A day after the Maoist pledge of returning the properties it seized during insurgency expired, the Maoist Victims’ Association (MVA) in Dang district in mid-western Nepal said it will continue its protest programmes.

Demanding immediate return of the property seized by the Maoists during insurgency, the association formed by people victimised by Maoists in Dang district had been staging sit-ins and other demonstrations in front of the District Administration Office, Dang from the past one month.

However, seeing that it has been largely ineffective to exert pressure on the Maoists to return the property seized from them during insurgency, they announced that their protests have now entered second phase. The victims also said that their protest will be more concerted than before, as they plan to organize additional protest programmes by wearing black bandana on their head, taking out lantern or torch rallies among others.

MVA said it was compelled to continue the protest programme as Prime Minister and Chairman of the CPN (Maoist) Pushpa Kamal Dahal didn’t live up to the promise he gave last month that the properties seized by Maoists during insurgency will be returned by December 15.

PM Dahal had also announced that the government will provide compensation to the property owners if they don’t receive their property back by December 15.

According to MVA, the Maoists have still not returned more than 2000 bighas land belonging to some 200 odd families in Dang. nepalnews.com ag Dec 16 08