Kathmandu, May 09: Some 181 maoists took advantage of a government amnesty to surrender to security forces in a remote region of central Nepal today, the official news agency. 40 maoists from Pasgaun village and 141 from other villages in Lamjung district gave themselves up en masse about 135 kilometres west of the capital, Kathmandu. The government has promised security and jobs to those who surrender. The maoists have been waging what they call people war for the past eight years to set up a communist republic in Nepal. More than 10,000 have died in the violence.
Today's move comes a day after the resignation of Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa, who claimed in his farewell speech that his government was able to bring maoist activities ''under control to some extent''.
Meanwhile, the security forces killed at least seven maoists in separate operations in Nawalparasi district, about 200 kilometres west of the capital, this morning, security sources said. In two other incidents, maoists killed a soldier yesterday night and a policeman today in west Nepal, radio reports said.
Bureau Report