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Maoists’ illness battlefront opens in earnest
KATHMANDU, MAY 03 -
The Maoist cadre gathered in the Capital have found another ‘enemy’ to fight. This time, it’s Kathmandu’s water, with at least 300 cadre suffering from various kinds of illnesses such as diarrhoea, typhoid and fatigue.
‘Section Commander’ Tul Bahadur Sijapati from Palpa has been diagnosed with typhoid, but cocooned in a blanket he still managed to join the protesters. “I had a headache and fever, and when I went to the doctor he said it was typhoid,” said Sijapati. According to All Nepal Public Health Workers Association — a UCPN (Maoist)-affiliated organisation, the main cause of outbreak of illnesses is unhygienic food and water. “The change in weather has also affected them,” said Mangal B.K., coordinator of the association.
The cadre also grumbled about the food and water provided to them. They have been given chlorine for purifying the water but that doesn’t seem to be working. According to Laxman Ghimire, a first aid volunteer, the situation is not yet an “epidemic” but if things continue this way “there are chances it might turn into one.”
At the Bouddha Maha Vihar in Pulchowk, 600 cadre from four districts — Palpa, Myagdi, Arghakhanchi, and Baglung — have put up. They share five toilets. “All the toilets are filled to the brim, but we have no choice but to use them,” said Sushil Kumar, a cadre from Palpa. The water that is supplied to them comes from tankers, but they don’t know the source. According to B.K., Maoist shelters at Teku, Balaju, Gongabu, Koteshwar and Putalisadak are the most-affected ones.
High daytime temperatures have also affected protesters. They aren’t provided with water because most shops are shut. Still, some cadre said they didn’t mind. Sunita Poudel of Ramechhaap, who is living in Lokanthali, Bhaktapur, said, “All the services are good, except for the stink from the toilets.” She then rushed back to the protest scene.
Posted on: 2010-05-04 09:25
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