What evidence can you point to to substantiate your claims about the Maobadi leadership saying “bye bye to the revolutionary masses,” as you put it?

Certainly, you raise serious concerns about the direction that the maoist leadership is heading in Nepal. And I agree that it is important not to assume that a mass campaign of action in itself demonstrates a committment to revolutionary insurrection and social transformation.

But I would like to see you susbtantiate, if you can, your concern that:
“This Andolan is not for building up tempo for radical societal change, rather it is organized to create scope for the former revolutionary leadership of the UCP (Maoist) in the administrative mechanism of the existing state apparatus.”

How can you be so sure? What is your basis for these claims?

The fundamental question here is that what this Andolan is for? Is it for socio-economic transformation? Is it for changing the nature of Nepali state power? Is it for expanding the scope of a new democratic revolution?

This Andolan is not for building up tempo for radical societal change, rather it is organized to create scope for the former revolutionary leadership of the UCP (Maoist) in the administrative mechanism of the existing state apparatus.

The leadership which is busy saying “bye, bye” to revolutionary masses, revolutionary organizations including CPI (Maoist) and revolutionary internationalist movements and is trying its best to forge alliances with rightist political forces such as Nepali Congress and UML and their foreign masters is no more after radical change.

During the Naxalite movement of 1970s in eastern Nepal, there was one person whose name was B. G. He was an active cadre of the movement and was even underground for sometimes. After experiencing the difficulties of underground cadres, he asked for permission to work being over ground. He got the permission and started to help in the movement also by working as a contractor in the construction business. He earned quite a lot of money but he was supporting the movement financially. One fine morning, he told a comrade who had gone to collect money from him that he now is no more a petty bourgeoisie, rather he has become a bourgeoisie and has been even moving up very fast. He is no more a friend of revolution and he is not going to contribute anything as the revolution if succeeds will harm him. He severed contact.

Strange coincidence was that the Naxalites of that time became CPN (ML) and now became CPN (UML). This UML changed as that person. Now, they became bourgeoisie or above organization.

When that UML formed its government in 1990s, they appointed this B. G. in the position of CEO in a government enterprise. Ultimately, both came together but in a different platform.

The UCPN (Maoist) has been following the path of UML. They have already started the process of decelerating the tempo of revolution and have already entered into the business of bringing ‘revolution’ through the barrel of tactful negotiations; class compromises and overhauling of old state machinery.

Instead of class confrontation, they have adopted the path of class cohabitation. Therefore, looking at demonstrations and concluding that this may prepare for revolution is not matching to each other. It looks as going up, but in essence, it is coming down.

Nepali revolution is experiencing serious setback and may get acceleration after a surgical process that will result to re-alignment of revolutionary political initiatives, organizations and forces. History is being repeated once again, but at a higher spiral.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jQADr_64zecpi69YYXXczm-0KeAQ

http://trulsnagell.wordpress.com/ you will se a union jack on the right hand column. You can order a dvd. We have English subtitles on the film. The film is made by young people and aimed at those that do not have any knowledge of Nepal on beforehand.

Johan Petter Andresen
Cashier in Healthteam for Nepal, Norway.

“According to sources, Koirala asked Prachanda to back a solution without humiliating the President, to which Prachanda had given a positive nod.”

The 86 year old head of the Congress Party apparently wants to protect the President, Congress member Ram Baram Yadav, who countermanded Prachanda’s order firing the Army head in May, from public humiliation. This may mean Prachanda resuming the prime ministership with Yadav still as president, with the understanding he will need to observe the constitution and respect civilian supremacy as a new administration forces the integration of the PLA and Army as required by the Comprehensive Agreement of 2006—something the UNMIN (UN Mission in Nepal) and Sec-Gen Ban Ki-moon are in fact urging.

If you go along with this as an “issue” then it is really missing the mark of what they are actually doing. They stepped down their protests and have threatened civil war again.

Please try to write with more balance than the old “evil king, good poor Maoists” as it does not move the debate on much and is bordering on disinformation.

I have been based here as a journalist for five years and a lot of your stated facts are inaccurate. Please try to check more in the future and you would have a far more interesting blog…

And the payments came from a pressured agreement brokered by the UN to pay the Maoists – and it is only $46 US equivalent per month “Nepal’s Cabinet decided Monday to give a monthly allowance, equal to $46, for each Maoist fighter in the camps, which are also known as cantonments.” VOA correspondent Liam Cochrane reported from Kathmandu on 21-05-2007. The reason for the query is because today this is not enough for a family to live on – it is just slightly above the poverty line. As for ‘who’ pays – it is the donor community who pays with a 50% budget in Nepal being supported by donor activities.

So no, Nepal cannot afford to increase its army by 20%. And while I agree it is more appropriate for the army to fill vacancies from individuals in the cantonements in the spirit of the agreement – the Maoists are an all or nothing mentality party. They have never said ‘take 30 or 40 to fill vacancies’ – they hold out for all which continues to hurt everyone.