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Maoist Political
Campaigns: The Price of Non-involvement
- Anju Chhetri/Manju
Thapa
“More
than 15 hundred people of Rukum have lost their life during the 11 years
of Maoist people’s war. In that number, 98 percent are male of the age
between 17 to 40 years, and most of them belong to the dalits
(oppressed castes) and ethnic groups. About 4,000 children have lost
their parents. The cease- fire has been declared at present, and the
country is heading toward peace. The peace process must end successfully
in order to lessen the pains implanted in the hearts of the common
villagers, women and children of Rukum.”
This is the evaluation
about the impact of people’s war in Rukum made by Nanda Bahadur Bista, a
district level leader of the Nepali Congress. Though the explosion of
bombs and bullets is not heard at present, the people of Rukum are
sandwiched between the purano satta and nayan satta (old
and new powers as described by the Maoists). The haunting imprints of
people’s war can still be seen in every village located at an hour
walking distance from Khalanga, the district headquarter of Rukum. The
effect of people’s war can be observed even in the pains of the
displaced people living in Khalanga. Every family has borne the painful
experience of the incidents like disappearance of family member, murder,
torture, abduction, rape, forced labor, extortion etc. They are now
optimistic that the ongoing peace process will free them from the
compulsion of undergoing through such painful and coercive situation.
Bimala Bohara and
Krishna Rokaya study in grade seven. At about 11:00 am on May 24, 2006
they were hurriedly climbing down the hill to Gujildhunga carrying small
bags and breathing heavily. There was food for fifteen days in the bags
of both. On the order of the Maoists, the group that was to construct
the road 'Sahidmarga' was assembling at a house in Gujildhunga. All had
to be assembled before noon. Thirteen year old Krishna was in his school
dress. He had attended the school that day because he would be missing
his studies for the coming 15 days. In the family of Bimala and Krishna,
there was not any young and energetic person who was able to go for
building road. Bimala’s father was very old and sick while there were
only mother and small siblings in Krishna’s home. Therefore, the burden
of following the order of the Maoists came on the shoulders of these two
adolescents. Rush, pressure and compulsion could be explicitly observed
on their face. Their family could not deny sending someone because the
Maoist people's-power had made the rule -- a person from each family or
else pay the penalty of Rs. 3,000.
When moving toward
Syalapakha VDC from Khalanga, a fairly large gathering of people in a
house near the road was seen. Considering that it might be some sort of
village discussion program, no question was asked about the gathering.
But, after meeting Bimala and Krishna on the way and talking with them,
the meaning of the gathering was clear. While returning later, the woman
of the house where people had gathered to go for constructing road was
asked about the gathering, she said, “About 15 people left for that. My
son also went with them representing my family. He was studying in class
eight. They said, they would return after 15 days. I had given
expenses (food) to my son. It would take two days to reach the place and
two days to return, and they would build the road for the rest of the
days. I hope nothing wrong would happen to my son!”
Previously, when going
to build road under the Maoist campaign, people might get killed or
injured in a confrontation with the state security forces. The people
who have heard about such incidents were still a little frightened
thinking about the confrontation. The woman innocently says further,
“Now, peace is being restored, isn’t it? They shouldn’t have taken away
my son.” Lila Rokaya, standing beside the woman, says, “My younger
sister has also gone with them. She studies in class seven.” It was
known that two Maoist cadres had come to stay in the house in
Gujildhunga, a day before to gather and take away the villagers for
building road.
Dilshova Sunar and
Sapana Sunar of Bhandarikanda village located in Sankha VDC sharing
their experience of digging road last year says, “One person form each
household of our village went to build road last year.” Dilshova went
leaving her four very small children alone at home and Sapana had gone
carrying her one year old baby. Dilshova’s husband has married another
woman and migrated to India, and Sapana’s husband has also brought
kanchhi (second wife) and lives in Dang. Dilshova says, “If I had
three thousand rupees, I’d buy new clothes for my children.”
“Oh, from where can we
get three thousand rupees?” asks Sapana. She lightheartedly remarks,
“While going to build road, they instructed us to play drill, but since
I had very small baby, I did not follow their instruction. They would
show dance and play music. Their dance, music and speech are amusing.
But, no one can be content working under pressure.”
The experience of Lila
BK of Sankha Bhandarikanda is also not much different than theirs. “A
person from each household was taken away last year. At that time, I had
gone to the hospital at Salle taking my small son. My elder son was
studing in Khalanga. When I returned home, I knew that my second son
went to build road with the villagers,” She says, “He even did not wait
for me. He thought that a person from every household had gone with
them, and if no one would go from our family they might penalize us.
Because of this fear he went with them. Since my son was very small, I
couldnot sleep well for several days until he returned home.”
Bhagawati, a social
mobilizer working at Child Workers in Nepal Concerned Center (CWIN),
Khalanga expresses her grief that when her younger brother was taken
away to build Sahidmarga or Martyrs Memorial Road, he was injured by a
stray bullet fired by the state security forces. The people do not
differ the idea of building road from the campaign called build our
village ourselves. But, since their experiences of forcibly taking away
to build road in whatever condition, taking not to their place but to
Rolpa and there is always a danger of attack by the state security
forces, the people are not found to be heartily supporting this move of
the Maoists.
