Mar 29 07:55 AM US/Eastern
KATHMANDU, March 29 (AP) - (Kyodo)—The Nepalese government said Tuesday the death toll from the country's 10-year civil war was almost 1,000 people more than the figure released two years ago.The government said the conflict has left 17,265 people dead, citing figures compiled by an official taskforce responsible for ascertaining the loss of life and property during the Communist insurgency.
In 2009, the government put the death toll at 16,278.
The conflict, which ended in 2006, has left an additional 1,302 people missing, 4,305 disabled and 78,675 displaced, according to Peace Ministry data.
Nepal's Maoists fought an armed insurgency demanding a new Constitution and an end to the monarchy.
The Constituent Assembly, elected in 2008, abolished the country's monarchy the same year, while the Maoists emerged as the country's biggest political force.
A new Constitution has yet to be written, largely because of a power struggle that led to the formation of three governments in as many years.
The Constituent Assembly is supposed to promulgate a new Constitution by May 28.
In 2009, the government put the death toll at 16,278.
The conflict, which ended in 2006, has left an additional 1,302 people missing, 4,305 disabled and 78,675 displaced, according to Peace Ministry data.
Nepal's Maoists fought an armed insurgency demanding a new Constitution and an end to the monarchy.
The Constituent Assembly, elected in 2008, abolished the country's monarchy the same year, while the Maoists emerged as the country's biggest political force.
A new Constitution has yet to be written, largely because of a power struggle that led to the formation of three governments in as many years.
The Constituent Assembly is supposed to promulgate a new Constitution by May 28.
Progress in Constitution drafting work remains slow, and Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal, who was elected by parliament on Feb. 3, has yet to announce a full Cabinet.
Govt calls armed outfits for talks
Added At: 2011-03-29 11:51 PM
Last Updated At: 2011-03-30 11:51 PM
HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE
KATHMANDU: Amid serial blasts that gripped the Tarai in the past few days, the government today formally invited armed outfits operating mostly in Tarai districts, for talks.
The government, however, made it clear it would sit at the table only with those groups that are political in nature.
Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Barsha Man Pun said some outfits operating in the Tarai and eastern hill districts had already approached it for talks.
“The government sits for talks only with groups having political nature,” Pun said at a press conference, insisting that groups involved in criminal activities would not be spared.
Criminal acts like murder, abduction, and extortion, are the biggest security challenges in the area bordering the Tarai and eastern hill districts. Government data shows as many as 100 armed groups active there, many of them criminal.
In the last four days, four blasts were reported in various districts — Rautahat, Banke Rupandehi and Kavre — which police claim were perpetrated by armed outfits.
At least one person died and dozens of others were injured in these incidents.
Asked who was responsible for the recent blasts, Minister Pun said investigations were under way in this regard. He, however, did not give details about progress in the investigation, saying it was out of his jurisdiction.
Pun did not disclose which groups had approached the government for talks, saying the “dialogue would be kept secret until it bore fruit”.
Earlier, the Madhav Kumar Nepal-led coalition government had held talks with 22 groups and had forged at least two dozen agreements with them, according to the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction (MoPR)
During the press meet, he presented details of people who were killed, abducted, disappeared and displaced during the decade-long armed rebellion and the figures of those who did not get relief package from the state.
According to the MoPR report, family members of 1,444 out of 17,265 people who died during the conflict were yet to get relief from the state. The report says the state would provide relief to family members of 2,283 conflict victims in the running fiscal. Among the 78,675 displaced persons, almost two third, 50,675 are yet to be resettled in their own homes, according to the report.
The government, however, made it clear it would sit at the table only with those groups that are political in nature.
Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Barsha Man Pun said some outfits operating in the Tarai and eastern hill districts had already approached it for talks.
“The government sits for talks only with groups having political nature,” Pun said at a press conference, insisting that groups involved in criminal activities would not be spared.
Criminal acts like murder, abduction, and extortion, are the biggest security challenges in the area bordering the Tarai and eastern hill districts. Government data shows as many as 100 armed groups active there, many of them criminal.
In the last four days, four blasts were reported in various districts — Rautahat, Banke Rupandehi and Kavre — which police claim were perpetrated by armed outfits.
At least one person died and dozens of others were injured in these incidents.
Asked who was responsible for the recent blasts, Minister Pun said investigations were under way in this regard. He, however, did not give details about progress in the investigation, saying it was out of his jurisdiction.
Pun did not disclose which groups had approached the government for talks, saying the “dialogue would be kept secret until it bore fruit”.
Earlier, the Madhav Kumar Nepal-led coalition government had held talks with 22 groups and had forged at least two dozen agreements with them, according to the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction (MoPR)
During the press meet, he presented details of people who were killed, abducted, disappeared and displaced during the decade-long armed rebellion and the figures of those who did not get relief package from the state.
According to the MoPR report, family members of 1,444 out of 17,265 people who died during the conflict were yet to get relief from the state. The report says the state would provide relief to family members of 2,283 conflict victims in the running fiscal. Among the 78,675 displaced persons, almost two third, 50,675 are yet to be resettled in their own homes, according to the report.
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