Nepal Maoists ready to surrender under UN supervision

Times Of India ^ | Nov 20, 2005

[sagar]

KATHMANDU: Nepal's Maoist rebels, spearheading a decade-old insurgency, have agreed to lay down arms under UN supervision and support the movement launched by an alliance of seven political parties to limit King Gyanendra's role as a titular head, highly placed sources said on Saturday.

During the "secret" parleys with the alliance leaders in New Delhi, the rebels also indicated that they would extend the ceasefire period by a month, they said. The rebels had announced a three-month unilateral truce in September, which expires on December 3.

Though there was no official confirmation of the talks either by the royal government or by India, the sources said the Maoists have agreed to pursue competitive multi-party polity and to lay down arms under the UN supervision.

The Maoists have also assured to back the agitating parties' strategy to boycott the forthcoming municipality elections, they said.

[sagar]

If true, this is huge. And I hope it is true. In this case, UN is not bad compared to the Maoists. Trust me.

[Righty_McRight]

Sounds like they just want to get rid of the King that had been fighting them. I'm no fan of kings, but I'm not a big fan of communists either. Which one of the two was worse, and can you trust them not to pick their arms back up?

[sagar]

*Nepal Ping*

[Numbers Guy]

Funny, I just saw a puff piece on the Maoists in National Geographic. They included the obligatory "there is some evidence of atrocities" then basically discussed what wonderful goals the Maoists had.

[sagar]

"Sounds like they just want to get rid of the King that had been fighting them."

True. They want to get rid of the king. In fact, they are fighting for it. But the fact is that Kathmandu valley is a monarchy stronghold. And Nepal is Kathmandu valley. Literally. So, even if they control 80% of villages, they do not have control over Kathmandu. Their ploy of shutting down Kathmandu backfired.

They are weakened militarily because both the police and the military operate from Kathmandu. And people there are not fond of Maoism. It has been a mercantile city from ancient times, and its inhabitants are not enthusiastic about economic communism that the Maoists seek to impose.

"Which one of the two was worse, and can you trust them not to pick their arms back up?"

No question about it. Maoists are by far the worse. There are 3 groups that seek control -- King, political parties, and the Maoists. I would rate the king as the least harmful of the three. Then, the corrupt political parties(all are socialists, one way or another) who are only interested in pocketing foreign aid $$$. They are typically non violent, but extremely corrupt. Then, the Maoists. They are violent thugs similar your typical communists from the bygone era.

If this news is true, then we can expect the king to retain the figurehead position, and the climate back to "normal." By normal I mean the corruption will be rampat, at least the commies won't be killing people.

[sagar]

"Funny, I just saw a puff piece on the Maoists in National Geographic. They included the obligatory "there is some evidence of atrocities" then basically discussed what wonderful goals the Maoists had."

Yup. All the good things Maoists have done. Like blowing up agricultural projects and hydropower stations, looting banks and raiding civil service offices, and of course kidnapping school children, killing teachers and ambushing police and military.

Their wonderful "goal" peaks when they kill millions, like their idols Mao and Pol Pot.

[Gengis Khan]

If and when the Maoists surrender, would the King promise to bring back democracy?

[WorkingClassFilth]

Don't you suspect a covert alliance with the parties mentioned (socialist philosophy, AKA: a door mat for communists) and the Maoists in the same way that Sinn Fein acted above the table for the IRA? In this way they pretend to be separate and opposed to each other, but they are both more free to advance similar ends. Both elements have great shows of washing their hands of the other's dirty deeds, but their mutual agenda (Marxist control) continually advances.

[razoroccam]

Aren't the majority of Nepalese "Hindu"? How do they reconcile between "Hinduism" and Maoist philosophies, which basically erodes their entire culture?

[little jeremiah]

If you have any kind of ping list, can you add me to it?

[sagar]

Sure.

[sagar]

In Nepal, the religious term Hindu or Buddhist is based on caste/ethnicity. Except Kathmandu valley, which can be considered Hindu based on the Hindu cultural prominence there over the centuries, most of villages are virtually free of religion. It is all about caste/ethnicity. Most Paharis are Hindus by ethnic affiliation(migrated from Kumaon region after all), most Madeshis are Hindus(they migrated relatively recently from Indian plains), and most Bhots are Buddhists(migrated from Tibet after all).

