People's sorrows, people's fears State of emergency: Life becomes harder Map of Nepal

February 2002

The Maoist cadres in mid-western hill districts have started showing their support for Ram Bahadur Thapa also called Comrade Badal, who is believed to be the main military strategist of the party. The cadres have started painting the slogans on the walls in favour of Thapa, instead of their supreme leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who is also known as ComradePrachanda.

Following the emergency, people living in the remote villages of Nepal are still having trouble with the Maoists. They feel that the army doesn't come into their villages, and the Maoists refuse to leave the villages. The Maoists have increased their pillaging, killing and looting in rural areas. Despite the emergency and the mobilisation of the army, locals feel more insecure than before. A civilian living near the Royal Bardiya National Park Buffer Zone Development Area, has been accused by the Maoists of being an army informer. The civilin's home lies about half-a-kilometre away from an army camp, was beaten and robbed by the Maoists. The army was unable to do anything even as the Maoists fired into a fire control zone. "There's no security in the villages", locals say. "The army patrols during the day. It's as if they are taunting the Maoists. At night, hundreds of armed Maoists come and do whatever they like."Many locals worried about returning home, since there's no security. The Maoists have threatened to kill so called "informer" if some Maoist cadres in jail are not released. "How can we live in constant insecurity?", local people worries. A teacher for 32 years, a resident of Manpur Tapara VDC, is also a victim of the Maoists. They broke both his legs and an arm. Two weeks after the incident, he continues to feel insecure at home as the Maoists continue their violent activities in his village. "The security forces haven't provided any security. Just patrolling the main thoroughfares is not enough,"says the injured teacher. The Maoists have accused the teacher of inciting the local youth against them. "Why would I have done that? It's like disturbing a nest of snakes," the teacher said. Villagers say the security forces limit their activities to regular patrols while the Maoists roam around freely, creating havoc in villages. Locals are scared to inform the forces of Maoist movement, as they fear retaliation. In the meantime, the Maoists are shoring up their strength in the villages. As a result, innocent villagers have been caught in booby traps (a kind of landmine) laid by Maoists on main village roads. A 15-year-old wood-seller was injured by a booby trap laid on the main thoroughfare about an hour's walk from the district headquarters,"eyewitnesses reported. Despite to these incidents, the joined security forces don't go to the villages, so the Maoists are very active. Many innocent villagers have been caught in the battle between the Maoists and the security forces.

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February 2002

Like his forefathers did not attend school but were happy with the traditional agriculture. He is happy with his job. Sometimes Badam is carrying local shopkeepers' loads in free time. Sometimes he is carrying a 50-kg sack of rice grains from Benighat to Darbung Phant of Gorkha district. The shopkeepers give him Rs. 100 for one round of load. This amount is enough to sustain life.

When Badam was a small child, the teachers of the neighbouring school used to call him to attend the school but he refrained from doing so because he had no good clothes to wear. The young farmer has no regrets about being illiterate. But when he is in the city, it is a little bit difficult not to be able to read or write. Badam is sure that he can run his life despite being illiterate.

At home Badam is living together with his parents and a younger brother. His parents are old and cannot go to the field for working. His elder brother is working as a contractor in Kathmandu. His younger brother is learning driving in Kathmandu. Maybe the youngest is working as a helper (khalasi) at present. All the three sisters have already been married off.

When the peace talks were underway, the Maoist cadres were rampant in the village. They constantly used to organise rallies and call mass meetings. The Maoists had wiped out many social vices such as liquor production, gambling and other crimes. After the declaration of the state of emergency the Maoists going back to their earlier hideouts, the social vices have again cropped up. The drunkards have again started to rule over their family and the alleys ruthlessly.

Before the emergency was imposed Badam worked in Kathmandu for a few weeks. He had earned almost Rs. 2100 in a month's time in Kathmandu. Because Badam did not have a citizenship certificate or any other identity, he was forced to come back to the his village. Back home they are advised to be on high alert both by the security forces and the Maoists. A few months ago, Now, it is impossible to go to the capital for working. The villages are advised not to leave my village without proper identity.

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