Prachanda, (Pushpa Kamal Dahal) speech at the mass meeting at Tundikhel.
Key Points:
- Dahal: This mass meeting is not just a continuation of the May Day celebration. Rather it’s an extra-ordinary mass meeting for there never been this huge mass meeting in this venue and for there has never been so disciplined and well-managed rally in history.
- Dahal: 1000s of youths, laborers, farmers present here should know that they have never thought so much of you would be here. The mass here is not for violence; if that was the case, what would have happened by now!
- Dahal: The people are here are to begin a new era. They did not bring those change [republic and secularism], Nepali people did the change. Nepali people came here to save their hopes from being kidnapped.
- Dahal: Ministers are saying we can not change the regime from street. But they should know that in Nepal’s history, all changes were brought from street be it of 2007 BS or 2046 BS. People has progressed/witnessed changes in the world through movements on streets.
- Dahal: The Prime Minister started speaking differently after returning from Thimpu [Bhutan]. He started saying army will be mobilized as if the army is in their pocket. I have always said this, all Nepal-loving people have to unite for the fulfillment of people’s hopes and desire. I appeal all, including police and army, to think about what people want.
- Dahal: The General Strike is a necessity; because unless people rise up, nobody can save the peace. We tried to talk to them in and out of CA, but they are not serious about peace.
- Dahal: From tomorrow, there is general strike. But we are still in talks. We did today what we said [peaceful]. For the agitation, there will be more people and we say that the agitation will be as peaceful as it was today. But if the government becomes foolish to use force, people won’t tolerate and the government will be responsible for the results.
- Dahal: For people peace is important; constitution is important. We are on talks – we are flexible. Our flexibility, seriousness and responsibility [towards nation, peace, constitution] was probably thought as our weaknesses. But this time, I ensure you all that Maoists won’t leave until all the demands you have put on the streets are achieved.
- Dahal: Nepali people can’t tolerate the reign of dalals over the blood of the martyrs.
- Dahal: We want good relationships with China and India. We don’t want war but we want equality. We can’t tolerate unequal treaties. Nepalis and Indians want the relationships of equality – Indian leaders will also think on this way.
- Dahal: But if India has thought they can use Madhav Kumar Nepal to suppress this feelings of Nepalis, that will be their mistake.
- Dahal: If the ministers have thought they can suppress people’s hopes/feelings, that will be bigger mistake than that of Panchayati minister and Gyanendra [Shah].
- Dahal: I also want to remember Girija Prasad Koirala who once told leaders of three parties, after High Level Political Mechanism was formed, that the mechanism was formed for Dahal. He told a senior Congress leader that there had been conspiracy against Maoists and that it’s important to keep us for the peace.
- Dahal: Now, as a signatory of the Comprehensive Peace Accord [CPA] [now that GPK is no more], I take the responsibility of the peace process.
- Dahal: I hope that they [NC/CPN-UML] will understand during the upcoming talks. Otherwise, I warn them people’s verdict are ruthless and never, ever people have return empty-handed from street.
- Dahal: If all residents of the Kathmandu Valley do not take on streets on Sunday, from Monday, all agitation will end. I request all valley residents – especially those of Newar community – to come to streets.
- Dahal: The industrialists have tried hard for the an agreement between parties. Although there are not enough good indications that the talks will succeed, Maoists are serious and flexible on this. I also appeal to all industrialists to be ready for a few days of disturbances/loss of business if the talks did not succeed.
- Dahal also requests working class, journalists, foreigners to support/observe/report their peaceful general strike.
- Dahal: I appeal all of you to demonstrate peacefully, unitedly.
