India now has Naxalite threat well under control

Significance The epicentre of Maoist insurgency in India lies in neighbouring Chhattisgarh state’s southernmost division, Bastar. Naxalites accuse the Indian government of dispossessing tribal communities of their lands. Impacts Civilian casualties will mount as the authorities continue their crackdown on the rebels. Naxalite leaders will step up efforts to reach out to local communities. Popular protests in tribal areas over local grievances will increase.

The Holy Spirit the Ultimate Counselor and Transformer for Healing and Wholeness

Nepal is a country with cultural and religious diversity. This country has gone through much turmoil and many crises. Since the time of the Maoist insurgency up to the recent pandemic situation, people have faced various emotions, feelings, and thoughts. These sudden devastating moments have not only affected their physical wellbeing, but has in turn affected the whole being of a person. These experiences of accusation, suffering, violence, and pain have led many to sadness, worry, anger, and fear resulting in various mental disorders. Therefore, the ministry of counseling is very important in order to help people get connected to their feelings and to understand their problems. It enables people to express their emotions freely and bring a sense of positivity to their lives. For effective counseling, there is always a need for the guidance and support of the Holy Spirit. Human beings are very limited in their own ways, and it is only through the presence of the Holy Spirit that a person can be transformed and changed. Therefore, it is important for the churches in Nepal to preach and teach about the Spirit who is a helper and brings healing and wholeness through comfort and counsel. It is the Holy Spirit who is the ultimate agent of transformation to lead people into all truth.

Inside the Insurgency

This chapter presents the entangled historical narrative of the Maoist insurgency in India, its ideological origin, military strategy, organizational characteristics, recruitment mechanisms, and ties to the local communities, with particular emphasis on North-South variation in the dependent and independent variables that concern the book. It analyses the distinct social terrains on which rebels operated in the North and the South, despite being part of the same insurgent organization, united by one ideology and highly centralized command. This chapter also shows how pre-existing local conditions shape patterns and outcomes of insurgent mobilization, leading to robust informal exit networks in the South and scrawny ones in the North.

The Tactical Use of Civil Resistance by Rebel Groups: Evidence from India’s Maoist Insurgency

Research on rebel behavior during conflicts has traditionally focused on the use of violent tactics. However, evidence from several intrastate wars suggests that armed groups also occasionally employ general strikes—a method of civil resistance that has typically been associated with nonviolent groups. But when do rebels resort to general strikes? I argue that these tactics have a particular function which can offset potential risks for rebels after they have suffered losses in previous battles: Through general strikes, rebels signal sustained authority to the local population. The argument is tested for districts in Eastern India using newly compiled, disaggregated data on contentious action during the Maoist conflict. The paper contributes to a burgeoning literature on wartime civilian activism in two ways: First, it shows that armed groups themselves rely situationally on civilian mobilization. Second, it investigates the effect of conditions endogenous to the conflict on these tactical choices.

Quest for Identity: Re-Examining the Process of Federal Restructuring of the Nepali State

The agenda of restructuring the state has been the most deliberated issue for all intellectuals, political leaders and civil society activists in Nepal. The restructuring of Nepali state became a central component of the 2006 peace deal. Federalism was, however, included in the interim constitution as a binding principle for the Constituent Assembly on the verge of violent protests in the Tarai in 2007. The fundamental question during the Maoist insurgency remained whether federalism based on ethnic affiliation will be materialized. But after the Madhesh mutiny, the question that dominated the public discourse was whether “ethnic federalism” can be materialized as a mean to achieve more inclusive, institutionalized and sustainable democratic polity in Nepal. This article re-examines the process of federal restructuring of Nepali State on the backdrop of contemporary politics of identity.