Maoists walk out of Nepalese camp

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/south_asia/6382093.stm

Version 0 of 1.

Hundreds of former Maoist rebels living in a rehabilitation camp in the south of Nepal have walked out, complaining of poor accommodation and food.

They have blamed the government for failing to meet their basic needs in the cantonment at Chitwan.

More than 500 unarmed ex-rebels said they were leaving the camp in search of work. Correspondents say their actions clearly violate last year's ceasefire.

The camp is one of 28 set up for the rebels after the peace agreement.

Worsened conditions

"We can't live like this. Despite several assurances, the government has not provided us with the basic needs, so that is why we decided to leave the camp," one of the rebels, called Abhiral, told the AP news agency.

He said that a lack of construction materials meant that many former guerrillas had been living in shelters made of straw and leaves, and heavy winter rains last week had worsened conditions.

Maoist weapons are now under UN supervision

The BBC's Surendra Phuyal in Kathmandu says that many of those who left the Chitwan camp are now working in nearby brick kilns and road construction sites under the supervision of their commanders.

A local Maoist commander, Bibidh, told the BBC that more fighters would leave the camp in days to come, depending on the availability of labour.

'Heavily indebted'

Krishna Bahadur Mahara, the Maoist spokesman in Kathmandu, warned that continuing budgetary shortfalls could force up to 20,000 out of the 30,000 or so Maoist fighters to venture out of the camps to find labour jobs.

Although the government says it has allocated the necessary budget for the Maoist fighters, their leaders say they are facing an acute shortage of lodging and ration provisions in the seven main temporary cantonments.

The rebels says their living conditions are desperate

"We are heavily indebted too, we can't go on like this," Mr Mahara said. "But if our financial requirements are met, things could change."

Officials at the Ministry of Finance say they have already released 500 million rupees (around $6.5m) for the upkeep of the rebel cantonments and the fighters.

But Maoist commanders say that amount is insufficient to meet basic needs and to pay salaries.

They say that they have informed the government and the UN about their move.

The rebel fighters were placed in cantonments under UN supervision after November's historic peace deal.

The UN is currently working to register and verify the rebel fighters and their arms.