Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, May 25

Six months after the imposition, emergency was lifted on Friday night. However, for the valley people, living under emergency and out of it seems to have made no difference at all.

Most of the people are aware of the termination but they seem anxious about its extension as it has the worst effect in their villages. In fact, the troubles that emergency brings in the capital are negligible in comparison to the countryside. People in the valley seem really concerned about the death of their brothers and sisters whether they be rebels or security personnel. Since the extension brings trouble in their villages, where most of their relations are based, they are against the extension.

Kamal Panthi, a taxi driver who came from Sunsari, talking to The Himalayan Times said that the condition in the village is pathetic but said that “everything is going smooth in the city.” However, he has observed a steady decline in his income after the imposition of emergency.

Rajan Shrestha, a porter from Dolakha, also found no difference between the two different periods with and without emergency and opines that there is no need to extend emergency. Bharat Khatry, a retailer at Putalisadak, blames the newspapers for not using their rights, even after the lifting of emergency.

Tighter security during the emergency, however, made the lives of people somewhat inconvenient. Talking about the difficulties, college student Dinesh Tiwari said there was nothing abnormal during the emergency except, of course, the security checks. He added that places without rebel activities remain unaffected.

Recalling the emergency days, Krishna Dulal, one of the Maoist victims, said that the security situation is better in areas where the army is stationed; at places where army is absent, the people are leading insecure lives.

Meanwhile, Devendra Lal Nepali from Birgunj, in his appeal to the prime minister suggests Deuba not to extend emergency as all the political parties are against extension. He adds that lifting of emergency is for the ultimate good of multiparty democracy and constitutional monarchy. He opines that existing laws are sufficient to deploy army against the murder, destruction and terror caused by the rebels, adding that the extension would only help plot conspiracy against the present system.