The Nepalese Civil War was a protracted armed conflict that took place in the former
Kingdom of Nepal
The Kingdom of Nepal ( ne, नेपाल अधिराज्य), also known as the Gorkha Empire ( ne, गोरखा अधिराज्य) or Asal Hindustan ( ne, असल हिन्दुस्तान)(), was a Hindu king ...
from 1996 to 2006. It saw fighting between the
Nepalese royal government and the
Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) throughout the country.
The conflict began on 13 February 1996, when the Communist Party of Nepal initiated an insurgency with the stated purpose of overthrowing the Nepalese monarchy and establishing a
people's republic
People's republic is an official title, usually used by some currently or formerly communist or left-wing states. It is mainly associated with soviet republics, socialist states following people's democracy, sovereign states with a democratic- ...
; it ended with the signing of the
Comprehensive Peace Accord
The Comprehensive Peace Accord ( ne, विस्तृत शान्ति सम्झौता; abbreviated CPA) was signed on 21 November 2006 between the Government of Nepal and the Unified Communist Party of Nepal.
Highlights of the peac ...
on 21 November 2006.
The insurgency was characterized by numerous
war crimes and
crimes against humanity
Crimes against humanity are widespread or systemic acts committed by or on behalf of a ''de facto'' authority, usually a state, that grossly violate human rights. Unlike war crimes, crimes against humanity do not have to take place within the ...
, including
summary execution
A summary execution is an execution in which a person is accused of a crime and immediately killed without the benefit of a full and fair trial. Executions as the result of summary justice (such as a drumhead court-martial) are sometimes include ...
s,
massacre
A massacre is the killing of a large number of people or animals, especially those who are not involved in any fighting or have no way of defending themselves. A massacre is generally considered to be morally unacceptable, especially when per ...
s,
purge
In history, religion and political science, a purge is a position removal or execution of people who are considered undesirable by those in power from a government, another organization, their team leaders, or society as a whole. A group undertak ...
s,
kidnapping
In criminal law, kidnapping is the unlawful confinement of a person against their will, often including transportation/asportation. The asportation and abduction element is typically but not necessarily conducted by means of force or fear: the p ...
s, and
mass rapes. It resulted in the deaths of over 17,000 people, including civilians, insurgents, and army and police personnel; and the internal displacement of hundreds of thousands of people, mostly throughout rural Nepal. The
Truth and Reconciliation Commission
A truth commission, also known as a truth and reconciliation commission or truth and justice commission, is an official body tasked with discovering and revealing past wrongdoing by a government (or, depending on the circumstances, non-state act ...
has received about 63,000 complaints, as reported by commissioner Madhabi Bhatta, while the Commission for Investigation of Enforced Disappearances has received around 3,000.
Overview
On 10 January 1990, the
United Left Front (ULF) was formed,
which, together with the
Nepali Congress
The Nepali Congress ( ne, नेपाली कांग्रेस ; abbr. NC) is the largest social democratic political party in Nepal. As per the results of recent local election, ''Nepali Congress'' stands as the single largest party o ...
, was the backbone of the movement for democratic change. However, communist groups, uncomfortable with the alliance between the ULF and the Congress, formed a parallel front: the
United National People's Movement (UNPM). The UNPM called for elections to a
constituent assembly
A constituent assembly (also known as a constitutional convention, constitutional congress, or constitutional assembly) is a body assembled for the purpose of drafting or revising a constitution. Members of a constituent assembly may be elected b ...
, and rejected compromises made by ULF and the Congress party with the palace. In November 1990, the
Communist Party of Nepal (Unity Centre)
The Communist Party of Nepal (Unity Centre) was a communist party in Nepal. CPN (UC) was formed on 19–20 November 1990 through the merger of Communist Party of Nepal (Mashal), Communist Party of Nepal (Fourth Convention), Proletarian Workers O ...
, or CPN(UC), was formed, and included key elements of the UNPM. On 21 January 1991, the CPN(UC) set up the
United People's Front of Nepal (UPFN), with
Baburam Bhattarai
Baburam Bhattarai ( ne, बाबुराम भट्टराई, ; born 18 June 1954), also known by his nom de guerre Laaldhwoj, is a Nepalese politician and former Prime Minister, who presently serves as leader of the Nepal Socialist Part ...
as its head, as an open front to contest elections.
The CPN(UC) held its first convention on 25 November 1991;
it adopted a line of "protracted armed struggle on the route to a new democratic revolution", and decided that the party would remain an underground party. In the
1991 election, the UPFN became the third-largest party in the
Nepali parliament. However, disagreements within the UPFN surged, regarding which tactics were to be used by the party. One group, led by
Pushpa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda), argued for immediate armed revolution, while the other group, led by Nirmal Lama, claimed that Nepal was not yet ripe for armed struggle.
On 22 May 1994, the CPN(UC)/UPFN was split in two. The militant faction later renamed itself the
Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), or CPN(M). This faction described the government forces, mainstream political parties, and the monarchy, as "feudal forces". The armed struggle began on 13 February 1996, when the CPN(M) carried out seven simultaneous attacks over six districts.
Initially, the government mobilized the
Nepal Police
Nepal Police is the national and primary law enforcement agency of Nepal. It is primarily responsible for maintaining law and order, prevention of crime and crime investigation within the jurisdiction determined by the Constitution of Nepal. ...
to contain the insurgency. The
Royal Nepal Army was not involved in direct fighting because the conflict was regarded as a policing matter. On Friday, 1 June 2001,
King Birendra
Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev ( ne, श्री ५ महाराजाधिराज वीरेन्द्र वीर विक्रम शाह देव ) (28 December 1945 – 1 June 2001) was the tenth Shah Ruler and the King of N ...
