Maoist crisis spreads in Himalayas "While Nepal has received widespread international attention, due mainly to its seven-year Maoist insurgency, Bhutan — another Himalayan kingdom, about the size of Switzerland, with a population of 2 million — has failed until now to attract similar international attention. (...) The situation changed with the emergence last month of a Maoist party that distributed a pamphlet announcing its birth on April 22, 2003, and its mission to wage a "people's war" to overthrow the monarchy and establish a people's republic. The pamphlet — signed "Vikalpa" in the name of the Bhutanese Communist Party (Marxist-Leninist-Maoist) and widely distributed inside the refugee camps in Nepal, as well as in Bhutan — accuses the Bhutanese regime of going down the path of "Sikkimization" and selling out to India on vital issues."
Anger over Nepal rebel jail term "Maoist rebels in Nepal have reacted angrily over the government's decision to extend one their senior leaders' prison term by another six months. The leader, Rabindra Shrestha, was arrested a year and a half ago and he was one of the three jailed rebel leaders whom the rebels wanted the government to release.
Nepal: Third round of talks likely in Rolpa or Rukum "Narayan Singh Pun, spokesperson of the government negotiating team and Minister for Physical Planning and Works, today here said that the third round of peace talks between the government and Maoists would take place either in Rolpa or Rukum district within two weeks.
"The third round of talks can be held in one of the places in Rolpa or Rukum as per the Maoist wish," Pun said, inaugurating the district office of his Samata Party."
Philippipnes: Military braces for 2-front war in Mindanao "The Armed Forces of the Philippines may soon face a two-front war in Mindanao as military intelligence reports indicate that the New People’s Army has begun deploying its men in Central Mindanao to help the Moro Islamic Liberation Front fight government forces.
Defense officials said the NPA action could increase the growing tension in the South. "
Philippines: NPA blasts attacks, mulls helping MILF "If with the blessing of their senior officers, communist guerillas said they would not hesitate to rush to the help of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), which has been under heavy fire from the military these past days.
One way of helping the Moro separatist group will be for the New People's Army (NPA) to launch more attacks against vital government installations and private establishments, said Ka Juanita, reportedly the rebel group's Mindanao area leader."
Maoist Organizations Unite in India "On January 15, the Maoist Communist Center and the Revolutionary Communist Center, India (Maoist), issued a communiqué "wholeheartedly declaring before the toiling people of India" that they have united to form a single group. "Our united organization will be based on Marxism-Leninism-Maoism and remain firmly committed to the long-cherished need of the great Indian people to carry forward and complete the New Democratic revolution," the statement said.
The united party, now called Maoist Communist Center (India), is a participant in the Revolutionary Internationalist Movement (RIM). The MCC was a participant before; the RCCI (M) was a candidate participant. The two formerly separate groups had been conducting struggles in different Indian states. The MCC had strongholds in Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal in the northeast part of the country, and the RCCI (Maoist) in Punjab in the northwest. The people in all these states have a long history of heroic struggle going back to the armed peasant uprising that began in Naxalbari and spread throughout India in the 1960s and '70s, giving birth to India's Maoist movement. Forged in 1969, the MCC had a long history of struggle on the ideological and political fronts, even before its formation. Its founders had taken Maoist China's side in the debate against the revisionists led by Khrushchev, who restored capitalism in the USSR and tried to impose their betrayal of Marx and Lenin on the international communist movement. It upheld the path of protracted People's War and New Democratic Revolution in India and carried out armed struggle. Having undergone twists and turns in its political life and significant line struggles within the Party, it became a participating organization of RIM in 2002."
Gary Leupp: Nepal Today "That Bhattarai can saunter into the U.S. embassy in the capital city of a country torn by war, representing the highest level of the communist insurgency, and get the U.S. ambassador to state that he himself wishes (for whatever reasons he adduces) to remove the insurgents from the terror list "as soon as possible," suggests that both the Maoist leader and the ambassador are thinking realistically. It also suggests that the Nepali revolutionary movement is strong and confident, and that even being tagged by that "terrorist" designation (which considering the source, can be mistaken, libelous, and merely used to intimidate and vilify) won't cramp the comrades' style."
