Nepal: Maoist‚ UML hold talks on national unity govt

Nepal: Maoist‚ UML hold talks on national unity govt

2011-08-20

KATHMANDU: Top leaders of two leftist parties- UCPN (Maoist) and the CPN-UML- on Friday held talks on matters relating to the formation of the national consensus government.

The meeting held at Singh Durbar was focused on forging ahead by becoming united on the issues relating to the peace process, constitution drafting process and formation of the national consensus government, it is learnt.

The parties have agreed to hold further discussions after forging consensus on the peace process and constitution drafting process with other parties.

The bilateral talks also concluded that completion of the peace process and the constitution drafting process, the present main agendas of the country, were possible only by the government of the national consensus.

Talking to media persons after the meeting, UCPN-Maoist Vice Chairman Narayan Kaji Shrestha said in the present context there was no other alternative for parties than forming the national consensus government.

"The meeting held serious discussions on expediting talks with other parties for forming the national unity government", he added.

UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Vice Chairman and prime ministerial candidate from the party, Dr Baburam Bhattarai and another Vice Chairman Mohan Baidya Kiran were among those present in the talks.

Similarly, CPN (UML) Chairman and Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal, talks team coordinator Madhav Kumar Nepal, General Secretary Ishwor Pokharel, Vice Chairman Bamdev Gautam and senior leader Bhim Rawal attended the meeting.

* Url:http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Maoist%26sbquo%3B+UML+hold+talks+on+national+unity+govt&NewsID=299938

Nepal – People’s Liberation Army Says They Will Not Hand Over Arms

Nepal – People’s Liberation Army Says They Will Not Hand Over Arms*

Kathmandu, 7 January

“We don’t hand over the arms to the caretaker government; the arms will be with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), which is in the process of integration,” said PLA Chief Nanda Kishor Pun ‘Pasang’ talking with correspondent of The Red Star today.

Clarifying the issue of the arms that has been raised by the government to be the expression of breaching all the understandings and the agreements committed before. He added that the weapons are the weapons not stolen from anywhere or given by the government; rather the weapons are exchanged by the blood of the warriors who were/are fighting against the feudalism and comprador capitalism.

The caretaker government or one of the concerned actors of the peace process has no ethical right even to pronounce this word. No one concerned actor has its right to violate the procedures of ongoing peace process and push the nation into a long term violation.

In course of talk, Pasang added that he is not dissatisfied with the leaders of the party; we are talking for the exit from national complexities that are created objectively within the party and tough conspiracy in the nation by the elements, who want to derail the peace process.

* Url:http://southasiarev.wordpress.com/2011/01/22/nepal-peoples-liberation-army-wont-hand-over-arms/

“A big storm is imminent”: 21st century communism in Nepal

“A big storm is imminent”:
21st century communism in Nepal

Noaman G. Ali,
BASICS Community News Service, Canada

“We are ready to convert academic institutions into barracks. And ourselves into soldiers,” says Ramil Bhum, a student leader from Nepal’s far-west region of Seti Mahakali.

Sitting on the grass outside a large hall of Tribhuvan University on the outskirts of Kathmandu, Bm is surrounded by a group of international observers, of whom I am one. We’ve been invited to observe the 18th national convention of the All-Nepal National Students’ Union (Revolutionary), or ANNISU-R.

With 1.4 to 1.8 million members, there is no doubt that ANNISU-R is the largest, best-organized and most militant of students’ unions in this poor, land-locked country of 30 million. It is a mass organization of the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), the country’s largest political party.

“A big storm is imminent in Nepal,” says Krishna Bahadur Mahara, a Maoist leader, sitting with us now in the large conference room on the roof of his party’s headquarters. “Our party is not confused about our immediate and ultimate goals. Our immediate goal is the people’s federal republic, then socialism, then communism.”

Communism? Conventional wisdom in the West is that communism means tyranny, mass murder, inefficient economies, and perpetually grey skies. It’s good in theory, bad in practice. If anyone speaks seriously of communism, it’s usually a member of a small and marginal group.

Yet, the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) and its associated mass organizations count millions of farmers, workers, students, small-business owners and many more as members. Millions more support the party indirectly. Why?

