| Biswo |
Posted
on 31-Aug-00 10:34 PM
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -
The U.S. State Department on
Thursday urged U.S. citizens in
Nepal to be cautious over the
next few weeks since early
September has traditionally
been a period when rebel
Maoist groups are more active
there. "There is no specific
threat against American citizens in Nepal, but
American citizens should exercise caution in
all travel during this period, particularly during
evening hours," the State Department said in a
public announcement. Maoist groups, which
are campaigning to overthrow Nepal"s
decade-old constitutional monarchy, have
announced that they will take "hard action"
nationwide from Sept. 1 through Sept. 8, the
department said. A local newspaper had also
reported that Sept. 8 would be a "black day"
commemorating the death of Suresh Wagle,
who was killed by police last year, it said. The
department said it was uncertain what form
any rebel actions would take, but urged U.S.
citizens to be especially cautious during this
period. It recommended that Americans in
Nepal monitor local news for information
about civil unrest and Maoist activity, or check
in with the U.S. embassy in Kathmandu. About
1,400 people have been killed in conflicts
related to the Maoist insurgency which began
in several remote and poor districts of Nepal in
early 1996. The State Department issued a
consular information sheet in December,
saying that because of the potential for
violence, U.S. government employees were
forbidden to travel to those remote districts
most affected by the rebel movement. In the
past, Maoist groups have threatened to take
actions against non-governmental
organizations they perceive to have a U.S.
affiliation. ^
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