Bangladeshi Maoists open critical discussion with Nepali Maoists

[Developments and struggles between revolutionary and revisionist political lines in Nepal, among many who have identified themselves as Maoists (in one sense or another), continue to spark polemics among revolutionaries in South Asia as well as throughout the world.  In this Open Letter from Maoists in Bangladesh, recent moves and statements by the new (and newly restored) Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) are questioned and challenged for their clarity and direction.  In the course of this Letter, critical (still-unexamined and unresolved) issues for the worldwide Maoist movement are raised.  —  Frontlines ed.]

CPMLM-BD: An Open Letter to the Sincere Comrades of Nepal

(14 August 2013)

Comrades and friends,

Red Salute!

We are sending this letter at a time when the sun of revolution in Nepal has already gone down long before. The people’s war that was earth shaking event in contemporary world that even after liberating eighty percent areas of the country has collapsed because of the betrayal line of the leaders, and as a consequence, all the achievements were lost. Now there is no People’s War, no Liberated Areas and no People’s Liberation Army. There is no hope remaining except the people. Besides, there are many sincere revolution seeking leaders and cadres who generally exist in every country as a result of revolutionary process.

The former Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist)-being a member of Revolutionary Internationalist Movement rose against Maoism, abandoned the Path of Revolution, disarmed people and dismantled Base Areas. RIM committee hided those betrayal, advocated a secret Two Lines struggle, upheld coexistence with opportunism and adopted an incorrect method of restricting Line Struggle, and thus RIM committee resigned leading role of RIM. By presenting ideology as ’ Maoism or Mao thought’, led by Prachanda-Baburam the revisionists transformed Communist party of Nepal (Maoist) to Unified communist party of Nepal (Maoist). It was final rejection of Maoism. Prachanda-Baburam revisionists showed that present world and domestic situation is not favorable for revolution, so, compromise should be made. They said of so called bourgeoisie democracy instead of New Democracy. Through the so called peace talk, they made People’s Liberation Army surrender to reactionary army, and by surrendering achieved land and power to the exploiters, became imperialist- expansionists’ lackey the fascist Bureaucratic Bourgeoisie. On the other side, Revolutionary Communist Party, USA also made leap to their own revisionism. Both CPN (Maoist) and RCP USA, seeing only the outer appearance of globalized named imperialist world, and not by seeing its contradictory and moribund essence, presented it as unipolar and showed that war or revolution is not inevitable. They declared Marxism as insufficient. Both of them abandoned the concept of Proletarian Dictatorship that is a basic tenet of Marxism. Even RCP branded the confidence on Marxist Philosophy as Political Truth and hoisted the flag of non-Political Truth.

With the start of the New Year 2013, Communist party of Nepal (Maoist) has again been formed. They had invited us to their founding conference, which is their party’s 7th congress. For that we express our gratitude to them. It is to mention that a significant number of sincere Maoist leaders and cadres have united in this party, many of whom have working experience in International Communist Movement. Some days ago, a party representative of our party had a discussion with two high rank leadership of CPN (Maoist). They are hopeful that CPN (Maoist) will lead the revolution and they emphasized on building a new Communist International and rebuilding organization like Coordination Committee of Maoist Parties and Organizations. All know that internationally we made various joint statement with MLMist Communist Parties of Peru, Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, France, Spain, Belgium, Arab and Afghanistan where we struggled the successive opportunism existing in International Communist Movement such as opportunism within the leadership of RIM Committee, Avakianism, Prachandism and Centrism, and at the same time, we put forward the importance of an advance Thought for building a new Communist International. In this context, we want to raise some points to the sincere comrades within Communist party of Nepal (Maoist) and also we want to attract attention of the sincere comrades outside that party to the same points.

Nepal: CPN (Maoist) to add paramilitary force to post-PW “revolt” plan?

CPN-Maoist leaders seek paramilitary force formation

KATHMANDU, JULY 02  2013

CPN-Maoist leaders gathered for the ongoing Central Committee (CC) meeting in Pokhara have stressed the need for forming a paramilitary force comprising the former People’s Liberation Army fighters, youths, workers and students.

Commenting on the party leadership’s proposal to start a fresh people’s revolt, around 110 leaders have suggested the party leadership that the revolt cannot be accomplished without such a force.

The leaders on Monday emphasised launching an urban-centric ‘people’s revolt’. The speakers, who constitute both the Politburo and the CC members, suggested the party leadership that ‘classical revolution’ used during the Maoist insurgency could not work now. “Most of the speakers asked the party to focus on a new form of revolution terming the classical Russian model and the Chinese model as outdated,” said a CC member who attended the meeting.

