Life Lessons from Nepal's Maoists

From 1996 until 2006, Nepal experienced brutal Maoist rebellion that took the lives of nearly 16 thousand people and hundreds of thousands were displaced during those ten years.  The rebellion started with what many thought was an insignificant group of disgruntled people with no political will and knowledge.  Most of its members came from the oppressed class known as “Dalits” or the “Untouchables”.  Hindu caste system had put Dalits at the lowest end of society and for hundreds if not thousands of years even the Dalits believed their gods had made them inferior to the upper classes of Brahmins, Kshatriyas and Baisays; Dalits had no option in life but to be subservient to the upper classes. 

Because who they were, initially, many treated the Maoists with total disdain and apathy to their cause thinking that communism was evaporating from the earth like the early morning mist; hoping that the bunch of these untouchables can do nothing in Nepal, a heartland of Hinduism. 

Ironically, the Maoists were led by 3 prominent leaders from the upper classes.  First among them was an enigmatic leader who attempted to craft a new form of communism known after his name – Prachandpath (Way of Prachanda).  The second was an ideologue who translated the communism of the bygone era in such a vernacular spirit that even an illiterate woman from the rural Nepal could give a powerful speech on the merits of Maoism.  The last one embodied what it meant to suffer for their cause; he became their suffering Messiah who was arrested, tortured and put in prison in India for a long time.  While in prison or after the release, he became their motivation to suffer for the cause of the revolution and the coming hope of utopian Nepal.  For ten long years, in spite of severe loss of lives, Maoists grew from strength to strength, toppling governments and eradicating monarchy once and for all.  Their hope of the utopian Nepal was so strong, the children gave up schooling and joined the rebels, and parents risked their lives in the hands of the government soldiers by secretly aiding and assisting the rebels in the villages.  Finally in 2006, the government gave in, accepted Maoist proposal for peace and invited the rebels to join the mainstream politics.  Maoists won the election, lost election, sat in opposition, joined other parties in forming a government and in less than 10 years, all the utopian dreams the Dalits had have been washed into the drain as these three top Maoist leaders fell victim to their hunger for power and money.  The same Dalits who were willing to lay down their lives are now lost and confused; the same powerful communist women of the villages who could give inspiring speeches on Maoism have now themselves forgotten what they were fighting for in those ten long years of hardship and brutality in the hands of the government soldiers. 

The Bible says “where there is no vision, people perish” and how true it was for the Maoists.  As long as these three leaders provided the purpose and direction, tens of thousands of oppressed class of people rose up to the challenge of laying down their lives to make Nepal a people’s republic.  But today, as their top leaders abandoned them for the comfort and luxury of power and prosperity by sitting in the seats of corrupt government, these Dalits have once again allowed their traditional Hindu oppressors to have the free reign over them.  They have begun to join the Hindu fundamentalists’ cause to make Nepal once again a Hindu State where caste system will continue to oppress the untouchables.  Without leadership, people indeed perish.

How about your life?  Do you have a vision for your life?  Do you have human leaders who lead you?  Do you look to them for inspiration and guidance?  Do you have any idea as where your life is headed?  Or are you like these innocent Maoists who have now lost their direction in life as their leaders abandoned them?  What makes you tick? Is there a cause that inspires you?  Do you have a positive outlook in life?  What are you living for?  Do you see good days ahead of you? 

As a Christian who came from a place of aimless life, I can tell you there is no greater cause then Christ himself.  If you could know Jesus as he is, you won’t need any human leader or a cause to lead your life and inspire you to greatness.  If you know the love of God the father and the sweet communion of the Spirit, you would become a mighty force to quell.  The love of God within your heart would compel you and propel you forward in seeking God’s kingdom and righteousness.  You would have no time for lame excuses of not having ability or resources.  You won’t be worried whether you have finances or not.  You won’t be worried about your retirement benefits and future security.  You won’t be afraid to venture in new places, meet new people and try new things, all for the glory of the father.  You won’t be worried about what others are saying.  You won’t be saying “what’s in it for me” because all you would be thinking about is the day when you will stand before Christ in that celestial place where he will look into your eyes and say “well done thou good and faithful servant, you were faithful in little and now come and join your master’s joy”!  Wherever you go, you would become a force for good and a catalyst for God’s kingdom.  Jesus would be building his church through your life.  So, my friend, don’t wait for people to inspire you, don’t wait for finances to come fully to meet your needs, don’t wait for tomorrow.  Whatever God is telling you to do, do it today.  Once you experience the joy of obeying God, you won’t like to go back to your old way of living.