Sankhuwasabha, August 30:

Though the CPN-Maoist had agreed to return seized land and properties to rightful owners as per the Comprehensive Peace Accord and other political agreements, people in the district are yet to get back their seized properties.

The land of Bhola Man Shrestha of Khandbari Municipality-1 is under Maoists’ seizure since May 16, 2007. The Maoists also have not returned the land of Raj Man Rai of Pathibhara village development committee-9 seized in 2001. Rai had returned to the village after the Maoists promised to return his land. In the name of property, Rai now has a house and a piece of land.

The Maoists had seized land and properties of villagers, accusing the latter of spying against the party and practising feudalism.

The family of Dhan Bahadur Rai of Barhabise VDC also has not got its land and property back. Displaced in the year 2002, Rai died in 2007. Informal Sector Service Centre states in its report that the Maoists have seized homsteads and land of 13 families in the district.

“We have been pressuring them to return the seized property, to no avail,” district representative of INSEC Lila Prasad Shrestha said.

Man Kumari Regmi, a displaced villager of Bana VDC-1, said she had given up hope of getting her properties back.

Meanwhile, the CPN-Maoist made a fresh pledge to return the property of innocent persons. Conceding that the party had made a mistake by seizing land of innocent persons during the period of insurgency, Maoists’ district secretary Nabin said their land would be returned. We will soon go to the village to announce that land will be returned to the rightful owners soon, a Maoist district member said.