Bache Lal Sardar, another student leader in ANNISU-R from Saptari district in the east, explains one of the reasons, “I am from a marginalized, indigenous dalit (untouchable) community. I have observed the exploitation of dalits from close up. I began thinking of revolution, and how to make it a success.”

Feudalism, backed by a caste system, is widespread in Nepal. Landless peasants or peasants with small landholdings are dominated by rich landlords with vast holdings. The most exploited and oppressed segment is that of the dalits, the untouchables. Inequality is the order of the day.

When the Maoists began a People’s War in 1996, one of their goals was to weaken the feudal system and abolish the institution of untouchability. They would do so in many instances when they took over an area by force of arms. Structural inequalities die hard, but the Maoists would not tolerate discriminatory practices. Dalits and peasants flocked to the party.

In Chaimale, a village in the hills twenty kilometers southwest of Kathmandu, local Maoist cadres show us the house of a landlord. “During the People’s War, it was the party office in the area,” chuckles Shambhu Maharjan, a party cadre for thirty-three years. According to him, the landlord’s holdings were redistributed to peasants, but the house itself was given back upon the ending of the War in 2006.

Though the Maoists signed a Comprehensive Peace Accord with the traditional, status quoist parties in order to put an end to Nepal’s monarchy and establish a federal republic, things aren’t very good in the village.
Kreethima and Sangeeta, both 16-years old, stopped attending school in grade seven. Sangeeta’s little sister, Shokmaya, 14-years old, is in grade five. The three are fetching water from the village tap. “We know that without education there is no future, but our fathers cannot afford to send all of us to school,” Shokmaya says.

Her family isn’t from Chaimale, but came here from a poorer village in eastern Nepal. “It was dangerous work in our poor village. It hurts that we never had enough money.” They still don’t. She speaks to me in Hindi, translating for the other two—she learned it when her family went to India. Millions of Nepalese go abroad, to India or the Gulf, to find work.

Shokmaya and Sangeeta’s father was recruited by the Maoists in their village, but he was repulsed by their slaughter of cows (holy to many Hindus in Nepal) and their appropriating villagers’ foods. Though the girls show an antipathy to the Maoists, other villagers come up to Bishal Maharjan, another party cadre (no relation to Shambhu Maharjan), to shake his hand.

Bishal is young, and joined the party fourteen years ago, in his teens. The party was illegal, and when his membership was exposed, he joined the People’s Liberation Army to fight in the People’s War. I asked him why he joined the party? why not just go to school?

“I realized that for the freedom of our people, struggle is essential. When your conscience feels that struggle is a major part of liberation, how can you just go to school?”

That’s why many of ANNISU-R’s members see themselves not only as students, but as soldiers, soldiers in a struggle for liberation and development, a struggle to revive in the 21st century the hope that communism once signified for millions of the world’s most wretched and oppressed.

* Url:http://lalsalaamcanada.blogspot.com/2011/01/big-storm-is-imminent-21st-century.html#more

Jhala Nath Khanal and his contribution to people's struggles

Jhala Nath Khanal and his contribution to people's struggles*

A very useful contribution by Jhala Nath Khanal, chairman of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist) at the International Meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties to be held in Johannesburg in South Africa.

First of all, I would like to extend my sincere congratulation to the “South African Communist Party (SACP) for successfully organizing the “12th International Meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties (IMCWP) around the world in the nation of Nelson Mandela and in the place and work place of “U TATA MADIBA” i.e. Johannesburg in South Africa. I am here from the country of communists and workers upholding and flying their beloved red flag tirelessly on the top of the Mount Everest with greater enthusiasm to the country of the prisoner number 46664 once made confined to the Robben Island in order to plug the voices of millions of voiceless peoples in South Africa particularly and across the whole globe in general, but the prisoner number 46664 has proved to be the tremendous source of human inspiration for the human emancipation from the clutches of apartheid as well as all forms of discrimination and exploitation against the humanity in the 21st century. Dear Comrades,

