According to a senior official at the ministry, the ministry issued circular Friday to all five regional offices following the property return decision of the government. [break]
"The ministry has written to the regional offices to direct the district administration offices under their jurisdiction to enforce the decision," said the official requesting anonymity, "The ministry will prepare a more specific plan of action to implement the decision and send the plan to the regional offices."
The Maoist-led government on Friday while announcing a relief package decided to return private and public property seized by the Maoist party during the conflict.
Meanwhile, UCPN (Maoist) Kailali in-charge Hari Gyawali has vowed to not return properties seized during the conflict until alternative arrangements are made for party cadres who have been tilling the seized lands in the district for years, according to our correspondent Dil Bahadur Chhatyal.
Gyawali has also warned the government of confrontation if the government uses force to return the properties.
"We obtained the land in return for blood. We cannot return the land unless revolutionary land reform is introduced," Gyawali said, "The government will face confrontation if the government resorts to forceful measures."
The government has decided to return the seized properties to their rightful owners within three months in a bid to gain confidence of the political parties and to fulfill the obligations stated in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement of November 2006 that ended the decade long Maoist insurgency.
The government has made no alternative arrangements or announced any plans to bring about scientific land reforms as sought by Gyawali but has promised to form a high-level commission to resolve problems that might emerge while implementing the decision.
Claiming that the government took the decision without necessary preparations, Gyawali said, "Squatters, Kamaiyas and the family of martyrs have been using the [seized] lands. We will not return the land to the landlords until revolutionary land reform is introduced."
According to Kailali state committee member Sundar Regmi, Maoist cadres have around 2,000 bighas of land owned by 147 families in the district. The district has the largest area of land seized by the Maoists. But even the victims of land seizure are not much optimistic about getting their lands back.
"Baburam [Bhattarai] is a good prime minister but we have doubts if the decision will be implemented," said secretary of the Conflict Affected Families Ganesh Malla. Seven bighas of land owned by Malla has remained under Maoist control for the last ten years.
The decision to return the seized properties is the fourth one since November 2006. The Maoist party has faltered in implementing its written commitment thrice. And the conflict-affected people are doubtful if the decision would be implemented.
"There were many agreements, including the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, to return the seized properties. However, our properties still remain under Maoist control. How can we rest assured that our lands would be returned," said Malla.
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