08-13-2006, 12:16 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>The lifeline of Maoist violence</b>
Pioneer.com
Saji Cherian | Research Associate, Institute for Conflict Management
In 2002, a former Maoist district commander estimated that the Maoists needed Rs 10 million every month to keep the war going. A halt to their available methods of garnering finance would result in dismantling their militia ---- Even before the Ceasefire Code of Conduct was signed on May 25, 2006, between the Government and the Maoists, there were concerns raised from all quarters of Nepal with regard to extortion by the latter. The crisis persists even after both the sides agreed on August 8, to seek the assistance of the United Nations in the entire peace process. On July 6, the Council of Ministers criticised the Maoists for continuing extortions and not shutting down the "people's courts" as per their agreements and promises.
The Maoist leadership, of course, projects a very different view on these demands. On August 7, interacting with the business community in Kathmandu, Maoist leader Baburam Bhattarai stated that his party's 'donation and taxation' drives were a transitional arrangement to raise resources to take care of its militia and urged the business community to bear with it till the political problem is solved. "In the absence of budgetary support from the Government, we have no option but to raise money from donations. But this phase will pass off as soon as the interim government, including the Maoists, is formed," Bhattarai stated. He added further that the Maoists were soon coming up with a centrally controlled donation collecting mechanism so that non-Maoists could not take advantage of the situation: "It will be a one-window system, as you businessmen prefer to say", he clarified.
Reports of massive extortion by the Maoists continue to pour in from different parts of the country In Sankhuwasabha District, the Maoists have started collecting 'donations' from government officials and semi-government organisations. The Maoists visit each office demanding an amount equal to 60 days' salary as "tax for people's war", a government staffer disclosed. The Maoist district committee member, Rajan, claimed that collecting 'donations' and 'tax' was essential for the arrangement of the needs of 725 full time members of the party. In Sarlahi District, Maoists have, since July 23, reportedly set up a check post at Ranigunj Chowk of Lalbandi-Phuljor road section on Mahendra Highway to collect donations from vehicles plying on the highway. Maoist cadres in combat dress collect Rs 10 from every vehicle, including passenger buses and cargo trucks, using a donation pad receipt with "security patrol help" written on it.
Similarly, in Bardiya district, in disregard of the cease-fire code of conduct, the local Maoist leadership on August 2 announced that they would start collecting 'donations' from industrialists, businessmen, employees, teachers and others in the district.
"At least 300,000 rupees is the monthly expenses just for a battalion of the People's Liberation Army in Bardiya" said 'Sandiv' district secretary of the party at a press meeting, adding, "Therefore, we are planning to launch a donation campaign which is voluntary and not forced donation."
Earlier, one of the daily newspapers obtained a letter sent by chief of the Special Central Command of the CPN (Maoist), Anant, on May 14 asking over a dozen private banks to cough up Rs 2.5 million each as 'donation'. The letter asked for "financial support" from the private banks to push the people's movement to a "new high".
The Maoist extortions and intimidation does not, of course, come as a surprise; maintaining the Maoist army requires funds. 'Bibidh', a Maoist commander was quoted by the Nepali daily Kantipur in July 2006 as claiming, "we are about 36,000 (fighters) in the People's Liberation Army now." Earlier, according to a 2004 study based on direct interviews with Maoist fighters, it costed NPR 17,000 annually to provide one armed guerrilla with clothes and other basic necessities (raising a basic 'maintenance' cost of over NPR 612 million). At the same time, during the time of hostilities, in early 2002, a former Maoist district commander had estimated that the Maoists needed to spend about Rs 10 million every month to keep the war going. A halt to their available methods of garnering finance, would mean dismantling their army, which could prove disastrous in the future, if the peace process fail.
While the 'Maoist economy' of extortion booms, the Nepal Economic Survey, 2006, presented in the House of Representatives on July 11 paints a dismal picture of the country's economic situation. The economy of the country grew by a mere 2.4 per cent this year, with the manufacturing sector growing at just 2.1 percent as against the 2.6 percent last year. The growth of the transportation and communication sectors and the real estate sector also slowed down to 2.2 per cent each as compared to 5.1 percent and 4.6 per cent last year, respectively. Only 18 km of road were constructed during the entire fiscal year. Not a single new hospital was added to the existing 87 hospitals throughout the country.
For the Maoists, the very existence of their army is based on extortion and this is their lifeblood. To bring a halt to such operations strike the Maoist death knell. That is why Maoist leaders like Baburam Bhattarai continue extortion or "revolutionary tax" in terms of the "absence of budgetary support from the government". The fact that continuing Maoist extortion violates the Ceasefire Code of Conduct of May 25, basic human rights, is and will remain besides the point.