Let me go one step further and extend my greatest gratitude to SACP for inviting us to voice our common concerns for our common future with the common strategy to fight against global Imperialism which is the latest form of capitalism all over the world. “The deepening systemic crisis of capitalism. The tasks of Communists in defense of sovereignty, deepening social alliances, strengthening the anti-imperialist front in the struggle for peace, progress and Socialism” seemed to be timely tested, timely needed and timely demanded theme for forging social alliances among communist and workers’ parties against global imperialism in the 21st century for the 12th International Meeting of Communist and Workers’ Parties. The discourse, debate and discussion on such highly relevant theme are paramount in it and will spread a message of hope, expectation and aspiration to many millions of working class peoples around the world. At the same time, this meeting should come up with a much stronger message to operate solidarity network with a view to inform the ideological cum political views as well as deepening social alliance network (solidarity network) of different Communist and Workers’ Parties on national, regional and international issues.

We cannot, but congratulate you, the SACP for huge responsibility borne and remarkable job done for organizing the 12th international meeting of communist and workers’ parties in the heart of Johannesburg in South Africa.

Dear Comrades,

The world capitalism has been developing through many stages. According to Marx, capitalism was advented in 16th century in the form of simple capitalist cooperation. It was the first stage in the development of capitalist production which is a form of collectivization of labor in which the capitalist exploits a more or less significant number of simultaneously employed “wage workers” who perform the same work. Simple capitalist cooperation was based on manual labor without a division of labor at a capitalist enterprise which does not make radical changes in either the technology or methods of production. The further development of simple capitalist cooperation led to the cooperation based on the wide division of labor, according to Marx, it was the 2nd stage in the development of capitalism. It was called Grand Manufacture stage”. It was continued from the middle of the 16th century to the 18th century. Greater manufacturing industries were set up during this period of time in many parts of Europe. According to Lenin when industrial revolution was occurred and modern productive machines were discovered then modern technology led to the emergence of the 3rd stage of world capitalist development. It was started from the middle of the 18 century to the middle of the 20 century. In that period world had gone tremendous changes. Capitalism developed into monopoly capitalism and imperialism. It created huge colonial impair all over the world which was completely divided among the world powers, since the second half of the 20th century the whole world is again realizing a new, comprehensive and modern technological revolution. The implementation of computer numerical control (CNC) technology very soon revolutionize the industries everywhere. The knowledge based industries are expanding rapidly all over the world. Furthermore, the innovation in the field of IT technology, genomic sciences, nanotechnology etc. will have inerasable impact on the further control of productions in the global markets. Because machine-tool makers worldwide typically sell their newest products close to home and began to control the market (monopoly) everywhere by the few industries and individuals. The use of modem innovative technologies has given rise to the 4th stage of capitalist development- that is modern global capitalism or global imperialism. We are witnessing today a great change in every aspect of human life in the world. The days of colonial empire has already gone but global imperialism is trying to dominate the people, countries and nations of the world through new methods and tactic. The world market has been monopolizing and unifying by global capitalism through TIMCs/MNCs and few giant companies.

Dear Comrades,

Under such circumstances, all the people of all the continents should be united to wage national, regional, and global fight against such monopoly entertained by global capitalism through revitalization of self-strength and global networking of communist, and workers’ parties. Because of the cut-through competition even within three capitalist centers, namely; USA, Europe and Japan, the world structure is changing. Being the fertile land of Communist movement and governments in the countries like China, Vietnam, Laos etc., and Asia-Pacific geography can be the new region of hope for the success of communist movement in a new paradigm in the 21st century.

About 460 to 480 million out of 950 million people in the world today who are forced to live with hunger and deprived of access to health, education and sanitation are confined only to my own South Asian region. The figures are more astounding because the South Asian region accounts for 23% of the world’s total population is the house of more than 43% of the world’s poor. Fascinatingly, over the period of 10 years from 1999-2009, South Asian military expenditure has increased by 45% which is equivalent to U$ 37.3 billion. The defense spending is bigger than collective spending made in the sectors of transport, communication, health or public order of security. It is not only the threat to the peace, but also a perceived sense of threat to the national defense among member states which will lead to the deprivation of basic needs of people in the region.

