Posted on 05/15/2005 12:49:31 PM PDT by Alex Marko
KATHMANDU (Reuters) - Maoist rebels in western Nepal have abducted at least 450 school children over the past three days and beaten local aid workers prompting foreign donors to suspend some operations, officials said.
The army said the pupils were taken in Palpa, Tanahun and Baglung districts.
The Maoists regularly abduct school children in remote areas for indoctrination or to boost numbers in pro-Maoist rallies. The children are generally returned after a few days unharmed.
Violence has continued in the Himalayan kingdom since King Gyanendra seized power on Feb. 1. The Maoists have been fighting since 1996 to overthrow the Hindu monarchy and set up a single party communist republic. Nearly 12,000 have died in the conflict so far.
The World Food Programme, Britain's Department for International Development, German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) and Dutch aid agency SNV said in a statement some of its workers were attacked in Sukatiya village, a Maoist stronghold 600 km (375 miles) west of Kathmandu.
Rebels forced a woman at the project to dig her own grave, the statement said, without providing further details about the incident.
"We regret this deeply, but cannot put our staff at further risk," the donors said in a statement.
"It is clear that this action seriously contravenes the BOGs (basic operating guidelines) which are the basis for these donors' engagements in Nepal."
The suspension will hit 6,000 villagers who work on the project in Nepal, one of the world's 10 poorest countries, which gets $400 million, or about 30 percent of its annual budget, in international aid.
There was no immediate response from the government and the rebels, who normally operate in remote areas, could not be reached for comment.
In the past, rebels have regularly demanded money from aid agencies, forcing them to scale back projects as well as staff in rural areas.
Man, you're all over the place:). When terrorists turn to the weakest targets of all, they become lower than the amoebas on the bottom of the pond.
Typing 90+ words a minute helps.
Typing 90+ words a minute helps.
You're the "type" we need more of.:)
Just had to fix the story; it stank as written.
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