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Pioneer.com
Saji Cherian | Research Associate, Institute for Conflict Management
In 2002, a former Maoist district commander estimated that the Maoists needed Rs 10 million every month to keep the war going. A halt to their available methods of garnering finance would result in dismantling their militia ---- Even before the Ceasefire Code of Conduct was signed on May 25, 2006, between the Government and the Maoists, there were concerns raised from all quarters of Nepal with regard to extortion by the latter. The crisis persists even after both the sides agreed on August 8, to seek the assistance of the United Nations in the entire peace process. On July 6, the Council of Ministers criticised the Maoists for continuing extortions and not shutting down the "people's courts" as per their agreements and promises.
The Maoist leadership, of course, projects a very different view on these demands. On August 7, interacting with the business community in Kathmandu, Maoist leader Baburam Bhattarai stated that his party's 'donation and taxation' drives were a transitional arrangement to raise resources to take care of its militia and urged the business community to bear with it till the political problem is solved. "In the absence of budgetary support from the Government, we have no option but to raise money from donations. But this phase will pass off as soon as the interim government, including the Maoists, is formed," Bhattarai stated. He added further that the Maoists were soon coming up with a centrally controlled donation collecting mechanism so that non-Maoists could not take advantage of the situation: "It will be a one-window system, as you businessmen prefer to say", he clarified.
Reports of massive extortion by the Maoists continue to pour in from different parts of the country In Sankhuwasabha District, the Maoists have started collecting 'donations' from government officials and semi-government organisations. The Maoists visit each office demanding an amount equal to 60 days' salary as "tax for people's war", a government staffer disclosed. The Maoist district committee member, Rajan, claimed that collecting 'donations' and 'tax' was essential for the arrangement of the needs of 725 full time members of the party. In Sarlahi District, Maoists have, since July 23, reportedly set up a check post at Ranigunj Chowk of Lalbandi-Phuljor road section on Mahendra Highway to collect donations from vehicles plying on the highway. Maoist cadres in combat dress collect Rs 10 from every vehicle, including passenger buses and cargo trucks, using a donation pad receipt with "security patrol help" written on it.
Similarly, in Bardiya district, in disregard of the cease-fire code of conduct, the local Maoist leadership on August 2 announced that they would start collecting 'donations' from industrialists, businessmen, employees, teachers and others in the district.
"At least 300,000 rupees is the monthly expenses just for a battalion of the People's Liberation Army in Bardiya" said 'Sandiv' district secretary of the party at a press meeting, adding, "Therefore, we are planning to launch a donation campaign which is voluntary and not forced donation."
Earlier, one of the daily newspapers obtained a letter sent by chief of the Special Central Command of the CPN (Maoist), Anant, on May 14 asking over a dozen private banks to cough up Rs 2.5 million each as 'donation'. The letter asked for "financial support" from the private banks to push the people's movement to a "new high".
The Maoist extortions and intimidation does not, of course, come as a surprise; maintaining the Maoist army requires funds. 'Bibidh', a Maoist commander was quoted by the Nepali daily Kantipur in July 2006 as claiming, "we are about 36,000 (fighters) in the People's Liberation Army now." Earlier, according to a 2004 study based on direct interviews with Maoist fighters, it costed NPR 17,000 annually to provide one armed guerrilla with clothes and other basic necessities (raising a basic 'maintenance' cost of over NPR 612 million). At the same time, during the time of hostilities, in early 2002, a former Maoist district commander had estimated that the Maoists needed to spend about Rs 10 million every month to keep the war going. A halt to their available methods of garnering finance, would mean dismantling their army, which could prove disastrous in the future, if the peace process fail.
While the 'Maoist economy' of extortion booms, the Nepal Economic Survey, 2006, presented in the House of Representatives on July 11 paints a dismal picture of the country's economic situation. The economy of the country grew by a mere 2.4 per cent this year, with the manufacturing sector growing at just 2.1 percent as against the 2.6 percent last year. The growth of the transportation and communication sectors and the real estate sector also slowed down to 2.2 per cent each as compared to 5.1 percent and 4.6 per cent last year, respectively. Only 18 km of road were constructed during the entire fiscal year. Not a single new hospital was added to the existing 87 hospitals throughout the country.
For the Maoists, the very existence of their army is based on extortion and this is their lifeblood. To bring a halt to such operations strike the Maoist death knell. That is why Maoist leaders like Baburam Bhattarai continue extortion or "revolutionary tax" in terms of the "absence of budgetary support from the government". The fact that continuing Maoist extortion violates the Ceasefire Code of Conduct of May 25, basic human rights, is and will remain besides the point.
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