Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) CPN (M)

Transcription

1 Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) CPN (M) P.G. Rajamohan Institute for Conflict Management Formation Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) is a splinter group from the revolutionary Communist parties alliance- Communist Party of Nepal (Unity Centre) (established in May 1991) - during mid-1994, formed under the leadership Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda. 1 At the same time, the political front of the Unity Centre People s Front of Nepal (UPFN), which had 9 Members of Parliament in Nepal, also divided into two groups. The UPFN faction, led by Baburam Bhattarai expressed their willingness and support to work with Communist Party of Nepal (Maoists) under the leadership of Pushpa Kamal Dahal. 2 The alliance of two revolutionary factions -CPN (M) - was not recognized by the Election Commission to contest in the 1994 parliamentary midterm election. They stayed outside and criticized the parliamentary democratic system and insisted their cadres to get ready for radical change through the armed struggle. People s Movement to People s War The Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) was officially established under the leadership of Pushpa Lal Shreshtha in Communist Party of Nepal has experienced number of significant divisions throughout its history, not only as a result of different orientations towards popular struggle and revolution within Nepal, but also as a result of the Sino-Soviet split and its international 1 Arjun Karki and David Seddon, The People s War in Historical Context, in The People s War in Nepal: Left Perspectives, (Delhi: Adroit Publishers, 2003), Ibid. repercussions. 3 Some splinter groups of the communist party and prominent leftist leaders like Keshar Jung Rayamajhi have been pro-palace and were supportive of the party-less Panchayat system while other groups were active in the struggle for the re-establishment of multi-party democracy, under the umbrella organization National People s Movement (UNPM). After the restoration of democracy and 1991 Parliamentary election, Communist Party of Nepal (Unity Centre) emerged as the third largest party in the Parliament, next to Nepali Congress and Communist Party of Nepal (UML). 4 Ideological confrontation and dissatisfaction over the multi-party democratic system under constitutional monarchy among the CPN (Unity Centre) leaders led to the disintegration of the revolutionary and political front split into two factions. The two different factions led by Prachanda and Baburam Bhattarai at one end and Nirmal Lama and Niranjan Govind Vadiya on the other end. The rejection of Election Commission to contest in 1994 election and the revolutionary zeal in the minds of the rebel leaders led to the formation of CPN (Maoist) and go underground. Analysts, opine that the armed struggle from the mid-western hilly districts became more vigorous especially after the Government initiated police operation during late Operation Romeo in Rolpa and Rukum districts, and operation kilo sierra II, which were aimed to restrict 3 See, R. Andrew Nickson, Democratisation and the growth of Communism in Nepal: A Peruvian Scenario in the Making? Journal of Commonwealth and Comparative Politics, vol. 30, no. 3, November See, House of representative members election 2048: Final results (Kathmandu: Election Commission, 1991), 183.

2 IPCS Database on Armed Groups in South Asia the growing radical communist movement in this region. During an interview, Maoists political wing leader Baburam Bhattarai said under this armed police operation around 1,500 police personnel, including a specially trained commando force sent from Kathmandu, have been deployed to let loose a reign of terror against the poor peasants the continuing police operation and the virtual reign of white terror seems endless at the moment. 5 The Government s ineffectiveness to address the fundamental issues of the people and the security forces repressive operations against the Maoists cadres resulted in civil war in Nepal. Maoists anger against the Government and the King reflected in Bhattarai s words, every revolution appears a dream before it is made. Moreover, it appears like a nightmare for the reactionary classes before and after it is made 6 The period could be said to represent the first preparatory phase of the People s War in Nepal. On February 4, 1996, Maoists political wing leader Baburam Bhattarai led a three-member delegation submitted a 40- point memorandum to the then Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba. 7 In a broader sense the memorandum included demands concerning nationality, people s democracy and questions of livelihood. The other demands include abolition of special privileges of the King and the royal family and the promulgation of a new republican constitution by the constituent assembly consisting of elected representatives of the people. 8 Maoists gave three days deadline for the government to fulfill their demands, unless they threatened to start armed struggle. 9 They claimed the Government s 5 Published in The Independent, Kathmandu, vol. 5, no. 41, December 13-19, Ibid. 7 The Gorkhapatra, February 5, The Janadesh Weekly, Kathmandu, February 6, Ibid. failure to respond to implement their 40- point memorandum was the immediate reason for the declaration of armed struggle. At the end, the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoists) declared armed struggle against the government known as People s War on February 13, 1996 and they conducted raids in the police check posts at Holeri in Rolpa, Atbhiskot in Rukum and Sindhiligadhi in Sindhuli district and looted explosives and other weapons. 10 The Maoists first time surfaced with violent activities, in the most visible and tangible form. On the same day, a group of around 300 Maoists attacked farmers development bank at Chyangli in Gorkha district and set fire the accounts documents. 11 Ideology and Objectives Immediately after its birth in 1994, the CPN (M) adopted Marxism-Leninism- Maoism as their ideological firmament after long deliberations and discussions, and it adopts its long term aim of People s War as the only path for the successful establishment of communist society through New Democratic Revolution with a people s democratic dictatorship under the leadership of proletariat based on the unity of workers and peasants against feudalism and imperialism. 12 Accordingly the nature and orientation of the Nepalese armed struggle has been clearly specified by the Maoists as, the line of protracted people s war based upon the strategy of surrounding the city from the countryside. 13 On February 13, 1996, during the riots Maoist cadres marched with the slogan let us march ahead on the path of struggle towards establishing the people s rule by wrecking the reactionary ruling system of state. 10 See, Nepali Patra, Kathmandu, February 16, The Rising Nepal, February 15, Document adopted by the Third Plenum of the CC of CPN (Maoist) in March Ibid. 2

