NATIONAL 1 (Spotlight Weekly)]

Terror Tactics

With the government pushed to the corner and monarchy on the defensive, the rebels take full advantage by spreading their tentacles of terror

By A CORRESPONDENT

As the country is still struggling to find its feet after the horrendous June 1 royal tragedy, the Maoist rebels have escalated their terror tactics to take advantage of the confusion and chaos at the central government.

In one of the most destructive attacks by the Maoists in a single night, the rebels killed 41 policemen in a separate but seemingly coordinated attacks at three different districts on July 6 -- on the eve of 55th birthday of new King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev.

The police posts at Bichaur in Lamjung district, Taruka in Nuwakot district and Wami Taksar in Gulmi district were overwhelmed by the gun-toting guerrillas in the night time attack killing 21 and 10 each policemen at the posts respectively. This is the first major Maoist attack following the June 1 royal massacre in the Narayanhity palace.

According to reports, nine rebels, including five women, were also killed in the fierce gun battles. Among the simultaneously executed attacks, the worst hit was the Bichaur-based police station where at least 21 policemen including an inspector were killed. The rebels looted arms and ammunition from the decimated police posts. Eighteen policemen are reported missing after the attack in Gulmi and Nuwakot.

In the immediate aftermath of the palace killings, the rebels have surged their operations even in the urban areas including the capital valley. A string of ëbanner bombsí were strewn around the thoroughfares of the city last week.

Ever since the rebels first hit the Dolpa district headquarters at Dunai last September killing more than a dozen police officials, they have given continuity to en masse hit and run tactics running down the police posts at Bhorletar, Naumule, Rukumkot and now the Bichaur. According to a senior police official in Gulmi, the rebels tied the hands of six policemen, who had surrendered, and bombed them to death.

The low morale-hit policemen stationed at the remote areas have become sitting ducks before the rebel guerrillas who attack in closely coordinated groups.

Already the lives of 1700 people have been sacrificed in the name of peopleís war since the rebels began their anti-establishment campaign in February, 1996. And still, there is not any sign of any immediate cessation of the violence. Earlier concentrated at few districts in the mid-western hilly region, the Maoist violence has now spread to dozens of districts across the country.

Security experts say that the Nepal Police, with its current facilities, is ill-equipped to fight the rebels. "The rebels have motivation, police ought to match it with equipment," they say. But the flip-flop attitude of the government, which sometimes decides to form armed police and sometimes decides to deploy army, has not helped the matter either. Currently, the government has been implementing an integrated package called Internal Security and Development Program (ISDP) in just over half a dozen districts, whereby it aims to push development projects with army backing up from behind.

After the last weekís attack at Bichaur police post, the Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Ram Chandra Poudel urged all pro-multi party democracy forces to join hands to face the current problems. He charged the Maoists of hijacking countryís sovereignty. "These Maoists, who do not recognize the identity of anybody including the King, Congress, UML and RPP, have become the challenge for the whole country," he added.

But as water begins to trouble further, the call for dialogue, too, has begin to be pushed back.