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Rukum East, Feb 13: The Nepali Communist Party is observing the 30th anniversary of the People’s War today with various programs in Rukum East, the district where the insurgency began. Party chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal arrived in Rukum East on Thursday to join martyrs’ families, families of the disappeared, the injured, the disabled and residents in commemorating the day.

The People’s War was launched on February 13, 1996, by the then Communist Party of Nepal Maoist and lasted for ten years. This is the first time Prachanda is marking the anniversary in Rukum East.

The district, formed after the country adopted federalism, is regarded as one of the achievements of the conflict. Prachanda has also filed his candidacy for the House of Representatives from Rukum East, describing it as the base area of the insurgency from where he seeks to begin a socialist transformation.

A main event is being held at Khabang Bagar in Bhume Rural Municipality 2, where Prachanda is scheduled to honor martyrs’ families. Rukum East has 252 recognized martyrs from the conflict.

The insurgency began with attacks on police posts in Aathbiskot of Rukum, Holeri in Rolpa, Sindhuligadhi in Sindhuli and the Agriculture Development Bank in Chyangli, Gorkha.

Over the years, several major incidents took place, including ambushes in Chherabang and Qubang, where Maoists seized weapons, and the 2001 capture of Rukumkot police post, in which 40 people, including 32 police personnel, were killed.

Key political decisions were also made in Rukum. In January 2005, a Maoist politburo meeting in Labang took action against Baburam Bhattarai. Later, in October 2005, a central committee meeting in Chunbang endorsed the line of the democratic republic and paved the way for a peaceful political process. That course led to the 12-point agreement among seven political parties, ultimately resulting in the end of the monarchy and the establishment of a federal democratic republic.

Before attending today’s event, Prachanda is scheduled to visit Mahat village and Labang village, sites linked to key episodes of the insurgency.

People’s News Monitoring Service