At a time when the country and its armed forces are under the human rights spotlight, there sometimes emerge stories of bravery, humanity and sensitivity to suffering. It is a messy war, Nepalis and killing Nepalis, and firefights like Bardiya on 6 march shouldn't be seen as a victory or defeat.
That is the message from Maj Gen Deepak Bikram Rana (pictured) who took media and human rights activists to the site. There were dozens of bodies of Maoists along the sides of the road, captured weapons were lined up. But Maj Gen Rana wore a pained look on his face as he showed the visitors the bodies. "I can't say I feel happy about this, in fact I am filled with sorrow, after all they are all Nepalis," he said, "in war time you either kill or get killed, but I wish it wasn't like that."

The Maoists ambushed an army convoy on the Nepalganj-Guleria road near the Indian border and killed four security personnel. The soldiers radioed for reinforcements and the Rangers soon arrived. Some 48 Maoists were killed, and there were dozens of wounded Maoists who had been evacuated to the surrounding villages. Maj Gen Rana's instructions to his troops were clear: "Our wounded Maoist brothers should be given proper care, we don't kill anyone who is unarmed. We are all Nepalis first."

If only there were more like Maj Gen Rana on both sides, the war perhaps would be fought by the rules and it would be easier to find a resolution.

Rameswor Bohara