Nepal: Ceasefire signals new hope in long-running political dispute
The Nepalese government and Maoist separatists have come up with a peace plan that could bring to an end the violence that has killed thousands of people.
As reported by News From Abroad, some 7,000 people are believed to have died in the seven-year battle between the Government and the Maoists, who want to replace the country’s monarchy with a republic. But the two sides declared a ceasefire more than a month ago and plans for a new code of conduct have been made public.
Nepal badly needs peace to break out to help its ailing tourist industry; the long-popular country has seen a massive decline in visitor numbers in recent years. There were around 200,000 tourists to Nepal last year – a fall of more than 25 per cent on the previous 12 months.
The Foreign Office website, at www.fco.gov.uk/travel, states: “These are early days, but indications are that the ceasefire is holding. If you are planning to visit Nepal in the coming months you are strongly advised to keep a close watch on our travel advice.”