3 Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) CPN (M) Maoists strongly believe in the philosophy of Mao Tsetung that Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun. 14 Maoists also draw inspiration from the Peru s left wing extremist guerilla movement, the sendero Luminoso (Shining Path) (started in 1980), because of many commonalities between Nepal and Peruvian society, economy, politics and geographical situations. 15 The radical communist parties from different parts of the world including from USA, India have provided ideological sustenance for the Nepali Maoists. The political goal of the Maoists is therefore very clear viz., to capture power in the name of establishing new democracy. The aim of the People s War is an historical revolt against feudalism, imperialism and so-called reformists. The parameters of new democracy emphasizes justice and equality for the backward, indigenous and suffering people of Nepal and it won t provide any room for the dominance of feudal forces and capitalist democratic parties. 16 In an interview, Maoists leader Prachanda said, There will be full freedom to all the anti-feudal and anti-imperialist political parties in the New Democracy. 17 The party has formulated main strategic slogan for the future as consolidate and expand base areas and local people s power and March forward to the direction of building central people s government. Apart from this Maoists immediate demands include i) round table conference with all political parties, Government and the King, ii) formation of 14 See, Maoists official website: 15 R.A. Nickson, Democratisation and the Growth of Communism in Nepal: A Peruvian Scenario in the Making, Journal of Commonwealth Studies and Comparative Politics, 30(3), See Baburam Bhattarai, Politico-Economic Rationale of People s War in Nepal (Kathmandu: Utprerak Publications, 1998). 17 The Sunday Times of India, New Delhi, December 2, 2001, 13 an interim government and iii) election and formation of Constituent assembly. Areas under Maoists influence The Maoist insurgency initially commenced in the three district of Rolpa, Rukum and Jajarkot districts in mid- Western region of Nepal and eventually spread throughout the country with varying degree of influence. 18 Commonly, Western region, mid-western region and partially in Eastern region will be considered as Maoists strong base areas. By February 2000, the Maoists claimed that there were only 9 (out of a total of 75) districts that had not come under their direct influence. 19 But reports indicate that the guerrillas operate to varying degrees in 68 of the 75 districts, but it varies between moderate to extreme in these districts. The military activities of the Maoist movement now began to increase both in scale and scope, and in frequency. The capacity of the Maoists to wage their People s War across a significant area of the countryside was now becoming increasingly evident through recent attacks in Bhojpur district and Beni Bazaar in Myagdi district. 20 This has led to the creation of numerous ward, village, area and district-level people s, which are generally known as people s governments. As of now, district people s governments have been formed in 21 districts. 21 They have set up "People's Courts" which looks into cases & giving verdicts, suggesting local commanders to take judicial action, where security force have deprived of any such activity against the insurgents. 18 Chitra K. Tiwari, Maoist Insurgency in Nepal: Internal Dimensions, South Asia Analysis Group, Paper no. 187, January 20, Mulprabaha, February 14, Maoists attack on Bhojpur on March 3, 2004 and Beni Bazaar attack on March 20-21, Sudheer Sharma, "The Maoist Movement: An Evolutionary Perspective," in Deepak Thapa, ed., Understanding the Maoist Movement in Nepal (Kathmandu: Martin Chautari, 2003), p

