Revolutionary Worker #1214, October 5, 2003, posted at rwor.org
In a recent interview, Prachanda, Chairman of the CPN(M), talks about how the People's War has developed since it started in 1996--from relatively small forces with primitive weapons, to developed military units that have the support of millions of peasants and control most of the countryside. Prachanda says:
"In history, always and everywhere, unjust war is waged by the ruling minority oppressive class, while a just war is waged by the representatives of the people. The unjust war of oppressive class is waged on the strength of arms and the technology while the just war of the oppressed classes is waged on the strength of correct ideology and the cooperation of the people. It is historically proven scientific fact that ultimately it is the just war which will reign over the unjust war. It was this very law that was behind the advancement of people's war to such a height when we did not even possess even two or four impoverished weapons seven years back at the time of initiation of the people's war. In the process of waging war we managed to snatch few rifles from the armed police. It is these rifles that are now capturing automatic weapons from the royal army. Thus weapons sent by George Bush to suppress Nepalese people will soon be reaching the hands of Nepalese people, which will be directed against imperialism.
"From the point of view of military organization there were only a few armed squads and militia forces in the initial period of military formation seven years back. Today it has reached the level of formation of Eastern and Western Division. The formation of two divisions, seven brigades and 19 battalions within the period of seven years by itself reflects the specificity of Nepalese people's war. Similarly the formation of around a hundred thousand strong people's militia as a recruiting base is another specificity of the Nepalese people's war. The mobilization of hundreds of thousands of people along class, caste, nationality, regional, gender questions around the people's war provides a strong basis for winning this war...."
"From tactical point of view, at present the people's army is going ahead with primary and decentralized resistance so as to feel the pulse of the enemy, tire them out and to prepare ground for centralized offensive. In order to enlist support to this goal of the PLA, an emphasis is being laid for national and international mass mobilization. On reviewing the events up to now since the breakdown of cease-fire it can be briefly said that the PLA is able to sieze its initiative to attack on small but strategic places with good results. The successful and brave commando attacks in urban and Terai regions in broad daylight and mobile war against big military formation of the enemy in mountainous areas and villages and constant engagement of the enemy in different kinds of ambushes are all techniques to tire out the enemy."
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