>ML Update > >A CPI(ML) Weekly News Magazine >Vol.-3; No.-24; 21-6-2000 > > >Miyanpur Massacre and After > >Even as the RJD-Congress coalition government of Bihar was busy >congratulating itself on its feat of containing the Ranvir Sena, the >Sena has struck again for the umpteenth time. In its latest display of >medieval barbarity, the outlawed private army has killed nearly fifty >persons, more than half of them women and children in Miyanpur village >of Aurangabad district in central Bihar. In socio-economic terms most of >the victims belonged to poor and lower-middle peasants of Yadav caste >followed by a significant number of Paswans. In fact, this is an >isolated Yadav-dominated village encircled by upper caste dominated >villages on almost all sides. This is the first time the Sena has >targetted Yadav peasantry on such a major scale. >The features of the massacre conform to the by now trademark pattern of >Ranvir Sena. The village was yet another soft target with no means of >resistance. The brutality was also vintage of Ranvir Sena. Survivors say >the professional killers went about their job in a very leisurely manner >singing songs and shouting slogans as they showered bullets, >occasionally blowing whistles and occasionally stopping for even half an >hour to lure people who might have somehow managed to hide in some >relatively safer corner to step out and fall into the death trap. There >were two police pickets near the village and the policemen of one of >these two pickets colluded with the killers while the other picket >intervened only after Muslims from a nearby village had started rushing >out in solidarity. >The Ranvir Sena has not only owned this dastardly act, with >characteristic brutality it has threatened to perpetrate many more >massacres. "No administration can stop this killing spree, no power on >earth can save Bihar from the destiny of shedding tears over heaps of >countless corpses", says a widely publicised Sena statement. While NDA >constituents are demanding President's Rule, Laloo is characteristically >crying foul of a political conspiracy to destabilise and topple his >(wife's) government. But given that the victims this time belonged very >much to his core social constituency, he was under pressure to appear a >bit more serious this time. The guilty policemen have been dismissed, >even though there is no indication of their being charged under Sec.302. >A dozen people have been arrested, even though there has been no >intensive police raid in the region and some arrests have been forced by >the local people themselves. The SP has been transferred, even though >the new SP has a record of being soft on the Sena and tough towards >CPI(ML)-led poor. Laloo has also made a set of new observations: (i) >This spate of massacres will not stop soon because it is a political >battle, (ii) His government cannot do much because feudalism cannot be >eliminated overnight and the 'system' is infested with pro-Ranvir Sena >elements, and (iii) People should collect pebbles from railway tracks >and face the AK-47 wielding killers with this simple stone age weapon! >All this time while the Ranvir Sena's attacks were confined to CPI(ML) >supporters, Laloo Yadav was busy legitimising the Sena as a 'peasant >reaction' to CPI(ML). Now that the shadow of the Frankenstein looms >large in his own backyard, Laloo is quick in seeing it as a 'political >battle'. Yet it is a political battle, a political game, so to say, in >which he has also been playing for high stakes. If the system is >infested with feudal, pro-Sena elements, what has been his government's >policy towards them? The answer is systematic softness and even >appeasement. Five years ago when Bathani Tola happened, CPI(ML) leaders >had to go on a fast unto death for more than a month just to get the >Bhojpur DM and SP transferred! The commission appointed to investigate >the Sena's political links was simply allowed to lapse into oblivion. >And every time there was a massacre, instead of training its guns on the >Sena, the government continued to ask for more central forces to combat >'leftwing extremism', intensifying repression on the CPI(ML). >The map of massacre sites in Bihar is daily expanding. Starting from >Bhojpur and CPI(ML), the Sena has now started spreading its killing >spree all over central Bihar targeting a much broader section