- Govinda Neupane
The former Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) got united with the former Communist Party of Nepal (Unity Center-Masal). They gave a new name to themselves - Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist). Hence, knowing them who they are has become a topic of interest. Therefore, an attempt has been made here to present a brief overview reflecting on their achievements and losses after the Delhi Agreement (November, 2005) to find out their political place now.
What the Unified Maoists attained?
They got American and European acceptance as a political force in Nepal. Although, they are still in the terror related list of America, but that has not much significance as there is nothing substantial at practical level. Some Scandinavian countries are even much friendlier towards them. They got the unusual support from, both India and China in this course barring India's action regarding the last disagreement of the Unified Maoist led government's decision of sacking the army chief.
They got the largest number of seats in the Constituent Assembly election. They played effective role in abolishing the monarchy. Irrespective of good or bad governance, they led the government of Nepal for nine months.
Their strength might have gone up in numerical sense after many independents (including former monarchists) and cadres of other parties joined them. Also, they got united with the Communist Party of Nepal (Unity Center-Masal). The process of the merger was quite interesting. The former Maoist party merged with former Unity Center-Masal, politically and ideologically; whereas former Unity Center-Masal merged with former Maoist party organizationally.
While they were running the government, they performed better in some areas, particularly in generating revenue.
They generated great hopes among people and created a sense of empowerment among the suppressed nationalities, marginalized sections and oppressed as well as exploited masses. Although it was relative and temporary, but happiness is happiness. And, also strategically, seeds of awareness and taste of accomplishments never die.
What are their losses?
Sudden and unpredictable change of tactics including the political line created a situation that contributed to derailment of the path of the Nepalese democratic revolution. There was no vertical organizational split, though a few leaders including Matrika Yadav left the party. But there were horizontal divisions of unprecedented nature in many areas including approaches, political line, tactics and relationships. Many party cadres, PLA cadres and sympathizers either started to feel betrayed or became confused and developed suspicion on the motives of the leadership. The famous or infamous Shaktikhor video works as an evidence of such situation inside the Unified Maoist's world. This was the biggest loss of the Unified Maoist. In reality, the revolutionaries, once again, have to clear roadblocks.
The Unified Maoist's another major loss was that of diminishing credibility of the frontline leadership. Their art of speaking conveniently became known to everybody. Perhaps, it was their compulsion as they were playing a game by using different rules of different games. Credibility loss is one of the most serious diseases for any political party or politician and the diagnosis is that the Unified Maoist also has been suffering from this disease.
They failed in running the government smoothly and people started to suspect their intention and ability to translating the slogan of new Nepal into reality. Insecurity, lawlessness and skyrocketing prices of the essential commodities added misery to people's lives even during the time they ruled.
Ideological and political divisions within the leadership have created several platforms. Among them, three platforms have some degree of objectivity. First platform is composed of outright practitioners of people's multiparty democracy. They are talking loud to camouflage their course at least for sometime. Second group is busy remembering the glory of the past but is accommodating with both camps within the party. They are undecided regarding their choice for future course. This is a mobile platform. The third platform disagrees with the first, but lacks vision, courage and charisma. This platform has been in a situation of bewilderment. They seem quite clear on ideology, strategy and tactics, but they have no comprehensive plan of action and motivation for a new drive. Registering 'note of decent' and leaving rest to circumstances is their modality. In this way, the intra-party struggle is neither fierce nor result oriented. Hence, all the platforms within the Unified Maoist party are in the state of decreased self-confidence.
As there is split between Unified Maoists and the Maoists (new organizational mechanisms led by Matrika Yadav and Mani Thapa), now it is natural that there would be polarization of forces, may be disproportionately for sometime. This polarization may gain momentum the day when the process of assimilation within the political mainstream of the Unified Maoists would be relatively complete and clearly visible.
In international arena, they have already lost the goodwill of the forces of radical social change including the goodwill of the Indian Maoists. The letter sent to Unified Maoists by the Communist Party of India (Maoist) dated April 20, 2009 has elaborated the differences clearly.
Where they stand today?
Now, the Unified Maoist party is an amalgamation of different political and social forces and interest groups. This has become a mechanical mixture of liberal lefts, progressive nationalists and floating members of political intelligentsia. Through a long process of cooperation and cohabitation with the centrist and center-left parties, the Unified Maoists also has become a member of the conglomerate of mainstream parties. This conglomerate revolves around a large circle made out of two ingredients - status quo and evolutionary change. Now, the Unified Maoists are simply the center-left political force. Still they could lead the process of evolutionary change in the society. They are a progressive political force and could add value in bringing incremental change. But, when they say that they are the revolutionary force and they say that they are capable to lead the process of societal transformation; nobody other than they themselves and their blind followers believe in. Exactly, they traveled through the same 'conversion path' invented by the Communist Party of Nepal (UML) about two decades ago. This path took UML to their desired destination and converted them to social democrats. What would happen to the Unified Maoist party now? By examining through the application of political genetics, the DNA of the Unified Maoist party has matched with the DNA of UML. Notwithstanding the bitterness, quarrel and bullfights; they are the first cousins, if not siblings. Hence, the people, Nepalese nation and progressive political, social and economic forces should level their expectations accordingly and should rediscover the transformational political process, strategies and tactics appropriately.
