Contribution to the 15th International Communist
Seminar
"Present and past experiences in the international communist movement".
Brussels, 5-7 May 2006
www.icsbrussels.org , ics[at]icsbrussels.org
Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist-Leninist)
Comrade Chair,
Distinguished Comrade Participants,
Red Salute from amidst the awakened masses of Nepal !
Before saying anything before this May gathering,I want to beg apology for not being able to come to this important International Seminar-2006 or send a paper on any one of the ascertained topic.As you are well informed, the peaceful people's democratic mass movement against the regression and feudal autocracy led by King Gyanendra rapidly grew and engulfed the whole nation in the last April, I could not spare time either to write a required paper or to come to participate in the Seminar.Here, I am sending this letter just to do the following things : 1) to convey our sincere thanks to all of you and to the peoples of your countries,without whose multi faceted support to and solidarity with our democratic struggle,we would not have achieved the historic victory on the night of April 24,006; 2) to present our delegation comprised of Comrade Kapil Pokhrel,Comrade Ashok Sharma and Comrade Arjun Adhikari before you and 3) to share our views with you about the political situation in Nepal.
Comrades,please do accept our sincere thanks!
Here, I am writing very briefly about Nepal, the present people's democratic movement and the current situation.
1.BRIEF BACKGROUND-After the last reunification around 237 years back by a feudal king Prithvi Narayan Shah, Nepal has been experiencing several political changes bringing different feudal dynastic regimes, differnt political systems and many governments to rule the country.
Sidelining the Shah dynasty, feudal Rana oligarchy ruled the country despotically for 104 years since1846 to1950A.D.The political revolution of 1950-51 overthrew the Rana regime and brought about a sort of bourgeois democratic change along with bringing the Shah monarchy in the fore. The political change put king Tribhuvan Bir Bikram Shah on the throne.
The first political period in the modern Nepal lasted from 1951 to December1960. It was full of tug of war between the palace forces and the democratic forces. This resulted in the defeat of democratic forces and emergence of autocratic monarchy in Dec.16,1960 under the leadership of king Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah,the son of late king Tribhuvan.
The second political period in modern Nepal remained from 1960 to 1990,which was a period of autocratic monarchy under a signboard of partyless Panchayati democracy, the Nepalese version of guided democracy. After king Mahendra's death,his son Birendra Bir Bikram Shah continued as an autocratic king. The historic people's movement of 1990 directed against the autocratic Shah monarchy under king Birendra, washed away the so-called partyless Panchayati democracy and ushered a new era of multi-party democracy with the acceptance of people's sovereignty and the constitutional monarchy. This is the third political period in modern Nepal, a period of multi-party democracy and constitutional monarchy,which lasted from April,1990 to October4,002.
King Birendra who leaned towards a compromise when the people's movement against feudal autocracy had reached the peak and had played a cooperative role to bring about the political change of 1990, was brutally murdered along with his entire family members in the night of June 01,001 in the conspiratorial Narayanhiti royal palace massacre. After the ghastly murder of king Birendra,his son crown prince Deependra was declared king on June2,2001 while he was in a state of coma due to the fatal bullet wounds. In fact, it was only a political drama. After declaring his death officially on the third day, the second brother of the murdered king, Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah ascended the throne as a constitutional monarch in June 5,2001.
Using the cut-throat factional strife within the ruling party, the Nepali Congress, king Gyanendra was able to creat a political situation where a constitutional crisis would develop by ill-advising the then elected Prime Minister Mr. Sher Bahadur Deuba to dissolve the House of Representatives on May 22,002 and declare a general election in November 002 which was quite impossible due to the widespread armed conflict between the Maoist insurgent forces and the government forces. When the PM Deuba realized the impossibly of holding general election in November 2002 and decided to postponed it, king Gyanendra labeling him incapable, dismissed him and unconstitutionally usurped the state power and the executive rights of the elected representatives of people in October 4,002.Since then, a new and the fourth political period, a period of political regression, has begun in modern Nepal, where the king is struggling hard to establish an autocratic monarchy while flaunting the banner of multi-party democracy and constitutional monarchy !
In this fourth political period in modern Nepal, king Gyanendra is trying to push country into the medieval feudal autocracy by advocating the armed suppression of the armed insurgency led by the ultra-leftist Communist Party of Nepal(Maoist) since March 1996, labeling it as a terrorist movement, sidelining all main left and democratic political parties labeling them corrupt and incapable and trying to rule the country by his henchmen obeying his absolute command. After October 4,002,he has nominated three puppet governments led by Mr. Lokendra Bahadur Chand (October 11,002),Mr. Surya Bahadur Thapa(June 8,003)and Mr. Sher Bahadur Deuba(June 2,004), used them to strengthen his power and when they could not serve him more, he dismissed them. Since Feb 01,005,king Gyanendra himself assumed the post of Chairmanship (=Prime Minister) in the Council of Minister nominated by himself !
