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Nepal:
Interview with Constituent Assembly member for the Unified
Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) |
Maobadi
Watch April 3, 2009 |
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Interview with Com. Suresh
Kumar Ale Magar - Member of the Constituent Assembly for the Unified
Communist Party Nepal (Maoist) |
"We would like to call on the progressive and leftist forces of the world... to support us so revolution and be accomplished."
On April 2nd i had the opportunity to interview Mr. Suresh Kumar Ale Magar, who is a member of the Constituent Assembly for the UCPN(Maoist). It is an interesting interview with some very interesting comments about Latin America. There was some minor editing for clarity.
Ben Peterson: Mr Suresh thank you very much for meeting
with me.
Suresh Kumar Ale: Thank you, and welcome to Nepal
BP: Thank you very much. So you are a member of the
Constituent Assembly...
SKA: Correct.
BP:... and the Unified Communist Party of Nepal
(Maoist). How long have you been part of the Maoist movement here?
SKA: The Maoist movement? About 30 years, three decades.
BP: Thats a considerable amount of time. So you were
with the party throughout the war period?
SKA: When i joined this movement it was not the Communist
Party of Nepal (Maoist), it was named at that time the CPN(Masal).
But later there were many separations, separate factions and then we
became the CPN(Maoist). It is now after a reintegration with
the CPN(Mashal) and the CPN(Maoist) that the party
is now the Unified CPN(Maoist)
BP:And you were elected to the assembly in the First
Past the Post system?(1)
SKA: Yes
BP: From which district?
SKA: From the first past the post not the proportional
representation, from constituency number one Tanahun district.
BP: Now there has been allot of talk from the party
leadership about leading the revolution from the government, this is
very new and a very different tactic that hasn't really been explored
by revolutionaries before, and it is a very different tactics to the
Peoples War that went for over 10 years. So it is obvious that the tactics
of the party has changed, but has the overall goals and overall aims
of the party changed as well?
SKA: No the overall goal of the party has not changed
at all and shall not ever change at all. Our ultimate goal will remain
the same, of course there will be different tactics, tactical change.
This is what we have done in the context of Nepal. No revolution ever
repeats, what can be done is revolutions can be developed after taking
into account the particular context, particular situation in a society.
We need a marxist and leninist model for the particular context of Nepal.
Thats what we need to develop. We have to chart a new path, a new phase.
that's what we have done, and our vision is that in our revolution the
reactionaries of Nepal are trapped in a very critical situation. Because
of the contradictions between them they had to change sides, and because
of our interpretations of the contradictions in the reactionary classes
one group of the reactionary class was compelled to make a kind of compromise
or coalition (with the revolutionaries) . Certain parliamentary parties
were compelled to do so because of the autocratic rule of the then monarchy
of King Gyanendra. This is what happened and this is why we had to refine
our practices in this way. And s there were elections to the Constituent
Assembly in which we, in which our party the UCPN(M) emerged as the
largest political force. And later our party had to lead the government.
(2)
BP: Now there is the situation where there is both
the Peoples Liberation Army, and the (ex Royal) Nepali Army, and this
is a big point of different between the Maoist led government and the
political opposition(3) , how to integrate these armies and implement
security sector reform- so what is the Maoist plans for the Security
Sector Reform and the integration of the armies?
SKA: As you know that until now two armies existed, one Peoples Liberation
Army, one Nepal Army. What needs to happen is the merger of the two
armies, and the creation of a new Army. Of course there will be a sort
of "process" as the comprehensive peace accord stipulates-
supervision, integration and rehabilitation of the maoist combatants.
It is the responsibility of the government. So we must respect it, respect
both armies and build a new army. Of course if anybody from the PLA
wouldn't like to join the army, they can leave safe, maybe they would
prefer to join the police force or other security sector- then ok. But
in the end all the soldiers, the whole PLA must be able to join the
Army.
BP:This has all been complicated recently by the actions
of the Nepali Army with the support of the political opposition in the
recruitment issue in the army and the retirement of 8 generals being
resisted. At present the army really is renegade, so is this and the
actions of the Nepali Congress a threat to democracy and the future
of Nepal?