of the >rural poor cutting across caste and political affiliations. While both >the RJD and NDA would like to use the Sena's killing spree for their >respective agenda of caste polarisation and political gains, there is a >groundswell of popular resentment against the Sena and its barbaric >killings. Conditions for waging a decisive people's resistance against >the Sena and all who patronise it are definitely maturing. The rural >poor of Bihar and the forces of progress must win this historic >political battle. > >CPI(ML) Calls for Bihar Bandh on 21 June >Demands White Paper on Ranvir Sena and Plan to Finish It >Party to Gherao Vidhan Sabha in the Next Session > >Party Gen. Secy. Com. Dipankar Bhattacharya said that in Miyapur >massacre Ranvir Sena has crossed the limits of medieval barbarism. After >perpetrating the massacre for more than 3 hours they took shelters in >the surrounding Bhumihar-dominated villages, but none of these villages >were raided, on the contrary Miyapur was turned into a police camp. Even >after getting the information the police refused to go for help. >Com. Dipankar said that the govt. had so long been utilizing Ranvir Sena >for crushing the movement of rural poor and agrarian labourers but now >the Sena has turned into Frankenstein and Laloo himself now admits that >the Sena has made inroads into his administration. Therefore Rabri Devi >has no logic to stay in power. He observed that from the angle of police >complicity with the killers, there is a stark similarity between Bathani >Tola and Miyanpur massacres. Com. Dipankar said that the govt. must >change its approach in order to finish off Ranvir Sena, and demanded >that a white paper be placed in the next session of Vidhan Sabha and a >concrete planning to smash this criminal gang be chalked out. To >pressurize these demands Party will gherao Vidhan Sabha during its next >session. He appealed to all the toiling people, women, student-youth and >intellectuals to make Bihar Bandh called by 6 left parties including >CPI, Forward Block, SUCI, MCPI etc. on 21 June a success so as to >protest against the massacre. >In Delhi PB member Com. Swadesh Bhattacharya addressed a press >conference on the same day and demanded Rabri's resignation along with >stern action to finish off the Sena. > >6 Left TUs' Joint Letter > >AICCTU, AITUC, CITU, UTUC, UTUC (LS) and TUCC held a meeting on 27 May >and jointly sent a letter to Satya Narain Jatia, Union Labour Minister >in which they objected to the constitution of Second National Commission >of Labour without any consultation with trade unions. It also criticised >the terms of reference that are in conformity only with the employers' >demands for deregulation of labour legislations in compliance with >globalisation, liberalisation and downsizing of the workforce, giving >the employer a free hand to deal with the labour. The letter notifies >the minister that the signatory trade unions would not join any >committees of sub-committees of the Second Labour Commission. > >Party Wins Nagar Panchayat Seat in Punjab > >Com. Rani Kaur, a dalit woman, defeated Congress in election to the seat >of member of Nagar Panchayat in Bhikhi of Mansa district in Punjab. This >victory is significant since Bhikhi has been a left stronghold and in >the present elections Congress has an upper hand over Akali-BJP combine. > >Party Offers Tributes to Daniel Latifi > >Eminent jurist and consistent civil liberties activist Daniel Latifi >left us on 18 June. Com. PV Srinivas attended the burial ceremony and >offered tributes on behalf of the Party. Latifi was actively involved >with the Indian freedom struggle. He defended the revolutionary >Telengana peasant fighters and also fought several cases involving >minority rights. Throughout his life he championed the cause of trade >unions, peasants and workers and was a founder general secretary of >All-India Association of Democratic lawyers. Party shares the grief of >his demise with his family and friends all over the country. > > >Building agricultural labourer organisation in WB > >Efforts to build agricultural labourer organisation started after last >State Party Conference in W.B. During the present "strengthen the party" >campaign, block conferences of agricultural labourer organisation have >been organised in Nadanghat and Purbasthali of Bardhaman district, >Dhubulia, Kaliganj