Monthly Archives: November 2011

The Indian State’s Murder of Kishanji–and “the hour that the ship comes in”

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Kishanji: not just another ‘martyr’

November 28, 2011

by Saroj Giri, Sanhati

Kishanji is not just a fighter against oppression, a brave and courageous soul. He presided over something unique in the history of resistance movement in the country – and maybe he was not even so aware of it. Several forms of resistance seem to have come together in his leadership – synchronizing armed fighting power of the people with open rallies, processions and demonstrations. If one is really serious about democratic mass upsurges then one cannot wish away ‘strategy’, the ‘use of force’ or ‘armed resistance’; that the life-veins of mass struggle extend into the zone of armed resistance – these otherwise old Leninist lessons were restated, reasserted, renewed afresh in the life and activity of Kishanji.

It is in this sense that Kishanji in a way rehabilitated the status of both mass movements and ‘military strategy’ within the left. Continue reading →

India: Mass Democratic and Revolutionary organizations condemn State Murder

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JOINT PRESS RELEASE —  DELHI / 30.11.2011

 We strongly condemn the brutal and cold-blooded murder of Mallojula Koteshwara Rao alias Kishanji by the security forces in the Burisole forest area of West Bengal.

Now it is very much clear from various sources that the Maoist leader Kishanji was first captured and severely tortured by security forces and then killed in a planned fake encounter under the connivance of both West Bengal and Central governments. Mamata Banerjee government of West Bengal has used almost the same weapon of ‘Peace Talk’ to eliminate the Maoist leader as by the R. S. Reddy government in AP.

It is a known fact that the Central and various State governments are jointly conducting a special military operation Green Hunt to suppress Maoist activities. The unjustified and irrational killing of Kishanji is nothing but a part of state terror being unfettered under ‘Operation Green Hunt’, centrally controlled by the UPA government. It is a clear violation of not only the guidelines given by Supreme Court and National Human Rights Commission but also by different international institutions.

It is to note that the state is not only killing the Maoists and their supporters but also viciously suppressing all voices of dissent, especially of democratic and revolutionary forces. We strongly feel that Naxalism / Maoism cannot be suppressed by killing its propagators / leaders and organizing massacres of its supporters.

Therefore, we demand that:

  •  The central and state governments should immediately stop ‘Operation Green Hunt’ and physical elimination of Naxal /Maoist leaders and cadres.
  •  The Central government should set up a high level Judicial Enquiry Committee on the killing of Kishanji.
  •  The government should register a case of culpable homicide under section 302 of IPC, so that the killers of Kishanji are forced to face the court trial, as directed by Supreme Court and National Human Rights Commission.
  •  We call upon all the progressive, democratic and revolutionary forces to come together and oppose the killing of Kishanji and the suppression of people’s movements.

We, the undersigned have decided to organize a Protest Demonstration before the Bang Bhavan, 3, Hailey Road, New Delhi-110001 on 2nd Dec. 2011 at 12 AM to show our united anger against state oppression. We appeal to all the pro-people forces to make this Protest Demonstration successful by joining it in huge number.

Signed by:

Arjun Prasad d Singh, PDFI

P.K. Shahi, CPI (ML)

Narender, Peoples Front

Thomas Mathew, Bahujan Vam Manch

Shieo Mangal Sidhantkar, CPI (ML) New Proletariat

Ashish Gupta, PUDR

Anil Chamaria,  Journalist

Amit, krantikari Nawjawan Sabha

G. N. Saibaba, Revolutionary Democratic Front

Mrigank, Navajwan Bharat Sabha

Harish, Inquilabi Majdur Kendra

Alok Kumar. Krantikari Navajawan Sabha

Deepak Singh, NDPI

Mritunjay, CCON

Banojyotsna, Democratic Students Union

Kusumlata, Students for Resistance

Bijunayek, Lok Raj Sangathan

Ambrish Rai, Social Activist

Contact: 9868638682, 8800356565, 9873315447

Indian Maoist Party: “Condemn the State Murder of Kishenji!”

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  COMMUNIST PARTY OF INDIA (MAOIST)

CENTRAL COMMITTEE

Press Release: November 25, 2011

Condemn the brutal murder of Comrade Mallojula Koteswara Rao, the beloved leader of the oppressed masses,
the leader of Indian revolution and CPI (Maoist) Politburo member!

Observe protest week from November 29 to December 5
and 48-hour ‘Bharat Bandh’ on December 4-5!!

