Community farming will continue in seized land: Maoist leader

(NH Reporter, September 20) Maoist affiliated All Nepal Peasants Union (2007) has said it will not return the land seized from leaders and cadres of various political parties and the general public during the conflict until another arrangement is made for the farmers dependent on such land, reports say.

Peasants are farming in some 50,000 hectares of land across the country seized during the conflict; we have instructed them to do so, said Chitra Bahadur Shrestha, chairman of the union and a Constituent Assembly member.

They will continue farming in the seized land until another arrangement is made for them, he added.

Unified CPN (Maoist) chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal had pledged before the parliament in December last year, when he was the Prime Minister, his party would return the seized land before April 19.

However, Shrestha does not agree that with that.

When did we agree to return the seized land? he questioned. No one has the right to keep the land barren, Shrestha added.

A committee was formed to monitor the commitments expressed by the Maoists. The report submitted by the committee before its term ended on July 22 had concluded land and property belonging to more than 30,000 families was still in control of the Maoists.

Although, Nepali Congress had raised the concern most vehemently when it was in opposition it is mum on the issue when it has gone to the government.