, and his entire family were killed in a
massacre
A massacre is the killing of a large number of people or animals, especially those who are not involved in any fighting or have no way of defending themselves. A massacre is generally considered to be morally unacceptable, especially when per ...
at the
Narayanhiti Palace
The Narayanhiti Palace Museum ( Nepali: नारायणहिटी दरवार) is a public museum in Kathmandu, Nepal located east of the Kaiser Mahal and next to Thamel. The museum was created in 2008 from the complex of the former Nar ...
– the official residence of the
Shah monarchs. Supposedly perpetrated by
Prince Dipendra, the heir apparent to the Nepalese throne, there were ten deaths and five injuries – four injured victims and one self-inflicted injury on Dipendra after firing the weapon that he was using upon himself in the head as an apparent suicide attempt. Dipendra fell into a coma for three days before dying, during which he was crowned as the new king. On 25 July 2001, the government of
Sher Bahadur Deuba
Sher Bahadur Deuba ( ne, शेरबहादुर देउवा, ; born 13 June 1946) is a Nepali politician and former prime minister of Nepal. He has also been serving as the president of the Nepali Congress since 2016. Deuba has served ...
and the Maoist insurgents declared a
ceasefire
A ceasefire (also known as a truce or armistice), also spelled cease fire (the antonym of 'open fire'), is a temporary stoppage of a war in which each side agrees with the other to suspend aggressive actions. Ceasefires may be between state act ...
, and held peace talks from August to November of that year.
The failure of these peace talks resulted in the return to armed conflict, beginning with the Maoist attack on an army
barracks
Barracks are usually a group of long buildings built to house military personnel or laborers. The English word originates from the 17th century via French and Italian from an old Spanish word "barraca" ("soldier's tent"), but today barracks are u ...
in
Dang District in western Nepal, on 22 November.
The situation changed dramatically in 2002, as the number of attacks by both sides increased greatly, and more people died than in any other year of the war.
The government responded by banning anti-monarchy statements, imprisoning journalists, and shutting down newspapers accused of siding with the insurgents. Several rounds of negotiations, accompanied by temporary ceasefires, were held between the insurgents and the government. The government categorically rejected the insurgents' demand for the constituent assembly elections. At the same time, the Maoists refused to recognize the continued survival of a
constitutional monarchy
A constitutional monarchy, parliamentary monarchy, or democratic monarchy is a form of monarchy in which the monarch exercises their authority in accordance with a constitution and is not alone in decision making. Constitutional monarchies dif ...
. In November 2004, the government rejected both the Maoists' request to negotiate directly with
King Gyanendra
Gyanendra Shah ( ne, ज्ञानेन्द्र शाह, born 7 July 1947) is a former monarch who was the last King of Nepal, reigning from 2001 to 2008. As a child, he was briefly king from 1950 to 1951, when his grandfather, Tribhuva ...
rather than via Prime Minister Deuba, and the Maoists' request for discussions to be mediated by a third party such as the United Nations.
Throughout the war, the government controlled the main cities and towns, whilst the Maoists dominated the rural areas. In August 2004, the Maoists declared a week-long blockade of Kathmandu city which was later called off.
On 1 February 2005, in response to the inability of the relatively democratic government to restore order, King Gyanendra seized direct power and declared a state of emergency in an attempt to definitively end the insurgency. He proclaimed, "democracy and progress contradict one another... in pursuit of liberalism, we should never overlook an important aspect of our conduct, namely discipline." As a result of this takeover, the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
and
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
both suspended their material support for Nepal.
China responded by dispatching arms to Nepal, in spite of the ideological affinity of the Maoists with China.
On 5 May 2005, in response to the takeover by King Gyanendra, seven political parties began talks to form a
Seven Party Alliance (SPA).
On 22 November 2005, with support from the
Indian government
The Government of India (ISO 15919, ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the Government, national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy lo ...
, Maoist rebels and the SPA jointly issued a 12-point resolution, which described autocratic monarchy as the main obstacle to "democracy, peace, prosperity, social upliftment and an independent and sovereign Nepal", and included a commitment to hold elections to a constituent assembly and for the Maoist rebels to renounce violence.
In 2006, violent conflict decreased significantly, and instead, resistance transformed to non-violent pro-democracy demonstrations.
The municipal elections held in February were boycotted by seven major parties. Instead, over 70 minor political parties promoted candidates. Officially, voter turnaround was 20 percent. Throughout April, pro-democracy demonstrations were held across Nepal, and 19 demonstrators were killed, over 400 protesters were arrested, while dozens of others were injured. On 21 April, King Gyanendra announced that he would return governance to the SPA, but this offer was rejected by both the Maoist rebels and the SPA.
On 24 April, King Gyanendra announced that he would also reinstate the
House of Representatives
House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...
, which satisfied the SPA, who formed the reinstated house.
On 9 August, the government and the Maoist rebels agreed to accept the
United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
to monitor the peace process and to manage the arms of both sides.
On 21 November, the government, the
SPA
A spa is a location where mineral-rich spring water (and sometimes seawater) is used to give medicinal baths. Spa towns or spa resorts (including hot springs resorts) typically offer various health treatments, which are also known as balneoth ...
, and the Maoist rebels signed the
Comprehensive Peace Accord
The Comprehensive Peace Accord ( ne, विस्तृत शान्ति सम्झौता; abbreviated CPA) was signed on 21 November 2006 between the Government of Nepal and the Unified Communist Party of Nepal.
Highlights of the peac ...
, which formally ended the civil war.
