Maoists suddenly become restive

April 9, 2003
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Kathmandu: Visibly the Maoist stalwarts who have surfaced after seven years of underground life appear more than excited.

Their excitement is only but natural for they wish to utilise every moment in convincing the population about their plans for the upliftment of the poor; the ethnic tribes and the oppressed ones and in the process wish the people’s support at time when the nation will decide to go in on for a constituent assembly—one of the key demands of the Maoist rebels.

In the process of convincing the lay men, the leaders of this insurgency are making whirlwind tours to various corners of the nation making at times fiery speeches to impress the people of their strong commitments for the mass.

However, a change in their tone is becoming visible of late.

If on the one hand in the first days of their appearance in Kathmandu the Maoist stalwarts used to say that they have come with clear intent for the restoration of peace in their own motherland.

Later they said that they would not care the presence of the parliamentary parties at time of the talks with the government.

In order to justify their logic they made it clear that since the talks were being held in between the two guns, the presence of those who do not possess guns with them is simply redundant. In saying so they wished to clearly hint that the talks would acquire legitimacy even in the absence of the parliamentary parties.

Later they hinted that their revolution in itself a state within the state when they declared that they have come to negotiate peace with the “old regime” that is a regime wherein the King reins supreme. In saying so they preferred to call themselves as a newly emerged “new regime”.

In the process of making statements the leaders of this camp even uttered that should they desire so they will negotiate with the monarch itself which meant that they attach greater importance to the King than the government appointed by the monarch himself.

The Maoists leaders also made it clear that the 1990 constitution was already a dead horse and its revival was simply unwarranted. This they apparently hinted Koirala urging the latter to stop asking for the restoration of the parliament.

In the process they also hinted that since the constitution was dead and hence the nation remained in a state of constitutionless. This implied that the King was all in all at the moment and hence their negotiation will proceed only when the King returned from his India trip.

Later they began seducing the parliamentary forces and sought their support at time of the talks. This they did apparently considering the legitimacy factor if the talks succeeded. They knew that the outcome of the talks with the government will not bag legitimacy in the absence of the parliamentary parties at the talking table.

And now they have become restive and been lambasting at the government for delaying the talks. In effect the rebels now suspect the very motives of the other camp for not initiating talks with them.

Dr. Babu Ram Bhattarai point blank criticised the King for delaying the talks. “We can’t wait for indefinite period for the talks. We too have a patience limit. Should the limit cross, we will enter the jungles again”, said Dr. Bhattarai in Nepalganj. He also accused the King to have managed to create differences in between the parliamentary parties and the maoists. He however also hinted that should the parliamentary parties and the King evolve a new kind of solution to the imbroglio, we the maoists will also think of sacrificing some thing in the larger interests of the nation and for the prevalence of peace.

It is this statement that offers some leverage to both the parliamentary parties and the monarchy.

The rest of Dr. Bhattarai’s speeches contained not very good words for the monarch.

Similarly, Ram Bahadur Thapa alias Badal speaking in his hometown Chitwan Monday afternoon made it abundantly clear that they will not settle for less than a constituent assembly.

Yet another PB member of the Maoists camp, Dev Gurung addressing a gathering in Pokhara Monday disclosed that the parliamentary parties had in the past broken various commitments and agreements made with his party at the famous Siliguri meet.

All put together, what becomes clear is that the Maoists now will not wait any longer for the talks. Analysts opine that sooner the “old regime” announces the team and finalises the dates for the talks the better.

Notably, Dr. Bhattarai and his colleagues have stepped up their anger against the monarchy. The reasons? Is it that the Maoists in the recent wished greater concessions from the “old regime” which the King rejected? Keep on guessing.