4 IPCS Database on Armed Groups in South Asia The official Nepal Police website has designated six districts including Rolpa, Rukum, Jajarkot, Salyan, Pyuthan and Kalikot in mid-western Nepal as Class A - most affected by the Maoists insurgency and the presence of security forces and government officials is limited to the district headquarters in these districts. Nine other districts, namely Dolakha, Ramechhap, Sindhuli, Kavrepalanchowk, Sindhupalchowk, Gorkha, Dang, Surkhet and Achham, are classified as 'Class B'- moderately affected, while 17 'Class C' districts- least affected are Khotang, Okhaldhunga, Udaypur, Makwanpur, Lalitpur, Nuwakot, Dhading, Tanahu, Lamjung, Parbat, Baglung, Gulmi, Arghakhachi, Bardiya, Dailekh, Jumla and Dolpa. 22 Command structure of CPN (M) In general, Communist of Party of Nepal (Maoist) has its own traditional structure based on the Communist ideology. It has the most powerful standing committee at the top, followed by the politburo, central committee, regional bureaus, sub-regional bureaus, district, area, and cell. The Central Committee assists Politburo to issue directives to the Standing Committee and the Party. The at village, area and district levels will assist the Regional Bureau, which has five bureaus i.e., eastern, central, Kathmandu valley, western and international department in every issue. The politburo and standing committee reportedly formulate most of the political and strategic policies. Party Standing Committee Politburo Central committee Regional bureaus (five) Subregional bureaus (in some places special subregional bureau) District Area Cell People s Army Central military commission Regional military commissions Sub-regional military commissions District military commissions Included in this are: Temporary battalion Companies Platoons Squads (separate militias also exist under united village ) Front district area committee village ward Source: Sudheer Sharma, "The Maoist Movement: An Evolutionary Perspective," in Deepak Thapa, ed., Understanding the Maoist Movement in Nepal (Kathmandu: Centre for Social Research and Development, 2003) See Nepal Police website: The Party has two separate wings as military and political divisions. The military wing known as People s Liberation Army (PLA) has its Central Military Commission to co-ordinate its military operations, which will be assisted 4

5 Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) CPN (M) by the regional, sub-regional and district level commissions. The Maoists Political wing, People s Front (UPF) has different from the district level to the ward level. Leadership, Cadres and Training The Chairman of CPN (M) and its chief of operations is, Pushpa Kamal Dahal alias Prachanda. Another front ranking leader Baburam Bhattarai heads the political wing of the Maoists known as, People s Front (UPF). 23 Ram Bahadur Thapa alias Badal is the military strategist and commander for the Maoists People s Army. 24 Apart from this the top-level commanders of the insurgents include among others, Yan Prasad Gautam alias Alok, Chitranarayan Shrestha, Shashi Shrestha, Hisila Yami, Krishna Bahadur Mahara, Santhosh Bura, Mohan Vaidya alias Kiran and Lekhraj Bhatt, C.P. Gajurel. In the political wing, the important Maoist leaders include, Comrade Parvati (a nom de guerre of Baburam Bhattarai s wife Hisila Yami), Krishna Bahadur Mahara, Ram Bahadur Thapa alias Badal, Matrika Yadav, Deb Bahadur Gurung, Krishna Dhoj Khadka, Rekha Sharma, Rabindra Shrestha, Bamdev Chhetri and Mumaram Khanal. Government estimates provided in early 2003 on the CPN-M strength indicated that there are approximately 5,500 combatants, 8,000 militia, 4,500 cadres, 33,000 hard-core followers, and 200,000 sympathizers. 25 The social groups that constitute the bulk of the Maoist support are from the Magurali combination of 23 The People s Front (UPF) is no longer used in the political situation of Nepal and it is partially extinct term. 24 Prakash A. Raj, Naming Names: Profiles of some Maoist Leaders, Maoists in the Land of Buddha An Analytical Study of the Maoist Insurgency in Nepal (New Delhi: Nirala Publications, 2004), p South Asia Terrorism Portal, Nepal Terrorist Groups - Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist. indigenous people (Jan Jatis), i.e., Magars, Gurungs, Rais, Limbus, Tamangs, Dalits and Tharus of Terai region. 26 Besides, the dominating Hindu communities, Brahmins and Chettris also joined in the political and military wings in the Maoists party. Among the Maoist fighters about 60 per cent are deployed in the mid-west and west in their strongholds. Another 10 per cent are in the far west with around 10 percent in Gorkha, the rest is located in Kathmandu valley and east of it. 27 The Maoists have women cadres in their armed units and they constitute another significant dimension of the support base of the Maoists movement. They have been used during the operations against the security forces to the extent possible. Women have become squad commanders and are also active in platoons, companies and battalion. In some places, separate guerilla squads comprising women only have been formed. 28 According to an estimate about 30% of Maoist guerrillas comprise of women. 29 Recently, Maoists have started using the children in their war against the government. Maoists have been abducting the youth including minors, women and tea chers to force them to participate in Peoples Militia Training Campaign and organization meetings. 30 According to the reports number of retired Gorkha soldiers of the British and the Indian Army involved in arms and physical training for the Maoist cadres. Serving soldiers from the Indian Army on leave either pay a donation or run a 3 to 4 day training capsule for Maoist recruits. 31 Apart from that the Nepali Maoists 26 S.D. Muni, Support Base and Political Goals, Maoist Insurgency in Nepal: The Challenge and the Response (New Delhi: Rupa & Co, 2003), South Asia Terrorism Portal, Op. Cit. no Hisila Yami and Baburam Bhattarai, Marxbad ra Mahila Mukti (Kathmandu: Utprerak Prakashan, 2000), p Chitra K. Tiwari, Op. Cit. n Report in Kantipuronline, June 20, Ashok K. Metha, The Maoist Insurgency in Nepal, Dialogue, Vol. 4, No. 2, October December

