Nepal rebels attack military post, 30 killed

[Syrinx]

KATHMANDU (Reuters) - Nepali troops killed 26 Maoist rebels in a
fierce gunbattle in the east of the kingdom after hundreds of the
guerrillas attacked a military base, the army said on Tuesday.

Three policemen and one soldier were also killed in the clash on
Monday night at Bandipur, 450 km (280 miles) east of Kathmandu, an
officer said.

``We have recovered 26 bodies,'' the officer told Reuters. ``They
failed in their plan to overrun the security base...The Maoists were
using civilians as human shields in a blatant violation of human
rights.''

Dozens of civilians were injured in the attack, the biggest in three
weeks.

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/international/international-nepal.html

[EvolvedChimp]

1. I just don't understand

Saddam also used to use human shields. Now are these people sympathetic with their dictator or are they forced to be a shield? Excuse my ignorance.

[American in Asia]

2. Maoists claim they do not do this, but

UN, US, Human Rights Watch, and various other organizations claim they do.

Since Maoists admit they take large numbers of citizens (and children) from their villages for "reeducation" at gunpoint, I choose to not believe them. Others on this site seem to have a more benign view of them than I do, though, so you have to decide for yourself. (That being said, I do not argue that the Nepalese government has clean hands when it comes to rights abuses either. The Nepali people in the countryside are trapped in an impossible situation.)

Here are some links:


http://hrw.org/reports/2004/childsoldiers0104/12.htm

http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41742.htm

http://www.watchlist.org/reports/nepal.report.php?p=14

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/programmes/this_world/one_day_of_war/html/13.stm

http://www.oneworld.net/article/view/89000/1/6617

[EvolvedChimp]

4. Thanks A.I.A.

[James T. Kirk]

3. Damn Maoists!

:grr::grr::grr::grr::grr::grr::grr:
I'm glad those thugs lost the battle!