Maoists continue recruitment drive; parents protest the move: Report
As the joint team of United Nations, the government and the Maoists are finalizing the cantonment sites to keep Maoist combatants, Maoists are continuing their nationwide recruitment campaign.
According to The Kathmandu Post daily, a report from Udaypur said, Maoists forcibly recruited more than three dozen students of Triyuga Multiple Campus and other schools at the district headquarters Gaighat, in the last two days.
According to a campus source, the rebels took away 20 students from the campus alone on Saturday and Sunday. Also, many students have been forcibly recruited and taken away from Asari and Beltar VDCs and Triyuga Municipality.
Likewise, in Baglung, Maoists have been luring children, youths and as well as elderly people for "Peoples' Liberation Army" (PLA) recruitment promising them of a "monthly salary" of Rs 5,000, in several VDCs around the district headquarters Baglung Bazaar.
At Dhadashwor of Paiyupata-6, the rebels on Saturday recruited 15 children into the PLA and took them toward Kusma. However, two of the children returned home on Sunday, locals said.
The rebels have also recruited several schoolchildren and elderly people from Amlachaur, Raidanda and Bhakunde VDCs, The Kathmandu Post reported.
Likewise, in Ramechhap, the rebels have continued recruitment of youths and schoolchildren into the PLA from Deurali, Sanghutar, Salu and several other VDCs of district.
Seven of the schoolchildren of Khadakbar village in Banke district, who were taken away by the Maoists for recruitment into the PLA a few days ago, have been brought back by their parents.
Likewise, a report from Biratnagar said, various student organizations there warned of strong protests against the rebels if the latter failed to immediately stop forced recruitment drive of school children and youths by Maoists.
Issuing separate press statements, Nepal Students Union (NSU), NSU-Democratic, UML affiliated All Nepal National Free Student Union, Free Students Union of Mahendra Morang Campus at Biratnagar, among others, said that their attention was seriously drawn by the Maoist's recent forced recruitment of children and students.
"If they (Maoists) fail to immediately return the forcibly taken children and youths to their parents, we will begin massive protests," reads their statement.
Meanwhile, in Dhading district, irked parents of the children who were forcibly taken away by Maoists to recruit them in the Maoist ranks, warned they would padlock the liaison office of the Maoists in the district if the rebels failed to free their children, the daily reported.
They issued the warning after they could not trace the whereabouts of their abducted children even after searching the Maoist camps and their liaison office. nepalnews.com pb Nov 20 06
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