The Civil War forced young workers to seek work abroad, predominantly in the
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf ( fa, خلیج فارس, translit=xalij-e fârs, lit=Gulf of Persis, Fars, ), sometimes called the ( ar, اَلْخَلِيْجُ ٱلْعَرَبِيُّ, Al-Khalīj al-ˁArabī), is a Mediterranean sea (oceanography), me ...
and
south-east Asia
Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainland ...
. The economy of Nepal is still heavily dependent on the infusion of foreign income from these migrant workers. As a result of the civil war, Nepal's
tourism industry
Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. The World Tourism Organization defines tourism ...
suffered considerably.
Timeline
*13 February 1996 (1 Falgun 2052 BS, Tuesday): Initiation of "the people's war" by the
Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist)
*January 2001: The government creates the
Armed Police Force
The Armed Police Force, Nepal is a paramilitary land force tasked with counter-insurgency operations in Nepal. It functions as a semi-military wing, and occupies a sort of dual role as both military and law enforcement. Service is volunta ...
, a paramilitary force to fight the insurgents.
*28 May 2001 (15 Jestha 2058 BS, Monday):
Chairman Prachanda gives an interview with the Communist journal ''
A World to Win''.
*1 June 2001 (19 Jestha 2058 BS, Friday):
King Birendra
Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev ( ne, श्री ५ महाराजाधिराज वीरेन्द्र वीर विक्रम शाह देव ) (28 December 1945 – 1 June 2001) was the tenth Shah Ruler and the King of N ...
and most of the royal family were killed in the
Nepalese royal massacre
The Nepalese royal massacre occurred on 1 June 2001 at the Narayanhiti Palace, the then-residence of the Nepalese monarchy. Nine members of the royal family, including King Birendra and Queen Aishwarya, were killed in a mass shooting during a g ...
. Crown Prince Dipendra was accused of the massacre by the Incident Inquiry Committee consisting of Chief Justice
Keshav Prasad Upadhaya, and the speaker of the House of Representatives,
Taranath Ranabhat
Taranath Ranabhat ( ne, तारानाथ रानाभाट) is a Nepalese politician. He was elected to the Pratinidhi Sabha in the 1999 election on behalf of the Nepali Congress. Ranabhat served as its chairman from the same year. He a ...
. Dipendra, supposedly comatose after a
suicide attempt
A suicide attempt is an attempt to die by suicide that results in survival. It may be referred to as a "failed" or "unsuccessful" suicide attempt, though these terms are discouraged by mental health professionals for implying that a suicide res ...
, is crowned king, according to tradition. He supposedly died on 4 June 2001.
Gyanendra
Gyanendra Shah ( ne, ज्ञानेन्द्र शाह, born 7 July 1947) is a former monarch who was the last King of Nepal, reigning from 2001 to 2008. As a child, he was briefly king from 1950 to 1951, when his grandfather, Tribhuv ...
is then crowned King.
*3 August 2001 (19 Shrawn 2058 BS, Friday): The first round of peace talks begin.
*23 November 2001 (8 Mangshir 2058 BS, Friday): Peace talks collapse when the Maoists withdraw and launch a ferocious attack Police and Army posts in 42 districts.
*26 November 2001 (11 Mangshir 2058 BS, Monday): The government of
Sher Bahadur Deuba
Sher Bahadur Deuba ( ne, शेरबहादुर देउवा, ; born 13 June 1946) is a Nepali politician and former prime minister of Nepal. He has also been serving as the president of the Nepali Congress since 2016. Deuba has served ...
declares a nationwide State of Emergency and deploys the
Nepal Army
The Nepali Army ( ne, नेपाली सेना, translit=Nēpālī Sēnā), technically the Gorkhali Army ( ne, गोरखाली सेना, translit=Gōrakhālī Sēnā, label=none; see ''Gorkhas''), is the land service branch ...
.
*US State Department declares Maoist political party as a terrorist organization. The
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washing ...
approves US$12 million to train
Royal Nepal Army officers and supply 5,000
M16 rifle
The M16 rifle (officially designated Rifle, Caliber 5.56 mm, M16) is a family of military rifles adapted from the ArmaLite AR-15 rifle for the United States military. The original M16 rifle was a 5.56×45mm automatic rifle with a 20-roun ...
s.
*May 2002: Peace talks collapse.
*May 2002: Large battles fought between Army and Maoist forces at Lisne Lekh along the boundary between
Pyuthan and
Rolpa districts, and in Gam village, Rolpa.
*22 May 2002 (8 Jestha 2059 BS, Wednesday): King Gyanendra, acting on the advice of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, dissolves Parliament and orders new elections. The reason given for the dissolution is opposition to the state of emergency.
*11 July 2002 (27 Ashad 2059 BS, Thursday): Information leaks out that the Belgian weapon manufacturer
FN Herstal is allowed to deliver 5,500
M249 SAW
The M249 light machine gun (LMG), also known as the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW), which continues to be the manufacturer's designation, and formally written as Light Machine Gun, 5.56 mm, M249, is the American adaptation of the Belgian F ...
light machine guns to the Nepali monarchy, a decision made by all coalition parties. Minister of External Affairs
Louis Michel
Louis Michel (born 2 September 1947) is a Belgian politician. He served in the government of Belgium as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1999 to 2004 and was European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid from 2004 to 2009. From 20 ...
speaks of "a country in a pluralistic democracy."
*4 October 2002 (18 Ashwin 2059 BS, Friday): King Gyanendra deposes Prime Minister Deuba and the entire Council of Ministers, assumes executive power, and cancels the elections for the dissolved House of Representatives, which had been scheduled for 11 November 2002.
