Political resolution adopted by the 5th Conference of CCOMPOSA, March 2011

On the Current Situation and Tasks

Since the 4^th Conference of the Co-ordination Committee of Maoist Parties and Organisations of South Asia (CCOMPOSA) held in 2006, there have been significant developments in the world and in South Asia. These changes have given rise to both challenges and opportunities. Guided by Marxism-Leninism-Maoism, the unity among the constituents of CCOMPOSA and their joint activities will surely strengthen the revolutionary struggles and initiatives going on in the different countries of South Asia and be a catalyst in facing up to these challenges and seizing the opportunities. This has a significance going far beyond the boundaries of South Asia.

International Situation

Bourgeois ideologues had seen the collapse of Soviet social imperialism in the 1990s as a "landmark victory" of capitalism over socialism.  But this has now been dealt a body blow through the recent global crisis. Furthermore, the claim that Marxism and socialism have failed and capitalism has triumphed is doubly exposed as hollow rhetoric by the fact that the crisis of the imperialist economy has originated from such a country, the US, which claims itself as the leader of the imperialist world order.

Following the collapse of Soviet social imperialism US imperialism had arrogantly declared its sole hegemony in a world without any rival superpower. Policies like structural adjustments, privatisation and liberalisation were imposed on oppressed countries without any let up. In the imperialist countries themselves employment was downsized and casualised on a greater scale. All of this was aimed at sustaining the imperialist economy and maximising profits by further opening the way for finance capital penetration.  But the result has been just the opposite. The US, which spread the tentacles of its financial institutions more intensively and extensively, compared to other imperialist powers, has been the worst sufferer in the present economic crisis. The specific causes underlying this crisis and its particular dynamics need to be further probed. But right now we must draw attention to the horrible devastation it has caused among the masses in both oppressed countries and imperialist countries. This is on top of the sharp widening of the gap between the rich and poor within countries and intensification of unevenness among regions of the world caused by imperialist globalisation.

By pumping in trillions of dollars through deficit financing to save financial institutions the imperialists managed to stave off an all-round collapse of the global economy. Yet the crisis is far from over. The measures adopted to tackle the crisis piled up huge public debts. There is a lot of loud talk, but little action, in the matter of regulating the frenzied speculative deals of financial institutions. Meanwhile, all the burdens of deficits and deficit cutting are being loaded on the backs of the masses through soaring inflation and cut downs in public employment and welfare. This has generated wave after wave of struggles in imperialist countries. Thus the aftershocks of the global crisis still rumble on.  Imperialist solutions sow the seeds for more severe crisis.

The current crisis has been a great educator. Most importantly, all talk of the greatness of free market disappeared as imperialist governments scrambled to save their economies by any means. All the champions of liberalisation sneakily turned to protectionism. In order to overcome the  economic crisis, some of the imperialist governments were even forced to implement the 'socialist' measure of nationalisation. Bourgeois pundits had to talk about the need to retain this as one means to safeguard against future crisis. The crisis and the responses of the bourgeoisie thus further justify the validity and inevitability of Marxism and socialism ever more powerfully.

As a consequence of this crisis, not only has the contradiction between capital and labour sharpened more but the contradiction of imperialism versus the oppressed nations and people, which is the principal contradiction of the present world, has further intensified. The emergence of China as an economic force in the international arena, economic consolidation of Russia and more importantly the formation of a pole centred on both of these countries, brings out the multipolar nature of the world. The dream of the US imperialism to lead a unipolar world has turned out to be a mere pipedream. Rather, what is seen is a sharpening of inter-imperialist contradictions.

The economic crisis and consequently the intensification of the basic contradictions of the world, including the principal one, are sure to lead this world towards a political crisis in the days ahead. What it already shows is that, though in an uneven way, the objective situation all over the world, including in the imperialist countries, is developing favourably for revolution. The main trend of revolution is strengthened. We have seen the waves of militant struggles in imperialist citadels. And now the Arab countries are being shaken up one after the other in an unprecedented series of popular uprisings.  Decades old dictatorial regimes were toppled in Tunisia and Egypt. In the absence of communist vision and leadership, these upsurges will ultimately fail in realising the peoples' aspiration of ending all exploitation. But this great churning up, this breech in the walls of reaction, surely creates fresh opportunities for the emergence and strengthening of the Maoist pole. It stands as powerful testimony to the great revolutionary potential existing in the world today.

