The Revolution is here in Nepal

I'm currently working on a short article about the rapid developments in Nepal. It will be up soon in place of this. For now, I've posted an open thread where any reporting/comments on the unfolding revolution can be posted.

The Royal army has encircled the king's palace with barbed wire. Democratic protests in the cities defy shoot-on-sight curfews. The People's War proceeds virtually unchallenged in the countryside. Prachanda warned on the eve of these protests that King Gyanendra faces "exile or death" for his crimes.

The Communist Party of Nepal has risen above Stalinophilic nostalgia and seeks a 21st Century communism, and sees the liberation of Nepal in both a regional and global context of revolution.

Will red flags fly from Katmandu? Have we finally kicked the end-of-history shroud? Is a secular, popular and revolutionary communist force pointed a way beyond the "clash of barbarisms?"

News & Views on Unfolding Revolution in Nepal
On the Scene in Katmandu: Revolution interviews Nepal expert and anthropologist Stephen Mikesell | Li Onesto's digest of breaking events: Mass Upsurge Against the King | Sudhanva  Deshpande: Nepal on the Verge of Bastille | International Nepal Solidarity Network -- tons of articles | Maoist Information Bulletin from the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) | The Royal Regression and the Question of a Democratic Republic by Baburam Bhattarai

UK Guardian: Protesters Plan Final Heave to Rid Nepal of Monarchy

And, like anyone asked, according to (boo, hiss) Bloomberg: US Demands Nepal's King Relinquish Power

And... word from the fierce one...
CPN(M) Chairman Prachanda:
Constituent Assembly Now!
Prachanda, the political and military leader of the revolutionary forces demands an "unconditional constituent assembly."

The tried ceasefires, they tried to negotiate -- but the people are done with all of it and will not wait for permission to proceed. The King's statues are being torn down and the monarchy is in fact over on the ground. The King is now the mayor of his own palace, hiding behind barbed wire and (if he's smart) checking if JetBlue has any specials to Dehli.

was

Comments

[Solotero]

"The Communist Party of Nepal has risen above Stalinophilic nostalgia and seeks a 21st Century communism, and sees the liberation of Nepal in both a regional and global context of revolution."

Good line. Is "Stalionphilic nostalgia" a dig at Raymond Lotta and his speaking tour?

[the burningman]

No. It is not. I belive Raymond Lotta and the RCP, USA have never been idolators of that sort -- and Avakian's path-breaking essay "Conquer the World" was that signal flare.

To recognize the profound and fundamental contributions of the Soviet Union to the proletariat's world struggle is neither Stalinophilic or nostalgic. It is a critical engagement with our own history.

[ShineThePath]

To quote myself from my a post on my blog...this is my opinion.

"It will soon be the end of the King, and perhaps the Constituent Assembly will lead to a New Democratic State. Prachanda and Dr. Bhuttari (spelling?) have been leading a new break, I think what this is leading to...above all is national liberation and democratic soverignty of the people.

And perhaps we will see a new Maoist state that will allow for multi-party democracy under the Dictatorship of the Proletariat. Maybe this is the new "People's Democratic Dictatorship" to quote Mao. It is hard to say, but what is indeed clear is that the SPA and CPN (M) on the basis of the 12 point agreement, is bound for victory."

[People's Republic of Nepal]

Will this be a "democratic" read bourgeois republic or a People's Republic where the masses rule through their vanguard party?

There has been much confusion on this point.

How much power will the proposed constituent assembly weild?

Will the People's Liberation Army of the Nepalese communists become the new national army... or will the Royal army and its (forgive the rare, but necessary usage) running dogs somehow be "adjusted" into the new democratic reality?

I am excited, but at this very moment I am reminded of the chilling and prescient words from the Battle of Algiers:

"It is hard to start a revolution and even harder to sustain it. Winning is almost impossible. But that is when the real struggle begins."

Or something like that. If Algeria is any lesson, and Vietnam and Cuba -- then, truly, this struggle is just beginning.

[Red Guard]

...now watch as the North American leftish media "discovers" the struggle in Nepal AFTER 10 YEARS because, lo' and behold the Times now covers it.

And watch as they make sure to include any perspective but the communists, as if "we" already know that somehow the bourgeois political parties are "reasonable" and not "dogmatic."

Watch who fears revolution, who fears the power of the people unleashed.

Know who lives and breaths liberation.

Know what a vanguard is when it has legs to stand on.

[geez]

Geez, can't we at least let the king be swept from the stage of history and have a bit of a euphoric moment about what is happening here, before entering into grim prognosticating that makes it sound like none of this really matters much because the "real" struggle has yet to begin? No doubt, they will have some really complex stuff to work out once the king is gone.

But we are likely witnessing the resurgence of revolutionary communism on the world stage. Let's celebrate!

