Valley
Red Cross project draws criticism
Political parties in the district have objected to the decoration of a Red Cross-built waiting room on District Administration Office premises with pictures of disappeared Maoist cadresHarihar Singh Rathour
The waiting room meant for service seekers was built by the Red Cross Society with financial aid of Rs 1 million from the International Committee of the Red Cross. The waiting room is decorated with photos of 26 Maoist cadres and combatants along with their personal details. The Red Cross, however, inscribed just the name of nly one woman who was made disappeared by the then rebels.
“Our aim was to put up names of people in the district made disappeared during
the armed conflict as a gesture of respect for them and mental consolation for their family members,” said
Ramji Karki, who was sent there by ICRC to investigate into the matter.
“We had allowed for the construction of the waiting room in the memory of citizens who were made to disappear,” a source from local administration told the Post. “They were not permitted to keep photos or names of the victims from only one side or party.”
“This is the result of overwhelming presence of Maoist leaders in the working committee of the District Red Cross,” a Nepal Red Cross member said. Meanwhile, inauguration of the waiting room has been delayed owing to the dispute.