November 24, 2011 would remain a black day in the annals of Indian revolutionary movement’s history. The fascist Sonia-Manmohan-Pranab-Chidambaram-Jairam Ramesh ruling clique who have been raising a din that CPI (Maoist) is ‘the biggest internal security threat’, in collusion with West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, killed Comrade Mallojula Koteswara Rao after capturing him alive in a well planned conspiracy. This clique which had killed Comrade Azad, our party’s spokesperson on July 1, 2010 once again spread its dragnet and quenched its thirst for blood. Mamata Banerjee, who had shed crocodile’s tears over the murder of Comrade Azad before coming to power, while enacting the drama of talks on the one hand after assuming office, killed another topmost leader Comrade Koteswara Rao and thus displayed nakedly its anti-people and fascist facet. Continue reading →

Saboteurs blow up Egypt gas pipeline to Jordan, Israel

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[Since those who attacked the Egypt-Israel gas pipeline have not been identified, there is no way to determine what their objectives may be.  But the attack clearly does have the effect of focusing the issue of Egypt’s relations with Israel, and raises the questions:  Rebuild the pipeline?  Who will decide?  And if it will be rebuilt, who will do the work? — Frontlines ed.]

CAIRO (Reuters) – Saboteurs blew up Egypt’s gas pipeline to Jordan and Israel on Monday, witnesses and security sources said, a few hours before the country holds its first free election since President Hosni Mubarak was toppled in February.

The explosion struck the pipeline west of al-Arish in Sinai, witnesses said. There was a second consecutive blast, about 100 metres away, sources said.

State news agency MENA said the explosion was in al-Sabeel area. Security forces and fire trucks raced to the scene.

Security sources said the explosions were detonated from a distance and that tracks from two vehicles were found in the area. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack. Continue reading →

Indian Express: Kishenji’s Death not mourned by Prachanda

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Kishenji was ‘contact’ of Nepal Maoists

By Yubaraj Ghimire

Kishenji was apparently the main contact person with the Nepali Maoists, but the ruling Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoists (UCPN-M) has preferred not to publicly mourn his death.

A senior Maoist leader, who did not wish to be named, told The Sunday Express that the UCPN-M has several times assured the Indian government that “the two Maoist parties have no link any more, and any official statement will give India fresh reason to doubt our statement”. But there is pressure from the ranks and file to take cognizance of Kishenji’s death in a ‘fake encounter’, he added. Continue reading →

Solidarity with Occupy LA against threatened eviction

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US Human Rights Network, November 26, 2011                       
 

STATEMENT IN SOLIDARITY WITH OCCUPY LOS ANGELES

 The following statement is in response to the threatened closure of Occupy Los Angeles by city officials at 12:01 a.m. on Monday, November 28, 2011

 Atlanta, GA – The United States Human Rights Network (USHRN) stands in full solidarity with Occupy Los Angeles and the Occupy Movement. Occupy LA and the Occupy movement have issued a clarion call to the exploiters and the exploited, sending a clear message that the violation of the fundamental economic, social and cultural rights of the 99% will no longer be tolerated.
 

We stand opposed to the initiatives of the authorities on all levels of government to destroy the Los Angeles Commune. And we pledge to do everything within our power to fully expose the schemes of the FBI and mercenary forces like the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF) to undermine and destroy the Occupy Communes throughout the country, simply because they don’t adhere to the political program of the Democrats or the Republicans.

These violations of the civil and political rights of the 99% will not be tolerated. We will resist and we will win.

Solidarity Forever!

Kali Akuno, Acting Co-Director

US Human Rights Network

 

– –

The primary goal of the United States Human Rights Network, an Atlanta-based coalition of more than 300 organizations from around the country, is to increase the visibility of the US human rights movement and link U.S.-based human rights activists with the global human rights movement.  Its National Conference and Members Meeting will be held Dec. 9 – 11, 2011, at the Radisson LAX Hotel. The Network’s biannual conference comes to the city during a time of unprecedented discontent with the nation’s Depression Era-level joblessness and growing economic inequality.  Due to the Network’s firm belief that economic rights are also human rights, the USHRN stood in full support of the Occupy Movement in Los Angeles and other cities since their inception, protesting the collusion of government and economic elites.  www.ushrnetwork.org

 
         

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from Nepal: “Red Salute ! to our Beloved Comrade Kisanji”

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Comrade Kisanji

Comrade Kisanji

It is a  matter of deep sorrow that the reactionary Indian  government has murdered Comrade Kisanji  alias Malloujula Koteswara Rao, Politburo Member of CPI (Maoist), in a fake incounter in Burishol forest area, west Midnapore District, Jangalmahal, West Bengal on 24 November 2011. He was a leading figure and spokesperson for CPI (Maoist) . According CPI (Maoist) statement issued to the media,  Kishanji  was arrested and tortured and then brutally killed.