and Nakashipara of Nadia district, Dhanekhali and >Pandooah of Hooghly district. Prior to the conference Padayatra covering >a larger area and other forms of propaganda were carried out and >membership campaign was conducted. >These conference demanded ensuring minimum wage as fixed by the State >Govt.; work for labourers throughout the year; education, health and >hutment facilities, etc. Demands have also been raised for legislating a >comprehensive act for agricultural labourers by State Govt. and >providing Govt. identity cards to them. >Bardhaman and Nadia district party committees have decided to organise >district conferences of agricultural labourers in the month of August. >Accordingly, in other blocks of these two districts conferences will be >held soon. >Prior the conferences block level education camps were organised to >develop cadres from among agricultural labourers. In one rural pocket of >Hooghly district three consecutive classes were organised for >agricultural labourers where basics of Marxism were discussed. > >AIICCTU National Office Bearers Meet > >National office bearers of AICCTU met in Delhi on 19 June to decide the >course of action on the Second National Labour Commission. It was >presided by working president Com. S Kumarsamy and conducted by General >Secretary Com. Swapan Mukherjee. The meeting decided to launch a >nationwide campaign from 1st to 15th August against the anti-working >class thrust of the 2nd Labour Commission with the slogan "Reject 2nd >Labour Commission and Stand for workers' rights". In the course of the >campaign conventions, demonstrations etc. will be organised in major >working class belts to mobilise workers and efforts will be made to >firmly unite with the like-minded forces. > >Attack on AICCTU Meet > >When Plantation Labour Union (affiliated to AICCTU) was holding a public >meeting at Erumeli Mukkottuthara on 17 June, some goonda bootlickers of >Erumeli Estate management attacked the leaders. Some of the comrades got >critically wounded and admitted to hospital. The speakers were opposing >the dismissal of workers of estate without assigning any reason. The >union executive committee has demanded quick action and arrest the >anti-social elements. Com. John K Erumeli presided over the meet and >Comrades AO Chacko, OP Kunju Pillai and Party State Leading Team member >Com. K Pappan Kuttappan addressed the meeting. > >Construction Workers' Demo before CM > >Construction workers led by Nirman Mazdoor Union, Delhi staged a >demonstration before the Chief Minister office on 17 June. The workers >forced their way through the barricade and held a mass meeting addressed >by Comrades Rajendra Pratholi, Ranjan Ganguli, Gautam, Ram Abhilash and >Shashi Bhushan. Later a 5-member delegation led by the Union General >Secretary Com. Gautam met the CM's representative, the power minister, >and demanded implementation of the central legislation of August 1996 >including pension after 60 years of age, collective insurance, immediate >accident relief, house loan, medical and education allowances, maternity >expenses etc. Agitators demanded constitution of a tri-partite board for >construction workers, registration of construction workers in Delhi, >voters card and ID card for them. The union has decided to intensify >struggle mobilising all unorganised labourers. > > >Principal Gheraoed Against Fee Hike > >Hundreds of students belonging to SFI, DSU, PSU and AISA stormed the >Principal�s office and gheraoed the Principal of Ramjas College of Delhi >University on 16 June demanding immediate withdrawal of hike in fees >which have been increased by 120%. After a few hours of gherao the >Principal was forced to hold a formal meeting with the agitating student >leaders. > >Party Decries Advani's Israel Visit > >CPI(ML) described the Israel visit by Union Home Minister along with >senior security and intelligence officials as a dangerous development >for both India's foreign policy resulting in weakening of relations with >Arab countries. In terms of domestic affairs, repressive skills acquired >from an Agency like Mossad can only add to the lawlessness and brutality >of India's security forces and worsen the already critical human rights >situation in the country, Party said. > > >Massacres and Killings of Dalits and Opressed Rural Poor by Feudal and >BJP-backed Ranvir