In a nutshell, the post cold-war globalization is benefiting to developed countries through mechanism of WTO principles and hardship of global rural population is more perpetuated by the presence of Multinational Corporations and their ruthless exploitation of resources. The role of UN in many areas in many ways has been undermined by the organizations like NATO. These trends of the globalization are cumulatively posing serious threats to the global peace, progress of people, building of socialism, the defense of sovereignty, national integrity and independence of nations. The hew economic order nurtured by the developed countries is not only exploitative and discriminatory, but also treacherous to the poor and peace loving people of the world. All these problems resulted out of ‘worse-functioning capitalism and its deepening crisis resulting in global recession’ is posing a big threat to the international peace and security. Obviously, the massive population of the world is suffering from poverty and violence, the crisis of capitalism is looming in and around creating price rise of the food and proliferation of the arms.

The trends after 1990 witnessed a unique situation of ‘intensity and growth of internal conflicts and crisis governance’. IViany societies, including my own country Nepal, has had gone a terrible history of internal strife claiming the lives of more than 14,000 people in a decade. Tirelessly and fortunately, we have brought the conflict to an end through a peaceful negotiation resulting in the Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA). This has been a unique moment in the history of the world peace where political conflict has skillfully been managed by ‘national consensus among political parties. As a matter of great pride and glory, Nepal has made a remarkable history of eliminating the feudal autocratic monarchy through peaceful people movement. Nepal is a witness to the world that progressive revolution can be materialized without ruthless bloodshed. It has given an ample lesson to the world community that the unprecedented mass political movement of people can remove any powerful “dictator” at a stretch.

There is a silver lining in the clouds of South Asian Political conflicts and progress towards peace and development. My own country is now seriously engaged in bringing logical conclusion of peace process and drafting a new constitution. My party “The Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist – Leninist)” has played a crucial role in ending the ‘decade-long-insurgency’ and restoring the peace. My party has set examples of “pro-poor government” while running governments two times over the last two decades. The policies and programs introduced and implemented by my party have been widely acclaimed and admired by the people and have set standards of democratic performance of the government. We strongly believe that socialism is the only way out for liberation of the exploited, workers, peasants, peace loving and middle class people. The relevance of the Marxism and Leninism has now proved again in the wake of the monopoly of the global imperialism in the new world order. My party is firmly stood against all forms of domination and imperialism.

In addition to our tremendous success in peaceful resolution of the conflict, announcing the democratic republic of Nepal along with the multiparty political system, there is still a long way to go ahead. Many factors like occasional failures in national consensus on PLA integration and management, modality of new constitution and failure to the election of prime minister are greatly hampering the ongoing peace process and constitution writing. I am so firmed that there is no alternate to the national consensus politics among major political parties in Nepal. Dear Comrades,

With those observations, perceptions, and analysis, once again, I would like to salute and appreciate the efforts of the South African Communist Party to organize this meeting in crucial juncture of history, when the capitalism is hard struggling to stand up from its collapse. But there are some questions for all of us to be answered. Should we let this brutal, systemically failed and anti-humanistic capitalism re-emerge again a system to attack international peace and order and defile socialism? Should we allow it emerge again to become a bedrock of imperialism? Should we allow it to be the cause of suffering of millions of poor people? Should we allow it a dominant power of the international exploitative market? I hope this meeting will pretty much engage in raising debate and discussion on these issues and thus will provide a new impetus for ‘revolution’ and ‘liberation’ of the working and peace loving people of the world.

To my knowledge, this is a right time for evolving a common opinion of ‘all communist and workers parties’ towards ‘solidarity and commitment’ for working together for international peace and socialism. We have to deeply think of addressing the problems of ‘ultra-leftist extremism’. We have to definitely consider the progress made by some countries under leadership of communist party. Undoubtedly, ‘the rescue and liberation of the millions of poor’ from the world is a prime responsibility of the communist and workers’ parties in the world today. The revitalization of the socialist revolution is dependent on our renewed commitment to ‘Marxism and Leninism” and revitalization of our working type/performance for the poor. The development of the science and technology is boon for us if we properly use it for the sake of the revolution. The modern development of science and technology has strongly justified the ‘scientific analysis of the society and its relations’ made by the Marxism and Leninism. Therefore, I, on behalf my party and people, would like to propose the following resolutions:

a. Considering that ‘the imperialism seriously infected the revolution by penetrating poison of internal conflicts in all parts of the world in the name of racism, religious fanaticism and fundamentalism and regionalism, the Communist and Workers Parties of the world should denounce the deceptive move of the imperialism and promote a new international order based on secularism, democracy,peace and internationalism.

b. The service to welfare and development of the exploited poor class of the society is the prime responsibility of the communist and left politics. Hence, we should firmly make a commitment to added and increased support to peasants and workers in raising their living standards and supporting their struggle for justice.

