Editorial»
Mayor’s assassination
JAN 17 - The assassination of Birgunj sub-metropolis Mayor Gopal Giri has sent a shock wave across the country. The incident proves
that the Maoist rebels are hell-bent on killing political leaders for the sake of money. The Mayor, who refused to pay half-a-million rupees as donation to the rebels, was shot dead in broad daylight after he was invited for talks. The 52-year-old slain Giri was also a member of the central committee of Federation of Nepalese Journalists. This aside, Giri had worked in different capacities before he was appointed as the Birgunj Mayor last year. The Mayor was also asked to resign from the post when he evenly refused to pay such a huge amount of money.
Giri has become the first high-ranking politician assassinated since the government began political appointments in local governments. It seems that the Maoist attempt to escalate violence by unleashing terror and, at the same time, extorting money is going to stay. It is also true that incidents of extortion, killings and kidnappings by the Maoists still remain the main plank of the so-called People’s War. And incidents of Maoist-unleashed terror have become too extreme to be tolerated, especially in the Maoist-affected districts and towns. Their acts of unleashing terror against the innocent people cannot be justified in any way irrespective of whether or not they are fighting for the right cause.
Many had expected that the Maoists would refrain from killing the innocent people or local leaders after Maoist Supremo Prachanda made a public statement that clearly urged his cadres “to refrain from extortion, political murdering and kidnappings for ransom” during the last cease-fire. But what the Maoists have been doing is exactly the opposite of what their leader Prachanda has said. The Maoist cadres did not even spare septuagenarian local Nepali Congress president Haridutta Tiwari of Sankarpokhari-4 on the day Mayor Giri was assassinated. It is still fresh in many people’s minds how the rebels killed their parents, brothers and teachers with no reason.
The manner in which the Maoists have adopted terror tactics for extortion of money proves true the statement often made by the spokesman of security forces that the security personnel have been gradually regaining the Maoist-controlled regions. The Maoists are on the run and have chosen new strategies of money extortion. The killing of innocent local leaders has become a means to meet their demand. Their targets have been political leaders and business houses. This is nothing but sheer terrorism, which should be condemned by all.Posted on: 2004-01-18 02:48
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