The Maoist-inspired tragedy at Dudejhadi forest, Kailali, resulted, among other things, in the strange usage of the word “martyr”. Once again, the comrades were selling unrealistic dreams to the squatters. Whether it is Switzerland in 10 years or abundant plots for the landless, gullible people believe what Maoists say. So about 12,000 rushed from many parts of west Nepal to Dudejhadi, though most already owned some land. They came, wanting more. Four illegal squatters and one policeman lost their lives.
A Nepali proverb says, “Whoever is the thief screams the loudest!” So, the Maoists had to call the futile, destructive, nationwide strike on Dec 6, destroy more vehicles, and inconvenience more people to protest the Dudejhadi killings.
After Home Minister Bhim Rawal’s firm action in evicting the squatters of Dudejhari, the comrades should’ve learnt a fresh lesson—they can’t continue their illegal activities all the time and expect the government to remain inactive. The Home Minister should remain just as firm in the future, and force the Maoists towards democratic values.
Another Nepali proverb—"Self witch, self witch-doctor!" Having created the undesired mess in Dudejhari, the Maoists have joined the latest task force to remove the “mutual mistrust” among the three biggest parties. (Their two participants failed to show up on Dec 9. Are the Maoists treating the task force as another whitewash?) Having done their “witch-craft” in Dudejhari, now they attempt to play the witch-doctor together with the UML and the Nepali Congress.
We welcome any mutual talk between the Maoists and the two other parties. However, will the Maoists make this just another project to exonerate themselves?
After the Dudejhari incident, the Maoists have demanded that the government declare the four, PLA-duped, killed squatters as “martyrs”. No mention about the policeman whose eyes the squatters gouged out before killing him. That m-word has lost its sanctity. When we think of martyrs, firstly the four who succumbed to Rana bullets or gallows come to our minds—Dharmabhakta Mathema, Sukraraj Shastri, Dhasarath Chand, and Gangalal Shrestha. Then, the 60 that lost their lives in the 1990 uprising deserve that title. Next, the 25 who perished in 2006 during Jana Andolan II and the Madhesi uprising after that. But the four illegal squatters as martyrs?
Other parties also have used “martyrs” for the own dead cadres killed in hooliganism. The Maoists haven’t alone given the word the twisted meaning it now conveys. Ever since the government started doling out a million rupees each to the so-called martyrs, applications for the post have flooded in. At this rate, we may have every third killed person in the country as a martyr.
Besides “martyrs”, the Maoists have monopolized four other words; and given them definitions which you and I wouldn’t normally recognize. They are: “progressive,” “patriotic”, “people”, and “feudalism”. We deal with these.
The Maoists consider themselves progressive. All parties and people that disagree with them are regressive. Fanatical communism died after a short life of 60 years in Europe. There, communism gave its wards the Berlin Wall, labor camps, secret prisons. In Asia, fanatical communism has rewarded us with the perpetually hungry but nuclear-ready North Korea (a recent Newsweek article says that this “hermit” country too is adopting capitalistic means like China), Pol Pot’s genocide-tainted Cambodia, and China’s Tiananmen Square massacre (1989). If anything, Maoism, the ideology empowering Nepali Maoists, itself is regressive. Deng Xioping called Maoism a mistake, and adopted capitalism that has brought China to its present prosperity. So, how the Maoists can label themselves “progressive” befuddles any impartial observer.
Then, the word “patriotic”. Any person gullible enough to dance to Maoist tunes earns herself/himself that title. Politically, playing the patriot for the Maoists means deriding India and being cosy with China. This is nothing new. When King Mahendra fell foul of India, he “gave” the northern face of Mount Everest to China to win the big neighbor’s favor. His son Gyanendra sent his lackey Kirti Nidhi Bista to receive China’s blessing on the dictatorship he had imposed on the country from February 1, 2005. (Bista officiated at a music-book release program which I too attended. He said nothing about the book or music, but gave a 45 minute harangue on King Gyanendra’s virtues!)
India’s democracy, with all its faults (like the local encroachment on Nepali territory), nettles our Maoists. China’s one party rule motivates them because they have no other loftier vision. So, becoming “patriotic” to the Maoists means mainly cursing India.
Next, the word “people”. How often have the Maoists failed to get what they want and threatened to go to the people. In reality, that means hitting the streets and ensuring that day-laborers go hungry during Maoist-engineered bandh days.
The Maoist’s negative zeal during the Dec 6 strike impressed those who saw them function. As early as 6 AM that day, youths threatened cyclists at the New Baneshwar crossing. While walking home in the evening, I observed a metal-pipe wielding lad shouting to motor-cyclists at Gaurighat, “Stop or I will smash your bikes!” At the end of the strike-day, the Maoist leader, Dr Baburam Bhattarai, claimed that the “people” supported them and they had a great success. (His wife Hisila Yami had earlier claimed in an article that the picketing of Singha Darbar a few weeks ago was a “grand show”.)
So, who are these “people” that are supporting the Maoists? KP Oli, the frank and straight talking CPN-UML leader, has given the answer—the YCL. The Maoists send YCL cadres, the real combatants who should have remained in the UN monitored cantonments, to the forefront of their strikes; and claim the “people” supported them. (For the picketing of Singha Darbar, they bussed in YCL cadres from all parts of the country to the capital. Bus owners had to offer their vehicles freely or suffer the “consequences”.)
Finally, “feudalism”. Maoists have given their own slant to that word too. Our comrades can grab all the private land they like, but don’t become feudalists. Whereas, a person who may have bought a plot through hard-earned money or inherited ancestral property gets that “tag” after falling out with the comrades.
Copying the Maoists, others have learnt to use the word as well. Recently, an indigenous lad I had helped called me a feudalist because of my “Khatry” surname. Avid pro-Maoists readers too have addressed me in the same manner.
Lesson? Beware when our Maoist friends use words we consider “ordinary”. You may be in for a surprise.
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