Comrade Kissan is not unknown to us. We have already published his interviews in Nepalese magazines. In this moment, our Revolutionary Cultural-Intellectual Front strongly condemns the cold-blooded murder of Comrade Kisanji -a true revolutionary hero of the oppressed people of India.  And we urge to  all intellectuals and cultural activists of this region to denounce this cowardly killing of Comrade  Kisanji by the Indian reactionary forces.

In a famous article ‘Serve the People’, Comrade Mao has mentioned:  “Though death befalls all men alike, it may be weightier than Mount Tai or lighter than a feather. To die for the people is weightier than Mount Tai, but to work for the fascists and die for the exploiters and oppressors is lighter than a feather.”

 Yes, it is true Comrade Kishanji died for the people, and his death is indeed weightier than Mount Everest. From the bottom of our hearts we express our Red Salute to the people’s hero  Comrade Kisanji .

The Indian reactionary government has murdered Comrade Kisanji, but not his ideology. They can’t kill Marxism-Leninism and Maoism. The movement will continue, the revolution will continue.

We know the reactionary government of Nepal, an  Indian Puppet government led by Baburam Bhattarai and Prachanda, a new avatar of  Samanta (Fedual) will not denounce it. Now they are turned into the real traitor of Indian expansionism.  But we, the revolutionary intellectuals and  the  political activists who fought ten years People’s War and who are still fighting for the people’s liberation, are always with the brave communist fighters of India, oppressed people of India. In fact, the hundreds of millions of oppressed people of the world, who dream of liberation, are always with the oppressed people of India.  The red flag of revolution will not be bent down. The long march of revolution will not be stopped. Let us march ahead.

Rishi Raj Baral, Convener: Revolutionary Cultural-Intellectual Forum

Kathmandu, Nepal, November 26th, 2011

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source:  http://thenextfront.com/politics/red-salute-to-the-comrade-kisanji.html

Nepal: Revolutionary Maoists organize Landless families to defend revolutionary redistribution of lands

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Squatters irked at decision to return seized property — Form struggle committee in Kailali

KAILALI, NOV 24 – The UCPN (Maoist) decision to return land and property seized during the insurgency to their “rightful owners” has irked landless families squatting on a private plot of land at Haraiya Phant of Sripur VDC in Kailali.

The Maoists had taken over 23.6 hectares of land owned by one Rana Bahadur Shah nearly six years ago and later distributed it among the landless families.

There are 155 families living on the land at present, and they have said they will not leave the property unless the government comes up with an alternative to shelter them.

With help from the Mohan Baidya faction of the Maoist party, they have also formed a struggle committee to stand against the property return process. Continue reading →

Occupy Movement Inspires Rise in US Campus Activism

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by Noel Randewich, Reuters, November 25, 2011

DAVIS, Calif. – Violent confrontations between police and protesters at two University of California campuses have drawn a new cadre of students into the Occupy Wall Street movement and unleashed what some historians call the biggest surge in campus activism since the 1960s.

The Occupy protests - and the police response to them - have swelled the ranks of campus activists in recent weeks. (photo: Kelly Schott)

The Occupy protests - and the police response to them - have swelled the ranks of campus activists in recent weeks. (photo: Kelly Schott)

While Occupy Wall Street protesters have a broad set of grievances that include income inequality and perceived corporate greed, many students have more specific concerns: soaring tuition, campus budget cuts, and fear of heavy student loan debt and lack of job opportunities upon graduation.

Student protests related to these issues have broken out sporadically on U.S. college campuses over the past few years, but the Occupy protests – and the police response to them – have swelled the ranks of campus activists in recent weeks.

A crowd of about 2,000 students, professors and parents held a rally at UC Davis on Monday and called for university Chancellor Linda Katehi to resign after police last week pepper-sprayed students sitting passively on the campus quad.

Video of an officer spraying an orange-colored pepper spray directly into the faces of cross-legged students circulated heavily on television and the Internet, prompting outrage as well as a wave of cartoon parodies. Continue reading →

3 Songs for an Un-Thanksgiving Weekend — from one season of struggle to another

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Buffy Sainte-Marie: No No Keshagesh

from the album “Running For The Drum” on Cooking Vinyl Records, http://cookingvinyl.com/

(Keshagesh means Greedy Guts. It’s what you call a little puppy who eats his own and then wants everybody else’s.)

