They withstood the scorching sun in a 3-hour rally and assembled for the celebration of the 121st May Day at Khula Manch in the capital. In what looked like a red sea of people with their bandanas and flags held high (and some with lathis), the party chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal claimed the assembly as the “largest, structured, disciplined gathering that Khula Manch has ever seen.”[break]
Traffic came to a complete standstill for central Kathmandu; drivers compelled to turn away at every corner due to the sheer number of people, who sang, danced and merry-made their way to the open space. At various junctions around Khula Manch, large horn-loud speakers blasted revolutionary songs with bemusing sentiments from border encroachment to national unity.
The large number of people who had gathered to celebrate May Day and portray their dissatisfaction to the current government was mostly represented by the younger generation. They expressed their frustrations with the current government and hoped for progress through a Maoist-led government.
Chitran BK, 25-year-old from Kailai who came to Kathmandu five days ago for the mass convergence, said even though the Maoists won through popular votes in the 2008 general elections, they could not assume complete power over the country’s politics and were “in the government but not in the state.”
“The Maoists were in the government but didn’t have complete authority,” BK said, who was not a cadre, but just a volunteer. “This government won’t do anything. There should be a Maoist-led government.”
Naturally, the participants of this assembly favored the Maoists and their work.
Hari Timilsina, a 29-year-old Maoist supporter, said the increase in the government grants to their Tikapur VDC in Kailali and the progress thereafter was significant during the Maoist governance. His support for the Maoists was apparent in his statement.
Their main agenda for joining the left-wing party however is the Maoists’s promised policy of employment for the youth, which the then Finance Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai implemented but was never completed due to the party’s withdrawal from the government in May 2009.
But for some, it’s the party’s philosophy of gender equality and minority rights that attracted their support for the party.
Motikali Kumari Budha left her home five days ago and reached the capital timely just as the mass meeting started.
“The Maoists’ slogan of special rights for women and Dalits [minorities] gives hope [for women],” said Budha who came from the far-west village of Kailali.
During the decade-long conflict, the Maoists with their ideology of equal rights regardless of gender, caste, race and religion gathered significant supporters of all ages in the country.
In reference to whether any form of coercion took place in order to get these youngsters in Kathmandu, they were adamant in stating that this was not in any case true for them.
Krishna Prasad Timilsina, 31 from Kavre claimed that “Neither were we told or forced by anyone, nor did we try and get people hereunder false pretences.”
The crowd at Khula Manch was testament.
Lekhnath Neupane, president of the All Nepal National Student’s Union –Revolutionary, termed the general strike starting today as “a decisive and final fight.”
On a similar note, Youth Communist League (YCL) chairman Ganesh Man Pun provoked the opposition in terms of what is to come from the masses.
“The strength of YCL and the youth has become 10 times stronger,” he said referring to the large number of youth activists gathered at the venue and who have come to the capital from all over the country.
However, at the party’s top leadership, the sentiment was somehow diplomatic. While younger leaders sounded comfortable with the option of aggression, the older generation maintained the need for a peaceful movement.
Maoists chairman Dahal appreciated the rally and gathering for being peaceful, organized and disciplined. He reiterated the need for consensus, constitution and peace.
“This is a movement for peace, a movement for constitutional assembly and a movement for prosperity,” he said accusing the government led by Madhav Kumar Nepal for not respecting the “people’s wishes.”
And people’s wishes revolved around security and unemployment.
Banking on the hopes of people like Timilsina and 22-year-old Birendra Khadka, whose very basis for support for the party comes from the frustrations of unemployment, YCL leader Pun stated that the outcome of the upcoming strikes would be to bring in a Maoist-led government by bringing youth, students and professionals to the streets.
“I welcome you all to come to the street on behalf of eight-million youth and one million YCL members,” the youth leader said.
Chairman Dahal said the upcoming strikes are necessary to secure the change in the country’s governance and political system gained after the April Revolution in 2006.
The party chief also made it clear that the protests and strike are going to be non-violent. However, he warned that the government would be responsible for the consequences if it provokes.
And his supporters share the same notion.
“This is a revolution for peace and constitution,” BK said. “Revolution is never peaceful though. We’ve come as volunteers and we are not trying to get into violence. But if the government pressurizes us, we won’t be quiet.”
While the crowd yesterday was happy to speak of their admiration for the party and its objectives, the notion that many of the young and unemployed youngsters that have flooded the capital have come on hopes for better future; and some with fear and intimidation is one to be considered. Only the coming days will prove how successfully the Maoists have managed to convince the masses, mostly comprised of those that are young and able; that in fact their promises are true and genuine.
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