July 01, 2009
Friday, July 03, 2009
Red Nepal Turns White Ephemerally
Govinda Neupane
(Previously, the article was posted on http://www.ujyalonepal.blogspot.com/ under an assumed name Ratna Prabhat. First time published in August 29, 2008)
The hopes and aspirations created by the decade long people's war between the holder of the old regressive regime and the aspirants of the new progressive state power had generated tremendous energy that heralded the beginning of a new era. The consciously designed course of socio-political change was vivid. The people not only could see it but also could sense, hear and touch. That was seen in human relationships, class relationships and community relationships. The production processes also had been influenced including the roles of the productive forces. The process of political empowerment had initiated all powerful attempts that could lead to human emancipation. The tempest of forward march was seen all over Nepal, particularly in its rural areas. Every next day, it was uniquely different than the previous day. There was all pervading anticipation that tomorrow would be markedly different than today. After the People's Movement II, the momentum some how got obstructed. The tempest of change started to pass through the process of "go slow" and ultimately it was surpassed by the arrangements of real politicking such as power sharing, coalition formations and adjustments between the forces of change and the forces of status quo.In the rapidly changing political scenario, many people feel bewildered as they were not able to sense the course of events.
The braves turned to be something different, the ones in political hibernation started to bargain and the well-known political crooks and their organizations started to shine. Strange but true! Nepal slowly but steadily started to turn white.The people in uniform called People's Liberation Army (PLA) all of the sudden discovered that they have to take care of their families themselves. The children of these PLA soldiers born as the sons or daughters of full time PLA parents became pariah with an uncertain future. Many of these PLA soldiers have no resource base to support the survival and development of these children. Not only the children but they themselves would face difficulties in managing their livelihood. Now, the easy option is to integrate them with the regular government army. This could solve their personal problems but they will have to sacrifice their dreams of human emancipation. They would be the part of the same armed bureaucracy that has been there for about two and a half centuries. In any case, the integration would effectively finish the PLA together with their dream, a dream of emancipated humanity.
The landless and poor peasants, who were at the forefront of the movement, also had developed a dream, a dream of justice, prosperity and advancement. Even, they had got land to cultivate as part of the agrarian reform process, a land reform of limited scale and magnitude. They had started to develop some sorts of the sense of ownership over the land they got. Now, they are going to loose that temporary ownership/tilling right. Their dream has been shattered. The industrial, construction, service delivery and other off-farm workers, both organized and unorganized, had developed a dream, a dream of better working conditions, better wages and respectful owner-worker relationship. Most of them have been connected to one or the other labor unions. Their bargaining capacity had greatly increased. But, now, when the process of negotiated settlement of the class conflict started, gradually they have been loosing the ground. The priority on industrial peace would effectively overshadow their rights and aspirations. There is high possibility that from now on, they would loose their bargaining power even more. Their dream also has confronted with the rough political weather and is at the verge of vanishing.
The people's governance mechanisms at local levels called "Jana Sarkars" (people's governments) have lost their relevance. The functionaries of such mechanisms became unemployed. Till two years ago, their writ was running as effectively as that of any functional government. Now, not only their opponents are against them but their own creators also have disowned them. This has effectively ended the power exercising organizational mechanism created by the decade-long war.The youths organized as militia in the past and converted to Young Communist League (YCL) afterward played significant role in curbing crimes, taming the untamable and delivering justice instantly. It is also equally true that in many cases, they committed excesses. Particularly, it happened due to the need of short cuts to win the election. They were the most powerful instruments during that time. Now, they are considered a spent force. Their role has been in question by their opponents and media, both.
The youths organized through the process of popular mobilizations and social actions are at the verge of disappearance as organized force. Alternatively, they could be surviving as vegetable/paddy growing community as some of their leaders are advocating such a role for them. The "people's courts" are now going to be replaced with the old state's courts. The verdict delivered by the "people's courts" and reversal of such decisions would create a mess in the lives of many people, particularly in the rural areas. It is not the question of integrating two systems in one, but in all practical sense, it is deactivating one and accepting the functional as well as legal jurisdiction of the other. In such situation, "people's courts" will be deactivated and the old state's court system will have the sole judicial authority.
