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Maoist-promoted NCCN itself fed lies to the audience. NCCN is not the only representative of the Nepali Christian community, as was reported, because there are at least three other Protestant groups claiming the same. We have the Catholics too, quietly serving. As mentioned, NCCN (established just a few years ago) alone didn’t raise Christian social awareness because Christians have been doing schools, hospitals, and development-work since the early 1950.  "Bathing an ass will not make it a cow!" This proverb came to mind as the Maoist murder of hotelier Ram Hari Shrestha flashed on the air and in print. Ironically, that very day, when the gruesome news of the killing of this businessman came to light, Dr Baburam Bhattarai was trying to woo other businessmen to cooperate with the future Maoist government. Neither Prachanda nor Baburam have publicly apologised for this murder. Instead, both have appealed not to make this a political issue. Is not murder by cadres of a political party a political issue? Is human life so insignificant when someone else, not a Maoist, gets killed? Will the Maoists ever forego violence? For the creaturely ass, a moral change is impossible. However, the Maoists, humans made in God’s image, can change for the better. The word "can" implies free will, a faculty the ass doesn’t have. As humans, the Maoists have immense, positive potential, contrary to murdering people they suspect or disagree with. But, they should exercise their free will to renounce violence and embrace the law for their grievances. Maoists’ continual advocacy of violence had already eroded their party’s national and international image. Internationally, friendly countries will not help a Maoist-led, violent government. We still need foreign aid in areas where our nation doesn’t have the technical know-how. For Nepal, an under-developed country, this means right from the grassroots. Nationally, by murdering Ram Hari Shrestha, the Maoists have soiled the noses of the very people that voted them to power; and made other parties’ cooperation with them almost impossible. To date, the NC, the UML, and the Madeshis have vowed to stay away from the Maoist-led government. Conscientious Nepali voters for Maoists must now be regretting that they opted for a murderous party. Certainly, the Nepal Army will hesitate to integrate with the Maoist soldiers because maintaining discipline will be tough. At the next election, the Maoists can end up like the UML or worse, because the normal person hates taking the law into one’s hand. The Maoists could have simply handed over Ram Hari Shrestha to the police. Instead, abduction to Shaktikhor, torture, murder and dumping into the river! With such a murderous background, the Maoist talk of building a new Nepal passes as hot air. This became clear in the "New Nepal’s Constitution and Freedom of Religion" interaction programme organised in Staff College premises, Jawalakhel, on May 18. Maoist-determined items in the programme just didn’t convince. First, the "interaction" programme was merely a non-stop harangue from the platform because the participants could not ask questions or even respond. Patiently, they had to accept the brainwash in favour of the Maoists. Second, it was a waste of time. The Maoist chief guest, Barshaman Pun (Ananta), arrived one hour late. Then, when the murder of Ram Hari Shrestha was resonating in the minds of those who came, requesting the guarantee of religious freedom from the Maoists appeared so out-of-place. Freedom of religion implies first the freedom of life. Only someone alive can practise one’s faith. Since the Maoists kill people at their whims, is there any point in asking them to guarantee freedom of religion? Because a Maoist was the chief guest, should not the sponsor, the National Council of Churches of Nepal (NCCN), have renamed the programme "New Nepal’s Constitution and Freedom to Life"? Instead, Hindu, Buddhist, and NCCN speakers pleaded with the Maoist leadership to guarantee freedom of religion. None had the courage to mention the gruesome murder of Ram Hari Shrestha or to ask the Maoists to stop their violence and killing for good. Third, the Maoist-promoted NCCN itself fed lies to the audience. NCCN is not the only representative of the Nepali Christian community, as was reported, because there are at least three other Protestant groups claiming the same. We have the Catholics too, quietly serving. As mentioned, NCCN (established just a few years ago) alone didn’t raise Christian social awareness because Christians have been doing schools, hospitals, and development-work since the early 1950s. Most Kathmandu Christians stayed away from the programme because they did not like NCCN’s self-glorification, cuddling the Maoists, and condoning their atrocities. The half full (empty) hall told it. The NCCN leader, Dr KB Rokaya, even sits on the National Human Rights Commission; but doesn’t speak against Maoist violence. The TKP (Sept 1, 2007) lamented this: "Dr Rokaya has a Maoist background. He was chairman of Janadhikar Sarokar Abhiyan, an NGO with Maoist leaders Ek Raj Bhandari and Khim Lal Bhandari as it members. Rokaya has on many occasions spoken in favour of Maoist violence and human rights abuses. Recently, while taking part in the discussion on the Truth and Reconciliation bill, he had stood in favour of amnesty for human rights violators." Thus, with the Ram Hari Shrestha’s murder in the backdrop, whatever Ananta spoke on the occasion on freedom of religion wasted time. The event only became a four hour frolic on World Council of Churches (WCC) resources. WCC itself, on which NCCN relies, has done strange things. It even financed the purchase of fire-arms with Christian money to overthrow apartheid in South Africa. The aim was right, the method wrong. No wonder, NCCN too has strayed away from ethical principles by cuddling the violence-advocating Maoists. Ultimately, for Maoist cadres to forgo violence, the leadership has to do that first. Dr Bhattarai’s assertion that both bullets and ballots are needed (in City Post’s Rapid Fire) and Prachanda’s past plea that his cadres become Gandhis only till the CA poll give little hope for a cessation of Maoist murders. Unless these renounce violence themselves, their cadres will continue murders to please their leaders. All Maoists should "become cows" for their own political survival. This article was first published in TKP on May 24 2008 Newer...
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written by Markus , June 13, 2008 Thank you Dr Ramesh for this powerful article. I hope those people wiill have the light inside and see how dark is there where they are staying. report abuse
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