SKA: Well yes, there are serious challenges to the
ongoing peace process, but i think in the end this will not be a problem.
After all in the interim constitution and the comprehensive peace accords
it is clear that integration will happen, so no one can go back from
that and those understandings and agreements.
BP: I think it is fair to say that the situation in
Nepal is currently one of re founding the nation. As a new beginning
for a "New Nepal". "New Nepal"
has been talked about allot by the leadership, such as Prachanda and
Dr Bhattarai and others, so what will the "New Nepal"
look like, and what will the new constitution include?
SKA: Well it will be a republic, this has already been
achieved. "New Nepal" for us, for Maoists and revolutionaries
"New Nepal" means a Nepal on the way to socialism.
On the road to socialism. New Democratic Nepal. Of course for
other people "New Nepal" may not mean this. Some
want "New Nepal" to be like what the old Nepal already is.
Or other people may say "Healthy Nepal" or "Democratised
Nepal" but not a Nepal that is on the road to socialism.
BP: That's very interesting. I have a document here
"A Brief Introduction to the Policies of the C.P.N (Maoist)"
written by Prachanda in 2004 i think, and it talks about the Maoists
minimum program. It talks allot about what would be bourgeois democratic
norms, such as sovereignty of the people, secular sate, press freedom
ect, but there are things here that are very interesting and go beyond
a normal western democracy. It talks about special rights for women
and dalits (4), a revolutionary land reform and it also talks about
"the guarantee of minimum wages and workers participation in industrial
management" Is that something that is still a part of the Maoist
program, new economic practices?
SKA: This is all part of the Maoist program of course.
Until now we have taken government, but state powers are not in our
hand and this problem has to be rectified. The revolution has not been
completed, it continues, but of course as the revolution is completed
a new kind of economy will be here on top of the world(5). A new economy
will exist or there can be no victory in Nepal without that.
BP: So workers involvement in the economy and the
state?
SKA: Oh yes.
BP: Well that's very interesting for many observers
of Nepal. So while Nepal is at the front of what could be a new socialist
revival, there are also other countries around the world undergoing
similar processes, also rewriting their constitutions with new provisions
in them. Namely Venezuela and Bolivia, so have the Maoists in Nepal
been looking at the experiences in Latin America?
SKA: One difference. We are interested at looking to
Venezuela, Bolivia and the Others, but still, but we think our party
is better as we consider Marxism Leninism Maoism as our guiding principle
and we use this influence and follow the path of Mao Tse Tung indefinitely,
which means New Democratic Revolution. (For) the accomplishment of the
revolution it is critical to follow the principles of Marxism-Leninism-
Maoism, we follow and therefore our policies will be better suited to
opposing our class enemies. But we see the policies and the struggle
of the people in Venezuela, Bolivia and the Latin American Countries
against imperialism, particularly against US imperialism. They stand
against this, which we strongly appreciate, and i strongly believe that
in the future that's there could be an international anti-imperialist
organisation, of which those countries would be a major part.
BP: So the revolution in Nepal would be looking to
make international anti-imperialist allies in Latin America?
SKA: Not only that but we think that that is a must.
To accomplish revolution in a particular country against the reactionary
forces of that country is not enough. Today's world is such that every
ruling class of any country is completely supported by imperialist forces.
No ruling class can sustain by itself. So for that matter the fight
against a particular ruling class in a particular country much develop
into a fight against imperialism. In any struggle it would be typical
for foreign intervention to come and support their interests. So not
only do we need relations with these Latin American countries, but to
be able to properly handle the international contradictions some kind
of international anti-imperialist organisation is a must. This is something
we hope we can build with the Latin American countries.(6)
BP: So speaking of foreign intervention, there has
been allot of opposition leaders, such as G.P Koirala (Nepali Congress),
the Ex King Gyanendra and K.P. Oli (CPN(UML)) all congregating in Dehli
under different pretexts. Also in the Constituent Assembly there has
been increasing pressure on the Maoists. It has widely been speculated
that there may be attempts to overthrown the government. If this was
to happen what would be the response of the Maoists?
