to their success. Would you agree? Have you
taken any lessons from the experience and
traje-ctory of the Indian Maoists?
[Kiran] We have been advancing our mass
movements in Nepal as well. While we believe in the
strategic importance of mass movements, we do
maintain that we would need to prepare for armed
struggle as well, in order to succeed. We cannot win
with mass movements alone.
[RS] During my meetings with Maoist cadres, I
have heard about the popularity of party
campaigns against country liquor, domestic
violence in villages. Do you have any such mass
mobilization programs undertaken by your
party?
I do not think these were examples of mass
movement in the Maoist sense. If these things
happened anywhere, it was wrong. These are very
much against the way of life of people, particularly the
indigenous people (janajati) who use liquor
unreservedly. It is part of their homegrown culture. Our
current mass movement programs focus on issues
that are directly related to the class struggle. We
mobilize people against the local feudal landlords
(zamindars) and money lenders on the issues of land
rights, fair prices for agricultural produce, fair share
of produce for landless farmers, fair wages for
agricultural workers and against usurious loans.
[RS] Communists have often been criticized for
their proclivity to splits and factionalism. Even
in the face of criticisms from outside, commu-
nists are not able to work together. I understand
your critique of the politics of Prachanda and
Baburam. But there are others, like Netra Bikram
Chand (Biplab) and Gopal Kirati who also favor
continuing the armed struggle. But they are
separate organi-zations. Why are the factions
critical of the establishment Maoists in Nepal
unable to unite?
[Kiran] Thank you for this very timely and pertinent
question. I can tell you that this is a matter of deep
introspection within our party as well, and we are
making serious efforts to resolve this. All I can share
at this moment is that unity cannot happen merely on
the basis of agreement on the political line alone.
There are additional practical barriers to unity such
egocentricity of the leadership, political careerism, and
unnecessary adventurism all of which have to be
handled effectively before we can achieve unity. We
are sincerely trying to unite the factions that you
mention, and will continued talks with them.
[RS] On the question of winning back popular
trust, I have met many former combatants and
ordinary people in Nepal, who expressed their
16
deep sense of disillusionment. They feel that
their leaders betrayed them and the cause of
revolution. How will you convince the people
of Nepal to rise in rebellion again?After the
peace process, former comba-tants have
reintegrated back into the society or into the
Nepali army. Do you think this generation will
take up arms against the state all over again?
[Kiran] You’re right. I know the people of Nepal
feel disappointed in us. They can see that the
Prachanda faction does not care about their issues
anymore. They do not have much faith in us either,
primarily due to our lack of unity. When people witness
factional strife among us they will not trust us. We
need to be united to inspire popular confidence in us
as the alternative platform of resistance. We will
continue to work hard towards that.
On the question of reinte-gration of former
combatants, this was a huge mistake. Within our party
Prachandaji and Baburamji agreed internally that we
would structurally change the Nepali Army. But what
really happened was that some Maoist soldiers were
reintegrated into the Nepali Army. However, you must
know – only a very small fraction of the PLA soldiers
joined the Nepali army. Most of the former PLA just
disarmed and left the cantonment. But they are there.
They are not in government’s control, even today.
They are scattered here and there. Some are in the
party, some are working in regular jobs, some have
left the country. The commander of the PLA is now
the Vice President. But many are with us too. Many
others are just watching us and will eventually come
back to us. And we will recruit new soldiers. During
the ten years of peoples’ war, we were very successful
in recruiting people into the PLA and in winning over
popular support. We value that experience. We will
do that again.
contd from page 17
willing to close its main nuclear complex if the US took
unspecified “reciprocal action”. He promised to visit
South Korea in near future. These moves and
gestures have touched the fine sentiments,
aspirations and urges of Korean people as a whole
for re-unification.
But the main obstacle lies in the politics of
intervention and domination played by the imperialists
in general and US in particular in the Korean
peninsula as well as in the Indian Ocean and Asia-
Pacific region. So, the Korean people have a long
and difficult struggle to wage to free the Korean
peninsula from the imperialist intervention and
domination, realize peace, security and the long
cherished dream of reunification of Korea.
Class Struggle