The following statements are reprinted from Links, international journal of socialist renewal
Solidarity from Timor Leste: 'Support the people and legitimate government of Nepal!' Solidarity message for the people and legitimate government of Nepal, by Luta Hamutuk, Timor Leste
Dili, Timor Leste, May 13, 2009 — The legitimate government of Nepal was formed as a result of a very democratic process in Nepal.This government came about from the struggle of a people, full of the spirit of self-reliance, which was fighting against all forms of feudal, imperialist and neoliberal oppression.
However, now the agents of the oppressors are beginning to engage in sabotage against this legitimate and democratic government, efforts which are especially driven by the military forces of the oppressors.
Based on these facts, Luta Hamutuk — an organisation in Timor Leste that is also fighting for economic justice and self-reliance, that is against all forms of imperialist oppression — would like to state our full support for the people and democratic government of Nepal and demand as follows:
1. Let the people of Nepal determine the direction and destiny of their nation and democracy. Stop brutal intervention, whether direct or indirect, by the agents of the oppressors.
2. Allow the legitimate government in Nepal to resolve all the problems of the nation.
3. Reject all forms of violence against the people of Nepal who want a government that is independent and democratic
4. Stop military intervention, which will only damage the democratisation process that is supported by the majority of people.
5. That the entire international community and all democratic governments everywhere should support the legitimate government of Nepal.
Continue the struggle, people united cannot be defeated.
Mericio Akara, on behalf of Luta Hamutuk – Timor Leste
[Translated from Indonesian into English by Vannessa Hearman.]
Philippines socialists on Nepal: 'We stand in solidarity with this mass movement fighting for the people's interests'
May 14, 2009 — The Partido Lakas ng Masa of the Philippines has attempted to follow the developments in Nepal over the recent period. We welcomed the ouster of the monarchy achieved by the people's struggle and the mass movement, the unity of the main left forces, the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) and the Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist Leninist), and the elections which gave the left control of the government. We welcomed as a victory for the left and progressive movement worldwide the election of a left government led by the UCPN (M), along with the CPN (UML).
We therefore consider the forced resignation of this government as a result of the refusal of the pro-elite Nepalese military hierarchy and the president, backed by the country's elite, to follow the directives of a democratically elected government carrying out the platform that it was elected upon, as detrimental to the people's interest and only serving the interests of the Nepalese elite.
We also note that it serves the interests of the Indian elite. The Indian ruling class acts as an imperial power in the region, detrimental to the people's interest in the region as a whole, and in cahoots with more powerful imperialist allies such as the United States. It is in this capacity and in this role that the Indian government is interfering against the interests of the people of Nepal.
We know that the Nepalese communists will find the ways and means to prevent elite and imperialist interests from blocking the legitimate aspirations of the people of Nepal for a democratic, just and prosperous society.
We support the Nepalese people's struggle and especially the demands of the mass movement on the streets today, calling for the resignation of the Nepalese army hierarchy and for the reinstatement of the legitimate, democratically elected government of the people, to carry out its mandate. We stand in solidarity with this mass movement fighting for the people's interests and for the democratically elected left government led by the UCPN (M).
We remember the lesson of the Venezuelan revolution when the people united behind President Hugo Chavez to foil the April 2002 coup plans of the oligarchy and brought the revolutionary government back to power.
The people united can never be defeated!
Malaysian socialists: 'In defence of the revolution and democracy in Nepal'
Solidarity message to the revolutionary masses of Nepal
Statement by the Socialist Party of Malaysia
May 12, 2009.
1. The Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM) would like to express our greatest concern over the current political developments and intensifying social struggles in the newly born Republic of Nepal.
2. The political and military elites have once again revealed their true nature when the president, who is from the conservative Nepali Congress party, overrode the decision of Prime Minister Prachanda from the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) (UCPN-M) to sack Chief of Army Staff Katawal. Some opportunist sections of the coalition government, like the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) (CPN-UML) also turned to the right by opposing the UCPN (M) move.
