tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17300290.post114909738499310825..comments2024-03-28T05:14:02.776-04:00Comments on Sketchy Thoughts: Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) Cadres Implicated in Reactionary Violence Against Prostituteskersplebedebhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08148717542412439319noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17300290.post-1149816993439607742006-06-08T21:36:00.000-04:002006-06-08T21:36:00.000-04:00Burningman:You are absolutely correct that this is...Burningman:<BR/>You are absolutely correct that this is not the major news from Nepal theseadays - far from it.<BR/>And i acknowledge that i have been less diligent than i would like in keeping abreast of the situation there, and in blogging about it (what little energy i have had i have felt, for political reasons, was better spent reporting on the more local and (from Montreal) immediate issue of Canadian aggression against indigenous people at Six Nations).<BR/><BR/>But y'know... i still don't think "incredulous" should be one's preconceived stance. Open to being corrected? Definitely. But until that happens, i see no reason to doubt the veracity of this report. (And for what it's worth, i am also assuming it is an isolated incident.)<BR/><BR/>BTW - whats up wth Red Flags these days? I've been checking in every so often but nothing new for a while.kersplebedebhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08148717542412439319noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17300290.post-1149795492898997512006-06-08T15:38:00.000-04:002006-06-08T15:38:00.000-04:00Kersplebedeb writes: "I would suggest that the bes...Kersplebedeb writes: "I would suggest that the best way to do this – as in most effective and most humane – is by empowering prostitutes, giving them options (but not forcing them to take the ones we approve of) and allowing them to set their own agenda."<BR/><BR/>And many smart things from our Candian sex worker friend...<BR/><BR/>I agree that this kind of incident is wrong, and that this is a fairly isolated report makes me think that it is not the general policy. I also think you are right that the basic transformation has to come up from the people....<BR/><BR/>Contradictions among the people, as Mao noted, are totally different than contradictions between the people and the enemy. That said, prostitution is a direct form of exploitation even when sex workers chose to do it. The confines of the choice are what is at issue... In other words, not even armies of socialism have votes on the battlefield.<BR/><BR/>In the context and days this item was originally posted, it's sort of like, "is that the news from Nepal?"<BR/><BR/>The hundreds of thousands marching openly with the Maoists, the development of rural power, etc...<BR/><BR/>In moments like this, TONS of dubious stories will flood the wires... and it's worth being incredulous, particularly when such stories "confirm" the worst fears of Western liberals...<BR/><BR/>KersEtc is also right that there is no one line on matters of sexuality in the ICM... not even close.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17300290.post-1149469746882547942006-06-04T21:09:00.000-04:002006-06-04T21:09:00.000-04:00I am writing here from the perspective of a Maoist...I am writing here from the perspective of a Maoist Sex Worker (although in Canada).<BR/><BR/>I personally do not think that these events in Nepal were the proper way to go, but I would like too put a few elements in pespective.<BR/><BR/>First, Maoism teaches us that a revolutoinary party should be "linked to the masses", which means to the working classes of all ethnic groups, sexual orientations and occupations alike. Their interests are to be reflected in Maoist actions and policies, and maoist comrades must listen to them. (were local villagers bigoted against Dalits and Sex Workers?)<BR/><BR/>Sex Workers, on their part, in order to survive within the profession, must find sufficient income while trying to live in dignity and self-confidence. In many cases, to ensure better earnings, many sex workers here in imperialist countries try to cater primarily to the richest clients among the ruling class, trying to please their tastes, both sexual and of lifestyle (at least appearing as such). Some of us are even trying to enter this ruling class full with ambition.<BR/><BR/>In a feudal state like Nepal going through a 10 year-long People's War, it is clear that sex workers will be thought of mainly as servcing the old feudal elites, which are the people's main enemies. Sex Workers themselves (and particularly in a small town and when they are part of a discriminated caste) are however clearly not part of these elites, but some overzealous militants can imagine that my colleagues over there could be allies to the local bourgeoisie they are trying to eliminate.<BR/><BR/>Capitalism is the force that makes me gain more money form renting my body offering sexual services than using my wit and intelligence giving proper advice to comrades in need, for instance. Prostitution is an industry within Capitalism that draws attention due to its use of taboo elements, such as sex, working women, and often unclear laws (in this country, to say the least)<BR/><BR/>Instead of trying to get women out of prostitution without any explanation, some political awareness should have been raised, both within the villagers' ranks and sex workers, to see their respective roles in the process of changing society which is currently occuring in Nepal.<BR/><BR/>Pure confrontation always seems to some to be the easy way to do things, but as we have seen may lead to erroneous decisions, as the Great Helmsman would likely say. Let us all use more dialectical materialism to solve our problems, wherever we are, whoever we are.