Communist Party of Nepal Maoists (CPN-M)

LEADERS: Pushpan Kamal Dahal

YEAR ESTABLISHED OR BECAME ACTIVE: 1996

ESTIMATED SIZE: More than 5,000

USUAL AREA OF OPERATION: Nepal

OVERVIEW

The Communist Party of Nepal Maoists (CPN-M) is an extremist organization employing Maoist guerilla war principles. The CPN-M has claimed responsibility for various terrorist activities in Nepal in the late 1990s as well as early 2000s. These terrorist operations are reportedly targeted at government establishments.

As of 2005, the Communist Party of Nepal Maoists has been banned by the government of Nepal.

HISTORY

The Communist Party of Nepal Maoists (CPN-M) broke away from the United People's Front (UPF) political party to form their own organization in 1994. The CPN-M felt that recent political reforms, which had instituted a democracy in Nepal after many years of rule by a monarchy, had not gone far enough. Led by Pushpan Kamal Dahal (also known as Comrade Prachandra) and Baburam Bhattarai, the CPN-M wanted a complete end to the monarchy, the democratic political system, the abolishment of the caste system, and redistribution of wealth along communist lines.

The first known terrorist act carried out by members of the group was on February 13, 1996, when they destroyed several police stations in northwestern Nepal. The CPN-M's leaders declared this to be the start of the "People's War" in Nepal, with the ultimate goal of seizing control of the country. Over the next several years the CPN-M made a series of similar attacks in isolated areas while gradually gaining strength.

In 2001, the Crown Prince of Nepal killed his entire family, including the king, before committing suicide. The king's brother, Gyanendra, became the new king. Seeking to capitalize on the instability following this massacre, the CPN-M stepped up its attacks, including small-scale bombings in the capital of Katmandu, and a strike against an army post. In November 2001 King Gyanendra ordered the army into battle against the CPN-M for the first time. Previously the government had relied upon the police to battle the group.

Fighting intensified in subsequent years. The Maoists engaged in guerilla tactics, rarely engaging the army head on but often attacking smaller units by surprise. In the many rural, mountainous areas where the army could not reach effectively, the CPN-M essentially took over. The army and government maintained control over Katmandu and other major cities, but the CPN-M was blamed for a series of bombings within them. Twice in 2004 they shut down traffic into Katmandu by threatening to attack vehicles traveling on the two highways into the city.

By 2005 outside observers believed that as many as 10,000 people had died in the People's War. Analysts felt that the army did not have the ability to defeat the CPN-M in its rural strongholds, and that likewise the CPN-M lacked the strength to capture Nepal's major cities. Citing the need to defeat the CPN-M, King Gyanendra staged a coup in 2005, ending democratic government in all but name. In late 2005 the CPN-M began negotiating with the political parties that were forced out by this coup in an attempt to form a common front against the government.

PHILOSOPHY AND TACTICS

The CPN-M, before it split from the United People's Front, existed as the Maoist wing of the UPF. Owing to ideological differences, leaders of the Maoist wing of UPF formed the CPN-M in 1996. Leaders and members of the CPN-M are thought to be inspired by various communist leaders and movements around the world. These include Chinese leader Mao Tsetung and the extremist guerilla movement of Peru, the Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path).

LEADERSHIP

PUSHPAN KAMAL DAHAL

Pushpan Kamal Dahal is thought to be a communist with Maoist ideologies. He was part of the United People's Front when it was formed after 1990. Dahal also served as a parliamentarian until 1994. Analysts state that owing to his radical ideologies, Dahal left the UPF and formed the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoists in 1995.

Dahal is thought to be the mastermind of several terrorist operations carried out by the CPN-M in the late 1990s. Also known as Comrade Prachanda, he reportedly served as General Secretary of CPN-M until 2000. As of 2001, Pushpan Kamal Dahal is wanted by the Nepalese police and is thought to be hiding somewhere in Nepal.