Philippines: MILF junks military claim of 80 dead rebels "Separatist guerillas on Monday laughed off claims by government troops that they were able to kill around 80 Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) members after two days of "selective attacks" on "embedded terrorist cells."
In Washington, President Arroyo said Sunday night (Monday in Manila) her government remains open to negotiating peace with the secessionist group despite its involvement in several terrorist activities.
She also clarified during a press briefing at the Willard Hotel in Washington that she did not impose a June 1 deadline on the rebels to cut links with terror groups and stop attacks on civilians or be considered terrorists themselves.
On the claims of military officials that government soldiers were able to kill 80 separatist rebels in line with Arroyo's order for aerial and artillery raids on terror cells in Mindanao, MILF spokesman Eid Kabalu said they should produce the bodies to substantiate their account."
Philippines: CPP condemns all-out war vs MILF "The Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) condemned President Arroyo Sunday for ordering an all-out war against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) a few minutes before she left the country for a state visit to the US.
In a statement, CPP Spokesperson Gregorio "Ka Roger" Rosal called the order "a direct attack against Moro communities by a lackey and militarist who now wants to make a fawning pasalubong and ask for more US troops and more aid as she pays court to her master." "
Maoists form unit in Bhutan "The Maoists, after consolidating in Nepal, are now concentrating on Bhutan where they have formed a party coinciding with the 133rd birthday of Lenin on April 22.
Naturally, the Indian intelligence agencies are worried as the new party could be a potential threat to India, sandwiched as it is between Nepal and Bhutan.
Despite the ban on all political activity in Bhutan, the underground Maoists launched the Bhutan Communist Party (Marxist-Leninist-Maoist) reportedly with flag hoisting and pamphlet distribution across the country.
The BCP(MLM), through leaflets distributed in Bhutan, Nepal and India, came down heavily on the Indo-Bhutan friendship treaty describing it as unbalanced and encouraging India's expansionism that endangered the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Bhutan."
A conversation overheard in Kathmandu "A World to Win News Service. The following incident was reported by the mainstream Nepal daily Kantipur. The newspaper describes the scene outside the Sankar Hotel in Kathmandu 10 May as Royal Army (RNA) guards of government ministers and Maoist security guards from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) waited for their respective delegations during negotiations between the two sides.
PLA: "Let's not fight, we are brothers. How long should we be under the boot of a handful of rulers" Our grandfather tolerated it, our father tolerated it, how can we tolerate that" Let's think about the new Nepal being born."
RNA: "We are not free to do as we want. Having listened to you, it makes us feel that we want to go with you immediately. But we will help you as much as possible. We are not as we were before."
A PLA soldier told a press reporter, "We said something and they (the Royal Army men) responded positively. People have sentiments! They have a soul. That's why our relationship could be established." One PLA, standing nearby an RNA soldier, said, "Despite the terrorising of our families, despite the declaration that we "terrorists" are killed and finished, we are still alive. From now on, let's do something, let's do something for the country?"
This is the first time that an “all-women’s” squad has entered the extremist-infested district since the Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) became active in West Singhbhum about four years ago."
Nepal, Janadesh: Women in the revolution "Women’s liberation is an essential part of class liberation. History shows it’s beginnings within class suppression, hence the emancipation of women cannot be brought about without first ensuring class liberation. It is essential for campaigns regarding women’s liberation to locate themselves in the class struggle.
At present, the government and the Maoist rebels are negotiating peace and women’s participation in the peace process is being raised from different sectors. Our Maoist party and its sister organisation, the All Nepal Women’s Organisation (Revolutionary), believes that the participation of women determines the success of any progressive change. We believe it is 100 percent valid to bring up women’s concerns at this point. However, our efforts are being scuttled by demands for the physical presence of females in negotiation teams. We condemn their failure in realising that the achievements of the Maoist movement are also those made by Nepali women. The revolution and our place in it must not be questioned on this point alone."
