It was 16 years back when Nepal Communist Party (Maoist) waged war from Rolpa, a district of mid west Nepal, to overthrow the system which it termed as the ‘old regime’ and capture the power. Holeri, a small marketplace of the hilly district, went through a nightmare for years since the Maoists launched their ‘people’s war’ introducing this remote area as the origin of the war.

It has already been six years since the Maoist party joined the mainstream politics following the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA) on 21 November 2006.

In the following months and years, country saw many changes with the king being stripped of power and then the monarchy being put to an end, announcement of republic, promulgation of the interim constitution and the rise and fall of governments. But, no significant change happened in the lives of the people in Holeri. The only reason for the locals to feel good is that now the locality is free from fear and terror.

The Maoist party gained quick popularity in the initial days of the people war for advocating for change, raising voice for the cause of poor, downtrodden people, practicing commune culture, establishing schools to teach children Janabadi Shiksha (people’s education) and running communed agricultural farms.

Now the Maoists party is trying to preserve the legacy of the ‘people’s war’ by developing the area as the model village as the changes brought by the party in their stronghold disappeared as soon as the its leadership entered Singha Durbar flowing signing of the CPA.

“Our identity is directly associated with war. So, we are trying to relate the remains of war with the concept of war tourism,” says UCPN (Maoist) Rolpa in-charge  Dipendra Pun ‘Sijal’.

Pun says Holeri can attract tourists visiting famous religious destination Sworgadwari in adjoining Pyuthan district if basic infrastructures are established here.

Maoist Rolpa District Committee member Govind Pun says they plan to disseminate the message about the essence of the ‘historic’ war, institutionalisation of the changes achieved from the war and positive and negative aspects of war among the tourists.

According to him, Holeri police post which saw many casualties in the attack on 13 February, 1996 is being conserved in the initiation of local people. Similarly, a monument bearing the names of the people killed from both sides- state and rebels- has been constructed.

“The monument will consists of names of amar prahari (immortal policemen) and martyrs, their photos, and the photos of the weapons used in the attack,” he says.

They also plan to modify the people’s communes which are out of operation these days. According to him, those infrastructures will be reconstructed and home stay service will be provided to the tourists.

“In the past, Holeri was the symbol of terror. We want to change its identity by developing it as a model village,” says Holeri Bazaar Management committee chairman Narayan Khadka.