Laxmi Gautam

Phidim, January 15:

Travelling along the Mechi Highway is much difficult because of over a dozen of checks by the security forces and the Maoists. Security forces have set-up at least seven check posts and the Maoists conduct checks at some six different locations along the 222-km-long Birtamod-Taplejung section of the highway, the drivers of the public transportation services say.

“Security men ask us to stand in queue and ask questions like how much have we donated to the rebels, how many Maoists we know personally and what the Lal Salam meant,” said Ganga Limbu of Lumphabung VDC adding that the security forces also accuse passengers of participating in Maoist programmes.

Soon after the grilling by the security forces, the Maoists stop the bus. “They torture by labelling alleging us of spying for old regime and accusing us of taking allowances from the state.” Earlier, only the security forces had set up check posts at seven places but since mid-November the Maoists have been making the travellers get off the buses at more than six places along the Ilam-Phidim, Phidim-Taplejung and Ilam-Birtamod sections of the Mechi Highway. Security persons also make the travellers heading from Taplejung to Birtamod to get off at different places in between the regular check posts at Phungling of Taplejung, Jorpokhari, Phidim and Odin of Panchthar, Ilam and Aitabare of Ilam and Char Ali of Jhapa.

A driver of Matri Bhagya Rekha Bus Service, on the condition of anonymity, said the Maoists torture travellers by their ‘security checks’ at Kabeli, Bhalu Chowk, Hewakhola, Ranke Bazaar, Nepaltar, Godak and Sunmai.

Local administration said that the security checks were conducted for the safety of the passengers and the security personnel said the minor trouble passengers have to undergo during security checks was not a matter to complain.

However, the Maoists’ Panchthar district committee member Ballav refused that their action was a problem to the travellers, adding, the security checks were conducted according to the party policy.