Outside king’s castle, his army under siege

Dhulikhel used to be known for its magnificent view of the snow covered peaks of the Greater Himalayas. Today, the town is full of army and armed police barracks defended by rows of concertina wires and barriers. Seeing the fortress mentality of the security forces, one gets the sense that it is they who are under seige —— not the Maoists.

At this town, armed police, assisted by M-16 rifle carrying soldiers, are patrolling some parts of the highway —— questioning any suspicious movement or individual. A group of Dhulikhel residents confirm the Maoists are in the area and carry on playing carrom next to the Arniko highway.

They say the Maoist bandh on February 3 was total in the countryside and that an offensive is possible on the 10th anniversay of the Left-wing movement on February 13.

Army personnel confirm that there is Maoist activity in the area and that is why procceeding beyond Dhulikhel to the barracks in Panchkhal is risky. Beyond Panchkhal, say local residents, lies the ‘Liberated Zone’.

Testimony to the fact that the Reds are rising in Eastern Nepal, especially in the Jhapa area, comes from contractors for a road being built with Japanese aid to nearby Sindhuli. The project has run into trouble with Maoists, who themselves are building a road in the area funded by extortion money. The contractors say the Maoists run parallel governments, arms of which include indoctrination camps and schools.

The growing disconnect between Kathmandu and the rest of the country is evident here. Though even in Dhulikhel, the dismissed Deuba government finds no sympathy, people are concerned as for the first time, the King is pitted directly against Maoists. People here say the country will plunge into even more serious turmoil if the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) is not able to vanquish the extremists.

However, with 7,000 committed Maoist cadre virtually in control of the countryside, the RNA will have to come out of its fortresses if they are to make a fight of it. But at Dhulikhel, such signs are not evident.

Schools, colleges reopen

KATHMANDU: Schools and colleges in Kathmandu reopened on Sunday at the directive of the new government which warned of stern action against political parties and Maoist rebels if they call general strikes. The government, also said the army would carry out ‘‘more focussed’’ action against Maoist insurgents. —PTI