Time to take firm steps against the Maoists

The country has been held hostage by the Maoists for almost four years now. And the government as well as the political parties seem to be nowhere near any solution to it.

In fact the Maoists seem to have become even stronger, though the police claim that they have made many arrests and also killed the insurgents during frequent “encounters”. The Maoists have become so strong now, that more than anything else the government itself considered them the biggest threat when the Third General Election was held some months back.

Recently there have been news that the Maoist guerrillas are also trying to set up autonomous regions of their own in some affected districts of the Far Western regions of the country. The difficult terrain and lack of proper equipment for police personnel have made it difficult for the police to fight the insurgents in an unfamiliar terrain, which the Maoists know by steps.

We had mentioned it right from the time when this problem started, that the movement launched by the Maoists must be taken seriously. But both the politicians and also the police top brass, did not give much attention to what they thought was a far and distant problem. This was a big blunder. If the main leaders of this movement had been neutralised right in the beginning, maybe the movement would not have been what it is today.

It must be remembered that the present leaders of the Maoists are frustrated politicians who were not able to gain popular support in the present democratic environment. But they struck gold when they were able to cash in on the sentiments of the poverty stricken and oppressed innocent villagers who resided in the most cut-off regions of the country.

It is a sad fact of life that till now, among the 900 people killed so far (official figures), most of the victims belong to the Magar ethnic group, considered one of the most hardworking and straight-forward ethnic tribes in the country. And ironically, they have been victims of both the guerillas and also the police.

The Maoist leaders were able to exploit the poor villagers and now the loyal and dedicated men and women from these troubled villages have gone on to become the biggest strength of the insurgency movement.

This may not have happened had development projects been taken to these areas at least after the insurgency problem had started. But the government and political leaders thought that the Maoist movement was just another prank of Dr. Babu Ram Bhattarai. They never thought that frustrated villagers who had nothing to look forward to might clutch this violent politics as the only way to find liberation and a better life.

Because the movement first started in the areas which had always been neglected by the Centre, again decision makers thought that the problem would remain in those areas only and not affect life elsewhere.

      But how wrong they were, can now be seen by the gains that the insurgents have made and the headache that the government has in trying to control matters.

Then deploying a police force, which had no experience in dealing with such an emergency was another mistake. Many police personnel have been killed in simple ambush traps set up by the insurgents. Dozens more have also been killed when the Maoists daringly attacked police posts themselves.

An army man had pointed out the inexperience of the police when a police post was attacked by the insurgents and all the policement inside the big house were killed some months back. He pointed out that  no clearing had been made while choosing such a post, then it was also in the midst of other houses, from where the guerrillas could easily observe what the police were doing. “So it is easy attack such posts, when no defensive measures are taken in such a sensitive place,” he had said. Also, many policemen consider it a punishment when they are posted to the insurgency hit areas.

So steadily, in spite of their weaker strength and outdated weapons, it is the Maoists who are winning what they call the “Peoples’ War”. And unfortunately because of the inability of the government to direct any extra funds for the insurgency hit areas, the poverty stricken villagers have been forced to support the Maoists rather than pin any hopes on the government.

Meanwhile, the brutality of the police in dealing with innocent villagers, pushes more people into the arms of the Maoists. It is a tactics of every guerrilla to kill security personnel brutally, so that the security people vent their anger on common people. The villagers then run to support the insurgents.

The present government has done well by at least initiating a programme of giving those involved in the insurgency a chance to lay down their arms and then be rehabilitated by the government. If carried out properly, and backed with other development programmes, the Maoists movement could still lose steam.

Meanwhile, the time has come for the police and other security personnel to be adequately armed and equipped to fight those insurgents who are still adamant. It was reported that when the DSP of police was killed in an ambush by the Maoists last week, the communication equipment of the police was not working. Without proper communication system, security work is impossible, forget fighting insurgents.

Now on the other hand, there has come a report that the Maoists have gotten some sophisticated AK 47 rifles. They even have plans to shoot down the aircraft being used by the police, it has been reported in a newspaper.

If the government does not take firm steps even now, the insurgents could make further gains and create a state of terror in more areas.