The main objective of the CPN-M is to establish communist power in Nepal through the use of Maoist guerilla war principles. As thought by analysts, to promote their philosophies, the group called for the People's War in Nepal, in 1996. The group had reportedly delivered to the Nepal government a list of demands that recommended various changes in the governing system of the country. These include elimination of an elite class, removal of privatization of companies, and abolition of democracy, among other issues. The People's War is thought by most to be a reaction to the Nepal government's refusal to accept the CPN-M's demands.

When the People's War began in 1996 the CPN-M's tactics centered around attacking the government and symbols of authority in Nepal's many isolated, mountainous regions. By 2005 the CPN-M was in effective control of many such regions and appeared to be trying to govern them along Maoist lines. Outside of these regions, the CPN-M has been suspected in various bombings on government buildings and offices of Nepalese, as well as foreign-owned businesses. In addition, CPN-M targets also include parliamentarians from Nepal and the Prime Minister of Nepal.

According to published reports, the CPN-M has allegedly organized terrorist operations in neighboring India as well. Intelligence officials claim that these attacks were organized in association with local communist groups such as the People's War Group (PWG) and the Maoist Communist Center (MCC) in the Indian states of West Bengal, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh. As of 2005, proclamations and press releases by the CPN-M threaten to target foreign diplomatic establishments as well.

OTHER PERSPECTIVES

The strategies and tactics of CPN-M have been widely criticized by governments, as well as by terrorism experts around the world. According to Dr. J. Michael Waller, the Walter and Leonore Annenberg Professor of International Communication at the Institute of World Politics and a noted expert on terrorism, a majority of the tactics and ideologies of the CPN-M are borrowed from the Shining Path. In 2003, he commented that Shining Path "was the most violent guerrilla and terrorist organization ever seen in the Americas," and added that "It is precisely Shining Path's tactics that are so revered by Prachanda, [and] Nepal's Maoists."

Human Rights Watch activists have often strongly condemned the activities of CPN-M. However, they are also equally critical of the policies of the Nepalese government. Brad Adams, executive director of Human Rights Watch's Asia division, said in a 2004 statement: "Neither the government nor the Maoists appear particularly concerned with the protection of civilians while they fight this dirty war. If they want to have any legitimacy in Nepal or with the international community, they need to end attacks on civilians."

SUMMARY

As of 2005, the Communist Party of Nepal Maoists is considered to be a highly active group. In early 2005, as prdicted, King Gyanendra assumed ruling power of Nepal, owing to the increase in terrorist acts by CPN-M. Intelligence officials point out that the membership of the CPN-M has increased multifold over the years. With at least 5,000 members, the group is thought to have more than 30,000 followers and supporters in Nepal.

KEY EVENTS

1996:

The Communist Party of Nepal-Maoists is formed after splitting from its parent, the United People's Front

1996:

The first terrorist attack by the CPN-M is reportedly carried out on February 13. Members allegedly attack two police stations and declare "People's War" in Nepal.

2000:

The United People's Front is dissolved.

2001:

King Gyanendra orders the army in its action to fight the CPN-M.

2004:

Insurgency reportedly increases in Nepal.

2005:

King Gyanendra suspends the democratic government and assumes power.

SOURCES

Web sites

CDI Center for Defense Information. "In the Spotlight: Communist Party of Nepal-Maoists (CPN-M)." 〈http://www.cdi.org/program/document.cfm?documentid=2397&programID=39&from_page=../friendlyversion/printversion.cfm〉 (accessed October 21, 2005).

FrontpageMag.com. "Nepal's Maoist Insurgency." 〈http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=9090〉 (accessed October 21, 2005).

Human Rights News. "Nepal: Government Forces, Maoist Rebels Target Civilians." 〈http://hrw.org/english/docs/2004/10/07/nepal9452.htm〉 (accessed October 21, 2005).

MIPT Terrorism Knowledge Base. "Communist Party of Nepal Maoists." 〈http://www.tkb.org/Group.jsp?groupID=3531〉 (accessed October 21, 2005).