Party workers fleeing villages

KATHMANDU, May 20: Fear has gripped lower rung cadres of various non-Maoist parties in at least 12 districts and many have fled after Maoist workers threatened to evict those supporting the president´s move reinstating army chief Rookmangud Katawal.



While a large number of local-level leaders of the Nepali Congress and CPN-UML have already left their villages, others too are reportedly fleeing their home villages in the aftermath of the Maoist attack on CPN-UML General Secretary Ishwar Pokharel and other senior leaders in Ramechhap district two days ago, according to Informal Sector Service Center (Insec), a human rights organization. [break]



However, there are no official reports about the number of such people displaced from the villages. Unofficial reports said some 30 such political leaders have come in contact with rights organizations in Kathmandu while most others have gone to the district headquarters for fear of possible attacks.



Local-level Maoist cadres have threatened serious action against Nepali Congress and CPN-UML cadres if they refused to leave their villages within the set deadline, alleging that they supported the move taken by President Dr Yadav, who prevented the sacking of Katawal by the government. The Maoist party after stepping down from the government on May 4 geared up protests across the country for ensuring ´civilian supremacy.´



The Maoist cadres issued threats to NC and the UML workers in various rural districts including Ramechhap, Baitadi, Kalikot, Khotang, Udayapur, Bardiya, Sindhupalchowk, Bara, Gorkha, Dolakha, Panchthar and Taplejung alleging that they supported the president´s move. In some cases, they have also reactivated their self-styled ´people´s government´ and stepped up collecting of donations from opposition party leaders. "It is likely that all lower-rung leaders of the non-Maoist parties will flee their home villages if similar activities on the part of Maoists go unabated”," said Subodh Raj Pyakurel, Insec chairman.



Insec Central Regional Coordinator Krishna Gautam said local-level party leaders of the NC and CPN-UML in various districts in the central region outside Kathmandu Valley are found living under constant fear. "Many of them had started leaving their villages due to the Maoist threat”," he said. "The trend has increased following the attack on UML General Secretary Pokharel and other senior leaders in Ramechhap two days ago."



Maoist spokesperson Dina Nath Sharma said party chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal immediately issued strong directives to Maoist workers against attacking rival political workers after a few such incidents were reported. "It is not the policy of the party to harm rival party cadres," he said. "Some local-level cadres could have done so to vent their anger."



Sharma also said that the party has asked all its cadres to engage in peaceful protests against the ´unconstitutional´ move of the president.



Home Ministry spokesperson Nabin Ghimire said they have maintained law and order in the country. "Local administrations concerned will take action against the guilty if anyone is found involved in such acts," he said.



koshraj@myrepublica.com

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