Nepali and Indian Maoists have come together to condemn what they call growing intervention of the United States in South Asian nations.
In a rare joint statement on Tuesday, the CPN (Maoist) and CPI (Maoist) said the ‘US imperialists’ had been increasingly intervening in South Asia, particularly in Nepal and India. The two rebel outfits took the opportunity to lash out at America through the joint press statement issued in reaction to media reports about the growing differences between them.
The joint statement signed by CPI (M) spokesperson Azad and CPN (M) central committee member Satya said “…Even in South Asia the US imperialists are more and more openly intervening in the countries of the region. Particularly in Nepal and India they have been directly intervening in the suppression of the Maoist movements.”
It added, “As part of their direct intervention the US officers have themselves been training the RNA [now Nepali Army] and even entering every sphere of society to subvert the ongoing anti-monarchial movement. In India the US diplomats have been openly visiting Chhatisgargh and the military-run jungle warfare camp as part of their plans to suppress the Maoists.”
The US government has already warned of stopping its assistance to Nepal if the Maoists were brought to the government before they laid down arms. The US government’s position has not only irked the rebels but also some partners of the ruling the seven-party alliance.
Meanwhile, the two Maoist parties also denounced the ‘US-backed’ Israeli attacks in Lebanon and called for immediate withdrawal of Israeli troops from there.
On the differences between them, the two rebel parties claimed that they were still united on the basis proletarian internationalism, mutual fraternal relations and the principles of MLM [Marxism, Leninism and Maoism].
“The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) and the Communist Party of India (Maoist) jointly re-assert their firm commitment to proletarian internationalism, mutual fraternal relations, on the basis of MLM,” the statement said, adding, “All tactical questions being adopted in the respective countries are the sole concern of the parties operating there. Both parties will seek to learn from the positive experiences of the other party as also the experiences of the Maoists who comprise the ICM.”
Saying that media reports regarding their differences were misleading, the statement further said, “While doing so we shall continue debates on ideological, political and strategic issues on which we differ in the true democratic traditions of the international communist movement. These debates and discussions will take place bilaterally and also, occasionally, publicly.”
The joint statement comes amidst media reports that the Indian Maoists, who provided crucial support to the Nepali Maoists during their People’s War, are unhappy about the softening stance of their Nepali comrades.
While their Nepali counterparts, who are considered far more successful, have joined the peace process, the Indian Maoists have not been forthcoming in the central government’s offer for talks.
The Indian Maoist outfits are mainly active in rural parts of states like Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pardesh, Bihar and Jharkhand.