It is a sad fact of Nepal that the country is wrecked with violence. The newly appointed Prime Minister Deuba has said peace will be his main agenda. However, his effort to include other political parties into his cabinet is yet to gain nmomentum. In the rural areas, rebel grip is tightening. The radical totalitarian Maoist party has attemped to penetrate deeply into socio-economic structure of areas under their control. They intervene into in house quarrels and disputes. They have established people's courts to try opponents and dissidents to their rule. They tax the populace and billet guerillas and other rebel activists into households. Some time back the rebels bombed a passenger bus apparently for defying their shutdowns. Recently, for refusing to pay their ransom, an Indian run school in the capital was bombed with damage exceeding the ransom demand. People are having second thoughts whether to pay the rebels.
Royal family also has been targeted. A lodge in scenic tourist city Pokhara in mid western part of the country was bombed. Surya Tobacco company from whom rebels have demanded nearly $100,000 was also bombed. The only thing preventing the situation to go out of control is the fact that explosives being used by the rebels are primitive technology, home made stuff which are explosives of low yield. Had they possessed high quality powerful devices like in the Middle East, the human and material toll would have been far greater.
Advocacy groups in Nepal have romantic notion that rebels who are in fact intoxicated with raw power at their hands will come and negoptiate peaceful end to the problem. By taking alienated groups and communities into their hands, rebels are proud of their so called legitimacy. They even threaten US; barring travel by US citizens whom they fear as government spies.
The international community has to step forward and help Nepal solve the problem. They can't simply watch and let Nepal fall into abyss of violence. Do something, friends of Nepal.
Friday, June 11, 2004
Saturday, May 29, 2004
Continuing violence in Nepal
Each day scores of people get killed in Nepal. This isn't caused by any accidents. It is in fact caused by direct violent action. In the districts, people die regularly. The Maoist rebels are the instigators of much of the violence. These rebels move across remote villages asking for food from locals. They use force if their requests are denied. Anyone having thoughts which defy the rebels are brutally beaten sometimes killed. Goats, buffaloes, even cows are sometimes commandered and taken away for food. The rebels regularly slaughter cows which are sacred in Nepal's majority Hindu religion and forcibly feed beef to even Hindu priests. The rebels have become champions of minorities and ethnic groups who had long been disregarded by ruling elite in Kathmandu, the capital city. The Maoist rebels say they will give equal and just representation to these marginalized groups including regional autonomy. The rebels have already declared areas under their control as "free self governing zones". The government hasn't come forward with programs with which it can win back support of these indigenous communities.
Tourists are also having to pay "special transit taxes" to the rebels. Up till now there hasn't been deaths of tourists at the hands of rebels. The insurgency has cost the once thriving tourism industry severely. There are travel warnings posted by embassies including the US Embassy, whic warn would be travellers to avoid rebel controlled territory.
Nepal's problem has to be internationalized. It cannot be simply regarded as an internal matter of Nepal. Foreign countries as they provide economic and development aid should provide security assistance to protect the lives of ordinary citizens. So foreign intervention should be encouraged especially that of India and China. It would be good if these countries constitute some type of stabilization force inside Nepal which bothe rebels and government dare not challenge. For this kind of concept to materialize, Nepal needs support from US and Europe. Please help Nepal achive peace!
Tourists are also having to pay "special transit taxes" to the rebels. Up till now there hasn't been deaths of tourists at the hands of rebels. The insurgency has cost the once thriving tourism industry severely. There are travel warnings posted by embassies including the US Embassy, whic warn would be travellers to avoid rebel controlled territory.
Nepal's problem has to be internationalized. It cannot be simply regarded as an internal matter of Nepal. Foreign countries as they provide economic and development aid should provide security assistance to protect the lives of ordinary citizens. So foreign intervention should be encouraged especially that of India and China. It would be good if these countries constitute some type of stabilization force inside Nepal which bothe rebels and government dare not challenge. For this kind of concept to materialize, Nepal needs support from US and Europe. Please help Nepal achive peace!
Wednesday, May 26, 2004
Violence in Nepal
Since 1996, south Asian least developed nation Nepal has witnessed violence which has killed nearly 9,000 people. The chief cause of the violence is the revolutionary people's war launched by Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-Maoist). Calling for the overthrow of traditional setup in the country, these devout communists want to establish a people's republic. They have made many demands like constituent assembly, round table conference and all party government.
Despite reasonable aims, the rebels are resorting to violence to elimininate opponents, attack army, police and government official. Rebels also kidnap schoolchildren and conscript them for military service. They kill with impunity. Reign of terror has been unleased by these people who can be called terrorists.
The government forces and police lead by people with low awareness are also committing gross human rights violations. The number of people killed by security forces has excceded those eliminated by rebels. The security forces claim all people killed by them are rebel activists.
Nepal needs international mediation to solve this problem. However, local leaders do not agree with this and say there is no need of foreign assistance to resolve this problem. Best solution would be invite UN peacekeepers and deploy them across Nepal.
Despite reasonable aims, the rebels are resorting to violence to elimininate opponents, attack army, police and government official. Rebels also kidnap schoolchildren and conscript them for military service. They kill with impunity. Reign of terror has been unleased by these people who can be called terrorists.
The government forces and police lead by people with low awareness are also committing gross human rights violations. The number of people killed by security forces has excceded those eliminated by rebels. The security forces claim all people killed by them are rebel activists.
Nepal needs international mediation to solve this problem. However, local leaders do not agree with this and say there is no need of foreign assistance to resolve this problem. Best solution would be invite UN peacekeepers and deploy them across Nepal.
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