3. The army high command has refused to obey instructions from the elected civilian government as well as refused to implement key parts of 2006 peace accords which included the integration of UCPN (M)-led People's Liberation Army (PLA) into the current army forces. Sections of the high command in the current Nepalese army committed serious human rights violations during the armed conflict with PLA and continue to enjoy impunity, and even planned to stage a military coup against the elected government.
4. It is clear that the Nepalese elites want to keep the Nepalese army from being integrated with the revolutionary fighters from the PLA in order to continue to use the army as a violent tool to repress the struggle of the poor in Nepal.
5. The Nepalese elites have received support from imperialist and regional powers, especially the United States and India, which both fear the establishment of a radical and pro-poor regime in South Asia.
6. The UCPN (M) has a little choice but to withdraw from the coalition government and call for street protests to defend democracy. This can be turned into a new wave of people's uprising for democracy and social justice in the country.
7. The decade-long Maoist-led "People's War" and the 2006 mass democratic uprising have successfully overthrown the 240-year-old monarchy and brought new hope for the ordinary people of Nepal.
8. The Maoists have played a crucial role in overthrowing the monarchy and mobilising the people in the democratic movement, and have gained massive support from the grassroots. Maoists won over 3.14 million votes in the 2008 election of the Constituent Assembly, and captured 229 seats out of 601 seats in the Constituent Assembly, making it the largest party in the parliament. For the poor majority, UCPN (M) represent a radical change that would increase workers' rights, land reform for the peasants, access to education and health care, equal rights for ethnic minorities and extensive pro-people economic development.
9. The current crisis demonstrates that the bureaucrats and political elites, who are fearful of = radical change, have tried to prevent such change and to seize power through undemocratic means.
10. The PSM calls for:
* the UCPN (M) and revolutionary left in Nepal to continue and intensify their mobilisation of the masses in defence of the revolutionary process and democracy in Nepal
* stop all imperialist intervention in the political affairs of Nepal, especially the US and India have to stay away from Nepal.
* stop state violent attacks against the protesting masses.
11. The PSM also expresses its disappointment and disgrace at the CPN (UML) for betraying the people of Nepal.
12. The PSM extends its solidarity to the revolutionary people of Nepal for their courageous struggle for social justice and freedom from oppression.
Long live revolution! Long live democracy!
Released by Choo Chon Kai, International Bureau, Socialist Party of Malaysia/Parti Sosialis Malaysia (PSM).
Visit the PSM's website at http://parti-sosialis.org
Indonesian leftists: Support democracy in Nepal, support Nepalese people's struggle against neoliberal imperialism!
From Berdikari, publication of Papernas (National Liberation Party of Unity), Indonesia
Jakarta, May 6, 2009 — Neoliberal imperialism has put the Indonesian people under siege. But that does not mean that the Indonesian people will be absent in giving support and solidarity to the global people's struggle against neoliberal imperialism.
One of the country whose people are rising up courageously to fight neoliberal imperialism is Nepal. In that country, the oligarchy of landlords and local elites, supported by international capitalism, has been overthrown by the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M) supported by the people. The CPN-M took power through a democratic election. But since its victory, the oligarchy has always tried to destabilise the CPN-M led government.
A few days ago, the conflict reached its peak as the military command — which received support from the old forces (landlords and local elites) refused to abide by the CPN-M led civilian government. In response to this subversion, the civilian government decided to discharge the armed forces chief of staff, General Katawal, legally and constitutionally. General Katawal refused to step down and instead allied himself with the right-wing parties and conservative opposition.
Prime Minister Prachanda's democratically elected government is in crisis. To strengthen and retain the Nepalese people's mandate for change and democracy, he announced his resignation and dismissed his government. The Nepalese people are also preparing themselves by organising resitance in the streets.
The Nepalese people have just started a new path in the journey towards their own future; to control and manage their own natural resource, economy, and politics. But the right-wingers and the oligarchy are worried of this change. They are afraid of losing their centuries-long privileges.
Unfortunately the Western countries that often talk about democracy and human rights have refused to acknowledge that the CPN-M government is democratically elected. CPN-M won [the most] votes in the April 2008 election... Therefore, CPN-M has a strong legitimacy to carry out the government and there is no reason to undermine it.