Nepal: Badiya faction-led alliance announces growing challenge to ‘fascist govt’

Thursday, 12 April 2012

Revolutionaries in Nepal protest against liquidation and surrender of PLA
Revolutionaries in Nepal protesting against UCPM-M Party Headquarters’ decision to liquidate and surrender of the People’s Liberation Army

Baidhya faction spills PLA handover anger on streetsKathmandu Post, KATHMANDU, APR 11 – Miffed by the Special Committee decision to hand over the PLA cantonments, weapons and combatants to the Nepal Army, Maoist hardliners led by senior Vice Chairman Mohan Baidhya on Wednesday took to the streets all across the country against party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai. The faction burnt effigies of Dahal and Bhattarai as well as took out a torch rally and staged an one-hour long chhakajam. Accusing Dahal and PM Baburam Bhattarai of betraying ‘revolution’, the hardline faction has launched protests against its own government. Hundreds of cadres close to the radical faction staged chakkajam for an hour at 10 am, bringing vehicular movement in various parts of country to a standstill. Similarly, they organised a torch rally and burnt effigies of Dahal and Bhattarai throughout the country. However, police broke up a torch rally at Ranta Park rally in the Capital, which was led by party General Secretary Ram Bahadur Thapa. Security personnel from the Metropolitan Police Range Hanumandhoka used force to disrupt the rally after protesters attempted to burn effigies. “Police baton-charged during our rally in an attempt to foil our protest,” said a Maoist Central Committee member close to Baidya Maheshwor Dahal. However, police said minimum force was used as the protesters who tried to violate the rules and regulations. The faction has been saying that bringing the PLA combatants and cantonments under the Army without concluding the process of integrating Maoist combatants was a surrender by the party. It has also threatened not to participate in the process of bringing the PLA fighters, cantonments and arms under the NA control. Posted on: 2012-04-12

On the Debate about the Revolution in Nepal

The strategic shift of the UCPNM, led by Prachanda, has become the focus of discussion and debate among revolutionaries internationally

By Reed

The developments in Nepal have become highly influential, and hotly debated, in the international communist movement—embraced and promoted by some, disturbing and denounced by others.  As sharply contending lines have emerged from the Maoist tradition, the question must be asked:  How do the lines differ?  And what will develop from the different perspectives and lines?  Where will the revolutionary breakthroughs occur, and where will they go astray?  These questions have drawn increasing numbers into new study and consideration of Maoism, which has become a more prominent political force than it has been in decades.

The most thorough critique of the UCPNM’s course was expressed in July, 2009 by an Open Letter by the Communist Party of India (Maoist), which can be viewed at http://www.bannedthought.net/India/CPI-Maoist-Docs/Nepal/OpenLetterToCPNM-090720.pdf. To date, none of the supporters of the UCPNM’s post-2006 line and practice have addressed and answered this important Open Letter.

Additionally, the MLM Revolutionary Study Group in the US, which  has studied major currents and debates in the international communist movement, recently issued “Which Way Forward for the UCPN(Maoist) and the Nepali People’s Revolutionary Struggle?”  It opens with:  “The central question facing the Unified Communist Party of Nepal(Maoist) (UCPNM) is whether it can develop the political line, strategy and tactics to conquer state power and wield it in the service of the vast majority of the people of Nepal and the  world.

YCL Activists in Sindhuli to Receive Military Training

YCL in training

Kantipur, November 4, 2009

Maoists begin fresh military training in Sindhuli

Sindhuli: With the launching of its nationwide protest earlier this week, the UCPN (Maoist) has recruited youths and began to impart military training to them in Sindhuli district.  More than 100 youths have been acquiring military training at Madhutar in the district headquarters for the last one week.

“My dream of becoming a Maoist combatant materialised as the party recently announced recruitment,” said 16-year-old Ritu Lama of Kamalamai Municipality-3. She has been receiving training along with her friends as a raw recruit.  ”I am undergoing training now so that I can fight against foes on behalf of the party,” said Lama, pointing a wound at her leg she sustained during the training.

The Maoist source said that it had been providing training to the party activists of its youth wing, Young Communist League (YCL), who were selected from 13 areas of the district.

According to Ramesh Baraili, an assistant trainer, the new recruits are now given physical fitness training. “We will train with warfare strategies soon after they complete the physical fitness training,” he said. Baraili claimed the party would train its activists in all the 75 districts and it was initiated from Sindhuli.

Kapil Shrestha was appointed as the main trainer. He said that he had trained the recruits with basic skills that one needs during war.

Shakti Danuwar, another recruit from Arunthakur, said that one had to wage war against the foreign interference even with batons and khukuris. “We have studied how to use gun in our course. But we have not yet used it practically,” he said.

The party source said that the trainees would be deployed in the VDCs as trainers once they completed the training course.

Maoist assistant district in-charge Rajan Dahal said that the party provided training to the YCL activists to control prevailing anarchies in the society. “The trainees should be ready for volunteer service and sacrifice if need be,” he said.