategy. Given that the Maoists certainly have not locked away all the weapons for UN monitoring that they have been required to lock away, the fact that these weapons are still used to intimidate people and the fact that these ‘unaccounted for’ weapons are an ace up Comrade Prachanda’s sleeve invalidates the first part of this statement in the view of the authors. That the political process has been militarized by the Maoists is a sad truth and can be seen at most sittings of the parliament. Unfortunately, the means that could have enticed the Maoists to renounce violence and fear as their main political driver have all been wasted.
For the sake of argument, even if we were to accept the violent agitation of last April with massive Maoist inputs as a so-called people’s movement (and serious and independent observers very much doubt this theory), then why are the eight governing parties keeping quiet about their inability to hold the CA-elections on time ? Were the monarchists and reactionaries so powerful, all things considered? After all, this was supposed to be a major aspect of the people’s aspirations and a principal demand of the much vaunted Jan Andolan II.

Although the country is in the throes of a major political crisis, the cancellation is now being conveniently swept under the carpet. Interior minister, Krishna Prasad Sitaula the main architect of the alliance with the Maoists has already gone on record to state that the declaration of a democratic republic by the unelected parliament is already on the anvils. Previously, it was said that this would be the case if the King "conspired" to "thwart" the CA-polls. Perhaps Pradip Giri, a leader of the Nepali Congress (Democratic) was correct when he suggested that the postponement of the CA-elections shows that these were never meant to be held at all! Such is the devious way of thinking of the ruling alliance.
Concerned and enlightened citizens must now urgently ask themselves as to how long they are willing to accept the fundamental flaws in the present political system. The time is long past where we can tolerate the grave deviations from democratic norms. It can be safely assumed that unless Nepal gets rid of "Koiralaism", and the present government/parliament is replaced by those truly committed to democratic norms and the supremacy of the people, there will be no progress in the country. A genuine people’s movement with the nation’s interests at the heart is the need of the hour.

Source: American Chronicle, April 28, 2007

NEPAL: CRACK IN THE MAOISTS’ CAMP?

Niraj Aryal

Amidst the communists’ hue and cry for the formation of broader communist alliance, there is also a some what disturbing report for the entire Communists’ paraphernalia coming from the Maoists’ camp itself that the party is on the verge of a vertical split. However, it is highly likely that this news may also be dubbed as a false one and termed as a conspiracy against the Communists in Nepal initiated by reactionaries or call them the royalists seeing the prospect of communist unity. Analysts however would always differ to such comments visualizing the past history of the communists in Nepal who more so prefer to divide rather than unite sometime in the name of preserving the National interest or at times to their presumed closeness to the monarchy in Nepal. For example who could forget the incident wherein Bam Dev Gautam-the mini-Prachanda, still thriving under the UML flag had once preferred to divide the party in the name of preserving country’s interest, however later joined the UML camp compromising National interest fearing his political evaporation.

C.P.Mainali, the CPN-ML leader, is no different than his comrade in arms residing in other set of communist faction- who preferred to remain out of the UML unlike Gautam, but is continuously facing party split for toeing allegedly the royal line. The Maoist party too, no different than the rest, could not remain aloof of this virus plaguing the entire communists in Nepal resulting into a division in their camp. The issue remained the same, Prachanda who is known for his fiery nationalist speeches, while in Jungle in the not so distant past, had rejected Dr. Baburam’s proposal to use his Delhi connection to acquire power in Sighdurbar. He instead opted for his royal connection to achieve the same target.

In an interview to a weekly newspaper Rabindra Shrestha (who was expelled from the Maoists camp for publicly criticizing Baburam and Prachanda) had claimed that the Maoist politburo meet had decided to take action against Baburam and raised the issue of meeting King Gyanendra. Later failing to achieve the target, Prachanda had to hold-back his decision to opt for Delhi connection to arrive in Kathmandu, which he did as per the suggestion of Dr. Baburam.
The Maoist party suddenly feeling the excessive pressure from India, which they had agreed to obey before the agreement with the SPA in New-Delhi, is now feeling uneasy with the growing Indian influence coming through Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, analyst claim. The issue remains the same and that is in the name of preserving the national unity crack is building up in the Maoists camp. Ram Bahadur Thapa Badal not for nothing urges from his eastern-hill sojourn that preserving national interest and establishing a republic should be a major agenda.

