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Maoist disclosure: Indian rebels trained us
KATHMANDU, JAN 23 - A former Maoist commander today disclosed that two Indian Maoist outfits—People’s War Group (PWG) and Maoist Communist Centre (MCC)—were providing training to Nepali Maoists on Nepali soil.
Jaya Bahadur Gharti, a Maoist commander who was involved in major post-emergency attacks on security installations including Ghorahi, Kapurkot, Achham, Khara, Sandhikharka and Jumla, said Nepali Maoists have received training from the Indian communist trainers at least three times since the outbreak of insurgency in 1995.
"The last training before I quit the party was provided two years ago when around 150 of us were involved," he told journalists at his first ever-public appearance at the Royal Nepalese Army Headquarters.
According to him, the first and second training on Nepali soil were conducted in 1999 and 2002 respectively. There were 17-18 Maoists in the first batch and 70-80 in the second. The training camps were held somewhere in Rolpa and other mid- and far-western districts.
The former rebel gave up his nearly eight-year long allegiance with the Maoist party "following severe disputes with his political leadership". Born 25 years ago in Jangkot village of Rolpa district, he joined the armed struggle after completing his School Leaving Certificate (SLC) from a local school.
Gharti accused the Maoist leadership of making all party cadres and the people confused by giving "unattainable assurances".
"All the money that we collected during the war and other actions would go to the pockets of political commissars, who, sometimes used to spend for personnel and family interests," Gharti lamented.
Gharti, whom the Maoists accuse of breaching discipline before his expulsion, however denied this charge. "We were even physically assaulted if we tried to enter into any arguments with the political commissars," Gharti said showing a bullet mark near his forehead that he received for expressing his dissent.
He started off as a Maoist cadre in 1995, and worked his way up to becoming the brigade commander of the Maoists’ so-called Mangalsen-I Batallion. He quit last July.
"The Maoist leadership is thoroughly confused about its policies and strategies," he said, adding, "which is why I quit."
We foiled three Maoist bombing plans: RNA
The Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) has claimed that it has foiled three major plans of the Maoists to explode vehicles loaded with huge amount of explosives in Kathmandu valley, one of which was aimed at assassinating the army chief.
Two such vehicles were displayed at the RNA headquarters premises today.
"This Maruti Gypsy, which was prepared to explode at Pulchowk, in front of Narayani hotel nearly two months ago, was captured at Baneshwor after our intelligence received information," said Colonel Dipak Gurung, RNA spokesman, showing a red vehicle bearing number plate Ba A Cha 7422.
"There was a plan to collide the vehicle with the C-in C’s vehicle when the latter would arrive at Pulchowk turning from the C-in-C’s residence."Posted on: 2004-01-24 03:27
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