The humane aspect of these penal actions

Gone are the days when the Nepalese people had to go through the Indian newspapers to learn about rapes, abductions, extortions and more so about the killings of innocent civilians. Those were the days when we the people in this Himalayan Kingdom used to get terrified as and when we learnt from various media channels that "one person has been killed" who disobeyed the robbers when the latter asked for the wealth whatever the poor person had in his possession. Likewise, cases of rape were practically unknown to us. Extortion and bank-loot cases were even not in our dreams then.

Modernization and the current phase of liberalization and globalization have had its effects here as well. We, once the Shangri-La in the Himalayan ranges, have become prone to all sorts of evils that could be noticed in this civilized world. With advanced technologies available in the world, the criminals too have been using modern warfare machines for terrorizing the civilians. Crime rates too have increased of late. Killings of the innocent civilians, either by the police or by the Maoists and that too in the name of ideologies have become common.

The Maoists have waged a sort of people's war since six years or so and they claim that should they come to power with their own system of governance, things will take a better turn. The government dubs them as terrorists. The Maoists claim that they have a mission and thus they were a revolutionary force working day in day night to accomplish their ideological goals. These two separate theories emanating from two diametrically opposed almost inimical forces have been confusing the people. In the process, innocent civilians have been forced to sacrifice their precious lives. Tremendous loss to the nation indeed.

One might differ outright with the process of taking violent actions on the security personnel by the Maoists, however, some of the acts they have already put to test is simply superb.

Case one: There is a village in Ramechap district. There lives a famous card player. His job is to collect all the unemployed youths of the village to his place and make them card-playing addict. Understandably, this caused panic among the elderly population in that particular village. When enough had been enough, some responsible citizens brought this to the notice of the local Maoists leaders. Action was immediately taken. The ruffian, read the rotten egg, who collected the innocent youths for card playing, was awarded simply wonderful penal action. Out of his total moustache, half have been shaved. He has also been told by the Maoists that if he shaved the remaining half, he is physically gone. Since then no card playing business in that village.

Case two: In Dang district, one local land lord seduced an old lady and made her to sell a piece from her prime land. The lady put her signature at the appropriate government office and the ownership went to the landlord. Later it was made known to the lady that she had been cheated and that the whole of the land now belonged to the lord. The lady sought help but in vain. The Maoists leaders' knew about the lady's problem. They acted fast. The landlord was summoned at the premises of the lady and interrogated. The land lord admited that he had cheated the lady. The lady got the rest of the land back.

Case three: A village in the western district. Most of the male members go for a job in India leaving their consort in their homes. Upon return from alien land after making some money, they tragically meet with one unfortunate event. Some ruffian from the same village manages his wife to go corrupt and absconds with his former wife. This event practically happens in most of the family whose male partner has gone to India for earning money. When enough had been enough, the Maoists took note of this ugly events. They issued an ultimatum against this unusual practice in that village. The ultimatum had it that the female folk and the ruffian who abscond in this fashion will both be physically punished. A sort of happy atmosphere prevails in that part now. No absconding now.

Case four: Yet again another village in the western region. Here the male members are alcohol addict. Under the spell of alcohol, they generally misbehave physically their respective wives. Some hard hit women folks complained about their male partners' behaviour meted out to them and sounght help from the insurgents. The Maoists came into action. The male members were duly warned. Since then the society there has become not only alcohol free but the male members now feel afraid of their consorts.

The cases described here has not been printed to praise the Maoists. This in no way should mean that we subscribe the views of the Maoists. However, as a media man, I must remain sincere to my duties of reporting. The fact is that the societal responsibilities which the government should have shouldered, have best been taken proper care of by the insurgents. Perhaps this could be the reason that the insurgents' were becoming popular among the masses especially in the less developed and highly illiterate part of the country that is the western region. The government perhaps should understand the meaning in between the lines.

Headline | National | 5 Question  | Editorial | International | Past