The entire progressive forces of Indonesia must express their support to the people's struggle in Nepal. Capitalism, that has brought disaster not only to billions of people, but also the future of this planet, must be ended. Therefore, Berdikari online, as a progressive media that promotes national liberation, has made the statement below:
1. Stop imperialist intervention in the political conflict in Nepal; let the Nepalese people assert their independence and decide their own future;
2. Respect democracy by giving the elected government, that carries the people mandate, to work and carry out its duty;
3. Stop violence and sabotages that have victimised civilians.
Fight Against Neoliberal Imperialism!
[Berdikari is the publication of Papernas, the National Liberation Party of Unity. Translation by Data Brainanta from http://papernas.org.]
CPI (ML) Liberation: Indian government must stop intervening in Nepal
By the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation
May 5, 2009 — The fledgling republic of Nepal seems to be standing on the verge of a new phase of civil war. Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) Rookmangud Katawal had been asked by the civilian government to explain why he had continued military recruitment despite the government's halt order and reinstated eight brigadier-generals who had been retired by the defence ministry. Backed by its foreign patrons and right-wing parties in the country, the military high command openly defied the authority of the elected government. The government responded by removing General Katawal, who refused to accept this and the government's decision was then illegally overturned by President Ram Baran Yadav, of Nepalese Congress party. With its coalition partners in government refusing to support the United Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) [UCPN (M)], Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda) announced that he had no choice but to resign.
Both New Delhi and Washington had been mounting a strong pressure on the sovereign Nepali government not to remove their trusted CoAS, who was doggedly resisting the integration of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) with the national army as agreed in the peace accord. Senior Maoist leader and Finance Minister Baburam Bhattarai was perfectly right in his sarcastic comment that, "The so-called democratic forces specially headed by the so-called democrats in New Delhi have been dictating their patrons in Kathmandu to side with the army and fight against the democratic forces". We denounce in strongest possible terms the brazen foreign intervention and demand that it must be stopped immediately and for good.
We believe the abolition of the monarchy requires not just the removal of the King but a thorough restructuring of all organs of the state including the army, judiciary and bureaucracy. In this context we consider it very unfortunate that the UCPN (M) and the Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist Leninist) [CPN (UML)] could not arrive at an understanding on sacking the most powerful remnant of the monarchial order. Only a firm political unity of the main left forces on such matters could provide a solid core around which the required consensus in the coalition government could be built up. As things stand now, the fragile consensus has broken down and the apparent process of a peaceful transition to People's Power has proved deceptive. From a Marxist viewpoint this was not unexpected and we are confident that, led by the communists of Nepal, the brave people will once again rise to the occasion and overcome all obstacles to carry the democratic revolution through to the end.
Meanwhile, progressive and left organisations around the world have condemned the Nepalese President Ram Baran Yadav's actions and foreign intervention while noting that the Nepalese army is infamous for its human rights abuses, including murder, torture and rape and has a history of coups against civilian governments. The top ranks of the army recently admitted to planning a fresh coup against the current elected government! These organisations have demanded upholding of the peace accord and democracy for which the majority of the Nepalese people and poor people in particular had voted for the CPN(M).
The Democratic Socialist Perspective (from Australia) has said in a statement posted on its website –"The removal of the Maoists from government is nothing less than a coup. It reveals the real situation in Nepal — that despite its democratic mandate for change, the Maoist-led government is being prevented by the old elite from implementing such change." It further stated that the "…military high command, backed by right-wing parties tied to the country's elite, has openly defied the authority of the elected civilian government, led by the Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist" and "the UCPN-M's proposals for a peaceful and democratic pro-poor transformation of Nepal that were endorsed at the ballot box have been frustrated by opposition within the parliament, the state and even the coalition government." There is nothing more terrifying to the ruling classes globally than the sight of a people winning power. The right-wing forces in Nepal are counting on the support of foreign powers, especially the United States and the right-wing forces in India.
The Progressive Nepali Forum in Americas (PNEFA) has urged the Supreme Court to nullify the President Yadav's unconstitutional action and restore civilian supremacy.
[This article first appeared in the ML Update, May 5-11, 2009.]