"Measures to check the Naxalite menace in Uttar Pradesh and neighbouring states will be discussed at length at an inter-state meeting to be held in Bhopal on May 10. The meeting, to be attended by representatives of the Central government and the governments of UP, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, would chalk out a strategy to ensure the speedy development of the Naxalite affected areas, said a spokesman of the home department."
The US government has put the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) and its mass front, United People's Front in the category of terrorists (vide letter dated 30th April 2003) issued by US department of State. Publication of this news on the May day astonished everyone. It is to be noted that Nepal government is currently holding peace talks with the Maoists whose first round concluded on 27th April. More importantly government of Nepal itself has withdrawn the terrorist tag on the Maoists before the cessation of hostilities on January 29th as a rebel pre condition to declare a cease-fire.
It is ironical that the Nepal government does not consider this Nepalese organisation as a terrorist organisation but US government seems more enthusiastic to include it in the list of terrorists. Is there any impending danger to American citizens or America's national interest? As these are the precondition in America's laws to declare any foreign organisation as terrorist!
Maoists of Nepal are waging struggle aimed at ending the Monarchy and establishment of a genuine democracy. They belong to the same communist tradition from which has emanated CPN (UML) which is the main opposition party and also had been the part of the government. The major difference between the two is the fact that CPN (UML) has become a parliamentary party undermining the popular aspirations. This compelled the Maoists to opt for the armed struggle while boycotting the parliament. This makes it very clear that Maoists of Nepal, in no way, pose any threat to the national interest of the US. Still including them in the list of terrorist organisation issued by Colin Powell on 30th April raise serious concerns and apprehensions."
Philippines: US may declare MILF a terrorist group "The United States may declare the Moro Islamic Liberation Front a terrorist organization, the American ambassador said Tuesday, even as Malacañang continued to play hardball by scrapping this weekend's peace talks with the MILF."
Nepal: Dr. Bhattarai's comment on terrorist label Without naming the US, Chief Maoist Negotiator Dr.Baburam Bhatatrai Tuesday hit out at the United States which put Maoists on a watch list by declaring for the first time the Nepal Communist Party (Maoists ) terrorists April 30.
"Right now, the sudden spurt in interest by foreign powers has raised suspicions that the agenda for the talks is being hijacked by foreign capitals. "An international power center cannot intervene like this without the support of an anti national and anti people group in power.
"The action increases the chances of turning the country into a battlefield by turning India and China against each other. "There is no doubt that the action will have a serious and far-reaching effect on the sovereignty and independence of the country.
"No nation, especially one super power that considers itself the 'world's policeman' can act like this without serious consideration. "The declaration is not a normal and routine administrative decision
but a big conspiracy against Nepali nationalism and people," Dr.Bhattarai said in an article in weekly newspaper "Janadesh".
CP of the Philippines: Kananga mass torture and masssacre, condemned "The spokesman of the Communist Party of the Philippines today condemned the 19th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army for carrying out a mass torture and massacre of nine civilians at Kananga town, Leyte last April 16.
Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal, CPP spokesman, denounced the mass torture and massacre, which earlier was reported by the military as an encounter with the NPA. It was carried out upon orders of Lt. Col. Oscar Lactao, commanding officer of 19th IB, whom Rosal called the "Palparan of Leyte."
U.S. warns of terror risk in Peru "The State Department is warning of a potential for terror activity by Shining Path and other violent groups in Peru.
The warning, issued Friday, is timed to May 17, the 23rd anniversary of the Maoist guerrilla group's founding.
U.S. residents and travelers in the South American country should exercise caution, the department said. "There are indications that terrorist organizations are continuing to plan actions directed against U.S. citizens and U.S. interests in Peru," the department said in a statement."
India: Naxalites making efforts to spread to new areas "Naxalite Peoples' War Group and Maoists in Nepal are making efforts to spread to new areas to carve out a Compact Revolutionary Zone (CRZ) from Nepal to Andhra Pradesh through Bihar, the latest reports of the Union Home Ministry has said.
The Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) and the Communist Party Marxist Leninist-Peoples' War (CPML-PW), both banned under POTA as terrorist groups, continued to make "strenuous" efforts to increase their areas of influence and operation, streamline their organisational functioning and strengthen and militarize their underground apparatus."
