Nominated office-bearers of the District Development Committee (DDC) of Tehrathum in eastern Nepal have declared that they stand ready to work with the Maoists at the local level, a news report said.

In a press meet organised at the district headquarters on Thursday, Prithbi Bahadur Tumbahamfe, nominated president of the DDC, said the DDC was ready to be flexible as much as possible and work in coordination with the Maoists at the local level. He also urged the rebels to withdraw their threat against development activities.

Construction of Basantapur-Myanglung, Myanglung-Aathrai road, poverty alleviation programme and income generating activities – most of them supported by various donors—have come to a halt following threats by the insurgents for the last four months.

The DDC has also appealed the donor community not to withdraw their funding for the next three months until there is some response from the side of the rebels. There has been, however, no response from the side of the Maoists to the call for coordination by the local DDC, the news report said.