Maoist victims warn of armed struggle

Kathmandu, December 10:

At the time when the Maoists have put down their guns and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) limited within cantonments, victims of Maoist atrocities are preparing to launch an armed struggle.

“Some of our central committee members have gone underground and some to different districts to make preparations,” said Dharma Raj Neupane, the president of the Association of Victims of Maoist Atrocities.

He said they suffered much during the peaceful protests. Many agitators could have died on the road but the government turned deaf ears to their demands. According to him, they have a record of over 2,00,000 victims from 27,000 households in 72 districts, excluding Manang and Mustang.

“We are given assurances at times, but in vain,” said Bhojraj Timilsina, spokesperson of the association.

According to him, the victims of Maoist atrocities in villages would rather burn themselves along with their family members instead of being ruled by the Maoists.

“This is not a fiction. One has to go through the situation, we have been through the bloodshed to feel it,” he said.

Neupane said they were forced to flee their homes leaving everything behind, while the ministers obtained compensation and built buildings in the capital by burning down their huts in villages. The real victims are left high and dry. “We are to be considered not consoled,” Neupane said.

The victims have forwarded the demand of representation in the interim legislature and interim government along with providing compensation to them, employment for the youths, education for their children and return of all property that they have lost.

“We are left with no option but to launch an organised armed struggle for justice,” Neupane said.

He further said they saw no change in the government’s attitude in dealing with their problems even after the Jana Andolan II.

“It has already been two months, we were assured temporary compensation by ministers Ram Saran Mahat, Pradip Gyawali and Gyanendra Bahadur Karki, however, the government is still indifferent.”

“We have now decided to take back our rights with force as the government is not giving them to us by peaceful demands,” he added.