Jose Maria Sison, Chairperson of the International Leage of People's Struggle issued a major statement of support for the popular movement against "King Gyanendra's ultra-reactionary autocracy."
SUPPORT THE STRUGGLE OF THE NEPALI PEOPLE FOR DEMOCRACY AGAINST KING GYANENDRA's UTRA-REACTIONARY AUTOCRACY
By Prof. Jose Maria Sison Chairperson, International Coordinating Committee International League of Peoples' Struggle 1 February 2006
The International League of People's Struggle (ILPS) declares its solidarity with the people of Nepal and the alliance of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) and the seven parliamentary parties in the struggle for democracy against the ultra-reactionary regime of King Gyanendra who on February 1, 2005 staged a coup d'etat concentrating power in his hands and suspending civil liberties.
King Gyanendra carried out the coup on the pretext that he wanted to get rid of the "Maoist menace" by aligning himself with George Bush's "war on terror" and getting US support for his brutal dictatorship. Since then, he has mobilized the army to crack down on the broad masses of the people and all organized forces, including the parliamentary parties, for opposing his anti-democratic regime.
However, the state of emergency has failed to prevent the advance of the people's war. The revolutionary people and forces have continued to win victories in the field. They control most of the territory outside Kathmandu and other cities. They also enjoy considerable political support in the cities.
The absolutist feudal monarchy has only served to necessitate the formation of a broad coalition of democratic forces against it. The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) took an important initiative in forming this coalition by proposing a three-point platform: broad national political summit, interim government, and the election of a constituent assembly. The CPN (M) and seven parliamentary parties later agreed on a 12-point understanding as a progressive way out of the political crisis facing the country.
As a confidence building gesture, the CPN (M) declared a unilateral ceasefire on September 3, 2005 to give a chance for a political solution to the crisis. This ceasefire lasted for four months. But the king answered this by ordering the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) to launch military offensives in the Maoist stronghold of Rolpa and massacres in Nagarkot, Pokhara and other parts of the country.
The king has obstinately refused any compromise and has signified his intention of crushing the broad opposition to his regime with force. On January 19, 2006, he ordered the army to arrest more than 500 hundred leaders and activists of the political parties allied against the king in a desperate attempt to stop a demonstration planned for January 20.
The broad democratic alliance of parties went on with the demonstration on January 21 at Basantapur Durbar Square and New Road despite police attempts to prevent the march. The people raised such slogans as, "We want democracy. Down with the genocidal Gyanendra regime! Down with police repression! Autocracy will collapse! Long Live - Peoples' Unity!" The royal security personnel answered by breaking up the rallies with batons and injuring many protesters. The police also detained hundreds political leaders, activists and supporters during the demonstrations.
The ILPS supports the struggle and aspirations of the Nepalese people for a democratic republic against the ultra-reactionary feudal monarchy of King Gyanendra. The League likewise supports the efforts of the CPN (M) and the seven parliamentary political parties to establish a democratic republic and undertake all necessary substantive reforms for the benefit of the people of Nepal.
The League calls on all its participating organizations and the people of the world to support the struggle of the Nepali people for national independence, democracy, social justice, progress and peace against imperialist intervention and feudal reaction.
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