[Comandante Gringo]

"clash of barbarisms". Another good one. Who came up with that (natural) riposte?

As for the nepalese military and police: they simply must be immediately disbanded. That's basic. That course MUST be followed -- at peril to the revolution if it isn't. In fact: it can *only* be the maoist forces -- reconstituted as the people's army, with other forces -- which are the physical guarantors of whatever regime shapes up in Kathmandu.

And it's amazing how many commentators automatically shy-away from the 'R' word... This is a revolution -- and must be named as such.

Obviously the bourgeois mass-media -- and much of the Internet commentariat for that matter -- are simply not up to that job.

[ShineThePath]

I don't think this is the time and place to just decide what Nepal should look like after The monarchy of Gyanenedra falls. The CPN (M) will have to deal with the SPA, and it is going to have to remain faithful to the 12 point agreement. CPN (M) is not going to take a route which is high-handed rather than politically honest.

We will see what comes from this.

[Comandante Gringo]

No one's "deciding" anything for anyone here. Stop trying to gain cheap brownie points by grandstanding, please. You remind me of some maoist. (Oh wait...)

The above is simply laying out the basic fact that the present military and police pose the threat of counter-revolution as they stand. Pure and simple. And not hard to see, either, komrad.

And since there is a requirement for *some* military and police in the new regime, that job obviously falls to the maoists and anyone supporting the new republic. And the maoists haven't been in the hills for 10 years simply to just hand the new order straight back over to the bourgeois parties -- who could easily be cajoled by outside forces into handing that power straight back to some imperialist-sanctioned stooges. This kind of betrayal at the hands of bourgeois forces has happened plenty of times -- a recent example being what happened in Ecuador a few years ago.

So please stop pretending that we can't size up what must happen next -- because we *can*. Up to a point.

[Red Guard]

It seems we're all trying to get what's really going down and hoping for the best.

Maybe it's time for a series of informational events around the country. I also hope that Revolution steps up its coverage, perhaps with some real questions and answers that will satisfy a more particular audience. Li's article on US intervention is important, but don't we have the Znet/Indymedias of the world for that kind of reporting?

Is it to be a People's Republic?

Will the flag be red?

Good questions. Who has the answer?

The constituent assembly?

Didn't the Bolsheviks talk about one of those and choose an insurrection instead?

The CPN has said that constituent assemblies take place within the realm of bourgeois right.

Can they transcend that?

What is the real strength of the different forces?

Will the CPN take a majority of delegates?

Will delegates be chosen by class and social status?

What will be the role of civil society?

How will this new state orient internationally?

Prachanda has said you can't export revolution.

I ask, why the fuck not?

...celebrating like a communist.

[Comandante Gringo]

Those are some damned good questions. If we had the answer to those we'd be sitting pretty here.

[ShineThePath]

I agree essentially these are all questions that need to be investigate; however my point in concern with Comadante is that we should not be putting criteria foward as "what the CPN (M) must do." The CPN (M) is in a better position than ourselves to decide this.

It will be interesting what the CPN (M) deals with the SPA. Also it will be interesting to see what other "Marxist" and "Maoist" parties in Nepal respond to this all, in particular I refer to the parties in the People's Front (which includes CPN [Mashal], which I understand is an ex-member of the RIM), The United Left Front (which includes the CPN (united Marxist-leninist-Maoist), and of course above all, the CPN (UML)

[Comandante Gringo]

Didn't expect ShineThePath to reply any different than they did. But then, I'm not a maoist -- with that particular mindset stalinists have.

The one thing ShineThePath doesn't want to get is that I'm not "telling" the nepalese maoists anything -- I'm pointing out what they'd bloody well better be doing if they don't want to end up like some other "Shining Path" elsewhere... And they are quite free to totally ignore me (as I am 99.8% sure they do) -- my commentary is really for the blog-reading commies closer to home. But this is a distinction ShineThePath has likely never made in their minds in their entire life -- and they are apparently resisting ever making, for whatever reason. And why back down, eh?

ShineThePath wants to play word games; but the point here is that, as marxists we not only have the right to criticize foreign komrads -- we have the obligation. This is our right and duty as social scientists and as revolutionaries. It is in fact one way present and future mistakes can be avoided, by whatever communists -- but of course the nepali communists will decide their own fate, alongside the decisions of the masses there.

Would ShineThePath have us simply be passive observers? This is why I do not let this little hypocrisy simply lie. It irks me that one more time some communist dresses up their limited and narrow aims as some high principle.

[ShineThePath]

How insightful.

A polemic against me based on two sentences that I've made.

Rather shallow I think.

I wonder what my "limited and narrow" aims are?

[the burningman]

Oh, come on.

Next...