Frankly, I didn't know I was hindu until I get here in the US! :o Although, now it is changing because of the visits by Indian Hindu missionaries who assert Indian brand of Hinduism(vegan lifestyle, etc). Nepalese Hindus are tantric and do not hesitate to eat sacrificed animals. A lot of sacrifice going on in festivals. That is shocking to Indian Hindus, I'm sure.

And also Christian missionaries are very active. A lot of villages especially in high mountains have become Christians. There are also some Muslims, especially Kashmiris and others who came from India.

Except for the culturally distinct Christians and Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists are quite intertwined. Only thing that is certain is caste, and trust me even the poorest villager living on top of a mountain knows his caste.

Maoists play on anti-caste line, especially anti-upper castes, and are known to kidnap uppercaste children from schools. But rest assured, 60% of Maoist leadership is made up of brahmans. Perhaps it is guilt of being upper castes, or simply they really believe in Maoism, a lot of intellectual brahmans are into Maoism. It is the other upper and middle castes such as landlords who are anti-Maoist. The top 2 maoist leaders are brahmans.

Baburam in his typical commie cap

And Prachanda, the ringleader of the maoist cabal

[razoroccam]

Thanks for your detailed reply. High caste "Hindus" seem to take to communism just like Jews (Marx, Engles, etc). Communists in Bengal still celebrate Durga Puja - I don't know how that makes intellectual sense, though it does make political sense.

Prachananda was neutral till he came to India and studied in the bastion of communism, Jawarharlal Nehru University in Delhi.

[sagar]

Indeed. I have noticed that too. I think it has to do with guilt, primarily. And notice how all these upper caste commie leaders come from really orthodox, priestly families. I seriously think they are brainwashed in thinking they and their castes being the reason of all the suffering. Taking directly from Buddhist guilt-trip idealogy. No wonder Siddhartha Gautam suffered a jolt when he, as a prince, saw all the poverty around him. And thought it was all because of attachment. Typical then, typical now.

[minus_273]

i dont believe this the main plan is to get rid of the king. The polical parits and the UN are too dumb and weak to stop them once the military and the king are removed.

[minus_273]

add me to he Nepal ping

[Tailgunner Joe]

Dubious UN Support For Maoist, SPA Accord

By Bhola B. Rana

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan should have asked the Maoists to observe a cease-fire more meticulously when he asked the government to also declare a cease-fire following an accord between the Maoists and the Seven Party Alliance(SPA).

Annan welcomed the accord between the Maoists and the Alliance even as the Maoists have not agreed to lay down their arms to join the political mainstream.

Annan has lent support to the opposition movement by “welcoming” the understanding between a terrorist group and the opposition. This casts doubt on whether the UN can really play the role of a mediator in Nepal’s conflict. The United Nations has lost credibility in its effort to resolve the Maoist conflict by welcoming the Maoists-seven party accord. Annan also welcomed the New Delhi accord even as a global war has been launched against terrorism.

The secretary general also welcomed the New Delhi accord even as its purpose is dubious and fuzzy, Annan claims it is to restore democracy and end the conflict.

CPN-UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal says in clear and definite terms that it is to topple a regime.

The UN welcome also comes after the Maoists and the Seven Party Alliance agreed in New Delhi to disturb the 8 February municipal polls as a first step to restoring the derailed democracy. Annan lent support to the opposition accord between a terrorist group and the parliamentary opposition even amidst deep differences in the alliance.

One constituent of the alliance has warned Nepal could lose its sovereignty following the New Delhi accord.

President of Nepal Majdoor Kisan Party Narayanman Bujukakchaya said,” The pressure by foreigners and a decision made in haste can give the country an outlet, but we should remain alert to the danger it can pose to the country’s independendence and sovereignty.”

The cease-fire the Maoists have repeatedly violated ends December 3.

The Army has authoritatively said the Maoists have killed 19 persons after declaring a cease-fire they declared September 3. The Maoists have abducted 4,013 persons; and 14 cases of bombings and clashes have been reported during the cease-fire.

The UN has to counter a very reasonable government claim that the Maoists are only using the case-fire for strategic purposes to recover from losses the battle field.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan through an aide said last Thursday he was carefully studying a 12-point accord between the SPA and the Maoists and asked the government to declare a cease-fire. The secretary general said he welcomed and was carefully studying the details of the understanding that has been between Nepalese parliamentary parties and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoists ) aimed at restoring multiparty democracy and resolving the conflict.