Pili attack and after

Why did Maoist attack on Pili?

Maoist attacked on Pili, an army base camp on 7 Aug 2005. A short analysis of the incident might be interesting.

Wrong analysis that Maoist has become weak and therefore unable to attack big army barracks.
They will not attack on army which is constructing highway.
Diversion of attention that they will attack on Kolti.
Mistake on part of army to take position with ill preparation but with large number of weapons.
Poorly defended position.
Maoist wanted to consolidate repeated loss in the past.
They wanted to white wash that there is any internal conflict between the Maoist leaders.
They also wanted to show the outside world that they still have power to attack and thus possess bargaining power.

What now?

There are two options for army-either let Maoist and the political parties hold peace talks or take sterner offensive actions. The probability of opting for second course of action is high.
The Pili attack is significant in the view that the military wing has strong hold than the political wing inside Maoist. The statement of Prabhakar (Commander of Military Wing) rather than of Dev Gurung (In charge of Political Wing) indicates this reality.
Now the military commanders of East, Ananta, and Central region, Pasang, will try to attack in their respective regions to compete with the Western region commander Prabhakar. Therefore there are chances of attacks in both regions in near future.
The political parties have two options-either gets Maoist into their politics or boycotts Maoist call.
The government may be in a position to buy arms in the name of Maoist insurgency.

Destiny catastrophe

I had the opportunity to attend a musical evening on 13 Aug 2005. The Indian Embassy had organized this program on the occasion of 59th Independence Day of India. Pundit Mukesh Sharma and Anupriya were the two guest artists. Mukesh played Sarod while Anupriya played Violine. In the second half of the evening, four Nepali artists also joined them with Sitar, Tabla, Bansuri and Sarangi. All of them played quite harmoniously. It looked like they were practicing together for many years. Then suddenly the reflection of the present political, socio-economic situation of our country came to my mind. I wonder why not we can just work in unison for the peace and prosperity of the country like these artists. I am very sorry to admit the fact that all of us have failed in our duties. The political forces, the security forces, the actors of criminal justice administration, the bureaucrats, the economists, the educationists, the medias, the civil society, and the rebels- all have failed miserably. Unfortunately we are still heading for terrible catastrophe.

Considering the current situation in Nepal no one should say, “Politics is not my business and I am least interested in it.” If good people do not join in politics then it would mean we agree to be tortured, bullied, swayed away, governed, and doomed by the egocentric acts of bad politicians. We should not forget that all of us are traveling in the same boat. We can not live in isolation; we are the part of the fateful jaunt. We should punish any one trying to burrow the hole in the boat and get it quickly refurbished. We can not hang around to see others drowning because we might be the first one to go down. When the boat is capsized into the abyss, it will be too late to apprehension. The immediate need is to pull ourselves out of the storm. For that, coalition, not collision, is the need of the hour.

People's system

There is an adage in Nepali society-Sandey ko judaima bachhako michain- meaning the young calf suffers most while bulls fight. People appear to have lost loyalty, confidence and interest in the political forces-political parties, king and Maoist-of Nepal. These forces are bent upon to thwart each other consequently pushing people into more and more risks and misfortunes. A poor man is not interested in any of these political systems—monarchy, constitutional monarchy, multiparty democracy, republic, socialist republic, communist. His needs at the village are peace and freedom. Having experienced the exhilarating zeal and hopes out of promises, and nervousness out of threats, people are seeking out for an alternative system— alternative system sans these political forces. Is there any such blueprint to fit people’s wish? A people's system.

Armed Conflict and Trafficking

The discriminations in thoughts and deeds towards women and girl children in our society are breeding ground to several crimes and violence against them. The armed conflict has worsened the life of women and children. It dominates the situation by terrorism, deaths, and destructions. There is all-round insensitivity to the psychological trauma of a victim, of parents and guardians. Acute state of social insecurity and erosion of law is giving birth to gun totting culture and impunity.

The human dignity, human values, and social norms are in the shadows of war and everything is governed by the rule of war and hammer and anvil like tools in such time. As the natures of family violence, sexual violence, and trafficking are clandestine, unnoticeable, and most under reported in our society, these crimes have increased during the past few years. Today, on 1 July 2005, several real and heart touching case studies ranging from abductions, rapes to murders by Maoist, Army, and police were shared in a half day seminar organized by National Networking Against Girls Trafficking (NNAGT). The key speakers were Durga Ghimire, President of NNAGT, Ms. Laxmi Pokharel from ABC Nepal, Ms. Irada Gautam of AAWAJ, Ms. Sarita Aryal of Sukhi Sansar, Ms Kanta Rijal of SACPEW, Ms. Pinki Singh Rana of SAMANATA/SAATHI, Dr. Madhavi Singh of Rahat, Mr. Tirtha Khanal of Ministry of Women, Children, and Social Welfare, and myself.

But how can we prevent, and control these crimes, and how can we prosecute criminals when there is no access of police and any state agency in the villages? is a pertinent question. One spontaneous answer, probably the best one, is—we stop war and do politics for Peace and Prosperity. Peace will reinstate rule of law in the country.

Otherwise we could adopt three major strategies for the solutions. Firstly, we re-engineer--review the existing infrastructure of institutions and remodel new or revise infrastructures and amend laws and policies accordingly. Secondly, we educate and empower all potential victims through community approach. We sensitize police, army, and even Maoists to pay respect to humanity, human dignity, human rights, and humanitarian laws. Thirdly, we need to seek a great deal of cooperation and coordination of civic society and community at large to enforce laws and bring criminals to the court.

