NEPAL: Maoists trying “Damage Control” after their failed State-Wide Strike: Update No. 225

NEPAL: Maoists trying “Damage Control” after their failed State-Wide Strike: Update No. 225

By Dr. S. Chandrasekharan

After witnessing a massive peaceful protest of the people against the state wide agitation of the Maoists which brought not only life to a stand still but also caused immense privation to the common people in the valley and elsewhere, the Maoists are now in a damage control mode.

In an interaction with representatives from all walks of life of the people in the valley on 12^th of May, Prachanda not only owned up the mistake of having started a state wide strike but has also promised to behave and go easy on many of the contentious issues that are hampering the completion of the peace process. The meeting addressed by Prachanda had intellectuals, industrialists, members of the civil society as also representatives of the business community.

In the meeting Prachanda said as follows.

* They would dismantle the barracks of the Youth Communist league in 4 to 5 days. ( This is what other parties have been demanding as a precondition - that the Maoists should dismantle the ‘para military structure’ of the YCL)

* The Party ( UCPN-M) is ready to break the relation of the party with its cantonments. ( This should have been done soon after the comprehensive peace agreement was signed. The upkeep of the combatants was being paid by the government without anything in return. Earlier it is done the better it would be)

* His Party will soon categorise the PLA combatants by mid June. ( The problem will be over figures. Prachanda and late G.P. Koirala had agreed on a figure of 3000. The present government is willing to take as many fighters as the weapons they have surrendered and this will be more than 3000. What the Maoists are looking for is a figure around 8000 which is very high. Yesterday the Supreme Court declined to issue a stay order on Nepal Army’s recruitment and this now opens the door for recruitment of 271 more personnel to the Army’s technical posts. The case was filed not by the Maoists but one of the NGOs- NHURD- Nepal Human Rights, Environment & Development)

* He apologised for calling the general strike as “indefinite.” He said that his “party has realised that organising a general strike was a mistake” and that his party will not repeat such a mistake. ( The mistake was in thinking that the public will accept whatever they do. They had brought in thousands of cadres from far off places like Chitwan, Kabre, Makwanpur and Dhading and the valley did not have the infra structure to support such large crowds. The prices of day to day commodities also shot up. More serious was the disruption of plus two examinations of students all over the country.)

* He urged those in the meeting to pressurise Madhav Nepal to step down on moral grounds for the sake of the nation.

* He claimed that general strike was called off as there was a conspiracy to kill his party cadres a hundred each in Birgunj, Janakpuri , Saptari and even in Kathmandu. ( The fact of the matter was that there was violent opposition from the people of the southern districts to the so-called people’s movement).

* Finally after making an unbelievable conciliatory statement, he justified the strike on the ground that it proved that the Maoists could deploy large masses respecting democratic norms. ( It is true that the Maoists have proved which no other party can, mobilise such a large number of cadres all over the state and particularly in Kathmandu. It proved that they had the muscle, money collected and the numbers.

Separately two days earlier, the Maoists once again tried to get the fringe parties to support them and though denied they are still looking at the option of moving a no confidence motion against the government. The fringe parties include MJF ( Upendra Yadav faction), CPN ( unified), NSP ( one faction - probably of Sarita Giri), Nepali Janata Dal, Rashtriya Mukti Party, Federal Democratic National Forum, Chure Bhawar Ekata party, Dalit Janajati Party and Nepal Rashtriya Party.

Media reports indicate that these fringe parties have agreed to support the Maoists. Yet they do not make up the magic number to topple the government.

Now that the Maoists have made certain time bound commitments, it is for the coalition partners of the government to take the initiative and seek accommodation with the Maoists.

The first and foremost task of the government should be to get the interim constitution extended by another six months as the May 28 deadline is too close and cannot be adhered to.

The civic bodies should now pressurise the Maoists to dismantle the para military structure of the YCL groups and make it as inoffensive as other youth entities of other parties. The UML should make sure that the Youth Force created by them to counter the YCL is also disciplined.

The Special committee for the integration and rehabilitation of the PLA combatants should move into a high gear and get the Maoists to categorise the combatants by June as promised. A mutually accepted figure will have to be first arrived at. It is known that without integration/rehabilitation of PLA combatants, the government cannot move on with the implementation of the new constitution and bring a finality to the peace process.

What remains is the position of the present Prime Minister. Perhaps the three-party task force could again revisit the six point action plan they were planning. This could be reviewed and a package deal arrived at. The six points are 1. Review of developments since the 12 point understanding. 2. Creation of an atmosphere of trust among the three major parties. 3. Finding a way out of the President’s action in countermanding the sacking order of the Army Chief by the government. 4. Integration and Rehabilitation of the PLA combatants. 5. Constitution making and 6. Power Sharing.

The High level mechanism should be revived and the Prime Minister, no matter who he is should be included in the committee.

The immediate move should be to test the sincerity of the Maoists of the promises/commitments Prachanda made in his interaction with the people of Kathmandu on 12^th afternoon.