The president of Rukum
Journalist Fedaration Narayan Shah, describing the event he has
withnessed, says, “The Maoists had come to assemble people for digging
Sahidmarga in Daphen village of Rukum Aathbisakot. Twenty-seven year old
Khadke Buda of the same village announced that it is better to kill
oneself than to go for digging road forcibly, and he eventually
committed suicide. Shocked by this incident the women of the village
decided not to send their men to build road. They told about their
decision to the Maoist cadres who had come to take away people for
building road.”
Whether be it the issue
of digging road or partaking in the open-air meeting of the Maoists, the
villagers of Rukum recount similar type of experience - one person from
each house, or else pay three thousand rupees. The construction of 19
kilometers road from Tila to Ghartigaun of Rukum by the Maoists is still
under progress. Before it, they had already completed the construction
of 13 kilometers road from Nuwagaun to Thawang, informs Sharun Batha,
the person in charge of Rukum people’s government. When asked, don’t you
take children to build road? He responds, “ Our intention certainly is
not to take away children for that purpose. We have given the authority
to the villagers to decide about this matter. When the children see that
almost everyone from the village has gone for building road, they
willingly follow them. In some circumstances, the villagers themselves
decide that the children should go for building road, considering that
the children of 13-14 years of age work at home. The children who go to
participate are involved in the work according to their capacity.”
Some may agree with
this explanation and some may not. But, such situation should not be
created in which children have to comply with the Maoists’ order of
going to build road, even at the cost of leaving their school. The act
of involving people in such campaign by threatening them of penalty or
punishment rather than in a persuasive manner can be counter-productive
to the Maoists themselves.
Social Change
What kind of social
change has come in the areas predominated by the Maoists in the past 10
years? What kinds of change are seen in the role and characteristics of
women? These are pertinent questions, though their answers are not
obvious. Such changes cannot be brought about in a systematic manner in
the time of war. In such situation, the old regime becomes incapable to
carry out its activities and the rebel group mostly concentrates on
enhancing its military actions. The women when asked about the change
brought about by the people’s war became reluctant to reply.
Specifically, they could not openly share the experiences which carried
anti-Maoist overtones. Some of the women of Rukum, who have requested
anonimity, have similar experience and misery: “When a complaint is
filed against polygamous marriage by a man in the Maoist camp, somehow,
they find out about such deed, they often imprison the man and his
second wife in a labor camp. Later, they force the man to live with the
second wife, while giving the first wife her share of property and
divorce from her husband. It’s a nice thing they have done!”
The important change
realized by Lila BK of the same village Bhandarikanda is different. She
says, “The good thing that the Maoists have done is the abolition of
caste-based untouchability. The so-called high caste Thakuris used to
oppress and humiliate us in the past, but they don’t do so these days.
The Maoists would take the dalits (oppressed castes) into the
house of the so-called high castes wearing shoes or sandals, and they
would tell the dalits to fill water in the pots of Thakuris from
the public tap. Thus they have helped to eliminate caste-based
untouchability.” A local teacher, Subarna assesses that due to the
awareness raised by the Maoists, the lust for jewelry among women has
declined considerably, and their political consciousness has also risen.
Journalist Shah, who
holds critical views, about Maoists activities, has a different
opinion. He says, “In Rukum, there was a bad custom of abducting girls
and marrying them. Now, the dowry system has diminished to some extent.
But, the credit of this change cannot be given to the Maoists alone.
Such change has occurred due to the spontaneous awareness among the
people.”
As per the women’s
experience, there are so many changes that can be labelled negative. A
woman of Sankha VDC expressing her discontents says, “There was an
open-air meeting of the Maoists in Khalanga on April 12. On behalf of
our family, I had gone to the meeting, carying my small baby. Usually,
they issue an order to participate in each of their programs, if we
don’t comply with the order, we have to pay fines. It may have been
fruitful to the women who have joined their party, but how can I say
that it is beneficial to women like us who make their living with hard
labor. We cannot go to the district headquarters without their
permission. Those who could somehow make some earnings have left the
village.”
A district level party
activist of Nepali Congress widowed due to the Maoist insurgency, Sita
Woli’s utterance reflects a common voice of many women of the area: “The
ten year long people’s war has ruined the life of many women and
children here. The women, who have untimely become widow all of a
sudden, have to take up economic burden of the family. Well-settled
families have been shattered abruptly. Women’s health has degraded. The
happiness in the family has vanished. The children, upset by mental
problems, feel insecurity most of the time, it has hampered their
education.” These horrific traumas caused by the war can be read on the
faces and listened to during talks with many women of Rukum.
The expression,
perception and assessment of the people engaged in the Maoist people’s
war are different. Dilmaya Pun, who has been a whole timer activist of
the CPN (M) since 2000, says, “A lot of change has come among women
after the people’s war. They have become fearless, clever and capable of
speaking against grievances. A political aware ness is rising among
them. The untouchability has been demolished from the village.” Similar
views are articulated in the statement of the chief of Rukum People’s
Government Sharun Batha: “The women have a rebellious sentiment toward
the exploitation against them. The political awareness that they must
rise against the defective customs is now visible. Women have embraced
the idea of the women’s rights over parental property. The property
cannot be divided among the rightful heirs in the area without
allocating the share of daughters. That’s the change the people’s war
has brought here," he states.
- Samaya, June
22, 2006, Pp. 20-21 |
