Maoists’ Movement And Irresponsible Government

Siddhi B. Ranjitkar

Nepal has remained entirely shutdown since the UCPN-Maoist cadres and leaders celebrated the May Day on May 01, 2010, and thereafter imposed the shutdown of the country in the name of the movement for ‘peace and constitution’ alleging the current government of NC and CPN-UML has been conspiring not to complete the peace process and not to write a new constitution. The Madhav government has not been able to do anything to break the shutdown, and has not been able to protect the lives and the properties of the people. The central committee meeting of the UCPN-Maoist called off the shutdown program on May 07, 2010.

Nepalis not concerned with politics and not having to do anything with the politics have already passed the first week of May without going out of their homes. People not keeping and not being able to keep sufficient provisions for more than a week have already felt the shortage of food. However, they could go and buy some food items at the double prices at the markets opened for two hours in the evening. The most unfortunates have been the daily-wage earners and people that have lived on dumplings called ‘momo’ and other Nepalese fast food.

Even after a week, the Madhav government has been just a mute spectator. Not taking any actions against the Maoist cadres that have enforced the shutdown, and not maintaining law and order, Prime Minister Madhav Nepal has shown that he is not accountable to the people and he is not going to resolve the problems of the common folks. In this case, he has no rights to remain as a Prime Minister and collect the salary from the taxpayer’s money. If he does then it is a criminal act.

The UCPN-Maoist leaders have been alleging the NC and the CPN-UML leaders that the leaders of the so-called parliamentary parties such as NC and CPN-UML have forced the ceremonial president to abuse the Interim Constitution of Nepal of 2007. They say that the then elected Prime Minister Prachanda resigned following the democratic principles and values protesting against the undemocratic move of the president on directly writing a letter to the then army chief that has been fired by the Prime Minister for indiscipline and for making political comments. The UCPN-Maoist leaders have been saying that thereafter, they have tried several democratic means to correct the president’s undemocratic action including the taking of the issue to the legislature for debate but the speaker belonging to the CPN-UML abusing the authority did not allow the debate over the issue at the legislature. In addition, the UCPN-Maoist leaders have alleged the NC and CPN-UML leaders that they have been conspiring together not to write a new constitution and not to complete the peace process; so, the Maoist leaders say that they have no alternative to going to the people for the movement for ‘peace and constitution’.

In preparation to the movement for ‘peace and constitution’, the UCPN-Maoist has held a massive May Day rally marching hundreds of thousands of cadres on the streets and taking them to Tundikhel in Kathmandu for a rally. They have said that similar marches and rallies have been held at the towns across the country. From the May 02 onward the UCPN-Maoist cadres have been ruling the streets enforcing the shutdown across the country.

To counter the call of the shutdown of the entire country by the UCPN-Maoist leaders, the Madhav government has alerted the army and even has said that the government would use the army to control the situation if the marches and rallies of the UCPN-Maoist cadres turn to violence.

On the first day of the movement for ‘peace and constitution’, one of the leaders of the CPN-UML Bamdev Gautam has emailed the Chairman of CPN-UML Jhalanath Khanal with the names of sixty CPN-UML legislators demanding the end of the Madhav government for paving the way to resolving the political deadlock in view of the political situation brought by Madhav Nepal clinging to the power and by the shutdown of the country enforced by the UCPN-Maoist.

Speaking to the anchor of the Nepalese ABC TV, Bamdev Gautam has said that some members of the ‘youth force’ affiliated to the CPN-UML have threatened him to take his life several times for emailing Jhalanath and stating to ask the Prime Minister to step down. Some human rights activists have shown their concern for the ‘youth force’ members attempting to abuse the rights of people to the freedom of expression.

On the first day of the movement for ‘peace and constitution’, the UCPN-Maoist cadres have marched on the streets of Kathmandu and then assembled at various open places for corner meetings.  Before corner meetings they have danced and sang. Thus, the UCPN-Maoist leaders have managed the first day of shutdown peacefully.

Spokesman for the UCPN-Maoist has alleged that the government has attempted to turn the peaceful marches and rallies into violent letting the army men infiltrating into the participants in the marches and rallies. He has said that the UCPN-Maoist cadres have captured two army men sneaked into the protesting group for spying, and made them public through the media and turned them over to the Nepal Police on the first day of the movement on May 02, 2010. The spokesman has said that thus, the UCPN-Maoist cadres have foiled the government’s attempt to infiltrate the army men in civilian dress into the peaceful rallies even on the first day of the movement.

