Archives

KATHMANDU, June 9 (Reuters) - A senior leader of Nepal's ruling Nepali Congress party said on Sunday that China has promised to help the impoverished Himalayan nation fight Maoist rebels seeking to topple the constitutional monarchy.

"They (the Chinese) have promised to provide all the possible help in the fight against the terrorists," Girija Prasad Koirala, president of the Nepali Congress, told reporters after a week-long visit to Beijing.

His statement came as the state-run news agency, Rastria Samachar Samiti, reported troops had killed 17 Maoist guerrillas in weekend gun battles across Nepal which has been under a state of emergency since last November when rebels walked out of peace talks and launched a wave of bloody attacks.

Koirala did not specify what type of assistance China had promised to give Nepal to help crush the Maoist rebels who draw their inspiration from Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong and are trying to set up a one-party communist republic.

Political analysts say the Maoist rebels and China have nothing in common as Beijing is seen by the guerrillas as having deviated from Mao's teachings by adopting capitalist practices.

Last month, Nepali Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba visited Washington during which U.S. President George W. Bush pledged $20 million in support for the Nepalese forces.

Nepali army officers have said they need everything from boots and bullets to helicopters to win the battle against the Maoists.

Nepal's giant southern neighbour, India, is already providing Nepali troops with military hardware such as helicopters.

More than 4,700 people have been killed since the conflict began in early 1996 -- 2,800 of them in the past six months. 

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager