Bullet-riddled pole being brought to Beni after 17 years

MYAGDI, May 10: Finally, after a long effort, the electricity pole that was damaged in the clash when the then CPN-Maoist rebels attacked the Beni headquarters of Myagdi on March 20, 2004, will be brought back to Beni.

The pole is riddled with hundreds of bullet holes and stood near the sentry post of Kali Prasad Brigade of the then Nepali Army on the entrance road of Mangalaghat market in Beni. The pole, a silent witness of the decade-long Maoist insurgency, was taken to Yalamaya Center in Lalitpur's Madan Library Guthi with the agreement of the electricity workers. The pole will be returned to Beni after the gradual pressure and efforts of the local people's representatives

According to the head of the district coordination committee, Rajkumar Thapa, after Kanakamani Dixit, president of the library, sent a letter to the district coordination committee, Myagdi, requesting to be aware of the need to prepare and protect the pole that reflects the situation during the war and has conflict-time and historical importance, there was surety of the electric pole coming to Beni.

"All of our efforts have been successful," said Thapa, "Now we are identifying the place to be protected for the time being. There is a need for a place to keep the pole until the peace park is built.” He said that the public and Barahpakho community forest land connected with the division forest office in Beni municipality-7 Birendrachowk will be developed as a park and an architectural structure will be placed there. A detailed project report (DPR) will be prepared after the consent of political parties, people's representatives and concerned bodies of the district to build Peace Park and Children's Park in an area of about 10 ropani.

Thapa said that before the construction of the park, the pole will be kept in coordination with Beni Municipality. A few days before withdrawing the pole, District Coordination Committee Chief Rajkumar Thapa, Deputy Chief Dilkumari Khatri visited the Madan Prize Library in Patan Dhoka and met President Dixit. As it is going to be two decades of the Myagdi attack, after the pole will be brought back, the peace park will consist of other items to convey the message of peace and attract domestic and foreign tourists.

Former Mayor Hari Kumar Shrestha and current mayor Surat KC also tried to bring back the polls in Beni Municipality. The decision to bring back the polls was the first decision since Mayor KC was elected. 4,500 fighters and 1,900 volunteers from nine Maoist battalions were involved in the Beni attack. The Maoists used 66 AK-47 rifles in the Beni attack. Along with this poll, the war museum has also been discussed in Myagdi. Memories of those who lost their lives in the clashes and weapons left behind, letters written to their families and photos and videos will also be displayed.