*11 October 2002 (25 Ashwin 2059 BS, Friday): King Gyanendra appoints
Lokendra Bahadur Chand
Lokendra Bahadur Chand ( ne, लोकेन्द्र बहादुर चन्द born 15 February 1940) was the 27th prime minister of Nepal four times: from 1983 to 1986, briefly during April 1990, briefly during 1997 and from October 2 ...
as Prime Minister.
*January 2003: The United States hold exercises with the Nepali army.
Maoist insurgents kill the Inspector General of Armed Police,
Krishna Mohan Shrestha
Krishna Mohan Shrestha ( ne, कृष्णमोहन श्रेष्ठ) was the first Inspector General of Armed Police Force (Nepal).
Shrestha was killed by the Maoist insurgents during the Maoist insurgency in Nepal. Krishna Mohan alon ...
, his wife and his bodyguard, Head Constable Subhash Bahadur Gurung of the Armed Police Force, while on their morning walk, as they used to do on Sunday mornings, intending to represent general safety to fellow citizens. The Inspector General and his wife, who was a teacher at an international school in the capital, were both unarmed. They were riddled with bullets from
Type 56
The Type 56 (; literally; "Assault Rifle, Model of 1956") is a Chinese 7.62×39mm rifle. It is a variant of the Soviet-designed AK-47 (specifically Type 3) and AKM rifles.Miller, David (2001). ''The Illustrated Directory of 20th Century Guns' ...
Rifles and
G3 rifles used by the Maoists.
*29 January 2003 (15 Magh 2059 BS, Wednesday): A second ceasefire is established and peace talks begin.
*13 May 2003 (30 Baishak 2060 BS, Tuesday): Code of conduct jointly declared by the government and the CPN-M for the mutually agreed period of cease-fire
*17 August 2003 (32 Shrawn 2060 BS, Sunday): Nepali military and police forces kill 39 Maoist rebels in the
Ramechhap district
Ramechhap District ( ne, रामेछाप जिल्ला), a part of Bagmati Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal, a landlocked country of South Asia. The district, known as wallo Kirat Ramechhap, with Manthali as ...
of central Nepal during an offensive launched jointly by the Army, Police, and Air Force of Nepal. 7 soldiers of the Nepali Army and 5 Constables of the Armed Police are also killed in the operation.
*24 August 2003 (7 Bhadra 2060 BS, Sunday): The Maoists set an ultimatum, threatening to withdraw from the cease-fire if the government does not agree within 48 hours to include the question of the Maoists participating in the Constituent Assembly.
*26 August 2003 (9 Bhadra 2060 BS, Tuesday): The Maoist ultimatum expires.
*27 August 2003 (10 Bhadra 2060 BS, Wednesday):
**Strike: The Maoist call for a three-day strike to denounce the Army's attacks on their cadres
**The Maoists unilaterally withdraw from 29 January ceasefire. Prachanda's statement revives the rebels' demand for an end to monarchic rule in favor of a "people's republic", stating, "Since the old regime has put an end to the forward-looking solution to all existing problems through the ceasefire and peace talks, we herein declare that the rationale behind ceasefire...and peace process has ended."
*28 August 2003 (11 Bhadra 2060 BS, Thursday): Maoist hitmen shoot two colonels of the Royal Nepal Army in their homes in Kathmandu, killing one and injuring the other.
*29 August 2003 (12 Bhadra 2060 BS, Friday): Maoist insurgents unsuccessfully attempt to assassinate
Devendra Raj Kandel, a Nepali minister.
[UPDATE ON NEPAL'S MAOIST INSURGENCY, 30 August – 5 September https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/03KATHMANDU1721_a.html ]
*31 August 2003 (14 Bhadra 2060 BS, Sunday): Maoist insurgents ambush a Nepalese police outpost in
Rupandehi
Rupandehi District ( ne, रुपन्देही जिल्ला; ), a part of Lumbini Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal and covers an area of . The district headquarter is Bhairahawa. As per the national census 2011 ...
, killing 4 policemen.
*2 September 2003 (16 Bhadra 2060 BS, Tuesday): Maoist insurgents ambush a Nepalese police outpost in
Siraha, killing 2 policemen and injuring four others.
*27 September 2003 (10 Ashwin 2060 BS, Saturday): "Fifteen people including 8 rebels and 4 policemen were killed and suspected Maoists bombed five government utilities despite the guerrillas' plans for a nine-day truce from 2 October 2003, officials said. Eight Maoists were killed in a gun battle with security forces at Chhita Pokhara in the
Khotang district
Khotang District ( ne, खोटाङ जिल्ला) is one of 14 districts of Province No. 1 of eastern Nepal. The district, with Diktel as its district headquarters, covers an area of and has a population (2021) of 206,312.[Kathmandu
, pushpin_map = Nepal Bagmati Province#Nepal#Asia
, coordinates =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name =
, subdivision_type1 = Province
, subdivision_name1 = Bagmati Prov ...]
, a police officer said. 4 Policemen were also killed. Elsewhere in eastern Nepal, the Maoists killed two policemen, Constable Purna Prasad Sharma and Head Constable Radha Krishna Gurung, and a woman selling beetle nuts, Kali Tamang, in the
Jaljale-Gaighat area, an official said. 'A group of seven Maoists descended from a public bus when police were checking the passengers and suddenly opened fire from an automatic pistol, killing the three and wounding two others,' said Sitaram Prasad Pokharel, the chief administrator for the region. In
Janakpur
Janakpurdham or Janakpur ( ne, जनकपुर, ) is a sub-metropolitan city in Dhanusha District, Province No. 2, Madhesh Province, Nepal. The city is a hub for religious and cultural tourism. A headquarter of Dhanusha District, Dhanusha dist ...
