Dispatches From the People’s War in Nepal

‘This unique, intimate look into the People’s War in Nepal provides invaluable background to the world’s most vigorous Maoist movement, and insight into the theory and practice underlying contemporary Maoism elsewhere in South Asia and globally.’ Gary Leupp, Professor of History at Tufts University and Coordinator of the Asian Studies Program ‘In her dispatches from the ongoing revolutionary war in Nepal, where she was the first, and longest-staying, foreign journalist to report from the Maoist-held areas, Li Onesto keeps up the committed, conscientious revolutionary journalism of John Reed, George Orwell, and Agnes Smedley. . . . Probably the best, if not the only, account of how the Maoists built their organization, and of how they operate and govern.’ Stephen Mikesell, author of Class, State and Struggle in Writings 1989-1995 ‘This lively, exciting and enlightening presentation of the Maoist insurgency in Nepal will help people to understand the real state of affairs behind the “People’s War”.’ Padma Ratna Tuladhar, facilitator in the peace talks in Nepal A Maoist revolution has been raging in Nepal since 1996. In 1999, Li Onesto became the first foreign journalist to travel deep into the guerrilla zones. Allowed unprecedented access, she interviewed political leaders, guerrilla fighters, villagers in areas under Maoist control, and relatives of those killed by government forces. This book is the result of her journey. Illustrated with photographs, it provides an invaluable analysis of the social and economic conditions that have fuelled the revolution and profiles some of the key people involved. Millions in Nepal now live in areas under guerrilla control. Peasants are running grass-roots institutions, exercising what they call ‘people’s power’. Li Onesto describes these transformations — the establishment of new governing committees and courts, the confiscation and re-division of lan