Source: Telegraph Nepal, May 2, 2007

MAOIST ATTACK POLICE POST IN BANKE

The Maoist Party affiliated Madhesi group known as Madhesi Mukti Morcha attacked a police post in Shriya VDC of Banke district, Tuesday. Reports say that locals in the area have been living under continues threat after a group of two hundred Maoists’ men led by Nanda Kishor Pandeya- the Maoist area incharge attacked the border area police post in Nepal.

The Maoists after setting fire to stuffs belonging to the police post detained the police post incharge Mukesh Kunwar for over fourteen hours, reports citing locals in the area claims. Later the Maoists released Mr. Kunwar and handed over three weapons looted from the post. The Maoists had looted two-hundred rounds of bullet, seven weapons, food items and other electric equipments from the police post, a local preferring anonymity revealed. Other security personnel stationed at the post fled the area fearing their lives- who were rescued by the locals, reports say. After this incident the locals have been demanding additional security to the concerned authority.

Source: Telegraph Nepal, May 2, 2007

Maoists still a terrorist organisation: US Report

The US is only the country to maintain its designation of the Maoists as a terrorist organisation at the end of 2006, a new report by the US state department says. The report made public recently states, from January to November 2006, Maoists were responsible for the deaths of 165 security personnel and 46 civilians. During the same time period, the government killed 182 suspected Maoist militants, the report states. The report quoted Nepal's National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) that murders by Maoists lessened after the ceasefire in April, but still totaled 28 from May until November. Security force killings of Maoist insurgents were also significantly lower after the ceasefire, totaling nine during the same period.

The report further says, "Despite the ceasefire, Maoist rebels continued to conduct abductions, extortion, and violence. In the Kathmandu Valley, Maoists took advantage of their dramatically increased presence and the government's reluctance to upset the peace process to expand their use of extortion and efforts to undermine trade unions and student groups affiliated with the political parties. They also continued forced recruitment of schoolchildren, with thousands targeted after the signing of the initial November 8 peace accord."The report cites two major strikes called by the Maoists as instances of the breach of the peace agreement. On September 20, and again on December 19, the Maoists declared nationwide transportation strikes. Both events were accompanied by the stoning of vehicles, and each lasted only for the declared period, demonstrating Maoist command and control.

The US has also placed the terrorist tag on the Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM). "This year also saw the beginning of a disturbing new trend with the activation of the separatist Maoist-splinter terrorist group called the Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM), which aimed to bring about the secession of the southern Terai plains from the rest of Nepal," it says.
This group was responsible for the assassination of a Member of Parliament from Rastriya Prajatantra Party in September last year. The report states that 'imperialist' US and 'expansionist' India were the targets of considerable Maoists, especially in the period leading up to the April uprising but a trip by Maoist Chairman Prachanda to New Delhi on November 18 seemed to mark the culmination of a shift in the Maoist view of Nepal's large neighbour to the south. The United States provided substantial antiterrorism assistance and training to Nepal's security forces, including courses on crisis management and critical incident management, the report said.

Source: Nepal News, May 2, 2007

Prachanda threatens to launch fresh pro-republican movement

KATHMANDU, May 1: The Maoists will revolt from parliament, government and the street if Nepal is not declared a republic, said Maoist chairman Prachanda on Tuesday. "The Maoists will explode in the parliament, government and even in its cantonments and no one would stop it," he said at a programme organised to mark the May Day. He warned that if the reactionary forces assume the liberation of the Maoist as its weaknesses, it would begin the next movement. "The Maoists are not so easy for the reactionary forces to take on and they could come openly to see how tough we are."

