ROLPA, Aug 21: Thabang, the origin of the ten years long Maoist insurgency has extended its hand of friendship towards Nepal Army which in the past was known as their biggest enemy. There was a time when people of Thabang hated the words army and police. But the officers of Khadka Dal Battalion spent their three months happily with the locals of Thabang, raising many eyebrows.
When they were transferred to Thabang in April, officers of the battalion were warmly welcomed by the villagers. The villagers requested the commander of the battalion Ajay Gurung to take initiatives for breaking the Sirkyang cliff. Besides that, they even urged for the infrastructural development of schools.
Some miss old-time unity in present-day Thabang
After reaching there for the second time along with Assistant Commander Binod Pandey, they heard the same demands. "We became serious about their demands and we forwarded the proposal to the higher level and then started constructing the school building," said Commander Pandey, adding, "Everyone was positive. So, we became successful in addressing both of their demands."
With the co-operation of students and locals, a team of Nepal army successfully constructed a two-room concrete building of Bir Balbhadra Secondary school. They even planted 500 plants of different species on the premises of the school.
"It would have cost more than two million rupees if we had to build it on our own but we are so happy that the army did so much for us," said Resham Shah, a social worker and local of Thabang, adding, "We warmly welcomed them and also offered them a good farewell." Not just that, the soldiers are even building disable-friendly roads and drainage in the village.
In the past, locals of Thabang were extremely against Nepal Army. However, they are now friends with them. "The army broke the Sirkyang cliff which was obstructing the transportation project for the last ten years and we are really thankful to them for this," said Ajay Gharti, chief of School Management Committee (SMC). According to him, the locals have expected continued cooperation of the army in the future.
Within a few months, the locals of Thabang will see vehicles plying the roads there and this has made them excited. Though the locals had time and again requested the government to break the Sirkyang cliff, the requests fell on deaf years. However, the team of 40 Nepal Army soldiers has solved their problem by breaking the cliff using improvised explosive devices.