A large majority of the sympathizers, who had started believing that the new era of illumination and abundance would be not that far, have started now to question their own expectations. Moreover, many among them have been expressing bewilderment. They had distant past that was full of difficulties; they had yesterday that was full of hopes and dreams; they have today that is full of uncertainties and bewilderments and they have no clear cut picture of tomorrow. They are feeling speechless; as if the whole euphoria of emancipation got multiple accidents at one go. The most affected lot is none other than the party cadres. They offered everything that belongs to them - time, energy, personal property, physical strength, intellectual capacities and emotional treasures. They had an ideal and they sacrificed everything to attain goals that help to realize that ideal. The ideal was the complete and sustainable emancipation of human being - a state of human civilization where oppression, suppression, injustices, poverty, ignorance and unjustifiably unequal human relations, wealth accumulations and opportunity allocations would be the stories of past. The society would be thriving because of the civility, enterprise, technological advances and enlightened behavior of its owners/creators/sustainers - the people. Now, that ideal has been questioned and the path reaching there has been going through twists and turns.
The common party cadres are divided between the followers of today's statesmen and yesterday's guides. The average party cadres are at loss of a guide, philosopher and mentor - the party that commands their respect. The party is still there, but that is some how different than the party they built. Many among the common cadres neither could cry nor could celebrate. They are in a state of bemusement, as if they have lost their sense of judgment. A large number of people made sacrifices.
More than 13000 people sacrificed their lives. Many people sacrificed their organs or body parts as a result of the massive injuries they suffered. Many of them sacrificed their freedom for years as they were languished behind the bars. Many people sacrificed their tears as their beloved ones were taken away from them permanently. The sacrifice made in the form of emotional treasures, perhaps, is one of the most important sacrifices made by the surviving relatives and comrades. Now, they are looking at developments that are not in conformity with the dreams they had during the time they were or are making these contributions.According to the law of contradictions; the new fight is imminent to begin from a new height.
The forces tilting towards the forces of status quo and the forces desirous to march to attain the goal of establishing a new progressive regime in Nepal have no option other than to fight against each other. Hence, there would be a new realignment. That realignment would break relationships, which have the foundation in the previous form of political arrangements. Such realignment would give birth to a new environment for the political as well as armed forces and mass organizations to go through a process of critical assessment of the objective situation. This realignment will also influence the behaviors of the social and economic forces and will encourage them to reassess their respective roles.
Certainly, in the near future, that realignment would take place. Furthermore, that realignment would open up the flood gate of political turmoil of unprecedented nature, scale and intensity. And, a new path would appear for a new journey to begin. This is nothing other than an integral process of continuous revolution.
(Previously, the article was posted on http://www.ujyalonepal.blogspot.com/ under an assumed name Ratna Prabhat. First time published in August 29, 2008)
The hopes and aspirations created by the decade long people's war between the holder of the old regressive regime and the aspirants of the new progressive state power had generated tremendous energy that heralded the beginning of a new era. The consciously designed course of socio-political change was vivid. The people not only could see it but also could sense, hear and touch. That was seen in human relationships, class relationships and community relationships. The production processes also had been influenced including the roles of the productive forces. The process of political empowerment had initiated all powerful attempts that could lead to human emancipation. The tempest of forward march was seen all over Nepal, particularly in its rural areas. Every next day, it was uniquely different than the previous day. There was all pervading anticipation that tomorrow would be markedly different than today. After the People's Movement II, the momentum some how got obstructed. The tempest of change started to pass through the process of "go slow" and ultimately it was surpassed by the arrangements of real politicking such as power sharing, coalition formations and adjustments between the forces of change and the forces of status quo.In the rapidly changing political scenario, many people feel bewildered as they were not able to sense the course of events.
The braves turned to be something different, the ones in political hibernation started to bargain and the well-known political crooks and their organizations started to shine. Strange but true! Nepal slowly but steadily started to turn white.The people in uniform called People's Liberation Army (PLA) all of the sudden discovered that they have to take care of their families themselves. The children of these PLA soldiers born as the sons or daughters of full time PLA parents became pariah with an uncertain future. Many of these PLA soldiers have no resource base to support the survival and development of these children. Not only the children but they themselves would face difficulties in managing their livelihood. Now, the easy option is to integrate them with the regular government army. This could solve their personal problems but they will have to sacrifice their dreams of human emancipation. They would be the part of the same armed bureaucracy that has been there for about two and a half centuries. In any case, the integration would effectively finish the PLA together with their dream, a dream of emancipated humanity.