, an industrial hub on the Indian border 260 kilometres south-east of Kathmandu, the Maoists under the direct command of Prachanda carried out five early morning bombings that disrupted telephone service and power, police said. No one was killed directly by the blasts but an elderly man died of a heart attack after hearing the explosions, Police Deputy Superintendent Bharat Chhetri said. He said the sites that were bombed included the offices of the roads department and the Nepal Electricity Authority and a telecommunications tower. Police personnel and Maoists traded fire for nearly 40 minutes after the blasts but the rebels escaped and 37 people were injured, Mr Khadka said."
*13 October 2003 (26 Ashwin 2060 BS, Monday): At least 42 Police Recruits and 9 Maoists are killed when an estimated 3,000 Maoists attempt to storm a Police Training Center in Bhaluwang. "'The rebels had snapped telephone cables, set up roadblocks by felling trees or blowing up highway bridges to prevent reinforcements from coming,' a witness, Krishna Adhikary, told Reuters."
*27 October 2003 (10 Kartik 2060 BS, Monday): " Colonel Adrian Griffith and six Nepali nationals were freed last week 42 hours after being taken captive in
Baglung
Baglung is a municipality in western Nepal, west of Kathmandu. It is the administrative headquarters of Baglung District and Dhaulagiri Zone. Baglung serves as the major center for business, finance, education, service and healthcare for the pe ...
, west of Kathmandu, while on a drive to recruit young Gurkha soldiers to serve in the British army." Party chief Prachanda said, "We are sorry for the incident that took place against the policy of the party."
*11 November 2003 (25 Kartik 2060 BS, Tuesday): The
Ministry of Defence accuses the Maoists of abducting twenty-nine 9th- and 10th-grade students from Riva Secondary School in
Mugu district
Mugu District ( ne, मुगु जिल्ला ), a part of Karnali Province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Gamgadhi as its district headquarters, covers an area of and had a population (2011) of 55,286. ...
, western Nepal during the previous week.
*15 November 2003 (29 Kartik 2060 BS, Saturday): Four police officers, including Kamalapati Pant (Nepal Police Force), were shot dead from behind on a tea shop by two armed Maoist rebels who approached in a motorcycle and fled away immediately, in
Nepalgunj
Nepalgunj (), also spelled Nepalganj, is a Sub-Metropolitan City in Banke District, Nepal. It lies on the Terai plains near the southern border with Bahraich district in Uttar Pradesh, India. Nepalgunj is 153 kilometers south-west of Ghorahi ...
.
*19 November 2003 (3 Mangshir 2060 BS, Wednesday): According to a Nepal army official, four people were caught at the Chinese Khasa border point, 114 kilometers northeast of Kathmandu, smuggling weapons from
Tibet
Tibet (; ''Böd''; ) is a region in East Asia, covering much of the Tibetan Plateau and spanning about . It is the traditional homeland of the Tibetan people. Also resident on the plateau are some other ethnic groups such as Monpa people, ...
into Nepal. The official named Hirala Lal Shrestha and Gyaljen Sherpa and said they were taken for interrogation in the Tibetan town of
Xigatse.
2004
*5 February 2004 (22 Magh 2060 BS, Thursday): An Army raid is carried out by the
Bhairavnath Battalion on a village in Bhimad,
Makwanpur district
Makwanpur District( ne, मकवानपुर जिल्ला; , a part of Bagmati Province, earlier a part of Narayani Zone, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Hetauda as its district headquarter, as well ...
. Reports emerge that 14 suspected Maoist rebels and two civilians were executed after being captured.
Amnesty International
Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says it has more than ten million members and sup ...
later wrote a letter to Prime Minister
Surya Bahadur Thapa
Surya Bahadur Thapa ( ne, सूर्य बहादुर थापा; March 21, 1928 – April 15, 2015) was a Nepali politician and a five-time Prime Minister of Nepal. He served under three different kings in a political career lasting mor ...
and Brigadier-General Nilendra Aryal, Head of the Royal Nepal Army (RNA) human rights cell, demanding an immediate inquiry.
*10 February 2004 (27 Magh 2060 BS, Tuesday): Two central committee members of the CPN-M, Matrika Yadav and Suresh Paswan, are reported to have been handed over by India to Nepal. They were reportedly arrested in
Lucknow
Lucknow (, ) is the capital and the largest city of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and it is also the second largest urban agglomeration in Uttar Pradesh. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of the eponymous district and division ...
after Nepal provided information.
*13 February 2004 (1 Falgun 2060 BS, Friday): Ganesh Chilwal leads an anti-Maoist protest on this day, the eighth anniversary of the commencement of the revolution.
*15 February 2004 (3 Falgun 2060 BS, Sunday): Ganesh Chilwal is shot dead in his Kathmandu office by two suspected Maoists.
*15 February 2004 (3 Falgun 2060 BS, Sunday): Fighting erupts at a Maoist jungle base in
Kalikot District
Kalikot District ( ne, कालीकोट जिल्ला ), a part of Karnali Province, Karnali province, is one of the seventy-seven districts of Nepal. The district, with Manma as its district headquarters, covers an area of , had a popul ...
, 360 km west of
Kathmandu
, pushpin_map = Nepal Bagmati Province#Nepal#Asia
, coordinates =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name =
, subdivision_type1 = Province
, subdivision_name1 = Bagmati Prov ...
. The base is said to hold 5000 Maoist troops. On 17 February 2004, a security official says that a private helicopter flying troops to Kalikot was hit by Maoist fire but that it returned safely to Kathmandu. On 18 February 2004, 65 Maoists are reported to have been killed, though this conflicts with other reported death tolls of 35 and 48.