Buffy Sainte-Marie’s “No No Keshagesh” Lyrics:

I never saw so many business suits.
Never knew a dollar sign that looked so cute.
Never knew a junkie with a money Jones:
He’s singing, “Who’s selling Park Place. Who’s buying Boardwalk”?
These old men they make their dirty deals.
Go in the back room and see what they can steal.
Talk about your beautiful and spacious skies.
It’s about uranium; it’s about the water rights.
Put Mother Nature on a luncheon plate.
They cut her up and call it real estate.
Want all the resources and all of the land.
They make a war over it: Blow things up for it.
The reservation now is poverty row.
There’s something cooking and the lights are low.
Somebody’s trying to save our mother earth.
I’m gonna help them to save it,
To sing it and bring it

Singing: No no Keshagesh:
You can’t do that no more, (no more, no more no more)
No, no, no, no Keshagesh
You can’t do that no more, (no more, no more no more)
No, no, no, no Keshagesh
You can’t do that no more, (no more, no more no more)
No, no, no, no Keshagesh
You can’t do that no more, (no more, no more no more)

Ole Columbus he was looking good,
When he got lost in our neighborhood.
Garden of Eden right before his eyes.
Now it’s all spy ware: now it’s all income tax.
Ole’ brother Midas looking hungry today.
What he can’t buy he’ll get some other way.
Send in the troopers if the natives resist.
Old, old story boys, that’s how you do it boys.
Look at these people; ah they’re on a roll.
Gonna have it all, gonna have complete control.
Want all the resources and all of the land.
They’ll break the law for it: Blow things up for it.
When all our champions are off in the war,
Their final rip off here and is always on.
Mr. greed I think your time has come.
We’re gonna sing it and pray it and live it then say it.

Singing: No no Keshagesh:
You can’t do that no more, (no more, no more no more)
No, no, no, no Keshagesh
You can’t do that no more, (no more, no more no more)
No, no, no, no Keshagesh
You can’t do that no more, (no more, no more no more)
No, no, no, no Keshagesh
You can’t do that no more, (no more, no more no more) Continue reading →

Greece: How do you spell “technocrat”? F-A-S-C-I-S-T

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Austerity And Fascism In Greece – The Real 1% Doctrine

By Mark Ames, CounterCurrents.org

"Hammer" in an earlier time

The new Minister of Infrastructure, Makis "Hammer" Voridis in an earlier time

25 November, 2011

See the guy in the photo there, dangling an ax from his left hand? That’s Greece’s new “Minister of Infrastructure, Transport and Networks” Makis Voridis captured back in the 1980s, when he led a fascist student group called “Student Alternative” at the University of Athens law school. It’s 1985, and Minister Voridis, dressed like some Kajagoogoo Nazi, is caught on camera patrolling the campus with his fellow fascists, hunting for suspected leftist students to bash. Voridis was booted out of law school that year, and sued by Greece’s National Association of Students for taking part in violent attacks on non-fascist law students.

With all the propaganda we’ve been fed about Greece’s new “austerity” government being staffed by non-ideological “technocrats,” it may come as a surprise that fascists are now considered “technocrats” to the mainstream media and Western banking interests. Then again, history shows that fascists have always been favored by the 1-percenters to deliver the austerity medicine.

This rather disturbing definition of what counts as “non-ideological” or “technocratic” in 2011 is something most folks are trying hard to ignore, which might explain why there’s been almost nothing about how Greece’s new EU-imposed austerity government includes neo-Nazis from the LAOS Party (LAOS is the acronym for Greece’s fascist political party, not the Southeast Asian paradise).

Which brings me back to the new Minister of Infrastructure, Makis Voridis. Before he was an ax-wielding law student, Voridis led another fascist youth group that supported the jailed leader of Greece’s 1967 military coup. Greece has been down this fascism route before, all under the guise of saving the nation and complaints about alleged parliamentary weakness. In 1967, the military overthrew democracy, imposed a fascist junta, jailed and tortured suspected leftist dissidents, and ran the country into the ground until the junta was overthrown by popular protest in 1974. Continue reading →

“Kishenji tortured and killed in fake encounter”

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The killing of top Maoist leader Kishenji raised a controversy on Friday with his supporters and some political parties alleging he was eliminated in a fake encounter, a charge denied by CRPF which said it was a “clean” operation. The Maoists demanded an independent probe into  the circumstances leading to the killing of Kishenji in Burisole forest in West Midnapore district on Thursday. A call for a two-day bandh in West Bengal from November 26 was also given by Maoists in protest against the alleged fake encounter.

