Insurgency to enter 8th year

January 30, 2003
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The bloody insurgency that enters its eighth year February 13 has claimed more than 7,000 lives; only 1,800 people died in both sides of the conflict until November 26 last year but casualties swelled after

the imposition of a national emergency the same day to quell the communist rebellion; the Army was mobilized against the rebel for the first time after an attack  three days before on an army barrack in Ghorai, Dang.

Rebels attacked Ghorai after breaking off the first round of talks with the government of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba for four months. Maoists launched the insurgency seven years ago after a split in the United People’s Front which controlled nine seats in the 205 member House of Parliament in the first parliament; the UPF was the third largest party in the first parliament after the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML.

The insurgency has ruined the national economy with GDP growth plummeting to less than one percent per year as the law and order situation simultaneously deteriorated.