с The unlimited globalization with motive of ‘monopolization’ of the world resources by global capitalism through operation of Multinational Corporations should be condemned and the movement for reparation of damages and harms caused by them to the people and nations is raised and launched.

d. The problems of environmental degradation and climate change affecting the lives of people all across the world, caused by unlimited use of chemical fuels by the developed countries should be condemned and firm movement against it should be immediately developed and launched.

e. To effectively fight against the ‘widening impact of global imperialism’, new efforts should be made to develop solidarity network with all who are working to fight against poverty, environmental degradation and climate change, and all forms of discrimination, exploitation and injustice.

Dear Comrades,

At last, but not the least, I would like to urge all delegates to pay attention to my propositions and conduct discourse to revitalize the ‘role of communist and workers’ parties to give the revolution a new dimension for the liberation of working class people in the world’.

Long live: Marxism-Leninism!

Long live: The solidarity among the Communist and worker’s parties of the world !!

Long live: Our solidarity network from Chile to China, from Syria to Sicily and from the country of Mount Everest to the country of U TATA MADIBA!!!

Thank you!

Jhala Nath Khanal
Chairman
Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist)

* Url:http://21stcenturymanifesto.wordpress.com/2011/01/22/nepal-and-revolution/

Rodong Sinmun Calls for Global Independence-KCNA

Rodong Sinmun Calls for Global Independence

Pyongyang, January 13 (KCNA) -- It is the common task of humankind to achieve global independence. Only when anti-imperialist independent countries and nations struggle, aware of being responsible for the cause of global independence, can they display strong will power and practical ability and boost solidarity and unity among them.

Rodong Sinmun Thursday says this in a signed article.

It goes on:

The progressive countries aspiring after independence, socialism and justice are the main force in the struggle to achieve global independence.

All the anti-imperialist independent forces should unite as one in order to prevail over imperialism.

What is important for achieving their unity is for all the progressive forces, including the socialist movement, the non-aligned movement and the world peace movement to unite close under the banner of global independence. The communist and workers′ parties advocating socialism and other revolutionary parties should firmly maintain their anti-imperialist stand and firmly unite on the basis of comradely relations of mutual respect and cooperation.

The Workers′ Party of Korea and the DPRK government have worked hard for global independence, regarding it as their noble task and international obligation to struggle for the cause.

The world socialist movement was saved from its temporary crisis and has since made dynamic progress under the banner of the Pyongyang declaration. The NAM has creditably performed its mission and role, augmenting its position as a strong independent force against imperialism in the present era. These would be unthinkable without positive activities and efforts of the WPK and the DPRK government.

They will as ever carry on the staunch struggle to achieve global independence, concludes the article.

Nepal's Dahal calls for world socialist revolution

Nepal's Dahal calls for world socialist revolution*

KATHMANDU, Dec 26, Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal has called on all the revolutionaries of the world to be ready to lead a new world socialist revolution.

Concluding that the new wave of socialist revolution is all set to sweep across the world, Dahal has asked the revolutionaries from across the world to move ahead with great courage.

"At last, on the birth anniversary of Mao, we regard it our responsibility to call on the revolutionaries from around the world to be ready to lead the forthcoming wave of revolution," reads a statement issued by Dahal on the 116th birth anniversary of Mao Zedong.

"The new wave of world revolution has already been seen on the horizon," Dahal states, adding that the revolutionaries can achieve their goal through the political philosophy and strategy of Marxism, Leninism, and Maoism.

The former rebel leader has also called on the revolutionaries of the world to move ahead to achieve their goals with courage.

Born on December 26, 1893, Mao was a Chinese revolutionary, political theorist and controversial communist leader. He died in 1976. Mao is regarded as one of the most influential figures in modern world history, and named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century.

*Originally posted at Republica (www.myrepublica.com)