Mugu, May 27:

The displaced people who have returned to their native places in Mugu district are facing difficulties as the Maoists have returned only their land and houses but not the movable properties including food grain, cattle, utensils and ornaments.

They say the movable properties were in their houses when the Maoists captured them. Now they don’t have those things, the internally displaced people (IDP) ask for food and other support from their neighbours in the village.

“The Maoists threaten the internally displaced people (IDP) when the latter ask their property back,” Hira Tamata at Shreekot-2 in Mugu told journalists on Friday, adding that the Maoists took buffaloes, cows and his wife’s ornaments and have not returned them yet.

The 65 households of IDPs who were living at a camp in Rajhena (Banke) returned to their village.

“We want the government to help us in getting back the property the Maoists had taken away from the houses and are not destroyed yet,” he said.

Most of people who returned to their village urged the Minister for Women and Children Khagda Bahadur BK, during his visit to Mugu, to convince the Maoist cadres to return seized movable property.

“The foodstuff that was provided to us when we were returning to the village has already been consumed. Now, we are living by asking food from neighbours,” Chandra Bahadur Buda of Sere-3 said, adding, “The neighbours themselves don’t have sufficient food, how can they help us?”

“Some of the houses have leaky roofs; portions of the houses are damaged and we are living in our neighbours’ houses because we can’t repair our houses,” Buda said.

“Plantation season has already passed and we are worried about food for the coming days,” Jasmal BK of Sherikot-3 said, adding, “We don’t have phones and no access to journalists to inform about our plight.”

“I could not return to my village as I could not pay off my debts,” Chhabilal Karki of Sukadhik-1 said. Minister BK who reached Mugu said that he would take initiatives to solve the problem. “The Maoists have already begun the process of returning property,” he added.