Sena in Bihar > >Details of all 20 Massacres by Ranvir Sena : > >S.No. Place >Date No. of persons killed >1. Khopira, Sandesh, Bhojpur 4-4-95 >3 >2. Sarthua, Sandesh, Bhojpur 25-7-95 >6 >3. Noorbigaha, Barahara, Bhojpur 5-8-95 6 >4. Chandi, Charpokhari, Bhojpur 7-2-96 >4 >5. Patalpura, Sahar, Bhojpur >9-3-96 3 >6. Nonaur, Sahar, Bhojpur >22-4-96 5 >7. Narhi, Sahar, Bhojpur >5-5-96 3 >8. Morath, Sahar, Bhojpur >25-5-96 3 >9. Bathani Tola, Sahar, Bhojpur 11-7-96 19 > >10. Purahara, Sahar, Bhojpur 25-11-96 4 > >11. Khaneth, Sandesh, Bhojpur 12-12-96 5 >12. Ekwari, Sahar, Bhojpur 24-12-96 >6 >13. Bagar, Tarari, Bhojpur >1-1-97 3 >14. Haibuspur, Patna >23-3-97 10 >15. Ekwari, Sahar, Bhojpur >1-4-97 7 >16. Laxmanpur, Arwal, Jahanabad 1-12-97 63 >17. Nagri Bazar, Bhojpur >11-5-98 10 >18. Shankar Bigaha, Arwal, Jahanabad 25-1-99 22 >19. Narayanpur, Ratani-Faridpur,Jahanabad 10-2-99 12 >20. Miyanpur, Goh, Aurangabad 16-6-00 34 > >Till date Ranvir Sena has perpetrated 85 incidents of killings including >20 massacres in which 303 persons (around 100 women and more than 50 >children) have been killed. Prior to imposition of ban (1994 to July >1995) Ranvir Sena had perpetrated only 13 incidents including 2 >massacres limited to Bhojpur in which 28 persons including 2women were >killed. But after it was banned its activities increased and till >Bathani Tola Massacre (July 1996) it had perpetrated 20 incidents (8 >massacres) in which 67 persons including 21 women and 14 children were >killed. Then from Bathani Tola to Bathe Massacre, they perpetrated 50 >incidents (10 massacres) and expanded the area of operation to Jahanabad >and they killed 175 persons including 62 women and 28 children. After >Bathe they have perpetrated 3 massacres (2 in Jahanabad, one in Bhojpur >after a gap of one year and the recent one in Aurgangabad) killing 66 >persons including 20 women and 13 children. > >Miyanpur (Aurangabad) Investigation findings > >The team led by Party GS Com. Dipankar and comprising Com. Ramjatan >Sharma, Ramji Rai and Sudama Prasad found that: >The 200 attackers of Ranvir Sena continued their killing spree in >Miyanpur from 7.45 p.m. to 11 p.m. They raped the wife of Surendra Yadav >aged 25 and also Mrs. Rita Devi (20), daughter of Rambali Paswan and >killed them. The attackers entered each and every house, raised slogans >"we are avenging Senari" and searched every nook and corner to kill >people. After the massacre they dispersed in groups of 10 each to >Bhumihar-dominated nearby villages of Ambari, Dadwan Edari, Parasi, >Dumarthu, Batalpur, Senari, Tuturkhi and Majhiya. All this was known to >the police but they did not raid these villages otherwise the killers >would have been apprehended. >Two goons of Ambari, who took part in this killing, were apprehended by >villagers of Miyapur and handed over to police. The villagers even >informed the whereabouts of the killers to Laloo Yadav but police did >not go there. The attackers came immediately after the visiting >policemen of Saharsa picket had left the village. Hearing shots >Kameshwar Paswan, brother of chowkidar of Gamhari Krisna Paswan went to >Saharsa police picket for help. He was told by ASI Pandey to run for his >own life otherwise he too would be killed. One policeman said that these >were crackers being exploded by a marriage party. Some 200-250 youth men >and women escaped to the nearby Devra, Mathia and Hasaopur and people >there offered them protection. They also went to encircle Miyanpur but >by then the killers had escaped. > > >Welcome the Korean Unification Move > >"True to the noble will of all the fellow countrymen for the peaceful >reunification of the country, Chairman Kim Jong Il of the National >Defence Commission of the Democratic People�s Republic of Korea and >President Kim Dae Jung of the Republic of Korea had a historic meeting >and summit in Pyongyang from June 13 to 15, 2000." Thus says the 5-point >joint declaration of summit meeting between North and South Korea. The >summit was the first of its kind in the history of division, and would >to be of far-reaching importance "in promoting mutual understanding, >developing inter-Korean relations and achieving peaceful reunification" >and, the two sides agreed "to solve the question of the country�s >reunification independently by the concerted efforts of the Korean >nation". Moreover, both sides