A Shameful Silence at Year’s End
Posted by Mike E on December 24, 2007
“Where’s the internationalism?“
by Mike Ely
The RCP did their annual round up of the year in pictures in this issue of their newspaper Revolution. Go look.
Several things stand (to me) in this year-end ussue:
1) In the roundup of “the Year in Struggle,” literally no mention of the life-and-death struggle for revolution in south asia. (There no mention of Nepal, or India in particular — where Maoist forces have been waging difficult struggles.)
And there is no mention of other Maoists of the world at all (that I could find).
2) Also: There is no mention of the major leap in international communist unity and struggle represented by the “International Seminar” organized by the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) on the theme of “Imperialism and Proletarian Revolution in the 21st Century.”
This event happened at the very end of 2006, but its announcement was in 2007, so one would think it would be included among the important events (for communists and internationalists!) in this year.
In fact I don’t think this event was even mentioned in Revolution newspaper this year. (Even though the RCP was listed as an observer of the seminar).
And even though this seminar was publicly covered in depth within the Maoist magazine The Worker #11 which appeared in July 2007. (When that issue appears online, I will make links available here.)
There is also no mention, by the way, in the RCP’s “Year in Struggle” of the Revolutionary Internationalist Movement (as there has generally been in previous years.)
* * * * * *
While we are talking:
I similarly noticed that the last 2007 issue of Revolution has a “In Memory of….” section honoring progressive and revolutionary people who died this year.
But there is no mention of the horrific Gaur Massacre in Nepal (which took place in April 2007) where a death squad killed 28 Maoists and supporters, and wounded 50, who were aligned with the Madhesi Liberation Front. (Nor has there been, as far as I can tell, any mention or condemnation of this massacre in Revolution at any other time this year.)
Here is a video discussion of the massacre by Nepali Maoist leader Gaurav. Note: In it, Gaurav accuses the U.S. (among others) of responsibility for the massacre.
What does it mean that even such a major event happens (with allegations of a U.S. role) without a word of condemnation from the RCP in the US?
Nepal Maoists: On Criticism by RCP « Kasama said
[...] So here it is, out in the open: the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) mentions (cheerfully, generously, almost in passing) the criticisms of Bob Avakian. Now finally we can (here in the U.S.) get beyond the info diet and get to the heart of the matters: Let’s dig into those opposing lines, let’s compare and contrast. And let’s discuss the question I have been asking: Where is the internationalism? [...]
Nepal Maoists: On Criticism by RCP « Revolution in South Asia said
[...] So here it is, out in the open: the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) mentions (cheerfully, generously, almost in passing) the criticisms of Bob Avakian. Now finally we can (here in the U.S.) get beyond the info diet and get to the heart of the matters: Let’s dig into those opposing lines, let’s compare and contrast. And let’s discuss the question I have been asking: Where is the internationalism? [...]