“Kishenji was killed in a fake encounter. To protest this we are calling a two-day statewide bandh from November 26 and a week-long protest,” Maoist state committee member and spokesperson Akash told PTI on phone from an undisclosed location. Continue reading →

“Kishanji’s Death Big Loss but Movement will Continue”: Varavara Rao

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Varavara Rao, revolutionary poet

Kolkata, Nov 25 (IANS) Describing the death of top Maoist leader Kishanji as a “big loss” for the left wing rebels, Maoist ideologue P. Varvara Rao said the movement will not be affected as the deceased had nurtured leaders to take his place.

“It’s a big loss as he was one of the leaders who built the movement, working from the grassroots level,” Rao told IANS on phone from Andhra Pradesh.

“But the movement will not be affected as he had been building up his comrades to be the future leaders and after him one of them will take his place,” he added.

“Kishanji was a great leader and a strategist and also had literary skills. He could connect to the masses well. Along with his brother he attracted hundreds of people to the movement,” Rao said.

“He also shared good relations with the media. Though his leadership abilities will be missed, the movement will go on,” said the Maoist ideologue, who was considered by Kishanji as his idol.

He credited Kishanji for building the rebel movement in West Bengal.

“After working closely with his comrades in Andhra Pradesh, he moved to Bengal in 1990. Since then he had been building the movement there. After Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand he proved that Bengal too can be an important centre for the movement.” Continue reading →

India: RDF Statement–‘Condemn the Murder of Maoist leader Kishanji!’

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Press Statement on the cold-blooded murder of Maoist Leader, Kishanji   (25/11/2011)

We strongly condemn the cold-blooded murder and planned assassination of Kishanji alias Mallojula Koteswara Rao, Politburo Member of CPI (Maoist) in Burishol forest area, Paschim Midnapore District, Jangalmahal, West Bengal on 24 November 2011. At the time of this murder Kishanji was dealing with the process of peace talks through the interlocutors appointed by the Chief Minister of West Bengal Ms. Mamata Banerjee. Such a heinous crime should be condemned by all justice loving people.

According CPI (Maoist) statement issued to the media on today, Kishanji was arrested and tortured and then brutally killed. This murder looks much similar to that of Azad’s in July 2010, when Azad was brutally tortured and killed while he was dealing with the Union Government’s offer of peace talks through union Home Ministry appointed interlocutor.

In these circumstances, the Joint Forces’ story of a fierce gun battle in Burishol forest of Paschim Midnapore district comes out to be a concocted one. It is significant that the mother of Kishanji, Ms. Madhuramma while maintaining it is a fake encounter has also demanded a judicial enquiry. Under the circumstances, we demand: Continue reading →

Nepal: As the People’s Liberation Army is disbanded, what happens to the warriors?

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 [Now, in the last stage of disbanding the Nepalese People’s Liberation Army–five years after the Maoist party abandoned the revolutionary armed struggle and fighters were placed in demilitarized camps–the majority of these people’s warriors have been enticed to accept cash payments for “retirement”, while a minority are being brought into the reactionary Nepali army on an individual, de-politicized basis.  And nearly none have accepted the option of “rehabilitation” (education, job training), as previously “rehabilitated” fighters are deeply critical of the program.  —  Frontlines ed.] ————————

More combatants likely to opt for voluntary retirement

KIRAN CHAPAGAIN, MYREPUBLICA.com

KATHMANDU, Nov 21: With categorization of around 2,000 combatants by Sunday, a few trends relating to the management of ex-Maoist fighters have emerged: majority of ex-Maoist combatants are likely to opt for voluntary retirement, around forty percent for integration and an insignificant number will go for rehabilitation packages.

“Altogether 1,941 combatants, including 1,577 males and 364 females, have been categorized by Sunday. A majority of the categorized combatants — close to 60 percent — have opted for voluntary retirement while around 40 percent have chosen integration,” said Balananda Sharma, coordinator of the secretariat under the Special Committee when asked about the general trend in the ongoing categorization process.

Preliminary data also shows that only a very nominal number of combatants are likely to opt for rehabilitation packages that include vocational training and education. Of the 497 combatants verified over the last two days in the Shaktikhor cantonment, only around 20 combatants have opted for rehabilitation package. Even these combatants have sought time for further consultations and are likely to review their decisions, said Sharma from Chitwan where he is leading a categorization team.

People involved in the verification say a very small number of combatants are opting for rehabilitation packages mainly because of the past experience of rehabilitation of disqualified combatants and lack of trust over implementation of the promised rehabilitation schemes.

“Everyone says they were not happy with the rehabilitation of the disqualified combatants by the UN,” said Sharma. Continue reading →