- Title: NEPAL: Maoists released from Nakhu jail
- Date: 13th June 2006
- Summary: (W3) NAKHU JAIL PREMISES, KATHMANDU (REUTERS) CLOSE UP: BOARD OF ARMED POLICE FORCE PRISON SECURITY BASE CAMP , NAKHU CLOSE UP: PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE NET WAITING FOR THE RELEASED DETAINEES WIDE / CLOSE UP: OF PEOPLE WAITING FOR RELEASE WITH GARLANDS (2 SHOTS) VARIOUS: OF ZONAL BUREAU MEMBER HIMAL SHARMA BEING WELCOMED AS SOON AS HE COMES OUT, FOLLOWED BY OTHER RELEASED DET
- Embargoed: 28th June 2006 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Nepal
- Country: Nepal
- Topics: Crime / Law Enforcement
- Reuters ID: LVA6ZI7NKRG9NUDJYJ4EMZVJAP47
- Story Text: Nepal's new government freed dozens of jailed Maoist rebels on Tuesday (June 13), keeping a pledge made to the guerrillas ahead of last month's resumption of peace talks that aim to end a revolt that has killed thousands of people.
At least 60 rebels were freed from a jail on the outskirts of the capital, Kathmandu, a day after officials dropped terrorism charges against them.
The Maoists left the high-security prison in a line to be greeted by hundreds of friends and relatives waiting in scorching heat and carrying garlands. "Down with monarchy. Long live the republic", "Long live CPNM)," they shouted, referring to the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), the official name of the Maoists, as they raised their fists in a Maoist salute.
Nepal's multi-party government, which took control in April after King Gyanendra gave in to pro-democracy protests supported by the Maoists and handed power to political parties, held preliminary talks with rebels in May, the first such meeting since 2003.
Some of those released on Tuesday are from Maoist-affiliated student and labour groups. All were charged under a controversial anti-terrorism act that allowed security forces to detain suspects for up to one year without trial.
Himal Sharma, one of the released detainees, said "The old regime had detained us charging us as terrorists, we had been subjected to vigourous hardships. Nepali people fought and struggled, the consequence of which was that the locks of the jail have been opened and today we are free from the prison."
"More than 1500 of our colleagues have disappeared Till we find them and till everybody in detention with false charges be released our movement will continue," Himal Sharma added.
Prisoner releases were a Maoist precondition for joining the talks, and in the run up to the first meeting the government freed more than 700 rebels.
Officials said on Tuesday that release orders had been issued for about another 290 Maoists, who would be freed after completing the necessary legal formalities.
Fresh talks were expected to begin soon, officials said, to tackle differences over holding elections to a special assembly that would draft a new constitution and decide the future of the monarchy, a key rebel demand.
More than 13,000 people have died since Maoists began fighting the monarchy in 1996 with the aim of setting up a communist republic. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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