Civilians and students at Ramnagar (Mirchaiya), protesting the Maoists' destruction of a private school building, today disrupted traffic on the highway for three hours - from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm.
They demanded that the Maoists apologise for their act, return looted goods and restrict their entrance in the educational sector.
Traffic resumed after the local administration, the Maoists and the school administration agreed to hold a trialogue on April 23, the Mirchaiya area police office (APO) said.
Local Maoist cadres destroyed the building of Chandra Jyoti School that was being constructed by Dhaniklal Shah and Kishor Khatiwada on 10 katthas of land at Mirchaiya-4 at 11 pm on Tuesday. The Maoists took the construction materials away on a tractor.
"The Maoists were threatening since the start of the construction of the school building," Dhaniklal Shah said, adding that they had been claiming that the land belonged to Shova Shahi of the royal family. Shah and Khatiwada claimed that they purchased the land from Birenda Shah of Kalyanpur for Rs 30 lakhs last year.
Meanwhile, Maoist district secretary Abinash said that the land belonged to a relative of the royal family. "Our cadres stopped construction of the building.
Their stance was that the building should not be built on that land at a time when the process of nationalising the property of royal family has been initiated," he added.
Friday, April 20, 2007
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Maoists Vow to Make Nepal Republic
Nepal's Maoists on Monday said they would agree to a delay of nationwide elections if Nepal is declared a republic.
Elections for a constituent assembly had been scheduled for June 20.
The new legislators are to decide the fate of Nepal's unpopular monarchy.
Speaking to reporters at a Kathmandu hotel Monday, Maoist leader Prachanda appealed for the interim parliament to declare the country a republic.
"If it is not going to happen, if other parties will not agree then there are some other options. The referendum may be another option - a most democratic option," he said. "Even if it is also not agreed then we should have to go among the masses. We shall have to appeal to the masses to rouse again against this feudal system"
A peace deal last year brought the Maoists into the political process after a decade long insurgency that claimed 14,000 lives.
The former rebels agreed to enter the interim coalition government if elections were held in June.
Nepal's election commission says nationwide polling can not take place that soon because of technical and security problems. The government has not set a new election date.
King Gyanendra gave up absolute power last year following demonstrations organized by the political mainstream and the Maoists.
Prachanda on Tuesday rejected speculation that the king would be allowed to remain as a ceremonial figure. He said the position the Maoists once took to allow a constitutional monarch was the biggest mistake they ever made. He said the Maoists have brought the unpopular king to his knees and they will not back off their hard line anti-royalist position.
Elections for a constituent assembly had been scheduled for June 20.
The new legislators are to decide the fate of Nepal's unpopular monarchy.
Speaking to reporters at a Kathmandu hotel Monday, Maoist leader Prachanda appealed for the interim parliament to declare the country a republic.
"If it is not going to happen, if other parties will not agree then there are some other options. The referendum may be another option - a most democratic option," he said. "Even if it is also not agreed then we should have to go among the masses. We shall have to appeal to the masses to rouse again against this feudal system"
A peace deal last year brought the Maoists into the political process after a decade long insurgency that claimed 14,000 lives.
The former rebels agreed to enter the interim coalition government if elections were held in June.
Nepal's election commission says nationwide polling can not take place that soon because of technical and security problems. The government has not set a new election date.
King Gyanendra gave up absolute power last year following demonstrations organized by the political mainstream and the Maoists.
Prachanda on Tuesday rejected speculation that the king would be allowed to remain as a ceremonial figure. He said the position the Maoists once took to allow a constitutional monarch was the biggest mistake they ever made. He said the Maoists have brought the unpopular king to his knees and they will not back off their hard line anti-royalist position.
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