Repeating that the basis of the 12-point-agreement has already lost its relevance since the failure to hold the constituent assembly elections in stipulated time, he said, a new basis should be found. This could only be the announcement of the republic through the interim legislature parliament, he said. Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, leader of the Maoists, said that that the Maoists had initiated an urban rebellion and added that the final battle was yet to be waged. "The laborers will lead the final battle." The Maoists have participated in the government to work for the people, if the government halts the progress towards a forward looking path, we will not be bound by the discipline of the government, he said. Matrika Yadav, Minister for Forest and Soil Conservation, said that the Maoist ministers will not allow the meeting of the cabinet to proceed until the country was declared a republic.

Other leaders highlighted the rights of the laborers and demanded reform of the laws related to the laborers.Meanwhile, RSS reports from Bhaktapur, president of Nepal Workers and Peasants Party, Narayan Man Bijukche has said that a socialist republic was essential for the rights and well-being of the worker and labourer community.Speaking at a people's assembly organized by the Nepal Revolutionary Workers' Association on the occasion of the 118th International Labour Day here today, he emphasized on the need for a justified wage for the workers and labourers who make their ends meet by working.Central member of the Party, Prem Suwal stressed on the need of decentralization and making the local bodies autonomous for sustainable and overall development.

Source: The Kathmandu Post, May 2, 2007

International Community : Vital Role In Peace Process

Yuba Nath Lamsal

RECENTLY, the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has described Nepal's ongoing peace and democratic process as the remarkable progress. However, the chief of the world body does not appear fully satisfied with the pace with which Nepal is moving ahead for establishing sustainable peace and democratic transformation. The key questions, according to him, like monitoring the management of arms and armies and other complex issues remain to be resolved with more caution and wisdom.

Concern

The concern shown by the UN Secretary General is natural and genuine as the United Nations has been actively involved in Nepal's peace process. The United Nations Mission in Nepal has taken up the responsibility of monitoring the management of arms and armies of the People's Liberation Army and the peace process under a tripartite agreement among the Government of Nepal, CPN-Maoist and the UN.As pointed out by the UN chief, the complex issues, which include the completion of the management of arms and armies and holding the election to a constituent assembly that would write a new constitution charting out a new course of Nepal's political and democratic future, are yet to be addressed. The speed has been slow but steady. The seven party alliance and the CPN-Maoist, right after the 12 point agreements signed prior to launching the Jana Andolan II, have agreed on some common agenda and set a timetable for accomplishing the job. The comprehensive peace agreement and other accords just reinforced these commitments. Specific time table was fixed for specific works like initiating the arms management process, promulgating the interim constitution, formation of interim parliament, formation of the Maoist included interim government and finally holding the constituent assembly election. None of the works was accomplished in time. Thus, it had a chain effect and the entire peace and political process got delayed.

Although the UN has been playing an active and positive role in facilitating and helping Nepal's peace and democratic process, its bureaucratic procedure is responsible for the delay in the peace and political process. It had been agreed between the seven-party alliance and the CPN-Maoist that the promulgation of the interim constitution and formation of the interim parliament would be done only after the United Nations initiated the process of registration of arms and armies of the Maoist People's Liberation Army. Due to the bureaucratic procedures of the United Nations, the registration of arms and armies did not start immediately after the tripartite agreement. The process began couple of months after the tripartite agreement on arms management was signed. This ultimately caused delay in the constituent assembly election. Had the United Nations begun its work immediately, all other processes would have been done in accordance with the plan and constituent assembly election would have been held in June this year as it had been agreed among the major political actors of the country. The peace and political process is would be complete and the mandate of the Jana Andolan II fulfilled only after the constituent assembly election. Now the election cannot be held in June as the Election Commission has demanded at least 110 days for making proper preparation for the polls. Moreover, all the issues concerning the elections must be decided in due consultation with the Election Commission, which is the sole agency to conduct the polls. Elections cannot be held in a short period. Thus, sufficient time is needed to hold the constituent assembly election in a peaceful manner which can fully reflect the genuine will of the people.

