Photo Feature: The Lives Of Former Militant Maoists In Nepal

It has been 10 years since the People’s War ended. What has become of the revolutionary dreams of former Maoists?

In 1996, democratic Nepal witnessed the “People’s War”, where members and supporters of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoists) (CPN(M)) rebelled in what was termed an ‘armed insurgency’ by the government when they were not allowed to contest national elections. They were labelled “terrorists” by the constitutional monarchy then in place, and sought to end inequality, corruption and rampant poverty in Nepal. Ten years later, in 2006, this civil war came to an end with the signing of a peace treaty; by then, the CPN(M) controlled over 90% of rural Nepal.

What has become of these former Maoists now? Quint Lens explores the daily lives of those once-heralded as heroes of a new day, and how the war impacted their lives in the photo essay Revolutionary Dreams of Nepal, published in a web magazine in Meghalaya, RAIOT.

I got injured in the battle of Khara. These days I can’t even walk or roam around. The only thing I do is stay at home. We, the ones who got injured and disabled during the people’s war, are in a miserable situation today.

Kal Bahadur Bogati – Kalikot

Under the government’s plan, United Nation’s Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) threw out our people’s army as unfit. Now these unfit friends are working for the government. But how did they become unfit inside the army’s cantonment? The people’s liberation army who were rehabilitated were sold for some amount of money. Can they live their lives with 5 lakh rupees? 

Bipana Malla – Lamki, Kailali

I get depressed when I look at my personal situation, my party’s situation and my society’s situation. A part of me has tied my dreams, my anger, my fire that I had as a Maoist fighter in a handkerchief and put them aside and another part of me has to work and make a living.

Ishwor Timilsina – Kuika, Accham

I joined the People’s Militia and later went into the People’s Army after my father was disappeared by the Nepal Army. I now teach young children sports. I feel like my personal life has been destroyed the same way as the earthquake last year destroyed my country.

Keshab Khanal – Syangja

Our country is agricultural and lies below the poverty line. It is my understanding that foreign organisations are playing financial games and that’s why we are the way we are. We need another revolution to change this situation.

Mahendra Bahadur Budha – Rishi Daha, Accham

We are proud that we sacrificed ourselves during the People’s War but we are sad at the way our leaders surrendered our struggle. For there to be any change in Nepali society, we need to rid ourselves of the parliamentary system and bring in the people’s system. That’s the only way we can build a better future for Nepal and Nepalese.

Dhansari Bayak – Lamki, Kailali

The leaders who were supposed to fight for the liberation of the poor have been trapped in their own greed and have left the poor somewhere in the middle of the road. But even now if any political party is determined to fight and take the revolution ahead I will join that fight again. 

Prem Bahadur Bayek – Lamki, Kailali

These days I feel like If I hadn’t gotten involved in the Maoist revolution I could have studied and perhaps done something else in my life. I spent 6 years of my life living inside the cantonment doing nothing at all.

Bramha Kattel – Bajura

I was shot in my leg and spent 56 hours hiding from the army without food or water. I watched helplessly as flies laid eggs, which started eating my wounded flesh. They looked like helicopters all over my wound. After the war I was homeless and slept on the streets in Kathmandu. I have managed to heal my body and my life right now and I know that we will fight again and heal our country one day soon.

Ganga Lama – Kavre

After 10 years of relative silence and small political spats, Nepalese Maoists have once again come together under a new political banner, the CPN-Maoist-Centre including 10 different Maoists groups with the aim of bringing about a “socialist revolution” in Nepal.

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