came up with proposal for some sort of >federation or confederation to expedite the reunification. International >observers feel that the meeting has countered Clinton administration's >claims that the U.S. needs an anti-missile system to defend against the >DPRK, which it brands a "rogue nation." >Viet Nam was reunified as a result of a long national revolutionary war >in 1975 only after defeating the mighty American occupation army on the >Vietnamese soil. Germany was reunited in a completely different set of >circumstances when the wall erected by the great victors of Second World >War was pulled down by the German people after nearly 45 years, but the >enthusiasm for unification was no less fervent. Now the same thrill has >come at the doorsteps of the Koreans. Needless to say that the division >of Korea by US imperialists drawing an artificial metallic boundary >along 38th parallel could never prove to be anything eternal, it has >started melting after just 50 years in the warmth of far more lasting >bonds of Korean nationhood. >Everywhere it has been the handiwork of imperialists to divide people >just to perpetuate their own rule. Once people understand even the sole >superpower on earth cannot stop them from reunification. However, even >today in the era of globalisation, religious fundamentalist with their >theory of cultural nationalism are working overtime to keep the people >of this subcontinent divided into fragmented mutually hostile entities. >Is religion so basic a divisive weapon that it can keep Punjabis and >Bengalis divided into two artificial 'nations'? History would certainly >give its answer in negative. It is the common history of this >subcontinent that has too enduring strings to be snapped by communal >frenzy whipped up by anti-human saffron fascists and Islamic >fundamentalists. Korean unification move is bound to rekindle the >aspirations of the people of this great subcontinent to reunify in a >single entity snapping the barbed-wires put up by the divisive forces of >a distorted history. > > >The Employment Scenario > >Annual change (%) in employment by category >Period 1983 to '90-91 >1990-91 to '97 >Self-employment >-1.72 1.3 >Regular salaried work >7.3 -8.8 >Casual wage employment >-1.1 3.3 > > > Source: S. P. Gupta, �Globalisation, Economic reforms and labour�, >ILO-SAAT, New Delhi, Mimeo, May 1999 , page 61 > >>From the above table it is evident that the expansion of self-employment >in the 1990s has decelerated. Regular salaried employment has actually >fallen quite substantially, indicating a big fall in both public and >private regular employment opportunities. The only category of >employment that appears to have registered an acceleration is that of >casual contracts, usually associated with both lower wages and inferior >working conditions and poorer protection of labour. > > >>From Com. Vinod Mishra's Writings > >On Party Consolidation Campaign > >If you act only from your heart, your emotions, you will only land up in >condemning these (regional bourgeois --ed.) parties. And as emotions do >not last long, do not get transformed into material force, ultimately >the whole thing will degenerate into self- condemnation. You will have >to act from your mind too and evolve concrete policies and tactics, >slogans and styles, so as to expose these parties in concrete terms and >disintegrate them by helping the masses to learn from their experiences >and ultimately win them over. >The majority of people in our movement act from their hearts and not >from their minds. As a result, in terms of revolutionary phrasemongering >they are the first, but in terms of mass following they are the last. >The masses continue to remain under the influence of reactionaries, >social democrats and regional chauvinists. What is more serious, some >people are least bothered about this, they are not ready to change any >of their slogans, no matter whether the masses follow them or not! These >people seem to believe that revolutions are made by words and not by the >masses. This is what is called left phrase-mongering. > > > > > > > > __________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi ___________________________________ [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe/unsubscribe messages mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ___________________________________