[leftclick]

My 3 [or 4] ¢:

I think the anxiety here is intense because the stakes are so high and the CPN[M] are trying something new. As the Deshpande article points out, it's not clear how the " 'anti-imperialist, anti-feudal democracy. was different from 'bourgeois democracy' ." Prachanda has already made it clear that the CPN[M] does not intend to storm the Winter Palace.

If their strategy works, it promises to be a paradigm shift from previous revolutionary models. If not, it would be a tremendous setback.

As for the mass activity in the streets, they have exceeded the parliamentary parties' expectations and, I'm sure, their desires. Brilliant! How this will shape the future of the 7+1 alliance will be interesting.

One wouldn't know it from the mass media but none of these events would be happening without the People's War, so I think it is unlikely that the CPN[M] are going to be minor players in the new government.

Either way, short of an incredibly improbable realignment of forces, Gyanendra is on his way out, and popular democracy in.

Is this the first example of a viable 21st century communism? I damn sure hope so.

[friend of a friend]

There is no doubt the communists will be the major force in the new government.

Fact: Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun.

Question: Whose power, and to what end?

[ShineThePath]

The SPA has rejected the Kings offer mainly because it left out the CPN (M). This all very interesting. It seems to me that the other communist parties in Nepal have become increasingly more favorable to the Maoists...My question is whether or not some of parties that make up the People's Front and United Left Front will move closer to the Maoists...I'm not aware of many of these organizations and what their line is now.

Does anyone know the currecnt positions of CPN (UML), CPN (UC Masal), and CPN (United Marxist-Leninist-Maoist)?

[Follow the Finger]

The commentary on the INSOF site linked above is amazing. All certainties are battered.

http://www.insn.org/

[Video Link]

Some random blogger (taking a year off beer!) has some video of the protests up:

http://thedrink.blog.com/700188/

[US diplomats RUN!]

According to this news item, the US embassy is de-camping from Katmandu!

Run, motherfuckers, run!

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,25689-2149761,00.html

[new Prachanda statement]

http://mrzine.monthlyreview.org/prachanda230406.html

Constituent Assembly Now!
by Prachanda

Yesterday's so-called royal proclamation does not have any worth and significance other than fulfilling feudal arrogance and underrating the great Nepalese sea of the masses, which, chanting slogans of constituent assembly and republic, is flowing into the streets to give a new direction to the world by creative application of people's revolution in the twenty-first century. Soon after the so-called royal proclamation since yesterday evening, the Nepalese people, expressing hatred, rage and disapproval to it have already divulged their understanding and initiative against the feudal conspiracy all across the country. Our party, honoring highly the Nepalese people's great initiative, scornfully rejects the conspiratorial proclamation of feudal elements and expresses determination to persevere with the movement till the Nepalese people's sovereign right has been guaranteed by way of unconditional constituent assembly election, as a minimum basis.

Emotionally charged sea of the masses in the streets manifests that the liberation forever from the feudal monarchy, which has been betraying since the past 250 years in general and 56 years in particular, is the earnest and deep aspiration of the Nepalese people. Our party appeals the seven political parties, civil societies and the intelligentsia to be united under a single political slogan of institutionalizing democratic republic, the great synthesis of positive and negative experiences of history, by means of unconditional constituent assembly to make the initiative of the masses of all class, level and strata in the streets reach to a success. Assuring our party's preparedness to develop the third qualitative understanding at the earliest so as to make this great mass movement, which has been raised upon the foundation of the 12-point understanding reached between seven political parties and the CPN (Maoist), attain its goal of democracy, peace and progress, we heartily appeal others to take concrete initiative for this.

In the historic period of today, when people's republican movement has been marching towards its climax, our party again appeals specially the soldiers of "royal" army and police to display real patriotism by standing on the side of the people and against the national traitor & feudal butcher. The feudal butcher's defeat and people's victory is imminent and assured.

April 22, 2006

Prachanda
Chairman
CPN (Maoist)

[the burningman]

I posted this to the features just as you put the comment here.

It's on!

[Comandante Gringo]

It's either helipad or the firingsquad for this dictator. Well done, people. Well done, CPN(M).

And it's even better, because the CPN(M) is not going to allow the bourgeois parties to fool the masses after the Revolution. This is indeed a new chapter in class struggle.

Don't blow it, eh?
We all know the imperialists have only just begun fucking with this revolution.

[last minute deal?]

At least some of the leaders of some of the seven party alliance seem to be accepting a last-ditch effort of the king on the eve of the demonstration that probably will (would have?) end his rule. Stories all over the place, see http://www.ibnlive.com/news/nepal-king-bows-revives-parliament-after-4-years/8713-2-1.html for one example. Will the protests go forward anyway? They haven't been cancelled yet, but even if some leaders 'cancel' them will the masses come out anyway? We'll find out soon.