Dang, November 16:

Residents of Holeri in Rolpa district are delighted that the ongoing peace process is going to be successful and that the Maoists’ armed conflict will finally come to an end.

Residents of Holeri - the place where the Maoists’ armed insurgency first flared on February 13, 1996 with their assault on the Area Police Office using a homemade gun, khukuris and batons- -are eagerly awaiting restoration of peace in the nation, and the state addressing the cause of the start of the armed conflict.

Nanda Lal Khatri of Dubidanda-4, Jaspur, said people in the country had to suffer tremendously due to the decade-long civil war. “We are glad the country is heading towards peace now,” he added.

Lekhnath Subedi of the same place said the real reasons behind the start of conflict were unemployment, illiteracy and underdevelopment.

“The war started from Rolpa and thousands of lives were lost in the ensuing years. Thousands of children have been orphaned. The government should address all these factors now,” a local, Top Bahadur BK said.

Yam Bahadur Basnet of Dubidanda-7, Daulabang, said the state should now focus on development of education, health and transportation services in the nation. Ninth grade students of the local Mahendra Secondary School, Khima Mahara and Shiva BM said peace talks should be decisive this time.