*15 February and 16 2004: Nepalese state radio reports that 13 Maoist rebels were killed in seven separate small clashes with security forces across the country.
*18 February 2004 (6 Falgun 2060 BS, Wednesday): Lawmaker Khem Narayan Faujdar, a member of the parliament dissolved by
King Gyanendra
Gyanendra Shah ( ne, ज्ञानेन्द्र शाह, born 7 July 1947) is a former monarch who was the last King of Nepal, reigning from 2001 to 2008. As a child, he was briefly king from 1950 to 1951, when his grandfather, Tribhuva ...
in 2002, is shot dead by two suspected Maoists riding a motorcycle in the
Nawalparasi District
Nawalparasi District ( ne, नवलपरासी जिल्ला, ), part of which belongs to Gandaki Province and part to Lumbini Province, was one of the seventy-five districts of Nepal before being divided into Nawalparasi (West of Ba ...
, 200 km southwest of the capital, according to the police.
*2 April 2004 (20 Chaitra 2060 BS, Friday): The largest rallies since 1990 begin in Kathmandu. They are variously labelled "pro-democracy" and "anti-monarchy."
*3 April 2004 (21 Chaitra 2060 BS, Saturday): More than 12 trucks are burnt while waiting at a western Nepal border post to pick up petrol from India. India condemns the attacks and vows to fight terrorism.
*4 April 2004 (22 Chaitra 2060 BS, Sunday): "Some 150 demonstrators were struck during a police
baton charge
A baton charge is a coordinated tactic for dispersing crowds of people, usually used by police or military in response to public disorder. In South Asia, a long bamboo stick, called ''lathi'' in Hindi, is used for crowd control, and the expres ...
" during demonstrations in Kathmandu
*4 April 2004 (22 Chaitra 2060 BS, Sunday): "Hundreds of Maoist rebels" attack a Police outpost in Yadukuwa, Jadukhola. 13 policemen are killed, 7 wounded, and 35 are listed as missing. 8–9 Maoists are also killed. "Witnesses said more than 500 rebels attacked the Police post and began firing Assault Rifles and
RPG-7
The RPG-7 (russian: link=no, РПГ-7, Ручной Противотанковый Гранатомёт, Ruchnoy Protivotankoviy Granatomyot) is a portable, reusable, unguided, shoulder-launched, anti-tank, rocket-propelled grenade launcher. ...
rockets. at around 9 pm (1515 GMT) on Sunday night. The fighting lasted two to three hours." Other reports state 400 rebels.
*4 April 2004 (22 Chaitra 2060 BS, Sunday): In the west of the country three Indian traders are shot and injured and have their vehicles burned.
*5 April 2004 (23 Chaitra 2060 BS, Monday): A three-day national strike begins, called by CPN(M) and opposed by an "alliance of five political parties" who are protesting in Kathmandu against the monarchy and say the strike will hamper the movement of demonstrators in Kathmandu.
Prachanda
Pushpa Kamal Dahal ( ne, पुष्पकमल दाहाल; born 11 December 1954), also widely known by his nom de guerre Prachanda (, ; meaning "fierce"), is a Nepalese politician serving as the current Prime Minister of Nepal. He pr ...
said, "The time has come to win a united struggle against the feudal forces as the king is trying to take the nation back to the 18th century."
*5 April 2004 (23 Chaitra 2060 BS, Monday): In the morning, 3 soldiers are killed and 7 injured by a CPN(M) landmine activated by their vehicle at Dhalkhola, 50 km east of Kathmandu.
*5 April 2004 (23 Chaitra 2060 BS, Monday): At least 140 people are injured in clashes in Kathmandu as "about 50,000" demonstrators confront the police. Demonstrators try to break through a police barricade close to the royal palace. The police respond with tear gas and protesters are reportedly injured by police batons. Rocks and bricks are thrown by both sides. Demonstrations also occur in
Lalitpur and
Bhaktapur
, motto = ne, पुर्खले सिर्जेको सम्पत्ती, हाम्रो कला र संस्कृति , lit=Creation of our ancestors, our heritage and culture
, image_map ...
. Meanwhile, King Gyanendra has reportedly been away touring villages in western Nepal.
*5 April 2004 (23 Chaitra 2060 BS, Monday): The Indian government announces that it will no longer provide police escorts to Indian officials shopping in Nepal, as a means to discourage such trips. Fears are based on the CPN(M) targeting Indians. "We are worried about possible reprisals here if the Maoists continue to target Indians inside Nepal," said a senior police official.
*24 June 2004 (10 Ashad 2061 BS, Thursday): The nephew of former Prime Minister
Surya Bahadur Thapa
Surya Bahadur Thapa ( ne, सूर्य बहादुर थापा; March 21, 1928 – April 15, 2015) was a Nepali politician and a five-time Prime Minister of Nepal. He served under three different kings in a political career lasting mor ...
is hacked to death by Maoist insurgents in
Dhankuta district
Dhankuta District ( ne, धनकुटा जिल्ला) () is one of 14 districts of Province No. 1 of eastern Nepal. The district covers an area of and has a population (2011) of 163,412. Dhankuta is the district headquarters of Dhan ...
.
*16 August 2004 (32 Shrawn 2061 BS, Monday): The Soaltee Hotel, a popular luxury hotel in Kathmandu, is bombed, after refusing a demand from the Maoists that the hotel be closed.
*18 August 2004 (2 Bhadra 2061 BS, Wednesday): A bomb explodes in a marketplace in southern Nepal. The blast kills a 12-year-old boy and wounds six others, including three policemen. In addition, Maoist rebels, demanding the release of captured guerrillas, stop all road traffic near Kathmandu by threatening to attack vehicles. Some Nepal businesses are shut down because of threats.
