HATTIKHOR, Nawalparasi, Feb 11: The Maoist People’s Liberation Army (PLA) personnel have added a new item - badges with names - to their uniforms to mark the 8th anniversary of the PLA on Wednesday. [break]
Prior to this, the PLA personnel only wore insignia that bore the image of cross stars and AK 47 rifles under the picture of Mount Everest.
PLA personnel are busy preparing to celebrate their anniversary at the Paribartan Brigade in Hattikhor, Nawalparasi. They have been conducting rehearsals since early morning to demonstrate their war skills later to an audience that will include Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal.
Ram Lal Roka Magar a.k.a Madan, the Fourth Division vice-commander of the PLA, said they will organize football, volleyball, badminton and running competition until February 18 to mark the anniversary.
He said that some 3,000 people including representatives of various political parties, journalists and artistes are expected to participate in Wednesday’s inauguration function. He said that they have also invited representatives of United Nations, Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police.
The number of people attending the event, including onlookers, would stand around 15,000, he estimated.
The PLA Fourth Division is running 14 cafeterias to feed the participants. Each will feed some 300 participants. The Division has also availed computer and internet facilities to help journalists to disseminate news.
Dozens of welcome gates have been erected along the way leading to Paribartan Brigade at Hattikhor. Flags of Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) and the PLA have been hoisted on the trees and houses along the way leading to the Brigade.
Altogether 3,078 of the total 19,604 UN-verified Maoist combatants are in the Fourth Division.
Maoists used to celebrate PLA Day on Mangsir 8, which generally falls on November 23. The Maoists have started celebrating the PLA Day on Phalgun 1, the day the party started underground armed rebellion in 1996. Wednesday also marks the 14th anniversary of Maoist People´s War.