In comparison to the favourably developing objective situation and its demands, the subjective strength of the Marxist-Leninist-Maoist parties still lags. Nevertheless, greater attraction of people towards Marxism and socialism all across the world is a very positive sign. There has been a powerful strengthening of anti-imperialist sentiment, specifically directed against US imperialism. Most importantly the formation of Maoist parties, latest in an imperialist country like France, is an inspiring event. The communist revolutionaries must help accelerate this process by waging ideological and political struggle in a planned way. In doing so, emphasis must be laid on defeating revisionism, which is the main danger today, and guarding against dogmatism.

The growing people's struggles all across the world against imperialist globalisation and US occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan have created favourable grounds in which the possibility of rallying a broad section of pro-people forces against imperialism has widened. Conscious efforts on the part of Maoist revolutionaries to seize this opportunity can change the scenario in favour of anti-imperialist struggles all across the world. This should be done with all force and capacity. Much hinges in this regard on the unity in understanding and common resolve on the part of communist revolutionaries.

The Situation in South Asia

Mao's assertion that Asia, Africa and Latin America are the storm centres of world proletarian revolution still holds good. Revolutionary class struggles against imperialism and its domestic puppets in South Asia have made this region very important for the world revolution. In concrete, the intense contradictions of the broad masses with feudalism and imperialism, widespread presence of revolutionary, national liberation and democratic movements all across the region and the enormous weight of the huge number of exploited and oppressed masses living in South Asia heightens this potential.

It is a fact that the masses of this region are commonly weighed down by the yoke of imperialism and Indian expansionism. The Indian state dominates not only over the broad masses in India but also the neighbouring countries. Open and arrogant intervention in the internal affairs of Nepal in recent days is a stark example. Indian ruling classes are gradually surrendering to US imperialism in the latter's plan of bringing the entire region under it strategic web to contain China, an emerging economic power of the 21^st century. This is the principal aspect. But on the other hand, they also have differences. The Maoist revolutionaries must keep in mind both the collusion and differences that exist between the US, India and China when they determine their strategy and tactics in this region as part of the world revolution.

Apart from semi-feudal and semi-colonial exploitation, a broad section of the Indian masses are victims of national oppression. Untold repression upon Dalits, Adivasis and the religious minorities based on Hindu chauvinism has been the identity of the Indian ruling classes. While a handful of ruling classes subservient to imperialism, principally the US, have been fattening, a huge number of the working people are thrown into ever increasing destitution. The much touted high growth in GDP masks an inhuman reality at the ground level, with no let up in peasants' suicides, punishing price rise, and high unemployment.

However, the New Democratic Revolution aimed at uprooting semi-feudal and semi-colonial relations from the Indian soil is making newer strides in the recent days. Advances made in the people's war, particularly after the formation of the Communist Party of India (Maoist), militant  masses struggles led by the Maoist and other left forces against land grabs and forcible displacement of peasants by monopolies, and other struggles has given sleepless nights to the Indian reactionary ruling classes. Instead of addressing the problems confronting the country and its people they have launched a war on the people, Operation Green Hunt. The aim is to attack and destroy the new revolutionary political power emerging through the people's war, and thus clear the way to unbridled assaults on the people and plunder of natural resources. But this has brought out an unprecedented polarisation of a broad section of left, progressive and democratic forces, of almost the entire pro-people forces, against the country-selling, anti-people ruling classes of India. Wide, determined resistance to the Indian rulers 'war on the people' is growing and strengthening. In the battle field, the People's Guerrilla Liberation Army and People's militia have given sharp blows to the vastly superior and huge enemy force. Despite losing hundreds of their beloved ones in the attacks of the reactionary Indian armed forces, the valiant masses of the war zones maintain a high fighting morale. In fact this solid fortress of the revolutionary masses has been crucial in the successful withstanding of the enemy offensive.

In order to safeguard their interests and ensure that their puppets don't loose power, imperialism and Indian expansionism, have now come in open to interfere in the internal affairs of Nepal. Thus people's sovereignty has now become inseparably linked with national independence. Consequently, it has widened the possibility of building a broad united front among entire patriots, republicans, lefts, progressives including the entire oppressed classes, nationalities, gender and regions under the leadership of the proletariat for the seizure of power. In this challenging and promising situation the Nepalese people continue to struggle for the fulfilment of their revolutionary aspirations led by the UCPN (Maoist).

In Bangladesh, Maoists faced some setbacks with the capture of some veteran leaders by the reactionary regime. Crushing the Maoist movement is given top priority by the state. This counter-revolutionary campaign is trained and guided by imperialism. But despite facing such harsh attacks the Maoists persist along the revolutionary road. The rising struggles of the impoverished masses give favourable opportunities. The present Hasina regime is not only determined to oppress the revolutionary movement but is kneeling down to appease the Indian expansionists opening all the venues for loot and plunder. Its appeasement went to the extent of cooperating with the Indian government in arresting most of the senior leaders of ULFA.

