Excerpt from

5 October 2002

All rights reserved to The Himalayan Times
Security issue draws mixed response from residents of Solukhumbu
Renu Kshetry
Solukhumbu, October 4,
Although some of the places in the Solukhumbu region are considered safe in terms of Maoists insurgency, Salleri, Surki and the Jiri road to Khumbu region are still considered as Maoist affected areas.
Majority of the locals say they feel secure, even though there had been several Maoist attacks in the adjoining villages.
In order to discourage the Maoists' activity in the area, movement of the people has been restricted in the Khumbu region from Lukla to Namche from 7 pm to 5 am.
“The restriction is a must and we are receiving full co-operation from the locals,” said Nikram B Shaj, deputy superintendent of police.
“The locals have felt much more secure and we have been successful in our mission so far,” said Shah. “It is for their own security.”
Though not an official curfew, the army has already shot twice at the tourists from the hill tops as a warning who dared to walk during the restricted time frame.
But Lukla as well as in Namche residents call it a 'curfew'.
“They can do anything they want but they have to inform us beforehand and if necessary we provide them security as well,” said Shah.
Pumori Sherpa, a member of the Himalayan Youth Club agreed, “The security forces are doing their job pretty well.”
There have been some difference of opinion among the people. "People here are not that co-operative,” said Sonam Tshering Sherpa contradicting the earlier statement.
While most of the locals are concerned about their security, Dawa Futi Sherpa, proprietor of Eco Paradise Lodge said, “We should be very careful or else it would hamper our business.”
The latest Maoist rage on the area had been the burning of Phaplu airport tower and the helicopter at Jubu.
"Where can we run away to?" Phurba, a cook at the Hotel Sagarmatha Resort at Lukla, questioned when he heard about the Maoist menace 30 minutes after the helicopter was burnt.
The Phaplu airport tower was burned down by the Maoists on the last week of September incurring a loss of Rs 2.5 million.
The airport is devoid of any telephone after the ultras and the security force exchange gunfire on November 26, in which, over 200 people died.
“It all happened as the tower was being protected only when flights landed and took off,” said Pumori Sherpa. “It is very hard to penetrate and make a target of Lukla airport.”
The adjoining villages such as Salleri, Sukri, Okhaldunga, Jiri and Khotang are considered as Maoists den.
“You can never tell who is a Maoist,” said an official at the area police office at Solukhumbu. “We are in need of more manpower as the area under our surveillance is a huge one.”
“Poverty and frustration are not the sole causes for the people to switch allegiance to the Maoists, but it is more of an attitude," said Ram Kumar Thapa, a shopkeeper at Namchhe.
Similarly, Hasta Bahadur Magar, a porter said that the security in the area is very tight.
“They make us show whatever we have to them and sometimes it is really troublesome.”
Ang Maya Sherpa, a hotel owner said, “I don't see any solution." Instead, she meekly enquired about the political developments in the valley. Perhaps an indication, all is not well in the area.