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People's
sorrows, people's fears
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Bardiya
district: Living in fear
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February
2002
| The
Maoist cadres in mid-western hill districts have started showing their
support for Ram Bahadur Thapa also called Comrade Badal, who is believed
to be the main military strategist of the party.
The
cadres have started painting the slogans on the walls in favour of Thapa,
instead of their supreme leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who is also known as
ComradePrachanda.
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 Following
the emergency, people living in the remote villages of Nepal are still
having trouble with the Maoists. They feel that the army doesn't come into
their villages, and the Maoists refuse to leave the villages. The Maoists
have increased their pillaging, killing and looting in rural areas. Despite
the emergency and the mobilisation of the army, locals feel more insecure
than before. A civilian living near the Royal Bardiya National Park Buffer
Zone Development Area, has been accused by the Maoists of being an army
informer. The civilin's home lies about half-a-kilometre away from an army
camp, was beaten and robbed by the Maoists. The army was unable to do anything
even as the Maoists fired into a fire control zone.
"There's
no security in the villages", locals say. "The army patrols during the
day. It's as if they are taunting the Maoists. At night, hundreds of armed
Maoists come and do whatever they like."Many locals worried about returning
home, since there's no security. The Maoists have threatened to kill so
called "informer" if some Maoist cadres in jail are not released.
"How can we live in constant insecurity?", local people worries.
A
teacher for 32 years, a resident of Manpur Tapara VDC, is also a
victim of the Maoists. They broke both his legs and an arm. Two weeks after
the incident, he continues to feel insecure at home as the Maoists continue
their violent activities in his village. "The security forces haven't provided
any security. Just patrolling the main thoroughfares is not enough,"says
the injured teacher. The Maoists have accused the teacher of inciting the
local youth against them. "Why would I have done that? It's like disturbing
a nest of snakes," the teacher said. Villagers say the security forces
limit their activities to regular patrols while the Maoists roam around
freely, creating havoc in villages. Locals are scared to inform the forces
of Maoist movement, as they fear retaliation. In the meantime, the Maoists
are shoring up their strength in the villages. As a result, innocent villagers
have been caught in booby traps (a kind of landmine) laid by Maoists on
main village roads. A 15-year-old wood-seller was injured by a booby
trap laid on the main thoroughfare about an hour's walk from the district
headquarters,"eyewitnesses reported. Despite to these incidents, the joined
security forces don't go to the villages, so the Maoists are very
active. Many innocent villagers have been caught in the battle between
the Maoists and the security forces. |
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State
of emergency: Life becomes harder
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Dhading:
With Maoists back in hideouts, social vices are up
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February
2002
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Report
about a 23-year-old famer |
Badam
works day-and-night for his livelihood, but he has no complaints with his
profession. He is not married. Some weeks ago he got a proposal. But since
Badam had not earned enough money to live a decent life. That's why he
rejected this offer. Badam is feeling a constant pressure from the family
. Maybe he will marry soon. At present, the only thing that bugs him is
the prevailing state of emergency which has thrown in some difficulties
in his work. |
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Like
his forefathers did not attend school but were happy with the traditional
agriculture. He is happy with his job. Sometimes Badam is carrying local
shopkeepers' loads in free time. Sometimes he is carrying a 50-kg
sack of rice grains from Benighat to Darbung Phant of Gorkha district.
The shopkeepers give him Rs. 100 for one round of load. This amount is
enough to sustain life.
When Badam was a small child, the teachers of the neighbouring school used
to call him to attend the school but he refrained from doing so because
he had no good clothes to wear. The young farmer has no regrets about being
illiterate. But when he is in the city, it is a little bit difficult not
to be able to read or write. Badam is sure that he can run his life despite
being illiterate.
At home Badam is living together with his parents and a younger brother.
His parents are old and cannot go to the field for working. His elder brother
is working as a contractor in Kathmandu. His younger brother is learning
driving in Kathmandu. Maybe the youngest is working as a helper (khalasi)
at present. All the three sisters have already been married off.
When the peace talks were underway, the Maoist cadres were rampant in the
village. They constantly used to organise rallies and call mass meetings.
The Maoists had wiped out many social vices such as liquor production,
gambling and other crimes. After the declaration of the state of emergency
the Maoists going back to their earlier hideouts, the social vices have
again cropped up. The drunkards have again started to rule over their family
and the alleys ruthlessly.
Before the emergency was imposed Badam worked in Kathmandu for a few weeks.
He had earned almost Rs. 2100 in a month's time in Kathmandu. Because Badam
did not have a citizenship certificate or any other identity, he was forced
to come back to the his village. Back home they are advised to be on high
alert both by the security forces and the Maoists. A few months ago,
Now, it is impossible to go to the capital for working. The villages are
advised not to leave my village without proper identity. |
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