Posted on 11/05/2005 3:45:59 PM PST by sagar
Rejecting allegations of having links with Maoists, Nepal's seven-party alliance agitating against King Gyanendra's direct rule has said it was instead trying to bring the rebels into the democratic fold.
"We don't have any plans to forge an alliance with the Maoist rebels," Nepali Congress central member and former Foreign Minister Ramsharan Mahat said.
"The purpose of all our efforts is to motivate them to come to multi-party democracy," Mahat told PTI.
The minister was responding to the US government's statement issued yesterday warning pro-democracy political parties against any possible alliance with the Maoists waging insurgency for the past ten years that has so far claimed over 12,500 lives.
The US Embassy has warned the political parties against forging any alliance with the guerillas untill they firmly renounce violence, put down their weapons and commit to supporting the democratic process.
This shows the government's concern over the Maoist insurgency, which is natural and they have considered it as a big problem, he said.
Unless Maoists renounce violence and come to the multi-party democracy there is no possibility of having an alliance with them, Mahat said. What the seven political parties are doing is trying to hold dialogue with them to bring and end to the present crisis, he clarified.
The seven-party alliance has authorised Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala and Nepal Communist Party-UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal to intiate dialogue with the Maoists, he said.
Mahat also said, that if Nepal King Gyanendra participates in the forthcoming SAARC Summit being held in Dhaka, it will be clear among the international community that there is authoritarian regime in Nepal.
Even Bhutan King Jigme Singhe Wangchuk has decided to send his Prime Minister to lead the delegation to the summit and he is not taking part in the Dhaka Summit, Mahat said.
*Nepal Ping*
Once again, the dialectic at work.
Gyanendra should allow a multinational anti-insurgent force to operate inside Nepal and wipe out the Maoists. Since China and India both claim no connection to the rebels, it would seem to be the reasonable response to an entirely internal matter.
if 'we' didn't have our hands full with the islamoscum
I think that would be a capitol idea....
Doesn't the Maoists consider all those parties to be pro-imperialist or revisionist?
BTW, do you happen to know if the Maoists have any significant foreign support?
"Doesn't the Maoists consider all those parties to be pro-imperialist or revisionist?"
Of course. The Maoists' first victims were the workers of those political parties -- not the royal army. But, after the royal takeover, the politcal parties lost their remaining control of any foreign $$$ coming in. They basically lost their income. Now they are as desperate as the Maoists. Thus, the alliance.
"BTW, do you happen to know if the Maoists have any significant foreign support?"
Indian communists and the communist groups in Europe are their main supporters in terms of money and supplies. They loot banks to finance pretty much everything else. They also abduct children and engage in extortion, kidnap teens and indoctrinate them, and of course recruit among the poorest peasants and lowest classes who have had enough of the reactionary feudal system.
80% of the country is under maoist control. Only big cities, especially those inside Kathmandu valley, and places in eastern and central Terai are not. So, "wiping" them clean is impossible. They operate in small villages all over the country. The best way is sustaining the military action... killing them everytime they show up. And trying to kill their leaders who hold secret meetings in India.
"The best way is sustaining the military action... killing them everytime they show up. And trying to kill their leaders who hold secret meetings in India."
I understand that and agree with you. The problem with Nepal, though, is that it is not suited for large scale operations. I have family that have been there since the 50's and I've been through some of the country myself so I know something (as you certainly do) of the terrain and geography. Negotiating the roads to cover the country would be difficult in itself, but actually being where they show up when they can set the agenda is a far, far reach for large operations. Small teams that operate for extended periods in the same areas that the Maoists do brings the conflict back to them. In so far as killing the leadership, covert operations are just the special operations ticket. No question that pressure needs to be kept up, but as long as they have sanctuary and advance warning of impending government activity in an area, they will remain fluid and escape. Some of the recent fighting shows their recruitment of farm boys (little training and little heart for the 'cause') so this seems to be very much like the Viet Nam templet and seems to be the arena best suited for special operations.
Thanks. Do you have any idea of the ethnic background of their membership? Like how many of them are ethnic Nepalis, and how many are from other ethnic groups?
SOunds like the Nepali Army should set up some LRRP-type units.
There are hundreds of ethnic groups, but the country can be divided into 3 basic groups: Indo-Nepalese, Tibeto-Nepalese, and those descendants of ancient inhabitants of Nepal(mostly mixed Indo-Tibetans).
Indo-Nepalese, who form the slight majority, can be divided into 2 groups - mountain folks(Paharis) and plain folks(Madhesi or Madhya Desis). Although both are immigrants from India, Paharis migrated centuries earlier. Madhesis are relatively recent arrivals who started inhabiting the Terai plains after malaria was contained. Paharis have pretty much all the power and Madhesis are seen as Indians more than Nepalese. Interestingly, The Maoist leadership is 60% upper caste Pahari who want to amend past injustices by the feudal society.
Tibeto-Nepalese can be divided into hundreds of small groups such as Rais, Limbus, Tamang, Bhotiyas, Sherpas etc. Some of those groups are successful, while some are piss poor peasants. Most of Maoist foot-soldiers are from this group.
The third group descended from ancient inhabitants, like Newars and Sakyas. Groups like Newars who inhabited Kathmandu valley are extremely successful and rival Paharis in power and influence. They are the most business oriented and least into Maoism.
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