Western Nepal Conflict Assessment: History & Dynamics of the Maoist Revolt

In 1996, the Maoists (Communist Party of Nepal) led an armed insurgency against the Nepalese government, taking control of much of Nepal and acutely affecting the rural mid-western region.

Prompted by this ongoing instability, Mercy Corps commissioned an independent assessment of Western Nepal's civil conflict in order to identify root causes and parallels with historic Maoist movements in Cambodia and Peru.

This assessment summarizes the comments of roughly 150 local residents, human rights workers, entrepreneurs, and government officials to provide insight into the history and conduct of the insurgency and the effectiveness of coinciding development programs in Nepal.

The compiled comments dispel several widely-held assumptions about Maoist destructive behavior while pinpointing conduct that has alienated many rural residents.