Locals throng to Dipayal demanding peace and security

Local people of remote Mannakapadi VDC of Doti district reached Dipayal, the regional headquarter of the far-western region on Sunday demanding the government to reciprocate unilateral ceasefire declared by the Maoists as the three-month period is coming near.

The demonstrators, ranging from 12 and 70 years of age reached Dipayal after a three-day walk and submitted an 11-point memorandum to the government.

They have demanded for the elections of the constituent assembly and also asked the government to reciprocate the truce declared by the Maoists. They said their objective was to surround the regional administration office to put pressure on the government for restoration of peace.

Earlier, security personnel had stopped unarmed villagers in Ratomata of the district before they reached the headquarters. Later, Chief District Officer (CDO) Bhojendra Chettri had reached the site to receive the memo as villagers kept waiting all day long until security men let them proceed.

CDO Chhetri assured them that they would forward their demands to the higher authorities.

Reports quoted Man Bahadur Manni of Mannakapadi VDC 1, as saying, "The government should take the initiative for restoration of peace. Being the patron of the people, the state just cannot sit idle."

This is the third time that locals of Doti have surrounded the district headquarters Dipayal asking that government reciprocate the unilateral truce called by Maoists and to work toward restoring sustainable peace in the country.

Locals of different VDCs’ of the district surrounded the Regional Administration Office on November 22 in a bid to pressurize the government to restore peace in the country.

Maoists have been forcing locals to go to the district headquarter for demonstration to create pressure to the government to reciprocate their call for unilateral ceasefire. nepalnews.com pb Nov 28 05