In response to the capture of the army men by the UCPN-Maoist cadres, in strong words the Nepal Army has denied sending the army men in civil dresses to infiltrate into the rallies and has said that the two army men were in their private business and one was going to the Maharajgunj State Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu for treatment, and another was simply drinking cold drink at Sundhara in Kathmandu. Some Maoist cadres have asked why the army man is on his way to the Teaching Hospital when the army has its own hospital at Chhaunu in Kathmandu for the treatment of the army men.

Some leaders of the UCPN-Maoist, NC and CPN-UML have sat together for talks at the Radisson Hotel in Kathmandu on the evening of May 02 trying to reach common understanding. At the same time, the Maoist cadres have held torchlight marches in the towns of the Kathmandu Valley.

From the early morning of May 03, 2010, the Maoist cadres have been on the streets to enforce the shutdown in Kathmandu and in all major towns across the country. They have continued their protest marches and have assembled at the main centers in Kathmandu. They have danced and sang. Some leaders have made speeches, and committed to run their movement peacefully. The second day of the movement has passed without any undesirable events.

However, the Maoist leaders have alleged that the Madhav government has continued to provoke the Maoist cadres. They have said that at the time when the Maoist cadres are preparing to go to their destinations after completing the Gongabu rally, a motorcycle has appeared, the Maoist cadres have stopped it and some infiltrators possibly in cooperation with the police have created a situation leading to the police firing tear gas and blank shots in air. Then, the Maoist leader managing the rally has brought the situation under control without causing any tension.

Addressing the rally held at Sundhara in Kathmandu on May 03, 2010, one of the Vice-chairmen of UCPN-Maoist Dr. Baburam Bhattarai has boasted that the members of the International Community have been amazed by the peaceful protest held by the Maoist cadres. He has also said that the NC and CPN-UML leaders’ intention of not writing a new constitution and of not completing the peace process has forced the UCPN-Maoist to launch the peaceful movement for ‘peace and constitution’. Dr. Bhattarai has also said that the Maoist cadres will stay, will eat and even sleep on the streets as long as necessary to achieve their political goal; the people’s power is great and the people will never lose the battle.

The state-run Radio Nepal has reported that on May 04: the third day of the movement for ‘peace and constitution’, the local people have defied the Maoists’ market shutdown at Satungal and Naikap in Kathmandu but the Maoist cadres have alleged that the NC and CPN-UML cadres have attempted to counter the peaceful rallies of the Maoist cadres there in the name of local people rising against the shutdown. Next day, the Maoist cadres have held a peaceful rally at Satungal and Maoist leaders including Narayan Kaji Shrestha Prakash have addressed the rally.

On the evening of the third day of the movement, the Maoist cadres have formed a human chain around the 27 km long ring road in Kathmandu apparently to demonstrate their numbers and strength. Maoist Chairman Prachanda and his three deputies such as Mohan Vaidya Kiran, Dr. Baburam Bhattarai and Narayan Kaji Shrestha Prakash riding on two pickup trucks have inspected the human chain.

The state-run media have reported that the Maoist cadres are returning home en mass, and the Home Ministry is thinking to help them in going home. The Maoist leaders have denied that their cadres have gone home rather local people have started joining the movement for ‘peace and constitution’.

The TV reporters have shown the live scenes of the supporters of the Nevah State on the streets in Lalitpur coming in support of the Maoists’ movement for ‘peace and constitution’ and to assemble at Pulchok for a corner meeting. Speaking to the TV reporter, leaders of the Nevah State have said that they would be on the streets until the movement for ‘peace and constitution’ would be complete.

At night, riding on a motorcycle, two armed policemen have killed a Maoist cadre and injured two more at Kalanki in Kathmandu apparently in an accident. The Maoists have alleged that the government has attempted to provoke the Maoist cadres sending the armed policemen on a motorcycle to kill the Maoist cadres but they have captured the policemen charging them with a murder and turned them over to the police.

On May 05, 2010, the fourth day of the movement for ‘peace and constitution’, the Maoist cadres have planed to block the roads that ministers will take for going to work at the State secretariat called Singhadurbar in Kathmandu but most of the ministers have sneaked into their workplaces before dawn. Ministers have been riding the police van for going to work.

