UCDP

General information

First Active Year: 1992

Current Name: MCC
Current Name full English: Maoist Communist Centre
Current Name full native language: Maoist Communist Centre

Original Name: MCC
Original Name full English: Maoist Communist Centre
Original Name full native language: Maoist Communist Centre

Actor Chronology

This section contains information about (if applicable) group splinters, name changes, and alliances according to the UCDP definitions of these concepts.

Entered Alliance: CPI-Maoist (Communist Party of India-Maoist)
On: 2004-09-21

Conflict issues

Government of India - MCC

Conflict Goal Issues: The Maoist Communist Centre (MCC) was a Marxist-Leninist-Maoist rebel group fighting against the Indian government to establish a communist state as part of the Naxalite uprising. Whilst the group was established as MCC in 1975, it did not become active in conflict against the Indian government until the later 1990s, although the group did perpetrate a massacre which killed at least 37 civilians in 1992 which technically made them active in conflict for that year as well. The group’s first conflict goal issue was stated in 1999, during which it stated its opposition to and intentions to boycott the Lok Sabha polls, the election to elect the lower house of parliament. In 2000, MCC restated its opposition to elections, calling for the boycotting of Indian assembly polls. The group also accused politicians of failing to fulfill their duties and doing nothing for the development of the Chhotanagpur region, calling upon the people to hold their politicians accountable for their failure to provide for the communities and indicating their intentions to carry out economic reform.

As the conflict progressed, economic reform was not reemphasized explicitly, although opposition to elections was restated in 2004. The group also accused the government and the police forces of corruption, accusing the Jharkhand police of extorting and blackmailing the populations they were supposed to protect. MCC also called for the protection of the civil rights of the Indian population and stated its intentions to “complete the new democratic revolution”, indicating intentions to improve the democratic structure in India.

The main conflict goal issue of MCC was the opposition to elections, although the issue could also be expanded to encompass a perceived lack of representation which largely motivated the statements opposing polls and elections. The group continuously motivated its calls for boycotting elections with a lack of representation, stating that the people should organize politically and that they should elect people that suit the group’s interests, indicating that the issue was not the elections themselves but rather the proposed candidates.

Conflict Dynamics Issues: MCC stated two conflict dynamics issues throughout its existence, accusing the government of perpetrating atrocities and abuses against the Indian civilian population in 2000 and 2002 through its military and police forces. These accusations were, in both cases, used to motivate aggression and attacks from the group as well.

Conflict Resolution Issues: MCC stated one conflict resolution goal during its existence, calling for accountability of politicians who had failed to serve their constituents and, particularly, calling for politicians to be prosecuted in a people’s court for their failure to work towards developing the poor Chhotanagpur region.

Type of conflict issues: Conflict Goal Issues: Civil rights, Corruption, CPS: Democracy, Economic reforms, Opposition to elections

Conflict Dynamics Issues: Atrocities and abuses

Conflict Resolution Issues: Accountability/prosecution/investigation

Annual information

This section contains annual information systematically collected by the UCDP.

1992

Actor Active in Dyad(s):

MCC - Civilians

1999

Actor Active in Dyad(s):

MCC - Civilians

Government of India - MCC

2000

Actor Active in Dyad(s):

MCC - Civilians

Government of India - MCC

2001

Actor Active in Dyad(s):

Government of India - MCC

2002

Actor Active in Dyad(s):

Government of India - MCC

2003

Actor Active in Dyad(s):

Government of India - MCC

2004

Actor Active in Dyad(s):

Government of India - MCC

Group Archive

This section contains annual information no longer systematically collected by the UCDP.

1992 Group Archive

MCC - Civilians

Comment on Name: Maoist Communist Centre

The outfit was established on 20 October 1969, under the name Dashkin Desh. It was renamed as the Maoist Communist centre in 1975.

1999 Group Archive

MCC - Civilians

Comment on Name: Maoist Communist Centre

Government of India - MCC

Comment on Name: Maoist Communist Centre
Troop Size: < 1000
Comment on Troop Size: Not known. Only estimate is from 2003.

2000 Group Archive

MCC - Civilians

Comment on Name: Maoist Communist Centre

Government of India - MCC

2001 Group Archive

Government of India - MCC

Comment on Name: Maoist Communist Centre
Troop Size: 1000
Comment on Troop Size: The fractious nature of the Naxalite movement and its dispersion to several Indian states makes it difficult to estimate the cadre strength of the insurgents. At the end of 2002 it was estimated that MCC had 1 000 troops.
Secondary Support: On 1 July 2001 nine left wing extremist outfits active in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh formed an umbrella organisation: the Coordination Committees of Maoist Parties and Organisations (CCOMPOSA) with the purpose to coordinate and unify the activities of the Maoist movement. Four outfits of the naxalite movement participated in the front, among them MCC and PWG. The two latter together with the Maoist insurgents in Nepal were assumed to be the instrumental forces in the formation of CCOMPOSA.

2002 Group Archive

Government of India - MCC

Comment on Name: Maoist Communist Centre
Troop Size: > 1000
Comment on Troop Size: The fractious nature of the Naxalite movement and its dispersion to several Indian states makes it difficult to estimate the cadre strength of the insurgents. In 2002/03 the Military Balance reported that MCC had over 1000 troops. One Indian official suggested that there were over 1000 MCC troops in Jamui district, Bihar state alone, thus, the number of MCC troops could be potentially considerably higher.
Secondary Support: Peoples War Group (PWG), another Naxalite group, supports MCCs efforts

2003 Group Archive

Government of India - MCC

Comment on Name: Maoist Communist Centre

Reports suggested that after MCCs merger with Revolutionary Communist Centre India-Maoist (RCCI-M), MCC was to become known as MCC (India); this change, however, was not reflected in media reports.
Comment on Active: On 16 January MCC announced its unification with the Revolutionary Communist Centre India-Maoist (RCCI-M), a splinter outfit with a marginal presence in Jharkand and Bihar.

On 27 September, it was reported that the Organizing Committee of the Revolutionary Communist Centre (Marxist-Leninist-Maoist) merged into MCC on 9 September.
Troop Size: > 1000
Comment on Troop Size: The Military Balance reported that MCC had over 1,000 troops. One Indian official suggested that there were over 1,000 MCC troops in Jamui district, Bihar state alone, thus, the number of MCC troops could be potentially considerably higher.
Secondary Support: Peoples War Group (PWG), another Naxalite group, supports MCCs efforts

2004 Group Archive

Government of India - MCC

Comment on Name: Maoist Communist Centre
Comment on Active: In mid October the PWG and MCC announced that they were merging . The new group was announced under the name the Communnist Party of India (Maoist). The merging took place in the run up to negotiations between PWG and the Andhra Pradesh state government.

The character of the announced merger of the two groups needs to be judged within a longer time perspective and the groups are hence kept as separate dyads in the database this year.
Troop Size: 1000 - 3000
Secondary Support: Peoples War Group (PWG), another Naxalite group, supports MCCs efforts

Uppsala Conflict Data Program

Department of Peace and Conflict Research

UCDP

MCC