Nepal: Maoists' Lust For Power & Thirst For Blood

The recent series of events involving mass killings, beatings, extortion and intimidation on the part of Maoist terrorists is a vivid indication that Nepal is expeditiously precipitating down the abyss of complete chaos and anarchy. In view of the horrid direction in which the country is seen to have been heading primarily because of the communist extremists’ failure to reconcile with the fundamentals of a democratic order, the so-called peace process is most likely to be derailed.

Maoists seem to have been successful in utilizing the Nepalese democratic forces for edging towards their demonic goal – turning Nepal, the only Hindu state on earth, into a communist republic. Having been convinced that they were prepared to embrace multi-party parliamentary democracy, democratic forces last April decided to join hands with them while challenging the royal authoritarianism. Once the 239-year-old Nepalese institution of monarchy was completely emasculated under the pressure of mass uprisings, Maoists started to pressurize the democratic forces to humiliate and unnerve the Nepalese Army. The Maoist supremo went to the extent of accusing the Royal Nepalese Army of doing nothing except raping Nepalese women.

Royal Nepalese Army is believed to have a long tradition of loyalty towards the institution of monarchy and hence a formidable force to reckon with. Maoist strategy was obviously centered on the emaciation of both of those institutions that, in collaboration with any political force, could play a decisive role in shaping the hapless country’s embattled politics. NC leader Girija Koirala, as was nastily perturbed at being ignored by King Gyanendra, was bent on avenging the royal repression by shaking hands with the radical left, supposedly the arch enemy of monarchy. Come April movement and the King was ignominiously sidelined. Justifiably, the impostor was left to stew in his own juice.

The newly restored House of Representatives, conspicuously at the behest of Maoists, stripped the King of his entire powers and privileges by adopting several resolutions whose sole objective was to disparage the king and the royal institution rather than serve to promote and institutionalize democracy. Bringing the King to his knees for the way he betrayed the nation and people by trampling the spirit of 1990 constitution, was not unwelcome among most of the Nepalese. But the democratic forces’ failure to discern the smoldering monstrosity of Maoist terrorists, who were surreptitiously bent on nipping democracy in bud by instituting a devious campaign of insinuation and innuendoes, was equally regrettable. Despite their defiant reiteration that their ultimate goal is the establishment of a communist republic in Nepal, democratic forces led by centrist Nepali Congress, have either failed to sniff their abhorrent conspiracy or remained completely insensitive out of sheer pusillanimity. Either way, Nepalese democracy is bound to suffer immeasurably at the hands of Maoist terrorists who had outpaced even the Nazis in brutality and ruthlessness.

Despite their professed commitment to parliamentary democracy Western powers, including the United States, are not prepared to trust Maoists. So far the US state department has not expunged them from their list of terrorist organizations. US ambassador Moriarty’s response to Maoist leader Prachanda’s highly incendiary statement accusing the palace of conspiring to assassinate some of the embassy staffers and blaming the heinous act on Maoist rebels is also a clear testimony to the only super power’s entrenched contempt for the radical thugs. Predictably, Prachanda alias Pushpa Kamal Dahal cloaked himself into an unabashed silence when challenged by the US envoy to produce substantial evidence to prove his allegation.

Maoists, as are notorious on both counts - lust for power and thirst for blood - are desperate to go into the incumbent government headed by Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala. In order to be saddled in power they have long been pretending that they are sincerely intent on abiding by the norms and practices of parliamentary democracy. Most regrettably, they seem to have been successful so far in persuading the so-called democratic alliance of seven political parties into submitting to their radical agendas including the enactment of an interim constitution and holding elections for the Constituent Assembly.

Election of the Constituent Assembly aimed at formulating a democratic constitution, wholly based on the will and aspirations of the people, is certainly a welcome proposal. But it appears to have come more as a prelude to the sinister attempt at advancing totalitarian agenda of a bunch of communist thugs than a sane initiative launched by democratic organizations with deep commitment to peaceful transition. The most dreadful ambience of continuing Maoist extortion, terror and murder that has characterized the present Nepalese political landscape has also provided enough reason for suspicion and skepticism. The latest incident, among others, of severe beatings meted out to Hari Lal Shrestha of Hotel Woodlands bespeaks volumes about Maoist atrocities.

According to various reports published in Nepalese news media, Maoists’ conspiracy of creating complete mayhem by killing scores of people boomeranged at Gaur. Because, they were the first to fire the shot. Out of 29 people killed in the gruesome incident, 20 are believed to be the members of their own terrorist outfit. It should have provided the Maoist leadership, at least, a brief taste of Newton’s theory: Every action is accompanied by its reaction. The Gaur incident, however belatedly, appears to have presided over the inauguration of people’s sermonizing: “Terrorists of the Himalayan kingdom beware! Every action of yours in extortion, terror and murder will be fiercely retaliated. Henceforward, people will go to any extent when it comes to stripping you of the privilege of ‘complete impunity’. Your assault on our right to survival can never be left unpunished. Therefore, ‘thou shalt learn to live in peace and harmony’.”

Invoking the 1792 aftermath of French Revolution, Baburam Bhattarai, second in command of the Maoist leadership, has, in an article recently published in a vernacular Nepali weekly, threatened entire Nepalese with ‘unprecedented bloodbath’ if their totalitarian agenda fails to get endorsed by all. Sure, there might be a bloodbath to ensure ‘that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom … and that government of the people … by the people … for the people … shall not perish from this earth’. Not to be a slave of a ruthless inhumane doctrine – with the characteristic tendency of thriving in human blood – that has already been duly consigned by the entire international community to the dust heap of history.

ENDS

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