Forwarded Comment on the Bandit Suppression Report from the Western Sichuan Military Region[1]
(February 25, 1951)

To the major military regions of East China, Central-South, Northwest, and North China, and the Central Bureaus:

Below is the bandit suppression report from the Western Sichuan Military Region, forwarded for your reference. The experience in the Southwest is that bandit suppression committees with the participation of non-Party democrats have been established at the county, district, and township levels, with bandit suppression groups at the bao level, capture teams at the district level, and in addition, organizations such as intelligence stations and inspection posts have been set up. Furthermore, bandit suppression must be integrated with the struggle against local despots, rent reduction, refund of deposits, or land reform. It is imperative to execute bandit chieftains, habitual bandits, and local despots, and it must be carried out under the unified leadership of the Party committee, with all efforts concentrated, so as to mobilize the masses and eradicate the scourge of banditry. Please pay attention to the above experience. In all areas under your jurisdiction where bandit scourges still exist, please guide the local comrades to study these experiences.

Mao Zedong
February 25

[1] This is a comment written by Mao Zedong on the bandit suppression report forwarded from the Western Sichuan Military Region of the People's Liberation Army.