Nepal has ushered into a new era of people's awakening, social change, inclusive bourgeois multi party democracy, peace, progress and the consolidation of neutrality, national independence and sovereignty through the present people's democratic movement since April 24,006.A new period of bourgeois democracy and change, a fourth period in modern Nepal, has begun.I want to assure you of our commitment to work very responsibly and diligently in the intersts of Nepalese people,people's democratic revolution of Nepal,anti-imperialist struggles,specially the struggles against the U.S imperialism of the world peoples and the the interests of the international proletariat in the new era ushered in Nepal.
2.People's democratic movement : Quickly after the royal regression of October 4,2002 ,CPN(ML) and the United Left Front of Nepal took the tactics of developing a broad based peaceful people's democratic movement against the king's regression and autocracy. But for nearly one and half years,the movement remained divided in different trends due to the sectarian and status quoist wrong policies pursued by the big parliamentary parties.For this reason,it remained weak and divided in this period. After the beginning of king's direct rule since Feb.01,005 and its all round repression, the seven left and democratic political parties of Nepal which were advocating the peaceful people's movement against the king's regression and autocracy sat together and made public a common declaration of the people's democratic movement on May 8,005. Our Party--the Communist Party of Nepal (ML) is also affiliated with the Seven Party Alliance through the United Left Front ,Nepal of which it is one of the three constituent Parties. Since then the Seven Parties Alliance (SPA) begun to lead lead the democratic people's movement.It traversed many rounds of struggles
In the final round,the SPA declared to observe a four day long nation-wide General Strike from April 6 to 9,006.On April 03, theCommunist Party of Nepal(Maoist) declared a cessation of their armed actions in Kathmandu valley during the general strike,untill their next decision. King Gyanendra's govt imposed restrictions upon the peaceful activities of people.They restricted the incoming of common people into the Kathmandu valley without getting pass from the concerning Chief District Officer,imposed curfews on all roads leading to capital city Kathmandu during night (21 to 04 hrs) and on April 4 they declared the area within the ring-road of Kathmandu,a prohibited zone where no agitation was allowed.
First two days of 4days long (April 6-9) General Strike & protests were successful despite the strong repressive measures of the govt. From the first day of the general strike, in addition to the previous measures,they imposed curfew orders even within Kathmandu from 21 to 04 hrs daily. Seven Parties Alliance had planned a large peaceful rally inKathmandu for April08, besides the geral strike.But at 07hrs of the day,the home-ministry clamped down curfew orders for Kathmandu valley from 10 to 21 hrs.Besides such measures, govt used police as well as army to foil the general strike and to suppress the protesters.They arrested more than 400 agitators in the first day and more than 200 in the second day.They used baton-charge,tear-gas shells, blank-fires and arrestings to supress the masses in Kathmandu as well as in other parts of the country.
CPN(Maoist) escalated its armed actions against the govt positions in different parts of the country despite of theirdeclaration (April 03)of stopping all armed actions in Kathmandu untill their next decision. They attacked on Malangawa,the hq of Sarlahi district of Janakpur Zone in the evening of April 05 and on Butwal of Rupandehi district and Taulihawa, the hq of Kapilvastu district in the evening of April 07 and inflicted heavy losses on the govt side.Govt maligned the general strike as a joint venture of Maoist and the Seven Parties Alliance.Together with this, it vainly tried to use these armed attacks as good pretexes to suppress the peaceful movement violently.
Our Party appealed to the CPN(Maoist) : Either declare unilateral cease-fire or stop all armed actions all over the country by deploying your armed forces in the active defence of your gains or at least don't do any actions which will be counter-productive to the ongoing anti-autocratic peoples' movement.Because at the present context of Nepal, the peaceful people's movement is the most effective means of struggle that can end the feudal monarchy,usher the country into a new stage of progressive democracy,national independence and prosperity and help the Maoist forces to enter into a peaceful process safeguarding the gains of their armed struggle.
Despites of all these developments,seven party alliance remained determined to push the movement ahead untill the goal set in its common declaration of May 08,005 was achieved.The goal was to end the feudal monarchical autocracy and establish democracy with people's sovereignty bringing progessive changes in the society.The agenda can change Nepal into a more democratic and progressive society, can help CPN(Maoist) to enter into a peaceful political process and can create a political situation where the people's struggle can dismantle the monarchy through the constituent assembly.
On April 20,006,govt clamped 18 hours curfew on Ktm city within the ring-road and 200 meters around it from 02 to 18 hours to foil the peaceful protest rally planned by the SPA along the 27 kilometers long ring-road. In the evening, they extended the curfew continiously for more seven hours till 03 hrs of the next day.But people of Kathmandu valley defied it very courageously and bravely , though three protesters have to pay the price of their pecious lives and hundreds are wounded.
The royal govt clamped another cufew on the same area in Kathmandu for 11 hours from 09 to 20 hrs in April21,006. But tens of thousand of people are pouring in the streets of Kathmandu defying the prohibitions and curfew orders . So is the case in other cities and towns of the country. Even the remote towns of Taplejung,Myagdi and Darchula are not exception this time.People from different walks of life and people from rural areas,Madhesh,hills and even from Himalayan region are coming out to demand democracy with people's sovereignty,change in their lives and peace,progress as well as prosperity in the nation.
