Habit dies Hard: Can Maoists Change?
Despite the apparent change in shift towards peaceful Nepal, Maoists in Nepal have not left out the old methods of coercion back in the jungles. They still involve themselves in forcing people to attend their programs. Previously they forced people to join their army, now they force people to attend their mass meetings. Either way, coercion is their lifeline. Himalayan times writes:
Passengers were left stranded here on Monday after the Maoists forced them off their vehicles to participate in a mass meet organised in Phidim, the district headquarters.Besides the passengers, the Maoists also took with them two members of each family of the rural areas in the district, locals said.Pilgrims bound for Pathivara were also left in lurch. After forcing all passengers out of commuter buses and cargo trucks, the Maoists captured the vehicles, said a pilgrim, who was forced to walk for 18 hours from Gopetar of Panchthar to Phidim. Some people left for their destinations on foot, he said.
How can we trust these people when they don't know the meaning of democracy? In the name of freedom of assembly and speech, they are forcing people to attend their programmes. As said in the text above, people have suffered a lot and these freaks don't give a damn about it. When will they learn to respect the rights of people? If they are to involve themselves into such activities, how are we to trust them? A big question mark ...?
(source:Himalayan Times http://www.thehimalayantimes.com)
7 comments:
Just can't trust them. No way. The only way to bring them back in to the mainstream and normal life is by hard negotiations with the help of our international friends. Otherwise they would love to walk all over us.
The lower level cadre still talk of their "revolution", they have been so brain washed that the leaders are themselves in danger. Despots like Prachanda have had so much power, that he does not even tolerate a little dissent from within his own party members, leave alone poeple who are not maoists. I'm afraid, these times call for tough leadership and tough negotiations and if the need arises the use of our security forces again. We cannot just desperately hope for a resolution with the maoists and in the process hand over the country to them. If we don't bite the bullet now, later will be much worse.
If we want a multiparty democracy and freedoms that go with it, let's not go from removing an autocrat and luring in a despotic dictator. We have shown that one can be put in his place, so we muct show that the other will be put in his place also.
Too many compromises have been made with the maoists only to be hoodwinked by them. No sir, we cannot trust them, but we have to reel them in with or without their leaders.
Where is my post Hari Sharma ?
Dude, what sort of democracy are you preaching when you delete the posts which may not be in line with your interest?
Are you a hypocrite? Let all the readers read what I have to say to them. This is your site does not mean you can do whatever you want. Once you go public, you should let the people speak.
anonymous,
As long as the posts are written in decent language, they will get a place out here. I don't delete the posts if they don't have obscene words.
Thanks for coming and I encourage you to write in a decent language. Democracy also means respect for others. Freedom implies respect too.
Again, I want to ensure that what you write will be here for others to see as long as it is decent and respectful.
st:
Quiet frankly we have no other option but to trust them right now. I personally think that the Maoists are ready and serious about joining mainstream politics. Now I also suspect that there will be a faction that won't accept a political settlement and these folks will go back to the jungle to continue their armed struggle. You see the Maoists have indoctrinated many young uneducated men and women making them see an unrealistic utopian dream.
However, as of now we must negotitate with the main Maoist faction! At all costs. There is no military solution to this problem. The RNA has been let loose for the last 8 years and what have they accomplished? Not much! In fact out of 14,000 dead figure more innocent people and RNA men have lost their lives then Maoists cadres. The RNA failed to capture or kill any Maoist leader or foil major attacks etc. The Maoist already control much of rural Nepal. They have halted development, education and health care and too many innocent villagers have lost their lives, been tourtured and dissapeared.....
sorry I wanted to add...
... have been tortured etc. at the hands of the security forces. This has only prepetuated the insurgency even more. Where have you seen an insurgency controlled militarily? Even the greatest military power in the world is struggling in Iraq. It's just not possible and every effort must be made to end this cycle of violence.
Mr. Pundit,
I again stress that yes we must negotiate with them, but not say "yes" to everything either. Don't hope for any quick fixes, because all that will end up in is more misery in the future.
If they are unwilling to meet the democrats half way, then I am afraid that we can't just throw in the towel. Miltarily we may not be able to defeat them and vice versa, but if the govt. is serious we can use special forces to really hit them where it hurts. As for your query in to why none of their leaders were ever captured or killed? Well, I wonder the same as well. But I am sure taht if the army is left to do their job without political interference even catching or killing their leaders is not very difficult, but our leaders have to also face the same threat if they care more for the nation and democracy and less about themselves.
So yes, tough negotiations first, but if it's a question of their way or the highway, then the highway it should be!
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