Millions of refugees flee war in mountain kingdom
Kathmandu (AsiaNews/Agencies) Millions of people have fled their villages in Nepal to escape the war that is raging between Maoist rebels and the Nepalese Royal Army.
Although Nepal's government has acknowledged only 8,000 'internal refuges', independent sources claim that the number of internally displaced persons ranges from 200 to 500,000 with another 2,000,000 already across the border in India seeking jobs and security.
Durga Prasad Pandey, who fled his rebel-controlled village in Jumla district four years ago, said that ""anyone is safe in the villages, even if they are rapists and murderers, if they support the Maoists. But if a good man opposes them in any way, he is not safe."
Deep Rai, who works for the South Asian Forum for Human Rights, said that "[m]any are fleeing because of a well-founded fear of violence by the Maoists, but we have also come across people who have fled the security forces."
She added that "because you have Maoists and the security forces both going about in civilian clothes, people often do not know who they are talking to."
For NGOs involved in the area, there are very few men and women of military age left. Most have fled Maoist recruitment, but many have also left because of the risk of the army accusing them of belonging to the Maoists.
The net result is that many refugees, often families with children, end up depending on other people's generosity to survive.
"Nepal's internal refugees have been forgotten", said Walter Kalin, senior UN official responsible for internally displaced persons. "Most of these people are unregistered and have received no government assistance, even shelter and food."
Today, US Assistant Secretary of State for South Asia Christina Rocca met Nepalese King Gyanendra. She pledged US support in the fight against the Maoists, but demanded that political prisoners be released and civil liberties restored after they were suspended when the state of emergency was imposed on February 1.
Yesterday, Ms Rocca warned the king and Nepal's political groups to respect human rights in its battle against the Maoists.
So far this year, the US has given Nepal US$ 42 million in economic assistance in addition to US$ 22 million in military aid provided over the past four years.
US aid has become essential for Nepal after the United Kingdom and India suspended theirs on February 1. However, the US has said that they would stop helping Nepal if human rights were not respected.
By contrast, Navtej Sarna, a spokesperson for the Indian Foreign Minister, yesterday announced that India was going to resume military aid to Nepal.
The Indian government also stated that it hoped that "multiparty democracy and constitutional monarchy" would be re-established in its northern neighbour.
Some observers suggest that the recent visit by Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing to Nepal is behind India's policy shift.
Concern might be mounting in New Delhi that China could establish a privileged relationship with Nepal at the expense of India as happened in the sixties under King Gyanendra's father, King Mahendra. (PB)
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22/03/2006
