The blood-soaked hills and valleys of Rolpa have now been at peace for nine months. There are no rotting bodies by the rivers. The sound of explosions no longer rent the air. Yet, fear still lurks here.

For nearly a decade, the Maoists had de facto control over the mid-western districts. Local political leaders had to flee for their lives, nobody has kept a count of how many were killed, tortured, or had their property confiscated.

After the 12-point agreement and the peace process, political activity is picking up. Party cadre are going back to their villages, and the UML and NC have even re-established offices in Jungar, Ghartigau, and Iribang after many years.

But the parties are still facing harassment. On 23 March, the Maoists disrupted a UML meeting in Talabang and took away the microphones. It's getting late for the Maoists who have accepted peaceful competitive politics to mend their ways.

The threats, intimidation and coercion is costing the Maoists support. Although the comrades have declared that 'people's courts' will be disbanded they are still running kangaroo courts. Extortion, forced labor and a show of force are everyday occurrences. The family of every Rolpali who is working abroad has to pay up to Rs 35,000 in annual tax to the Maoists.

In Talabang, the Maoists accused Kaman Singh of 'tax evasion' and he was locked out of his house and property taken over. Others are sick and tired of being forced to repeatedly pay up to Rs 400,000.

The Maoists have been building the difficult 81km 'Martyr's Highway' from Nuwagau to Thabang. They had said it would be completed in three years but it is behind schedule even though villagers from the surrounding districts of Rukum, Salyan, and Dang were pressed into road construction service. The 'voluntary labour' on the road has resumed since 13 March.

Two months ago, the Rolpa district in-charge Comrade Sijal had agreed with other parties to allow the internally displaced to go back to their villages. Many did, but some were harassed by local Maoists when they went to their home villages.

There is a trend here of the district Maoists not listening to the central Maoists and the village Maoists not listening to the district leadership.

The police have finally been allowed to return to some of their abandoned posts. In Jungar and Ghartigaun, the Maoists welcomed returning policemen with garlands and then told them: "You stay where we tell you to stay, no armed patrols, before you go out you ask us for permission."

Despite the peace process and UN-verified arms management, Rolpa's villagers are being openly told by local Maoists that they still have a lot of guns hidden away. Some comrades even warn that if they lose the constituent assembly election they will go back to war.

It is difficult to see how voting in the constituent assembly election can be truly free, fair and independent in this situation.