Nepal: October 22, 2003

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The rebels announced they would no longer attack infrastructure targets (dams, power stations and communications), except for those "controlled by the United States." The infrastructure attacks have made the rebels unpopular with much of the population, and the dig at the US is because the rebels believe that America opposes them (which is true.) The rebels also said they will no longer assassinate government officials, another unpopular tactic. 

The US government has warned Americans to avoid traveling to Nepal because of the increasingly hostile attitudes towards the US by the rebels there.  

The British officers kidnapped by rebels were taken for about two days as a publicity stunt. The rebels released the British officers partly because they did not want Britain to get involved any more deeply with the Nepalese army. The rebels also want young men to join the rebel ranks, rather than the British army. But pensions, and money sent home by Nepalese (Gurkha) soldiers serving with the British, amount to some $110 million a year. This is a major portion of the hard currency coming into Nepal each year. 

 

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