6 IPCS Database on Armed Groups in South Asia received training from the Indian leftwing extremist groups like People s War Group (PWG), Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) 32 and even from the rebel groups like Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO) 33, and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). Maoists affiliated organisations With the aim of spreading out their movement and People s War, Maoists have formed around a dozen ethnic and regional fronts such as: Magarat National Liberation Front, Tamuwan National Liberation Front, Taruwan National Liberation Front, Tamang National Liberation Front, Thami National Liberation Front, Majhi National Liberation Front, Madhesi National Liberation Front, Newa Khala, the Nepal Dalit Liberation Front and Karnali Regional Liberation Front. 34 The operations and activities of these frontal organizations are coordinated through the ethnic and regional fronts coordination committee of the CPN (Maoist). The All Nepal National Independent Student s Union-Revolutionary [ANNISU- R], a Maoist affiliated students organization claims a membership of 600,000 ranging from school children of 32 A surrendered Maoists battallion commander Jaya Bahadur Gharti, admitted that the Indian Naxalite groups i.e., PWG and MCC trained the Nepali Maoists in Rolpa and Rukum districts, during a press meet on January 22, Mohan Vaidya alias Kiran, Standing Committee memb er of the Maoists organization during an interview accepted their linkages with North-east India s insurgent groups, chiefly with ULFA and KLO, The Telegraph, April 13, Sudheer Sharma, Op. Cit. n.21. Recently, the Limbuwan National Liberation Front and Khambuwan National Liberation Front were merged to form the Kirat National Liberation Front. age 9 and above. 35 Separately, the All Nepal Women s Association, Maoists affiliated Women s organizations also play an effective role in their own base areas. In addition to the frontal organizations inside Nepal, the major organizations close to the Maoists that are active in India are the All India Nepali Unity Society, the All India Nepali Students Association, the All India Nepali Youth Association and the All India Ethnic Society. Maoists call for Indian Nepalis was expressed in its supreme leader Prachanda s speech in the Second National Conference of CPN (M) in February 2001, the success of Nepalese People s War and revolution cannot be imagined if Nepalese dwelling in India are separated from it. 36 Maoists External Linkages The International contacts of the Nepali Maoists expanded during the 1980 s when they became a founding member of the Revolutionary Internationalist Movement (RIM) along with other left insurgent movement from US, Latin America and other parts of the world. The Maoists of South Asia have tried to institutionalize their contacts developed through RIM. Among the Indian Communist groups, with whom the Nepali Maoists admit of having direct and continuous debate, names of People s War Group (PWG) and the Maoist Communist Centre (MCC), are specifically mentioned. 37 Further, the subversive alliance began the process of laying a corridor, which is now widely referred to as the Revolutionary Corridor (RC) extending from Nepal to across six Indian States, including Bihar, 35 Paul Harris, Riots, Bombs and Strikes hit Nepal as Maoists Step up People s War, Jane s Intelligence Review, February 2001, p The Worker, (Organ of the CPN-M), No. 7, January Deepak Thapa, on Maoists Indian Connection, Nepali Times, December 14-20,

