NEPAL: UN condemns bomb attack on WFP office

[ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]

KATHMANDU, 3 Mar 2006 (IRIN) - The United Nations in Nepal expressed serious concern on Friday over the attack a day earlier on the World Food Programme (WFP) office in the town of Damak, nearly 700 km east of the capital, Kathmandu. Two bombs exploded in WFP's compound.

“The UN strongly condemns such attack which violates international humanitarian law and basic operating guidelines,” said the statement released by the UN system in Nepal.

Although there were no casualties or damage, the UN offices in Damak have closed and will open following an investigation into the attack. Three government buildings in the town were also bombed at the same time.

Although there has been no claim of responsibility, Maoist rebels, who have been waging war against the state for more than a decade, have been blamed for all the attacks.

WFP provides food and other assistance to over 105,000 Bhutanese refugees in the Damak area.

This is the first time that a UN office in Nepal has come under direct attack, although WFP programmes in the country have been affected by the Maoists’ insurgency. The Rural Community Infrastructure Works (RCIW), to which WFP provides food aid, was reduced in size after rebels abducted and assaulted local staff working with WFP’s partner organisation on the programme in May 2005.

At least 34 people have been killed in separate incidents by Maoist rebels recently, according to official sources. Twenty-nine people were killed in a clash between Maoists and security personnel in Palpa, in the west of the country. The Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) on Wednesday confirmed the death of 11 security personnel in the incident.

At least five people were killed in an explosion during a curfew in Nagtoli of Mangalsen, the district headquarters of Achham, in the far west of the country, about 400 km northwest of the capital.

[ENDS]