*10 September 2004 (25 Bhadra 2061 BS, Friday): A bomb explodes at the
United States Information Service
The United States Information Agency (USIA), which operated from 1953 to 1999, was a United States agency devoted to "public diplomacy". In 1999, prior to the reorganization of intelligence agencies by President George W. Bush, President Bill ...
office in Kathmandu.
*13 September 2004 (28 Bhadra 2061 BS, Monday):
U.S. Peace Corps suspends operations and non-essential U.S. Embassy personnel are evacuated from Nepal.
*9 November 2004 (24 Kartik 2061 BS, Tuesday): 36 people were injured when suspected Maoist rebels exploded a powerful bomb at an under-construction government office complex, the Karmachari Sanchaya Kosh Office Complex in the heart of Nepalese capital Kathmandu Tuesday.
![DSP Hem Raj Regmi Shot dead by Maoist](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/ef/DSP_Hem_Raj_Regmi_Shot_dead_by_Maoist.jpg)
* 11 November 2004 (26 Kartik 2061 BS, Thursday): Maoists kill
NID Deputy Superintendent of Police Hemraj Regmi in front of his office residence in
Butwal
Butwal ( ne, बुटवल), officially Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City ( ne, बुटवल उपमहानगरपालिका), is a sub-metropolitan city and economic hub in Lumbini Province in West Nepal. Butwal has a city population ...
-6 in Rupandehi district.
*15 December 2004 (30 Mangshir 2061 BS, Wednesday): Twenty government security personnel are killed in the western district of
Arghakhanchi
Arghakhanchi ( ne, अर्घाखाँची जिल्ला ) is one of the districts of Lumbini Province in Nepal. The district headquarter is Sandhikharka. The district covers an area of and has a population (2011) of 197,632. Its ne ...
when the Maoists mount a surprise attack.
*16 December 2004 (1 Poush 2061 BS, Thursday): Sixteen Maoist rebels are killed in clashes with Nepali security forces in the western district of
Dailekh.
*23 December 2004 (8 Poush 2061 BS, Thursday): Maoist forces launch blockade of Kathmandu.
*26 December 2004 (11 Poush 2061 BS, Sunday): Over 15,000 hold peace rally in Kathmandu.
2005
*2 January 2005 (18 Poush 2061 BS, Sunday): Nepali media reports two children being killed in
Dailekh district
Dailekh District ( ne, दैलेख जिल्ला ) a part of Karnali Province, is one of the 77 districts of Nepal. The district, with Dailekh as its district headquarters, covers an area of and had a population of 225,201 in 2001 an ...
by a Maoist bomb.
*4 January 2005 (20 Poush 2061 BS, Tuesday): Three government security personnel and between two and twenty-four Maoist rebels reported killed in fighting.
*8 January 2005 (24 Poush 2061 BS, Saturday): Maoists detain and later release 300 passengers from six buses that defy their blockade of Kathmandu.
*10 January 2005 (26 Poush 2061 BS, Monday): Prime Minister Deuba said he would increase defense spending to fight the Maoists unless they come forward for talks with the government.
*11 January 2005 (27 Poush 2061 BS, Tuesday): Protests and blockades over the government fuel price increases of between 10% and 25%.
*15 January 2005 (2 Magh 2061 BS, Saturday): Maoists allegedly detain 14 Indian Gurkhas from Chuha village in
Kailali.
*29 January 2005 (16 Magh 2061 BS, Saturday): Government leader in the Lamjung district had been abducted and murdered with a gunshot to the head.
*1 February 2005 (19 Magh 2061 BS, Tuesday): King Gyanendra dissolves the Deuba government and bans all news reports. The army begins arresting senior political leaders, journalists, trade unionists, human rights activists and civil society leaders. All telephone and internet connections are cut.
*7 April 2005 (25 Chaitra 2061 BS, Thursday): Maoists
attack a army base in Khara, Rukum suffering 300 losses.
*6 June 2005 (24 Jestha 2062 BS, Monday):
Badarmude bus explosion: Some 38 civilians are killed and over 70 injured after a packed passenger bus runs over a rebel landmine in
Chitwan district
Chitwan District (, , ) is one of 77 districts of Nepal, and takes up the southwestern corner of Bagmati Province. Bharatpur, largest city of Nepal after Kathmandu, is its administrative centre. It covers . In 2011 it had a population of 579 ...
.
*9 August 2005 (25 Shrawn 2062 BS, Tuesday): Maoist rebels kill 40 security men in midwestern Nepal.
*3 September 2005 (18 Bhadra 2062 BS, Saturday): The Maoists declare a three-month unilateral ceasefire to woo opposition political parties.
*October 2005:: Chunbang Central Committee meeting in Rolpa decides to join hands with the political parties against the king
*19 November 2005 (4 Mangshir 2062 BS, Saturday): After negotiations, the Maoist rebels agree to work with opposition politicians in a common front against the rule of King Gyanendra.
2006
![Jana andolan](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/Jana_andolan.jpg)
*2 January 2006 (18 Poush 2062 BS, Monday): Rebels decide not to extend a four-month ceasefire saying that the government had broken the ceasefire with numerous attacks on Maoist villages.
*14 January 2006 (1 Magh 2062 BS, Saturday): Maoists launch coordinated attacks on five military and paramilitary targets in the
Kathmandu valley
The Kathmandu Valley ( ne, काठमाडौं उपत्यका; also known as the Nepal Valley or Nepa Valley ( ne, नेपाः उपत्यका, Nepal Bhasa: 𑐣𑐾𑐥𑐵𑑅 𑐐𑐵𑑅, नेपाः गाः)), ...
