This indicates the commitment this time, like on previous two occasions, may also turn out to be just a lip-service.[break]
According to Home Ministry officials and chief district officers, there has been no progress on translating the commitment except the ministry directing the regional administration offices and district administration offices to ensure the return of the seized properties.
"We have yet not started the work toward implementing the decision," said Sudhir Kumar Shah, spokesperson at the Ministry of Home Affairs, which is responsible to implement the government decision on property return, told Republica when asked about the progress.
Announcing a relief package on September 10, the Maoist-led government had announced to return the seized properties "immediately" and directed the Ministry of Home Affairs to implement the decision. Then, the ministry had immediately directed district administration offices to make Maoist cadres return the seized properties.
The government decision had followed internal circulars from the Maoist party to its leaders and cadres to respect the government decision. The move was aimed at building political confidence among political parties.
When asked why the works have not begun yet, Shah said, "We remained busy in other administrative works though we have already directed regional administration offices to implement the decision."
Asked whether there is any political reason behind the delay in implementing the decision, Shah said, "No, there is no political reason."
Republica contacted a few chief district officers from the districts where the number of seized properties is high to know about the progress in returning the seized properties.
"We will start implementing the government decision after Dashain," said Bashudev Dahal, chief district officer of Kanchanpur.
Ram Krishna Subedi, chief district officer of Bardiya, said he held an all-party meeting after he received a directive from the Ministry of Home Affairs. "We discussed the issue in the meeting and we are going to update the details of the property seized," he said.
In Dang also, there has been no progress toward returning the seized properties. According to Rishiram Sharma, chief district officer, no one has yet approached the administration seeking return of the seized properties.
The chief district officers contacted by Republica on Sunday said not a single individual has yet approach the district administration offices, seeking the administration´s assistance in claiming back their seized properties. They said they do not have an updated record as to how much land was seized during the conflict period in their respective districts.
Returning seized property is one of the components of the five-year-old peace process that began with the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA) in November 2006. Though the CPN (Maoist), as it was called then, had committed itself to returning the seized properties in the CPA and subsequently in two more agreements relating to the peace process, these commitments were never acted upon.
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