Total Recorded Crime in Nepal Police

Total Recorded Crime in Nepal Police--Crime Recorded in BS (AD)

2027/28(mid July 1970/mid July 71) = 3243

2028/29(mid July 1971/mid July 72) = 3873

2029/30(mid July 1972/mid July 73) = 3830

2030/31(mid July 1973/mid July 74) = 4010

2031/32(mid July 1974/mid July 75) = 3429

2032/33(mid July 1975/mid July 76) = 2974

2033/34(mid July 1976/mid July 77) = 2719

2034/35(mid July 1977/mid July 78) = 2885

2035/36(mid July 1978/mid July 79) = 5084

2036/37(mid July 1979/mid July 80) = 5008

2037/38(mid July 1980/mid July 81) = 4645

2038/39(mid July 1981/mid July 82) = 4430

2039/40(mid July 1982/mid July 83) = 5032

2040/41(mid July 1983/mid July 84) = 4308

2041/42(mid July 1984/mid July 85) = 4103

2042/43(mid July 1985/mid July 86) = 3942

2043/44(mid July 1986/mid July 87) = 4042

2044/45(mid July 1987/mid July 88) = 4698

2045/46(mid July 1988/mid July 89) = 4963

2046/47(mid July 1989/mid July 90) = 4893

2047/48(mid July 1990/mid July 91) = 6130

2048/49(mid July 1991/mid July 92) = 7297

2049/50(mid July 1992/mid July 93) = 7854

2050/51(mid July 1993/mid July 94) = 8751

2051/52(mid July 1994/mid July 95) = 9100

2052/53(mid July 1995/mid July 96) = 9432

2053/54(mid July 1996/mid July 97) = 9326

2054/55(mid July 1997/mid July 98) = 10324

2055/56(mid July 1998/mid July 99) = 10504

2056/57(mid July 1999/mid July 00) = 10584

2057/58(mid July 2000/mid July 01) = 9897

2058/59(mid July 2001/mid July 02) = 9033

2059/60(mid July 2002/mid July 03) = 9507

2060/61(mid July 2003/mid July 04) = 8622

Maoism and Maoists of Nepal

Dear Jyotiji,

I do not posses knowledge on Communism and People’s Revolutionary War because ‘the only person who really understands communism is the communist who understands it too late’. Since I have not studied Mao-Tse-tung and Vo Nguyen Giap, my answers to your questions cannot be therefore conclusive. The communism received its impetus only in twenties in Southeast Asia from China. Mao’s Communist revolution is world famous, which was greatly influenced by Sun Tzu’s Art of War written sometime in 500 BC. But why does it still appeal to Maoists of Nepal?

The best source to find the answer would be to look into the Communist Party of Nepal’s (Maoist) manifesto. The Nepalese Communist Party was established in 1949 only. That party was established at a ‘time when the great Chinese revolution had been won and socialism was developing in the USSR.’ The adoption of Chinese style revolution, although today the Chinese diplomat denies of any relationship with Maoist except with the name of Mao, is based upon the principle of Mao’s successful revolution in China. Maoists consider ‘the victory of Chinese revolution as a big factor in the establishment of Communist Party in Nepal.’ Prachanda further justifies the need of ‘this war to break the shackles of thousands of years of slavery and to establish a New Democratic state’ which in understanding is ‘the path of people’s liberation and a great and bright future.’ The Maoist documents further reveal the goals of people’s war ‘to overthrow the bureaucrat-capitalist class and state system, which are dependent on and serve imperialism; uproot semi-feudalism; and drive out imperialism.’

The doctrines of insurgency are important factors in the sense that these are determinant in the successful sustainability of the insurgency. There are generally two doctrines--offensive and defensive. Maoists of Nepal are adopting the doctrine of offensive action or the emphasis on armed action rather than on the doctrine of mobilization of masses. Castro, Che Guevara, and Sendero Luminoso in Cuba and Peru also chose this course. In Nepal, the most notable development in the last one decade is--the populations at large condemn Maoists’ terrorism. The situation is slipping out of their hands. This is going to be fatal for Maoists, ultimately culminating into total stop of terrorism in the country.

The state designs and operates Counterinsurgency Operation to neutralize the insurgency. Many abortive insurgencies are defeated by military and police actions alone. But, if an insurgency has tapped into serious grievances and has mobilized a significant portion of the population, the task becomes more difficult. It becomes more cumbersome when there is political instability. The best and surest way of controlling the insurgency is to win the people’s heart and mind. Winning heart and mind would require taking serious actions to reform. Reforms are inevitable in order to avoid grievances, to isolate Maoists from mass population. Use of security forces are only one such alternatives. The State response must be multifaceted and coordinated. This the security forces cannot do alone. All political forces need to consolidate and stand fast against terrorism. The insurgency problem would not prolong if there is consensus among Nepali people and political forces.

Dr. Govind Prasad Thapa, 18 June 2005

Passenger bus ambushed and bombed

The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) has again undraped its real face by electronically ambushing a commuters’ bus and bombing more than hundred passengers. Thirty nine people, including several children, died; more than seventy severely injured. This incident took place in Bandrekhola-Madi of Chitwan district on 6 June 2005. It shows their real face behind the coat of a political party. It is a most inhuman and barbarous act of terrorism in which innocent people were targeted. Maoists have committed such crimes many times before. The folly is that they have been claiming to fight for the cause of people. The party has shed crocodile tears for the gross mistake.