|
||||||||
  |
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Maoist leader predicts 'war to the end'
(CNN) -- One of the three most senior members of the Maoist rebels fighting the Nepalese government has predicted the protracted insurgency will soon end in an 'historical and decisive war.' Speaking exclusively to CNN's Satinder Bindra, the Maoist leader, Krishna Bahadur Mahara, who has a $65,000 price tag on his head, vowed to continue the bloody rebellion against the government until it decentralized all its powers and put in place an interim administration. The rebellion has claimed the lives of almost 7,000 Nepalese over the past seven years and battered the Himalayan kingdom's already-weak economy. Indicative of the war of attrition in which neither side appears close to eliminating its foe was the latest explosion on a remote highway. On Thursday, a land mine believed planted by Maoist rebels blew up a crowded passenger bus in eastern Nepal, killing two people and injuring 22 others. (Landmine blast) The attack followed a three-day national general strike ending on Wednesday, called by the rebels. Blasts such as the bus explosion have led the government to brand the Maoists 'terrorists', a tag rejected by Mahara. "Just like the Americans branded al Qaeda and the Taliban as terrorists to wage a war on them, similarly the Nepal government has categorized the Maoist movement as terrorism because they want to get rid us," Mahara told CNN. "Our movement is based on an ideology. It has the support of the Nepalese people," he said. (Full interview transcript) Mahara argues the rebels are fighting on behalf of the majority rural poor to rid the country of an outdated feudal system that favors only a small urban elite. The rebels, who follow the late Chinese communist party leader Mao Zedong, are insistent that what Nepal needs is a communist republic system. Fueled by 'disgust and hate'But Kathmandu rejects Mahara's claims and defends its labelling of the insurgents. "Using any means of violence and terror in order to fulfill ones desire is always considered a terrorist act. The state policy that declared Maoists as terrorists since November 26, 2001 still exists," said a statement from Home Ministry Spokesman, Sushil Jung Bahadur Rana. "The government is fully committed to hold fresh elections as per the Constitution which would further consolidate the democratic system in the country." While the true extent of their local support is debatable, the Maoists have been losing the public relations battle on the international stage as the rebellion draws on and more innocent lives are lost. "The rulers in today's world are all mad. They have no ideology. They have nothing to offer to the public and end up taking all the wrong decisions about any movement or any organization," said Mahara. "This does not surprise or anger us but, of course, disgusts us, and the disgust and the hate we have for them gives us the power to fight. "Because if they said that we were right then there was no need for any war or revolution. "They are so selfish that they can never see the people's viewpoint. Their ignorance fuels our will to fight and rebel. If they could see our viewpoint, there will be no need for this rebellion," said the man who has twice been rumoured to have been killed in encounters with Nepalese armies.
The just-ended strike was in protest at King Gyanendra's sacking of Nepal's elected government and a dispute over the timing of elections. Mahara said the strikes in which schools and businesses closed down highlighted the grassroots support elicited by the Maoists. He refuted any suggestion the populace was coerced by the threat of violence if they failed to adhere to the closures as "baseless". "The allegation of Maoists killing civilians is also false. In fact the government is responsible for all those killings," Mahara said. "They kill those innocent people just because they support our cause. The Nepalese government claims to have killed 4,000 Maoists. But the truth is that more than 80 percent of them were innocent civilians. "We have only killed the criminal elements of our society and that too after issuing them several warnings and it was done in front of the people and according to the wishes of the people." Peace talksThe rebel group renewed a call for peace talks in a statement sent to newspapers on Wednesday night at the end of the general strike. "The success of our protest program proves that the people have approved our proposal to find a positive political exit and resolve the present civil war through [a] round table conference and formation of an interim government," said the statement, signed by the rebels' leader, who goes by the name Prachanda. His real name is Pushpa Kamal Dahal. Government officials said they were ready for peace talks, too. "We have left our doors open for dialogue, and it is up to the rebels to respond to our offer," said Minister for Social Welfare Ghore Bahadur Khapangi. Neither side has actually approached the other for talks, however. Mahara told CNN there remained a viable prospect for peace. "What I can say sitting now is that the king's army will not fight for very long. "They will fight for a while but then they will want peace. Right now the situation as it is is probably leading towards some sort of dialogue and interim government, the situation is hopeful."
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