, the first demonstration of their ability to organize violence within the Valley, prompting curfews at night for the next several days.
*14 March 2006 (1 Chaitra 2062 BS, Tuesday): Nepali rebels extend road blockade; nationwide strike called for 3 April 2006.
*5 April 2006 (23 Chaitra 2062 BS, Wednesday):
General strike
A general strike refers to a strike action in which participants cease all economic activity, such as working, to strengthen the bargaining position of a trade union or achieve a common social or political goal. They are organised by large co ...
begins with Maoist forces promising to refrain from violence.
*6 April 7, 2006: Protesters clash with police, hundreds arrested, dozens injured.
*8 April 2006 (26 Chaitra 2062 BS, Saturday): A
curfew
A curfew is a government order specifying a time during which certain regulations apply. Typically, curfews order all people affected by them to ''not'' be in public places or on roads within a certain time frame, typically in the evening and ...
is imposed in Kathmandu from 10 pm to 9 am The king orders protesters violating the curfew to be "shot on sight."
*9 April 2006 (27 Chaitra 2062 BS, Sunday): General strike scheduled to end. Government extends curfew,
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reports. Three dead in two days of unrest, as thousands of demonstrators defy curfews.
*26 April 2006 (13 Baishak 2063 BS, Wednesday): The Maoists start to unblock streets and roads, but put forth some conditions.
*27 April 2006 (14 Baishak 2063 BS, Thursday): Maoist insurgents, responding to a demand by the newly appointed prime minister
to rewrite the nation's constitution.
*3 May 2006 (20 Baishak 2063 BS, Wednesday): Nepal's new cabinet declares a ceasefire. This was not taken very seriously. The cabinet also announces that the Maoist rebels will no longer be considered a terrorist group. Rebels are also encouraged to open peace talks.
*21 November 2006 (5 Mangshir 2063 BS, Tuesday): Peace talks end with the signing of the
between Prime Minister Koirala and Maoist leader Prachanda. The deal allows the Maoists to take part in government, and places their weapons under UN monitoring.
*
More than 17,000 people (including both civilians and armed forces) were killed during the conflict, including over 4,000 Nepalese killed by Maoists from 1996 to 2005, and over 8,200 Nepalese killed by government forces from 1996 to 2005.
as a result of the conflict. Furthermore, this conflict disrupted most
activities. The revolution resulted in political, social and cultural change in Nepal.
mechanism, in July 2007, the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction proposed legislation that would establish a Truth and Reconciliation Commission in Nepal. The
s and debated proposals to grant an amnesty for abuses by government and rebel forces.
Both commissions were established in 2013. However, the government led by the
, did not extend the tenure of the working commission, dismissed it, and allegedly formed a new commission in its favor.
In 2016, commissioner Madhabi Bhatta of the TRC, a hardliner advocating that amnesty will not be given to perpetrators of serious crimes and that no one has immunity, said on national television that even
, the then-Prime Minister and former supreme commander of the guerrillas, will be questioned by the commission, reporting that she felt security threats from the former extremists.
(PLA), the armed wing of the CPN (Maoist), on 10 April 2012.
, who also headed the Army Integration Special Committee (AISC), told the committee on 10 April 2012, that the NA was going to move into all 15 PLA cantonments, take full control, and take control of more than 3,000 weapons locked in containers there.
A total of 6,576 combatants chose the Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS), that promised cheques in the range of NPR 500,000 to NPR 800,000, depending on their rank.
In the first phase (18 November – 1 December 2011) of regrouping, 9,705 former combatants had chosen integration into the NA.
In a landmark achievement, the AISC had initiated the process of integration following a 1 November 2011, seven-point deal signed by three major political parties – UCPN-M,
(CPN-UML) and Nepali Congress (NC) – and the umbrella formation of several Madheshi groups, the
(UDMF).
The deal provided three options to former PLA combatants – integration, voluntary retirement and rehabilitation.
9,705 combatants opted for integration, 7,286 chose voluntary discharge, and six combatants registered their names for rehabilitation packages.
(UNMIN) had registered 19,602 combatants in the second verification conducted on 26 May 2007.
on 5 May 2009, in which Parchanda claims to have given the UNMIN an inflated number of Maoist fighters.
On 14 April 2012, AISC decision laid down that the ranks of the integrated combatants would be determined according to the NA's, and not the PLA's, standards.
(PSC) or by a member appointed by him, and a General Directorate would be created under the NA, headed by a Lieutenant General, to absorb the integrated combatants.
The combatants will have to undergo between three and nine months of training, depending on their ranks.
The Directorate would only be deployed for disaster relief, industrial security, development, and forest and environment conservation.
On 17 April, the NA stated that it could not start the recruitment process of former Maoist combatants until the structure—leadership and size—of the General Directorate had been finalised at the political level.
On 19 April 2012, the three major political parties agreed to merge two separate proposed commissions on Truth and Reconciliation, and on Disappearances, into one.
*Hutt, Michael, ''Himalayan People's War: Nepal's Maoist Rebellion,'' (London: Hurst and Co., 2004) .
*
*Karki, Arjun and David Seddon (eds.), ''The People's War in Nepal: Left Perspectives,'' (New Delhi: Adroit, 2003).
*Thapa, Deepak, with Bandita Sijapati, ''A Kingdom Under Siege: Nepal's Maoist Insurgency, 1996–2003,'' (Kathmandu: The Printhouse, 2003) .
', National Human Rights Commission, Harihar Bhawan, Lalitpur
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