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| Nepalese 'guerilla trail' takes tourists through scenes of civil war | Nepalese 'guerilla trail' takes tourists through scenes of civil war |
| (9 days later) | |
| It is a very political itinerary for a Himalayan trek. Instead of just vistas over serried peaks and the opportunity to be photographed astride a yak, there are former combat zones and valleys that were a "liberated Maoist" zone only a decade ago. | It is a very political itinerary for a Himalayan trek. Instead of just vistas over serried peaks and the opportunity to be photographed astride a yak, there are former combat zones and valleys that were a "liberated Maoist" zone only a decade ago. |
| The new route will take walkers on a three-week trip through the heartland of Nepal's 10-year civil war, which ended in 2006 and pitted government forces against a Maoist insurgency. The region was also home to many of the top Maoist commanders. | The new route will take walkers on a three-week trip through the heartland of Nepal's 10-year civil war, which ended in 2006 and pitted government forces against a Maoist insurgency. The region was also home to many of the top Maoist commanders. |
| The scheme is backed by the former prime minister, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, himself a Maoist leader. | The scheme is backed by the former prime minister, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, himself a Maoist leader. |
| "Memorials are built in any country after major revolutions and [the] guerrilla trail is a memorial of the war we have fought," Dahal, who goes by the name Prachanda, told reporters. | "Memorials are built in any country after major revolutions and [the] guerrilla trail is a memorial of the war we have fought," Dahal, who goes by the name Prachanda, told reporters. |
| "We fought the war and this will help us to be a record for ourselves," Lokendra Bahadur Bista, a former minister and rebel told the media at a press conference last week. | "We fought the war and this will help us to be a record for ourselves," Lokendra Bahadur Bista, a former minister and rebel told the media at a press conference last week. |
| More than 16,000 people were killed during the conflict. The Maoists became the largest party in Nepal after the constituent assembly election in 2008 and have since led the government twice. However, grave political instability remains along with severe economic problems. | More than 16,000 people were killed during the conflict. The Maoists became the largest party in Nepal after the constituent assembly election in 2008 and have since led the government twice. However, grave political instability remains along with severe economic problems. |
| One aim of the new scheme is to diversify tourism in Nepal. Foreign visitors bring much-needed hard currency into the poor south Asian nation. | One aim of the new scheme is to diversify tourism in Nepal. Foreign visitors bring much-needed hard currency into the poor south Asian nation. |
| But major tourist destinations such as the valleys around the massifs of Everest and Annapurna are getting overcrowded and, in some places, dirty. | But major tourist destinations such as the valleys around the massifs of Everest and Annapurna are getting overcrowded and, in some places, dirty. |
| "The concept of the guerrilla trek emerged as we were looking for new avenues for tourism," said Kashi Raj Bhandari, the research, planning and monitoring director at the Nepal tourism board. | "The concept of the guerrilla trek emerged as we were looking for new avenues for tourism," said Kashi Raj Bhandari, the research, planning and monitoring director at the Nepal tourism board. |
| Surendra Rana, a Nepali researcher, said the trek could benefit marginalised communities from which most of the guerrillas were recruited at the initial stage of war. | Surendra Rana, a Nepali researcher, said the trek could benefit marginalised communities from which most of the guerrillas were recruited at the initial stage of war. |
| "People in the area might have felt isolated from the state and as a result they took part in the civil war," Rana said. "Trekkers and trekking can help them engage with the global community." | "People in the area might have felt isolated from the state and as a result they took part in the civil war," Rana said. "Trekkers and trekking can help them engage with the global community." |
| • This article was amended on 6 October 2012. Pushpa Kamal Dahal is no longer the prime minister but is currently a Maoist leader. This has been corrected. | • This article was amended on 6 October 2012. Pushpa Kamal Dahal is no longer the prime minister but is currently a Maoist leader. This has been corrected. |
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