Pakistan has been used as a front paw by the American imperialists for its war of occupation in Afghanistan. With the total subservience to the US imperialists, Pakistan has become a ground for civil war. The strengthening of US grip over Pakistan and the establishment of US bases in Pakistan is making the whole South Asia more vulnerable to US imperialist war designs.

Despite ever increasing budgets for the war of occupation in Afghanistan and enhanced deployment of US and its allied forces, the Afghan people are showing grit and determination against the barbaric war of US imperialists. Targeted attacks on occupation forces, the massive destruction of their logistics and ever increasing body count of the allied forces is a slap on the face for Obama's "surge". South Asian regimes, like those of India and Nepal, though not sending troops, are actively supporting the puppet government and is becoming a tacit partner in the occupation war.

The victory of Rajapaksa is the victory of rabid Sinhala national chauvinist forces. After defeating the LTTE, by perpetrating the murder of thousands of Tamils, this war criminal got elected when lakhs of Tamil population were languishing in miserable conditions surrounded by the barbarous Sri Lankan Army and all opposition was suppressed by fascist means. Indian expansionism actively supported the destruction of the LTTE and was hand in glove with the Rajapaksa government in its genocidal war against the Tamils of Sri Lanka. The LTTE got defeated mainly because of its lack of ideological and political clarity, sharply manifested in its nationalist sectarianism, and secondarily in the positional warfare tactics it adopted. While the defeat of LTTE is an immense loss to the struggling people of the world, it is also a sharp reminder of the need to establish, in theory and practice, the Maoist pole within the broad arena of national liberation struggles.

Challenges and opportunities

This Conference is being held when the Indian new democratic revolution continues to confront the serious challenge of "The Operation Green Hunt" launched by Indian expansionist state. While the initial victories in beating back this 'war on the people', politically as well as militarily, grant better conditions to the revolutionaries, the gravity of the challenges they face remains. The revolution in Nepal is at the crossroads. The powerful potential of great victory exits along with the serious danger of harsh defeat. Imperialism, and Indian expansionism is openly intervening in Nepal to destroy the revolution and is directly instigating the ruling classes for this. People all over the world look up to the Maoists in Nepal to break out of all domestic and external conspiracies and advance determinedly towards the completion of new democratic revolution. Notwithstanding vigorous attempts on the part of revolutionaries, the people's wars in Bangladesh and Bhutan have not yet been able to cut through enemy repression and develop it to a higher level. Maoist revolutionaries of Afghanistan are engaged in preparation of people's war amid US occupation. In Sri Lanka the task of reorganising the Maoist party is still on the agenda. All this shows the challenges faced by the Maoists of this region in the present juncture.

In spite of challenges, the opportunities are bright. In fact, bigger the challenge brighter is the opportunity. In order to transform this potential into reality the communist revolutionaries have to

• engage in serious ideological and political struggle to defeat the wrong trends in the communist movement, principally revisionism;
• develop strong ideological and political unity and common resolve among themselves;
• build up regional mechanism for cooperation to fight imperialism, Indian expansionist hegemony and advance revolution;
• establish the inevitability and invincibility of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism among the broad masses;
• unite the entire national and democratic movements and just struggles broadly to the extent they can go together to fight the principal enemy.
• unite with Maoist and all fighting forces throughout the world.

Seize power where it is possible, develop ongoing people's wars to higher levels, prepare and initiate people's war where parties exist and build up parties where they don’t - this should be the working orientation of Maoist revolutionaries.

It is a declared fact that CCOMPOSA has been formed to unite the Maoist revolutionaries of South Asia and fight Indian expansionist hegemony and imperialism in the region. Apart from accomplishing its responsibility in this region, CCOMPOSA, as a part and parcel of the international communist movement, must discharge its internationalist duties to further the cause of world proletarian revolution.  

South Asia is ripe for new democratic revolution. Let all of us strive to develop ongoing people's wars, initiate new ones, accomplish new democratic revolution in our respective countries and establish South Asia as a strong base area of the world proletarian revolution. This and only this is the way the Maoist revolutionaries in South Asia can contribute to the advance to socialism and communism and thereby fulfil their proletarian internationalist duty. This Conference calls on all Maoist forces in South Asia to join the CCOMPOSA and strengthen it and thus further advance in the common aim of making South Asia a blazing center of world revolution.

CCOMPOSA,

MARCH 1^ST WEEK, 2011