Maoists continuing with violence and extortion: US

Despite the cease-fire, Maoist rebels continued to conduct abductions, extortion, and violence, states a US country report on terrorism which was posted to the US State Department’s official website on Tuesday.

“In the Kathmandu Valley, Maoists took advantage of their dramatically increased presence and the government's reluctance to upset the peace process to expand their use of extortion and efforts to undermine trade unions and student groups affiliated with the political parties. They also continued forced recruitment of schoolchildren, with thousands targeted after the signing of the initial November 8 peace accord”, stated the report.

The US report concluded this year also saw the beginning of a disturbing new trend with the activation of the separatist Maoist-splinter terrorist group called the Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM), which aimed to bring about the secession of the southern Tarai plains from the rest of Nepal.

"Imperialist" United States and "expansionist" India were the targets of considerable Maoist venom, especially in the period leading up to the April uprising. A trip by Maoist Supremo Prachanda to New Delhi on November 18, however, seemed to mark the culmination of a shift in the Maoist view of Nepal's large neighbour to the south, according to the report.

The report stated, "at the end of the year, the United States was the only country to maintain its designation of the Maoist insurgency as a terrorist organisation."