The Prachanda Path and Oglaigh na hEireann: A Comparative Case Study of the Insurgencies in Nepal and Northern Ireland

Abstract

There are many different types and classifications of insurgencies. Two major types are leftist, Maoist-style insurgencies and right-wing, nationalist/religious-style insurgencies. As the right-wing, nationalist/religious-style insurgencies continue to grow and gain momentum, the question becomes, "Are right-wing, nationalist/religious-style insurgencies better structured and equipped to succeed than the leftist-style insurgencies?" To answer this question, this monograph will analyze the structure, tactical levels of discipline, operational focus, and insurgent strategies of two modern insurgencies: the Irish Republican Movement in Northern Ireland and the Maoist Rebels in Nepal. The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) (CPN(M)) initiated its insurgency in 1996, when it started a "people's war" against the government of Nepal. The CPN(M)'s main goals were to establish a communist government in Nepal, remove the monarchical system, and remove the caste system from the country. The CPN(M) is an egalitarian type of insurgency that uses Mao Tse-Tung's Protracted People's War strategy. However, they have modified the strategy over the past few years to incorporate urban terrorist operations. This new strategy is called the Prachanda Path, named after the leader of the CPN(M)--Prachanda. The Provincial Irish Republican Army (PIRA) ("Oglaigh na hEireann" in Gaelic) started in 1969 when it split from the Official Irish Republican Army. Their initial goals were to protect the Catholic minority in Northern Ireland, force the British to leave Northern Ireland, and unite Northern Ireland with the Republic of Ireland as one country. They are a secessionist insurgency that uses an urban insurgent strategy. They conduct terrorism in Northern Ireland and abroad to try to force the government of the United Kingdom to the negotiating table. Their political party arm is Sinn Fein.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
May 22, 2008
Accession Number
ADA485451

Entities

People

  • Robert J. Schexnayder

Organizations

  • United States Army Command and General Staff College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • C4I
  • Counter IED
  • Engineered Resilient Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Case Studies
  • Command And Control
  • Ethnic Groups
  • Governments
  • Guerrilla Warfare
  • Insurgency
  • Military Operations
  • Military Organizations
  • Military Science
  • Organizational Structure
  • Political Systems
  • Students
  • Terrorism
  • Terrorists
  • United States
  • Urban Areas
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Political Violence and Terrorism Studies.