Maoists' conundrum

by Bijaya Babu Shiwakoti

Maoist ideologue Dr Baburam Bhattarai, on the eve of the People’s Movement of 2006, had argued through an article in a national daily that any movement should have a specific goal and an action plan to achieve that goal. He was hinting at the lack of a specific goal and preparation on the part of the then mainstream parties and the impact it would have on the protest program. Three years down the line, the Maoists are now in the political mainstream and are trying to use peaceful means for their protest program. But it is quite clear that the Maoists do not have a specific objective for their protest program.

The protest program the mainstream parties were launching before the People’s Movement was ritualistic. They used to gather several thousands of their cadres and make rounds in the city center. They used to throw stones at police and shake hands with them in the evening promising to meet for the next round the other day. Fast forward from then to now, the Maoists are now performing ritual protests similar to that one. They are now singing and dancing during their protest program and it seems that the cadre level is not overly enthusiastic about the ongoing program as they used to be in the previous ones.

It seems that the Maoists are under tremendous pressure from many quarters regarding this agitation. The Indians and the 22-party coalition want them to call off their strikes. The pressure from the Indians is probably a little too much for the Maoists to be able to withstand. The Maoists know that the Indian security campaign against the Naxalites and the possible association of the Naxalites with the Nepali Maoists as suggested by the Indian establishment and its repercussions might be damaging for them.

The Maoists who wanted to play China against India probably got the message that the Chinese are not interested in that game – they have their own considerations, although not always harmonious, in relation with India. The Western powers do not want to go against the wishes of the Indians vis-à-vis the Maoists. So, it is not a surprise that if the Maoists are given an option to save their face, they will end their protests and be a part of some sort of power structure – with or without them being on top of the power structure.

Whatever happens to the Maoists is not of much importance to the nation. The Maoists have shown brinkmanship during the time they led the government. All they want is power, whatever the cost. Whatever may be their rhetoric about ‘civilian supremacy’, ‘imperialism’ and ‘expansionism’, they are just interested in state power even if that means taking orders from the ‘imperialists’ and the ‘expansionists’.

All said, the Maoists’ protest program are damaging to the nation and it is high time that all concerned in this political impasse take a handful of country’s soil and think about the country and its people, as BP Koirala used to prescribe to address any dilemma facing the country. The parties should refrain from political one-upmanship and chalk out a solution that is sustainable at least until the time the constitution is written.

Originally published here.