August 10, 2007
Out-of-control Nepal Maoists
Attack Police Post
By Sudeshna Sarkar
Kathmandu
While top leaders of Nepal's Maoist party were busy here trying to
curb a brewing revolt among its rank and file, a group of dissidents
attacked a police post north of Kathmandu in defiance of the peace
pact the party had signed last year, signifying that the central
leadership was losing its grip.
Nearly two dozen guerrillas, led by their local leader Raj Kumar
Regmi, captured a police post in Phikuri village in Nuwakot district
Thursday, and made off with three firearms and several rounds of
ammunition.
This is the second instance of revolt by the Maoists in less than 10
days. Recently, a Maoist soldier alleged that over 1,000 personnel
of their People's Liberation Army (PLA) had deserted due to mounting
frustration.
The soldier, known by his action name Kusum, also accused the Maoist
leadership of misappropriating the money given by the government for
the PLA troops and failing to provide medical care to those who had
been injured in the course of the 10-year insurgency.
The Nuwakot attack is the second recorded incident of the Maoists
attacking security posts in violation of the truce they signed with
the government last year that enabled them to shed their terrorist
tag and join the ruling coalition.
The attackers told local media that they had raided the police post
to protest against the police patronage given to a newly formed
political party, the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum.
The forum, a group from the Terai in the south, has become a target
of the Maoists due to its growing influence in the plains and has
been frequently locked in fierce battles with the rebels.
Left red-faced by the raid, the Maoist leadership began a
damage-control exercise, saying they would punish the people
involved.
The Maoist leader in charge of the district, Bijay, issued a
statement to the media, admitting his men were behind the attack and
promising that his party would conduct an investigation and help the
government in punishing the guilty.
Earlier, a Maoist MP had denied the involvement of his party. Rebel
legislator Hit Bahadur Tamang had told parliament that the attack
was carried out by hooligans posing as Maoists.
Though the policemen were not hurt in the Nuwakot attack and only
three firearms were stolen, it is still significant as it indicates
that some of the guerrillas are not ready to give up violence and
are gradually shaking off control.
The recently ended plenum of the Maoists in the capital, where
nearly 2,500 representatives took part, saw the majority demanding
that the party quit the government and begin a new revolt.
Though Maoist supremo Prachanda succeeded in persuading them to stay
in the cabinet and not break the ceasefire, it remains to be seen
how long he can control the dissidents.
The guerrillas' commitment to the peace process has also been
tarnished by their opposition to the UN's endeavour to verify PLA
troops so that child soldiers and illegal recruits can be
discharged.
The rebels strongly opposed the verification conducted in one camp
and brought the process to a standstill.
Though the exercise is expected to resume next week, it remains to
be seen if the guerrillas will abide by the UN decision and
discharge all their child soldiers.
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