Face To Face With Prachanda

Face to face, with Maoist leader Prachanda
Times of India, India

It was a small room deep inside a desolate village surrounded by forests accessible only after a 10-km trek. Inside, on a simple cot, which occupied half the room, sat one of South Asia’s most wanted men — unarmed and unguarded.

Prachanda — or the fierce one — is a quiet person with twinkling eyes. The ferocity lies in his ideas and his rebellious instincts. The soft-spoken veneer hides a ruthless commander who has the loyalty of 10,000 battle hardened guerrillas.

In an exclusive interview, his first ever face-to-face meet with any media organisation, chairman Pushpakamal Dahal, aka Prachanda, of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) spelt out his party’s strategy and the impact of the ‘people’s war’ that it launched in 1996. Prachanda said his party would confine its ‘‘people’s war’’ to the kingdom. He added, ‘‘We have only ideological ties with Indian Maoists. We have no plans to launch any joint armed struggle. We do not consider people’s war as a commodity for export or import. But we will certainly spread our experiences across the globe.’’

The 51-year-old guerrilla is one of the world’s most wanted men. While India and Nepal have outlawed his party, the US has put it on the list of terrorist groups under watch. Besides, there is an Interpol red-corner notice against him.

In 2001, Kathmandu announced a cash reward of Nepalese Rs 50 lakh (over Rs 30 lakh in Indian currency) for his capture. Prachanda admitted that he had met Communist Party of India (Maoist) chief Ganapathy recently. The last time they met each other was in 1997, a year after the Maoist insurgency began in Nepal. He denied the existence of any‘‘compact revolutionary zone’’ formed by Indian and Nepalese Maoists across the two countries. ‘‘This was created by the media of the Indian government,’’ he said.

Prachanda said his party would have captured Kathmandu by now if countries like the US, India and the UK had not extended military support to Nepal’s ‘‘tottering’’ feudal rulers. He said India, as a champion of democrcay, should not arm the royal army.

‘Won’t start talks with Nepal King’

In February 2006, you’ll be observing the 10th anniversary of people’s war. How close are you to your goal?

Prachanda: We’ve broken the backbone of feudalism that has thrived in Nepal for 250 years. We have freed the countryside...We have weakened feudalism in rural areas. Nepal would have become a democratic republic by now if big countries like the US, India and the UK had not extended military support to its tottering feudal rulers.

In a way, we’re now fighting against international imperialism, especially US imperialism... American commanders and generals are arming and training the Royal Army. India has also lent it big support.

Though your party believes in armed struggle, why do you now want to resolve the crisis in Nepal through talks?

A: Ours is not a dogmatic party. We chalk out our action plan after analysing a subject in the context of the prevailing situation.

When did you first feel the need for a negotiated settlement?

A: We felt so after the 2001 royal massacre when developments in Nepal started getting internationalised. The killings were part of a deep conspiracy. At that time, feudal elements were looking for an opportunity... they were unhappy with the advent of multi-party democracy in 1990 and the fast-rising people’s war. American think-tanks were also increasingly concerned about us. The massacre was carried out in this backdrop. Whatever clarifications the palace gave later were concocted stories.

Wasn’t the massacre sudden?

A: No. King Birendra was a comparatively liberal person. Here, we must remember that he did not support the killing of his people. In 1980, he agreed to hold a referendum on the system of governance when a pro-reform agitation gained momentum. In 1990, he restored the multi-party system after a stir.

Have you planned any road map for peace?

A: We want formation of a constituent assembly that will allow the people to draw their future and destiny themselves. Second, an interim goverment of all parties and civil societies. Third, formation of a democratic republic. We want the involvement of the United Nations to create an atmosphere of confidence so that possession of weapons by us does not become a stumbling block in the peace process. As proof of this, we have already declared a unilateral ceasefire now.

How do you look at the growing Indian support to the demand for turning Nepal into a republic?

It’s the Indian intelligentia that is basically supporting this issue. There has not been any big change in the attitude of the Indian ruling class. It is against the autocratric monarchy but not against the system of monarchy.

What kind of approach will you like India to take?

India should not help the King’s army. It should extend moral and political support to the democratic stir in Nepal. We want fresh treaties between Nepal and India on natural resources and other important issues on the basis of equality. We are now interacting with pro-democracy mainstream parties. If India believes in democrcay, it should free our leaders detained in various prisons.

Is there any possiblity of India having a role like the one it had during the 1950 crisis (over the Rana oligarchy)?

A: We consider the 1950 agreement (between the palace, the Ranas and the Nepali Congress) wrong because it pereptuated the monarchy. Moreover, we are against foreign intervention.

You’ve aligned with Indian Maoists. Does it not amount to opening a new front?

A: We have only idelogical ties with Indian Maoists. We have no plans to lead a joint armed struggle against India. We do not consider people’s war as a commodity of export and import. There is no need for India to get provoked by us. The talk of our forming a compact revolutionary zone across the two countries is a creation of the media of the Indian government. We do not have anything like this.

If it is so, why did you have to dig trenches along the international border last year ?

A: Just as India fears us, we also have fears about whether it will finally act as an agent of feudal rulers. We prepared the trenches purely for self-defence after India began arming and training the Royal Army in places like Hyderabad.

Is there any possibility of a dialogue between your party and the king?

A: We can have it only on one condition —that is he should announce that he will return the people’s power to the people.

In The News

• King must transfer power to the people for talks: Prachanda Prachanda has said his party would hold dialogue with King Gyanendra if the king returns people’s power back...... in the 90-minute interview given recently to TOI’s Keshav Pradhan at a ‘desolate’, undisclosed location. “That is he should announce that he will return the people’s power to the people.” ...... Appearing very simple and calm in the quiet rendezvous, Prachanda said his party felt the need for a negotiated settlement after the 2001 palace massacre and added, “Ours is not a dogmatic party. We chalk out our action plan after analyzing a subject in the context of the prevailing situation.” ...... “We want the involvement of the United Nations to create an atmosphere of confidence so that possession of weapons by us does not become a stumbling block in the peace process” ...... “We consider the 1950 agreement [between the palace, the Ranas and the Nepali Congress] wrong because it perpetuated the monarchy. Moreover, we are against foreign intervention.” ...... We want fresh treaties between Nepal and India on natural resources and other important issues on the basis of equality. We are now interacting with pro-democracy mainstream parties. If India believes in democracy, it should free our leaders detained in various prisons........ Prachanda also claimed that the rebels have “broken the backbone of feudalism that has thrived in Nepal for 250 years. We have freed the countryside...We have weakened feudalism in rural areas.”......“In a way, we’re now fighting against international imperialism, especially US imperialism... American commanders and generals are arming and training the Royal Army. India has also lent it big support.” ....... was wearing a cream-colored, half-sleeved shirt, blue trousers and leather sandals, in a small room deep inside a desolate village ...... Of his ‘simplicity’, Prachanda – standing 5-1/2 tall, bespectacled and unclear with or without his beard – has said, “It’s my simple lifestyle that helps me evade the security forces.” And, he says, he’s been trekking miles. “I do not like to stay at once place. Nor will I ever remain holed up in a cave like Saddam Hussein.”
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