SKA: This is a risk, an we are aware that they may
try to do so, but they have a problem, they are not in a position to
do so. They want to run the government, they want to run the agenda,
they want to form their own government, they want to run the country
themselves, but it is not easy for them to do so. People have a consciousness.
People have supported communist forces. This government has come to
power not by means of insurrection or gun or means they do not like
but through a process of elections, which our party was a part. So,
constitutionally and legally they are not able to overthrow us. This
is why India wants to be involved to endanger the Maoist led government.
We know very well what they want, we are thinking only what we must
do. We know what they want and we only worry about what we should do.
I don't think they will be able to threaten toe government. I don't
think so. (7)
BP: This can tie in with the situation where it is
clear that while you have government you do not have state power. The
army does what it wants to do, the bureaucracy has been either unwilling
or unable to implement the budget, so does the party aspire to challenge
for state power?
SKA: We hope to do so. We plan to do that as we know
very well that the old bureaucracy is seeped in the "status
quoist" mindset and we have new and fresh ideas. There can
be no link with the past and its conflicting thinking. At the moment
we are helpless to move forward, but we are looking for ways that we
can tackle this kind of thing. Smash the old bureaucracy and create
a new one. We are looking for ways.
BP: So for one final question, are you optimistic
for the "New Nepal" and what are you dreams| what
do you want to sons and daughters of Nepal to inherit from the current
generation?
SKA: Definitely, why not!?! we are optimistic, if we
were not, why join the revolution? We may as well not have joined the
party! There are many challenges, which for revolutionaries and our
movement, we have to face them, we believe that, we are confident that
the strong lead of marxism leninism maoist will be successful. We will
be successful in climbing all the obstacles and challenges and ultimately
we will be victorious, accomplish the revolution. Not by taking old
paths but by taking a new one, because this is the 21st century. For
this reason we would like to call upon progressive and leftist forces
of the world- like you people from Australia- to support us so that
the revolution can be accomplished.
1. Nepal's election to the constituent assembly was a mixed electoral
system, firstly direct elections in electorates, and then a direct proportional
representation system as well.
2. This passage might not be particularly clear unless your familiar
with the processes in Nepal. In short the Maoist led peoples war came
to an end when the Maoists made a peace agreement with parliamentary
parties after they adopted the Maoist calls for a Constituent assembly.
They were compelled to do so after the monarchy ousted them from their
limited parliamentary powers and created a police state. Now however
they are "trapped in a very critical situation",
the writing of a new constitution where the Maoists have the final say
on the constitution.
3. The political opposition is lead by the Nepali Congress who have
remained outside of the government, however it also includes forces
within the government, particularly the Communist Party of Nepal (United
Marxist Leninist). If talking about the political opposition it refere's
to all these parties.
4. Dalits are people from the lowest caste in the Hindu caste system
which existed in Nepal. Also known as untouchables.
5. "on top of the world" refers to that fact that
Nepal has Sagarmatha (Mt Everist) and 8 of the top 10 highest mountains
in the world within its borders. People in Nepal often talk about Nepal
being on top of the world, or the roof of the world.
6. These comments on Latin America are obviously very interesting. I
just think I should add that there is a bit of difference of opinion
between the Maoists as to what to make of Latin America. Some see it
as a revolution, others as (such as these comments) as a anti-imperialist
uprising in need of "marxist leninist maoist thought",
so the party in my opinion hasn't totally defined how it relates to
the Latin Americans. What is standard however is a recognition that
these are significant events and the need for greater intercontinental
links.
7. This passage is a little confusing, the essence of what is being
said that because the Maoists have taken government in a process that
has the support of the vast majority of people and was supported by
the reactionary powers in India and the parties of the political opposition,
now these political parties are not left with a leg to stand on and
are unable to remove the Maosits from power, and a consciousness of
the people means that the political opposition is unable to go use extra
constitutional means without rousing the mass of the people.