3. King going down-hill : In the evening of April 21,king Gyanendra, pressurised by the escalating people's movement,proclaimed that he would return the executive right to rule the country to the peoples' representatives and acknowledged that the source of the state power is the people ( not the royal family).He invited the SPA to form a govt and declared the council of ministers under his chairmanship, as interim one.But he did not address the agenda of the SPA. On April 22,the SPA rejected the king's elusive offer and decided to continue the peaceful peoples' movement till the agenda would not be accepted by the king.
The number of people joining the agitation went on growing daily. On april 22,more than one million people came into the 27-km long ringroad of Kathmandu.They entered into the city proper from various points.Security forces were compelled to let them go inside and they remained to cordon only the royal palace, crown prince Paras's residence and Singh Durbar - the seat of the govt.There were slogan chantings,corner speeches and even poem recitations and singing anti-autocratic songs here and there.All cities and townships all over Nepal were seething with the crowds of agitations.
4.King Gyanemdra defeated : On the evening April 24,006,at 11.30 PM,king Gyanendra delivered his second proclamation within the four running days.There he stated that he would accept the fact that the source of sovereignty,state power and executive right to rule the country lied in people.Thus, in principle he accepted the role of ceremonial monarchy for himself. He accepted the legitimacy of the ongoing peaceful people's movement.He acknowledged the efficacy of the common agenda set forth by SPA on May 8,005 to solve the present day crisis of Nepal.He accepted the mandate of the people's movement and thereby obeyed to reinstate the parliament dissolved in May 22,2002.The SPA has entered into understanding with the CPN(Maoist) to clear a path so that they can come into a peaceful political process in an enriched multy-party democracy.Both sides have committed to go for the election of constituent assembly to make a progressive democratic new constitution of Nepal.In this way CPN(Maoist) is also addressed, although indirectly by the royal proclamation. CPN(Maoist) is not left out in the present change process and definately wont be left out.The anti-regression and anti-autocratic democratic movement has won a historic victory.The last 19 days struggle took the toll of 20 martyrs,more than 5000 agitators wounded in all over the country and thousands in jails who have been released after April 24.
5.The current situation :The reinstated parliament sat in its first session on Friday 28 April,2006.A seven membered all party government under the premiership of Mr Girija Prasad Koirala,the main leader of the SPA and the President of Nepali Congress Party has been formed on May02,006,a week after his choise as an unanimous candidate for the premership by the SPA.The United Left Front ,Nepal of which main constituent party is our party --the CPN(ML),has sent its current President Comrade Prabhunarayan Chaudhary as its representative in the all party govt.He is holding an important ministry of land system and reform .The parliament reinstated by the force of people's movement is actually a sovereign one and people is urging it to act in revolutionary manners. It has already decided resolutions to direct the all party government to work towards the election of constituent assembly, to declare ceasefire reciprocating with that of CPN(Maoist) and to make preparations to enter into the dialogue with them.It is preparing the process to bring the Royal Nepalese Amy under the all party govt and the parliament, to reorganise it into Nepalese National Army, to delink the king from the army,to dismantle all the monarchical mechanisms right now,except the monarchy and bring about reforms commensurating with these political changes.
The govt has already declared ceasefire with the CPN(Maoist) on May 03,006, withdrew the tag of 'terrorist' from the CPN(M), decided to cancel the 'red corner notice' against the Maoist leaders and called upon them to come to the dialogue tableto settle the issues so that they can enter into a peaceful political process to achieve their goal of people's democratic revolution. CPN(Maoist) has promptly accepted the offer on May 04,006.The sovereign parliament and the all party govt are functioning a little bit slowly,but according to the agenda of the people's movement.Though there are many challenges ahead and danger of hitting back by the autocratic reactionary forces,acting cautiously people can consolidate the achievements and create a situation where a free and fair election to the constituent assembly can be organised in the near future and people can make their choise of democratic republic.
6. In the conclusion :So long as the election of the constituent assembly is conscerned, the position of our Party is :it should be done to make and ratify a new progressive democraic constitution around the agreed principles pertaining to the main political issues which have come out on the surface at present.No country has practised constituent assembly either in the past or in the present-be it in South Africa or in Afganisthan, without basically agreeing on principles pertaining to the current major national issues. CPN(ML) is a revolutionary party which has been advocating for a people's republic from the very beginning. And naturally,it will campaign for the Democratic Republic in the time of election to the constituent assembly.
For the attention of all those who are watching the situation of Nepal very keenly, the following things should be told very frankly.Nepal is situated in such a geographical location where the strategic interests of India,China and USA collide very conspicuously.On this geo-political background,it is wise for the CPN(Maoist) to enter into a peaceful political process by cooperating to consolidate the achievements of the historic people's movement and safeguarding the achievements of its armed struggle so that we can lead the country along the path of democracy, progress,social change,neutrality and safeguarding the national independence and sovereignty.This will certainly help the revolutionary forces to advance towards the accomplishment of the people's democratic revolution.
7.Distinguished Comrades ! I am going to conclude my statement.Thanks for your kind attention !
Comrade C.P.Mainali
General Secretary,
Communist Party of Nepal (Marxist-Leninist)
May 07, 2006
Kathmandu,Nepal
cpn_ml@yahoo.com