International community is, thus, watching the developments in Nepal very closely and with keen interest. The international community has always want Nepal to be a genuine democratic, peaceful and prosperous nation. There has been active and meaningful support from our foreign friends in the struggle of Nepalese people for democracy, human rights and peace, for which people of Nepal and political parties are grateful to the international community. Even after the success of the April Uprising, which is popularly known as Jana Andolan II, the international community has pledged meaningful support and cooperation for the institutionalization of the achievements of the popular movement, establishment of durable and sustainable peace and reconstruction and rehabilitation. The United Nations is the forefront. The main task of United Nations at present is the arms management. The first phase?registration of the arms and fighters of People's Liberation Army?has been complete. Under the first phase of the arms management, Maoist weapons have been kept in UN supervised containers and Maoist fighters in seven different cantonments. The second phase, which includes verification of the registered arms, would soon begin. Although there had been delay in the beginning of the process, now the process has been moving smoothly.

Now the priority should be given for holding the constituent assembly election as early as possible. Since all political parties are committed to hold the constituent assembly election, they should not deviate from their earlier promises. Constituent Assembly election is the common national agenda at present. Political parties must stop blame game against one another and arrive at a common ground to complete the political process and accomplish the mandate of the Jana Andolan II. The first priority is to act in accordance with the promises they made and agreement reached earlier. The international community, which has been supportive to Nepal's peace and democratic process, must also cooperate in holding the constituent assembly election in time. The foreign friends should by no means try to obstruct the ongoing political process in Nepal. The CPN-Maoist has joined the peaceful political process ending ten years of armed insurgency. It is a historic achievement for Nepal's democratic development, stability and peace. The efforts to block the ongoing peace process would only provoke the former insurgents and push them back to jungle, which would not be at the interest of the nation and the people of Nepal.

Crucial Juncture

Nepal at present is in crucial juncture of its history. It is slowly reviving back to normalcy. Even a slight mistake on the part of the political parties would again put the peace and democratic process in jeopardy as some regressive elements that were defeated by the April Uprising are trying to sabotage the political and democratic process. This situation demands greater unity of the democratic forces in Nepal. The role of the international community in Nepal's peace and democratic process has been crucial and stronger and more meaningful international support is needed to expedite this process so that Nepal would march ahead on the path of sustainable peace, democracy and prosperity.

Source: The Rising Nepal, May 2, 2007

An Important Step

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has named the Vice-chancellors of various universities - an important breakthrough in filling the long persisting gap that was shackling the performance of the higher seats of learning. The appointment of the officials to the universities has ended a row in the academic sector, and the political haggling that was behind it has come to a close, too. It needs no reiterating that the political parties tried their best to maintain their upper hand and decisive say in these appointments, which is said to be the cause behind the delays in taking the decision. In the same vein, it can be said that the absence of consensus and a common position of the key political parties was central in causing procrastination to the whole process. When some attempts were made to take a decision on key appointments in the past, vehement opposition was raised by the Maoists, in particular, that stopped the parties from taking the process forward.

Since the Maoists had not joined the government then, objection raised from their part demanding postponement of the appointments can be justified. But following the paricipation of the Maoists in the government ,the delays in naming appropriate persons to the top positions of the universities on whatever pretext should not be vindicated. The new appointees to the universities, whose names were announced Monday, should assume the mantle with a sense of responsibility and dedication. The universities are host to a range of problems that include the interference of partisan politics in dictating the affairs of the higher seat of learning. The student unions are radicalised, and admission tests have turned a mockery because of the interferences coming from the student unions to take in more students than the institutions can accommodate. Similarly, teachers are also alleged to not doing their bit to safeguard the sanctity of the institution of learning. After long negotiations, the key posts in the universities have been filled. There are other responsible higher level positions for which decision need to be taken soon. Strong academic dynamics need to be created in the ailing universities to breathe new life in the moribund educational sector.

Source: The Rising Nepal, May 2, 2007