7 Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) CPN (M) Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa and Madhya Pradesh. This entire area has been identified in Maoist literature as the Compact Revolutionary Zone (CRZ). 38 The increasing level of cooperation between these groups led to the sharing of knowledge about guerilla warfare, bomb manufacturing techniques and arms training. Nepalese Maoist leaders attended the March 2001 Congress of PWG held at Abuz Marh in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh. 39 Reports indicated that they have constituted a joint Indo-Nepal Border Regional Committee (INBRC) to secure their common objectives. 40 The establishment of CRZ gave a wider space and platform for the proscribed leftwing extremist organizations in South Asian region especially from Nepal and India along with 10 other fraternal outfits to form the Coordination Committee of Maoist Parties and Organization of South Asia (CCOMPOSA) in July So far, CCOMPOSA has clandestinely conducted three conferences in India. 42 Besides, a left- 38 Sanjay K. Jha, The Compact Revolutionary Zone, South Asia Intelligence Review, vol. 1 no. 34, March 10, The Compact Revolutionary Zone (CRZ) was organized by the Nepal and Indian members of the left-extremist-movements, in a meeting at Siliguri in West Bengal in India during August PV Ramana, PWG Naxal -Nepal Maoists Nexus, November 21, Sanjay K. Jha, Op. Cit. n CCOMPOSA includes: Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist)(People s War), Maoist Communist Centre (MCC), Revolutionary Communist Centre of India (MLM), Revolutionary Communist Centre of India (Maoist), Communist Party of India (ML)(Nakshalbari), Purba Bangla Sarbahara Party (CC), Purba Bangla Sarbahara Party (Maoist Punarghathan Kendra), Bangladesh Samyabadi Party (ML), Communist Party of Ceylon (Maoist). 42 The First Conference of CCOMPOSA held in July The second Conference held in August The Third Conference held from 16 to 18 th wing extremist group, the Communist Party of India Marxist-Leninist (CPI-ML) Janashakthi, which has a marginal presence at least in six Indian States, but is very active in isolated and limited number of pockets in Andhra Pradesh, reportedly has linkages and expressed its support to the Maoists. The substantial number of Nepali population in India have established a country wide organization called Akhil Bharatiya Nepal Ekta Samaj (ABNES) 43 for unity and welfare of the Nepali community. However, it gradually became involved in subversive activities and operated as a front organization for Nepali Maoist insurgents. There is also some reportage about the Nepalese Maoists links with the India s north-east insurgent groups like Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA), Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO), National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF), Gurkha Liberation Organisation (GLO) and Gorkha Liberation Tiger Force (GLTF). Maoist s procured arms and military trainings from these insurgent groups and in return they provided training camps for them in eastern Nepal. 44 Though there are no direct evidences on Maoists linkages with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) March Press Release of CPN (M), April 10, The Government of India banned Akhil Bharatiya Nepal Ekta Samaj (ABNES) under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) in July ABNES secretary, Bamdev Chettri was arrested on September 6, 2002 by the Indian police in Delhi for his subversive activities and subsequently deported to Nepal. 44 Bijoy Shankar Handique, Maoists offer ULFA sanctuary in Nepal, Maoist s leader Gajurel held talks with ULFA chief Paresh Barua, KLO leader Sunil Biswas on providing training camps in Nepal during October In Nepal, ULFA had four camps and gained three more after the Bhutanese security forces operations in Bhutan during December

8 IPCS Database on Armed Groups in South Asia in Sri Lanka, it is suspected that Maoists received arms trainings from LTTE through the PWG connection. Media and the Maoists Maoists have established their wide access with print and electronic media. 'Janadesh' and 'Mahima' are two newspapers, which are sympathetic to the insurgents, and their views are aired through these papers. Recently, Maoists have established a FM radio station during January 2004, named "People's Republic Seti-Mahakali broadcast" in Achham District. 45 Maoists have their own website ( & i/) in the electronic media too. 45 Nepal Maoists Set up FM Radio Station, Nepal Samacharpatra, January 25,