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17300290.post-1149367291546594902006-06-03T16:41:00.000-04:002006-06-03T16:41:00.000-04:00Burningman:There are two questions touched upon in...Burningman:<BR/>There are two questions touched upon in your comment.<BR/><BR/>The first is how appropriate is it to comment on perceived shortcomings amongst revolutionaries. As you point out, capitalism is the cause of most misery, so why bother talking about cases like what is reported to have happened in Mudha?<BR/><BR/>To this i would answer that i do not merely want to oppose "the system", i also want it defeated. I assume some ways to do this will work and some will not. Blind faith that whatever "our side" (loosely defined) is up to must be the right thing, and so should not be criticized, is unlikely to work.<BR/><BR/>In her writings, Comrade Parvati of the CPN(M) has eloquently stated that an unwillingness to root out patriarchy has contributed to the downfall of past socialist revolutions. I agree with her, and for that reason do not consider the abuse of women by Party cadre – hopefully an isolated incident, hopefully one which the Party will condemn – to be a side issue.<BR/><BR/>I know that you also favour critical thinking and learning from the mistakes of the past - that's one of the things i like about Red Flags - so why not do so in this situation?<BR/><BR/>This leads to the second question touched upon in your comment, prostitution.<BR/><BR/>I think we agree that prostitution should be eradicated. I would suggest that the best way to do this – as in most effective and most humane – is by empowering prostitutes, giving them options (but not forcing them to take the ones we approve of) and allowing them to set their own agenda. Simply stating the practice is now forbidden and violently attacking those who engage in it amounts to taking a super-exploited section of the workforce (the prostitutes) and subjecting them to all the conditions of illegality and marginalization… all of which will simply make them more vulnerable to abuse and less likely to be able to take control of their lives.<BR/><BR/>You describe these women as being bought and sold... in which case i must ask: doesn’t it make more sense to beat the ones doing the buying and selling?kersplebedebhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08148717542412439319noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17300290.post-1149362221236302512006-06-03T15:17:00.000-04:002006-06-03T15:17:00.000-04:00Is this the right headline?How about this?"Capital...Is this the right headline?<BR/><BR/>How about this?<BR/><BR/>"Capitalism implicated in the sexual traffic of women"<BR/><BR/>200,000 (according to the capitalist press) marched in Katmandu under the communist red flag. They were marching for social revolution -- now!<BR/><BR/>But acting as if people in revolt against oppression are supposed to embrace the buying and selling of women, which is particularly grotesque in Nepal, is just wrong.<BR/><BR/>------<BR/><BR/>In the Battle of Algiers, there is an interesting sequence of scenes where the former street hustler Ali la Pointe kills drug dealers, beats alcoholics and cleans up vice in preparation for popular struggle.<BR/><BR/>I don't support treating prostitutes like criminals, but it has to end. Those who think it CAN'T end, are speaking the words of pimps in the name of ho's. How about we stop doing that?<BR/><BR/>How about we look at what is essentially happening, which is that a communist vanguard is changing the game, fighting an army that has used rape as a weapon -- and puts women in command instead of as cheerleaders on the sidelines!<BR/><BR/>How about we start getting real, peoples?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17300290.post-1149106471655923372006-05-31T16:14:00.000-04:002006-05-31T16:14:00.000-04:00In reponse to a critique i have received, i should...In reponse to a critique i have received, i should clarify that i do not believe all Maoists have problematic positions regarding sexual liberation. Indeed, the ML tradition seems to have no one position regarding any of the various issues that may fall under this heading; while some groups (like the CPN(M)) may have an anti-queer position, others (like Vive la Revolution, a group which existed in France in the 1970s) have been at the forefront of radical sex politics. Indeed, it made headlines last year when he New People's Army (a Maoist popular army in the Philippines) held a same-sex marriage ceremony for two of its male combattants.<BR/><BR/>And so any comments i made in this posting regarding "Maoists" should be understood to refer to the CPN(M).kersplebedebhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08148717542412439319noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17300290.post-1149102182824023032006-05-31T15:03:00.000-04:002006-05-31T15:03:00.000-04:00"anti-prostitution campaigns which rely on attacki..."anti-prostitution campaigns which rely on attacking – either violently or by “softer” means – the prostitutes themselves should be rejected and condemned out of hand"<BR/><BR/>As a supporter of the struggle of the CPN(Maoist), I agree with this statement. Comrade Prachanda and leading bodies have condemned human rights abuses by PLA and other Maoist forces in the past, and they should do so in this case, if indeed it is correct information.<BR/><BR/>The spearhead of the struggle against sexual exploitation should be aimed at the exploiter and not the exploited.Klementhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02319834763437568368noreply@blogger.com