GHANASHYAM OJ
Matrika Yadav revolted when the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) decided to unify with the Communist Party of Nepal (Unity Center-Masal) in January to form the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist). Politburo member of the then CPN (Maoist) led by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Yadav has vowed to restructure the mother party. Talking to myrepublica.com in an exclusive interview at his residence, Yadav accused Prime Minister Dahal of compromising on revolutionary ideals and promised to fight with renewed zest and vigor for the total liberation of the Nepali people.
Excerpt from the interview:
myrepublica.com: What is the basis of your claim that you will form a strong communist party as an alternative to the current Unified CPN (Maoist)?
Matrika Prasad Yadav: I have learned through the decade-long armed struggle that people want total liberation against suppression and corruption. Their awareness on socio-political issues has improved beyond imagination. People across the country are now saying they haven’t found any difference between the past governments and the one now. Martyrs have not yet received national recognition. Dalits, various indigenous groups, women and poor people, who supported our armed struggle, are now completely frustrated. They say that the Maoists are no longer revolutionaries. The charge is that the Maoists are already on their way to becoming revisionists. The people have lost hope on Prachandaji. I think people are looking for an alternative Maoist party which will respect the values of the decade-long armed struggle that will fight for total liberation of all the people. However, I think there are dangerous challenges ahead to head a revolutionary Maoist party.
Dipesh Shrestha
myrepublica.com: What are the dangerous challenges? Is it there within your party or somewhere else?
Yadav: There are dangers from national and international reactionary forces. I especially feel that there is a danger from the Unified CPN (Maoist), both ideologically and physically. Prachandaji and others in the unified Maoist party are good at telling lies and confusing people. I think a major challenge for me would be to expose those lies and keep people informed about the reality. My major ideological battle will always be with the unified Maoist party. They have power and resources as they are in the government now. My cadres are concerned about my security. They are asking me to consider taking security measures while in public. But I don’t care about my life. If they {Unified CPN (Maoist)} make a mistake by attacking me physically, they will get destroyed in no time. I don’t rule out the threat to my life. They must understand that ideology can never be killed.
myrepublica.com: How will your party be different from other communist parties including the newly-formed Unified CPN (Maoist)?
Yadav: We will always remain a revolutionary party. We won’t let poor people return seized property to those corrupt feudalists. We will fight for total right of the Madhesi people. We will request the Peoples’ Liberation Army (PLA) combatants not to be ready for dissolution. Prachandaji is trying to eliminate the identity of the PLA, who fought for people’s total liberation. None of the communist parties including Prachandaji’s have been able to provide justice to the families of those disappeared persons. They just tell lies but we will walk the talk. The unified Maoist party is no longer a real communist party. Prachandaji has welcomed those people in the party who always criticized the decade-long armed struggle. He (Prime Minister Dahal) has close alliance with those reactionary forces. I have asked him to read his own articles about revolution and people’s liberation written in the past.
myrepublica.com: You haven’t announced the formation of your party. You also don’t have an army with you. How confident are you of getting support from the PLA?
Yadav: You should remember that we didn’t have an organized army or arms when we launched the armed struggle in 1996. We learnt how to use arms. We developed a competent army to lead the armed struggle. Now, my party will form its own army, if we feel it is necessary. And I am sure many PLA combatants will join my party because I know our PLAs. The PLA combatants joined the war not for any personal gain. Many of them lost their relatives in the war. They want total liberation of the Nepali people. I have heard they are extremely frustrated now. They are saying their sacrifice has gone in vain. But I won’t let their efforts go down the drains. I will ask them to join the real Maoist party and continue revolution for peoples’ power.
Dipesh Shrestha
myrepublica.com: Do you think any known face from the Unified CPN (Maoist) will join your party?
Yadav: I don’t think anybody from the central level will join my party. There are many intelligent people in the unified Maoist party. But I am surprised why those intelligent leaders are staying with the unified party when it has lost all Maoist values. Be assured, the majority of Maoist cadres across the country will join my party. Everyday I receive hundreds of calls from my well wishers. They are excited about joining the real communist party. Tamsaling Rastriya Mukti Morcha and Kirant Janabadi Workers’ Party have already joined me. Some people say Matrika will form a regional party. But I know I will completely collapse if I form a regional party. People from the hills to the Tarai have expressed their strong support for my party. Therefore, it will be a national party. People from all across the country will find their voice in my party.
myrepublica.com: Will your party join hands with armed groups in Tarai?
Yadav: Ha ha … you raised a good question. Everybody asks me this question. I talked to Goitji and Ram Bilash Yadavji about this issue. I found that many armed groups in Tarai are now involved in criminal activities. They extort money and abduct people just for money.
myrepublica.com: But all the armed groups in Tarai are for the One Madhes One Pradesh demand. Don’t you think your party can have an alliance with those armed groups on this particular issue?
Yadav: That’s true. I am also thinking on that line. We can work together for a particular issue. I am planning to hold a broader discussion with all the armed groups of Tarai soon. Let’s see how it goes.
myrepublica.com: What about the recently-announced CPN (Maoist) led by former Maoist leader Mani Thapa?
Yadav: Maniji did everything in haste. He had invited me for a dialogue. But he hastily announced his party. I am surprised with this development. I am yet to talk to Maniji about it. But I will try to include all those revolutionaries in my party.
Democracy and Class Struggle is publishing this interview for information purposes and does not endorse the actions of Matrika Yadav in fact we called for his expulsion from the CPN Maoist some time ago on this site - his position on the Terai is playing directly in to the hands of the enemies of the Nepalese Revolution who have seen this as a key issue to undermine the UCPN(Maoist)
Whilst we agree with Kiran and Gujarel in some of their criticisms of UCPN Maoist policies under Prachanda and Bhattarai led government - we do not agree with position of Matrika Yadav on the Terai and his other political positions follow from this.
For further information look at following posts :http://democracyandclasstruggle.blogspot.com/2008/07/tharus-enraged-over-madhesisation-of.html
also look at:
http://democracyandclasstruggle.blogspot.com/2009/01/maoists-to-campaign-for-one-madhes-many.html
No comments:
Post a Comment