Is this really civil supremacy of UCPN Maoists?

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, November 12

Hundreds of cadres of the Young Communist League, affiliated to the UCPN Maoist, strode on the streets with sticks and red ribbons around Singh Durbar, the centre of the government offices today to gherao it as part of the two-day programme. Addressing their cadres, senior Maoist leaders were mimicking about the civil supremacy, human rights and peace.

On the contrary, the YCL cadres were barring the people from walking on the road freely on their way to home and office since 8AM to 4PM. Ironically, Maoist cadres were excreting urine on the outer walls of Singh Durbar and accumulating papers, plastics and other materials on the roads after having food and snacks.  Moreover, all the traffic movements were halted throughout this period in Kathmandu.

Meanwhile, thousands of ordinary people suffered unnecessarily from the Maoist movement for achieving state power. "They are not realizing about people's human rights and difficulty they are facing now. They are only hungry for being Prime Minister and ministers in the government," said the commuters in a furious mood.

Uma Shrestha, owner of a photo studio at Hanumansthan near by south gate of Singh Durbar, said that she had nothing to do with their movement for power. "However, we suffered more than enough. It was so tense and terrifying during the scuffle between police and demonstrators," she added. "We closed the doors and remained inside for about two hours."

Children and elderly people of the area were badly affected with explosion of tear-gas shells. "Children were crying and our eyes also ached badly," Shrestha said. "Sets of furniture of Kalinchowk Furniture Industry and Chagunarayan Restaurant were damaged while demonstrators entered there," she informed.

Shrestha earned nothing today whereas she used to earn Rs 500 to 1,000 per day. "We are again terrified what will happen tomorrow," she worried.

Deepak Baral, a staff of Janaki Medical College in Janakpur and a representative for Kathmandu valley, said that he came from Sinamangal to Agriculture Development Bank at Ramshah Path, a distance of about four kilometres on foot for an important work. "What kind of civil supremacy is this?", he questioned.

People from all walks of life including students, business community, laymen, and government staffers were badly affected from the strike. Only ambulances were running on the roads. "The life of ordinary people became so hard today," he added.

Bidur Dahal, a Maoist worker from Sindhuli, a businessman and a staff of Hotel Yak and Yeti, also complained of the Maoist activities on the roads. "I came to attend the protest. However, as I have to go to Baneshwor for my work, they blocked me to walk on the road and threatened to do anything," he said. "Is it right? This is the extreme atrocity. This way of beating and threatening will not work any more," he expressed surrealistically.

The demonstrators pelted stones on the security forces. There were about five dozens of Maoist leaders and cadres were injured when police used force to control over the demonstrators entering restricted zones.