The landless and poor peasants, who were at the forefront of the movement, also had developed a dream, a dream of justice, prosperity and advancement. Even, they had got land to cultivate as part of the agrarian reform process, a land reform of limited scale and magnitude. They had started to develop some sorts of the sense of ownership over the land they got. Now, they are going to loose that temporary ownership/tilling right. Their dream has been shattered. The industrial, construction, service delivery and other off-farm workers, both organized and unorganized, had developed a dream, a dream of better working conditions, better wages and respectful owner-worker relationship. Most of them have been connected to one or the other labor unions. Their bargaining capacity had greatly increased. But, now, when the process of negotiated settlement of the class conflict started, gradually they have been loosing the ground. The priority on industrial peace would effectively overshadow their rights and aspirations. There is high possibility that from now on, they would loose their bargaining power even more. Their dream also has confronted with the rough political weather and is at the verge of vanishing.
The people's governance mechanisms at local levels called "Jana Sarkars" (people's governments) have lost their relevance. The functionaries of such mechanisms became unemployed. Till two years ago, their writ was running as effectively as that of any functional government. Now, not only their opponents are against them but their own creators also have disowned them. This has effectively ended the power exercising organizational mechanism created by the decade-long war.The youths organized as militia in the past and converted to Young Communist League (YCL) afterward played significant role in curbing crimes, taming the untamable and delivering justice instantly. It is also equally true that in many cases, they committed excesses. Particularly, it happened due to the need of short cuts to win the election. They were the most powerful instruments during that time. Now, they are considered a spent force. Their role has been in question by their opponents and media, both.
The youths organized through the process of popular mobilizations and social actions are at the verge of disappearance as organized force. Alternatively, they could be surviving as vegetable/paddy growing community as some of their leaders are advocating such a role for them. The "people's courts" are now going to be replaced with the old state's courts. The verdict delivered by the "people's courts" and reversal of such decisions would create a mess in the lives of many people, particularly in the rural areas. It is not the question of integrating two systems in one, but in all practical sense, it is deactivating one and accepting the functional as well as legal jurisdiction of the other. In such situation, "people's courts" will be deactivated and the old state's court system will have the sole judicial authority.
A large majority of the sympathizers, who had started believing that the new era of illumination and abundance would be not that far, have started now to question their own expectations. Moreover, many among them have been expressing bewilderment. They had distant past that was full of difficulties; they had yesterday that was full of hopes and dreams; they have today that is full of uncertainties and bewilderments and they have no clear cut picture of tomorrow. They are feeling speechless; as if the whole euphoria of emancipation got multiple accidents at one go. The most affected lot is none other than the party cadres. They offered everything that belongs to them - time, energy, personal property, physical strength, intellectual capacities and emotional treasures. They had an ideal and they sacrificed everything to attain goals that help to realize that ideal. The ideal was the complete and sustainable emancipation of human being - a state of human civilization where oppression, suppression, injustices, poverty, ignorance and unjustifiably unequal human relations, wealth accumulations and opportunity allocations would be the stories of past. The society would be thriving because of the civility, enterprise, technological advances and enlightened behavior of its owners/creators/sustainers - the people. Now, that ideal has been questioned and the path reaching there has been going through twists and turns.
The common party cadres are divided between the followers of today's statesmen and yesterday's guides. The average party cadres are at loss of a guide, philosopher and mentor - the party that commands their respect. The party is still there, but that is some how different than the party they built. Many among the common cadres neither could cry nor could celebrate. They are in a state of bemusement, as if they have lost their sense of judgment. A large number of people made sacrifices.
More than 13000 people sacrificed their lives. Many people sacrificed their organs or body parts as a result of the massive injuries they suffered. Many of them sacrificed their freedom for years as they were languished behind the bars. Many people sacrificed their tears as their beloved ones were taken away from them permanently. The sacrifice made in the form of emotional treasures, perhaps, is one of the most important sacrifices made by the surviving relatives and comrades. Now, they are looking at developments that are not in conformity with the dreams they had during the time they were or are making these contributions.According to the law of contradictions; the new fight is imminent to begin from a new height.
The forces tilting towards the forces of status quo and the forces desirous to march to attain the goal of establishing a new progressive regime in Nepal have no option other than to fight against each other. Hence, there would be a new realignment. That realignment would break relationships, which have the foundation in the previous form of political arrangements. Such realignment would give birth to a new environment for the political as well as armed forces and mass organizations to go through a process of critical assessment of the objective situation. This realignment will also influence the behaviors of the social and economic forces and will encourage them to reassess their respective roles.
Certainly, in the near future, that realignment would take place. Furthermore, that realignment would open up the flood gate of political turmoil of unprecedented nature, scale and intensity. And, a new path would appear for a new journey to begin. This is nothing other than an integral process of continuous revolution.
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