In Bhaktapur on May 05, 2010, the Maoist cadres have come head-on collision with the ‘youth force’ cadres at Tuchimala. The Maoist cadres have charged the ‘youth force’ cadres with firing three shots attempting to provoke the peaceful rally. They have picked up the magazine and one bullet allegedly dropped by the ‘youth force’ cadres. They have complained to the local administration with the magazine and the bullet. The ‘youth force’ cadres have denied firing shots. The ‘youth force’ cadres have been in Bhaktapur to counter the Maoist cadres shutting down the market there.

Similarly, the Maoist cadres have alleged that the Madhav government has used vigilantes to attack the peacefully marching and rallying people at Jorpati and Budhanilkantha.

May 06 is the fifth day of the movement for ‘peace and constitution’. Today, the incidents of fighting between the Maoist cadres and other groups have broken out briefly in some places. The serious one has been in Birgunj where the Hindu group has burned down the vehicle the Maoists have been using but the fight has come under control. Speaking to the TV anchor, the Maoist legislator injured in the incident has alleged that the police in the guise of the Hindu group have provoked the Maoist cadres.

Indian Ambassador to Nepal Rakesh Sood has met with Chairman of UCPN-Maoist Prachanda at the residence of Prachanda on May 06 in the morning, and has made an offer of mediation but it Is not known whether Chairman Prachanda has accepted it or not.

US Ambassador Scott H DeLisi has met with Deputy Chairman of UCPN-Maoist Dr. Baburam Bhattarai on May 06, and has shown keen interest in helping the Nepalese leaders in breaking the current political deadlock.

On May 06, 2010, the central committee of the UCPN-Maoist has decided to fight back the attackers, and permit the vehicles carrying vegetables to the different parts of the country. Farmers have been asking the UCPN-Maoist for permitting them to take their perishable products to the market since the launching of the movement for ‘peace and constitution’. The central committee of the UCPN-Maoist has also decided to permit the opening of the market for four hours from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM for making people in general able to buy and sell the items of their daily necessities.

On May 07, 2010, fighting between the Maoist cadres and the peace marchers has broken out at Ratna Park in Kathmandu and at Pulchok in Lalitpur. Federation of Nepal Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has held a peace rally at Basantpur in Kathmandu to put pressure on the political leaders for working on the consensus politics. However, many people have marched to Basantpur in the name of a peace march and shouted slogans that don’t suit to the peace marchers to shout. So, President of FNCCI Kush Kumar Joshi has said in the online notice that some undesirable elements have infiltrated into the peace rally, and his organization has no program on peace marches.

Speaking to the Sagarmatha TV reporter, one of the Maoist cadres has alleged that the government has given Rs 50 million to the corrupt businessmen, professional organizations and NGOs for holding a peace rally to counter the peaceful movement of the Maoists for ‘peace and constitution’. He has alleged that the corrupt businessmen, industrialists, professional and artists paid by the government have held the so-called peace marches and a peace rally on Friday, May 07, 2010 to counter the Maoists’ protest movement.

On the night of May 07, 2010, the central committee meeting of the UCPN-Maoist has decided to call off the indefinite shutdown in view of the government creating a situation of the infighting among the people and in view of the sufferings of the people caused by the shutdown; however, the Chairman of the UCPN-Maoist has said that other forms of protest programs will continue.

On May 08, 2010, the UCPN-Maoist cadres have marched from different parts of Kathmandu and converged at Tundikhel for a mass rally. Speaking to the mass rally, Chairman of the UCPN-Maoist Prachanda has said that his party has called off the shutdown program and will wait for two days for the government’s reactions to it. He also has charged the government with sponsoring the thugs for participating in the peace marches and for shouting ‘hang Prachanda’ and ‘declare Maoists as terrorists’. He has questioned ‘is it a peace march, and can they bring peace hanging someone?’ Chairman of UCPN-Maoist Prachanda has said that people have removed the king from the Narayanhiti palace, now they have to remove the minor kings reigning in Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur and the corrupt businessmen, industrialists, and professionals thriving on the corrupt administration.

Listening to the leaders of the UCPN-Maoist and the leaders of the political parties in power, we can conclude that they are not for reconciliation not to mention the consensus politics. The current government and the twenty-two political parties have clearly shown the characters of the past corrupt governments that did not want to reconcile with the opposition but opted for annihilation. If the current trend of the Maoists going against the current government and the government not budging from its stand on remaining in power on a majority rather than the consensus vote, the confrontation will continue and will take a serious political fight that will certainly finish off the corrupt regime, as Nepalis have been always against the corrupt politicians, businessmen and industrialists in the past.

May 14, 2010