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| Prem_dai | Posted
on 12-Sep-03 01:12 PM
- http://www.yomari.com/p-review/2003/09/10092003/renewed.html Renewed Maoist violence: Trying to hide political defeat BY OUR REPORTER The Maoists are into their old tactic of creating fear and panic among the common people. It is in their ideology and doctrine that if you start losing militarily then turn to the poor and hapless civilians. This, they take, as putting pressure on the state or the government. Planting bombs in school, kidnapping and turning their guns at teachers, health workers, journalists and other unsuspecting civilians and against high level military officials and political leaders are part of their strategy to generate fear among the people. When the Maoists broke the cease-fire and turned into violence, it proved once again that they do not want a peaceful solution. One can easily say that the seven-month long ceasefire was only a scheme of buying time, nurse the wounds they had received, and to regroup again. As they thought they had gained enough strength, they suddenly and unexpectedly turned away from the negotiating table. This escape proved that they cannot confront on the issues of the country and the people; and their ideological basis is as feeble as ever. After the government put forth its political agenda, challenging the Maoist that it was willing to discuss on their every demand, including the formation of an interim all-party government, and even to go for referendum on national issues, the Maoists were caught by surprise. In fact, the political proposal of the government is far more progressive than the one of the Maoist. They had never expected that the government would come out so far and so boldly. Brainstorming on those issues would mean accepting defeat on all aspects of the political issues. So, the Maoists tried to hide behind the 18-point proposal of the five political parties when they said the proposal had not fulfilled the demands of the five agitating political parties whose cadres and supporter they were killing incessantly in the last eight years. The Maoist may want the fulfillment of the demand of the five political parties such as the reinstatement of the House of Representatives or the formation of an all-party government so that the political instability continues and they also would keep on with their violence. For them running away from the negotiating table was the best way to avoid political defeat and humiliation. Another reason could be that the Maoists have recruited so many people who take sadistic pleasure in killing people in the most brutal way. Even the Maoist leadership encourage to experiment with the new brutal ways of killing people. Those gun-totting ones would never be able to live a civilian life. How can those who are used to lives of looting and taking everything forcefully by threat and violence, get into a life of where you have earn your living by hard-work and perseverance? Controlling them looks to be a big headache for the Maoist leadership. The extent of defiance of the leadership in the Maoist rank and file can be gauged by the fact that there were killings, kidnapping and unabated violence during the cease-fire and also when their leaders were at the talks. But with the running away from the talks, the Maoists have lost whatever little credibility they had. Even if they come back to the negotiating table, no one would believe that they have returned with genuine intentions. Unlike in the past, when the Maoists had returned from the talks and had launched attacks on military posts and had looted banks, this time it looks like they are going suffer heavy losses from the very onset of their renewed violent campaign. The security forces have gained important success in thwarting the Maoists attacks, and dozens if not hundreds of Maoists are said to have lost their lives in confrontation with the security forces. But running away from the third round talks, Prachanda, the Maoist chief, and others in the leadership have almost shut the door for a negotiated settlement. The fighting if it continues is certain to be more fierce and bloody. If there are more bloodshed, it will be the Maoists leaders who will be solely responsible for more deaths - of the Maoists fighters, almost all of whom are misguided youths by the ego and whims of the Maoist leaders, the civilians, and the security forces, who are risking their lives for peace and security of the country and its people. |