Itahari/ Biratnagar, Nov 15:

Maoists have forcibly taken away youths and children from different districts in the eastern region to recruit them in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

According to locals, Maoists took away more than a dozen youths from Dulari-3 and Sundarpur-2 of Morang yesterday and today to recruit them in the PLA. Bharat Lama, Raju Adhikari from Dulari and Santosh Lamichhane, Manoj Giri, Bimal Dahal, Raju Dev Chaudhari, Kamal BK, Ramesh Chapagain and Sanu Mijar were among those taken away.

Talking to this daily, Manoj’s mother Devi Giri said: “The Maoists took my son after promising that he would get $100 per month.” “The youths have been taken away against their will,” said Ambika, father of Bimal Dahal said. Chaitanya Sitaula, of Sundar-2, Morang, said the Maoists took away over two dozen youths from the village. They also took more than a dozen youths from Khanar, Sonapur and Duhabi of Sunsari, locals said.

According to eyewitnesses, the Maoists this morning crammed all the children and youths in a truck and took them towards Kamaljhoda of Ilam.

A police officer at the eastern regional police office said: “The Maoists are recruiting fresh blood for the PLA in Beltar of Udaypur district and surrounding areas of Basaha; Kudakawale and Nepalidanda of Bhojpur; Diding and Shitalpati of Sankhuwasabha districts.”

During an inspection, the Biratnagar regional office of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) found the Maoists recruiting youths in Basaha of Udaypur for their PLA.

Protection officer of the National Human Rights Commission Pramesh Poudel said: “Maoist soldier-recruits, who were drafted some days ago in Basaha of Udaypur, have completed the

training also.”

Meanwhile, guardians of the drafted youths of Sundarpur and Dulari staged a sit-in outside the First Division liaison office of the Maoists’ PLA in Salakpur of Morang.

The Maoists’ First Division assistant commander of the PLA, Pawel said this was a bid to tarnish the party’s image.

Meanwhile, a report from Dhading said the Maoists have abducted schoolchildren from different places of the district to conscript them into the People’s Liberation Army. The Maoist district peoples’ government chief Uttam Kandel denied the allegation of abductions and added that only those willing to join the party are being enrolled.

Hundreds of workers abducted

POKHARA: The Maoists on Wednesday forced workers of Pokhara’s hotels, restaurants, furniture workshops and the transport sector to go with them, saying all the workers would get permanent jobs and fat salaries. Those workers who escaped the Maoist dragnet, alleged that their colleagues were forced into going away with the Maoists.

A worker in a furniture factory here said some of his fellow workers were taken away after assurances of recruitment in the Maoist army with good salary. Eyewitness said dozens of crammed passenger buses left the district on Wednesday. Maoists’ Kaski district secretary Karan said his party cadres left for Syangja and Tanahun for training. — HNS