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Jonas Bendiksen Magnum Photos / National Geographic Magazine
"Nepal's Maoist Rebellion"


7 of 12

Comrade Ranju, an experienced Maoist fighter, oils and combs her hair in the morning after the dawn patrols. According to our interviews, she has killed at least 13 Royal Nepali Army soldiers, in a well-known battle. At least 1/3 of the Maoist fighting forces are made up of young women. The Maoists are fighting for a redistribution of land and political power, but one of their main tenets is also the liberation of women. The traditional role of Nepalese women in the the countryside is very subservient to the males, and the young female fighters make this their main cause. Nepal has had a Maoist insurgency since 1996, with 12,000 deaths so far.
 

 

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