In an interview with the BBC, Maoist second-in-command Baburam Bhattarai promised persecution of corrupt people like Gobinda Raj Joshi and Khum Bahadur Khadka. Maoist supremo Prachanda also said in no uncertain terms that those named guilty by the Rayamajhi commission would not escape. The Maoists have published a 'black list' of people against whom they will take serious action. This revelation comes close on the heels of their decision to launch nationwide protests and a persecution campaign of those deemed to be corrupt or wicked. While they have not made this list public, we have managed to get hold of the list.

According to a highly placed Maoist source, there are four levels to those who will be punished. First, are those found guilty by the Rayamajhi commission, second are corrupt politicians, third are corrupt public service officers and police, fourth are those that have always opposed the Maoists.

The list contains 205 names of those named by the Commission including those who were ministers during the royal regime and those who came to power then, including Dan Bahadur Shahi, Kamal Thapa, Badri Mandal, Tanka Dhakal, Durga Pokharel, Shirsh Shumsher, Senate Shrestha, Jagat Gauchan and many more.

There are also numerous ministers believed to be corrupt - Khum Bahadur Khadka, Gobinda Raj Joshi, Chinranjibi Wagle, Jayaprakash Gupta, and those corrupt from Lauda and China Southwest Airlines. Many police officials have been accused of collecting money illegally from casinos, restaurants, dance bars and discos. Also on the list are Nepal Salt Trading head Parameswar Mahaseth, the head responsible for the sinking of NAC Gautam Das Shrestha, various bank and financial institutions and those suspected to be smugglers.

Following the Maoist decision to take action against such individuals, the YCL and the All Nepal Women Association-Revolutionary, have decided to step up their own campaigns. A senior Maoist official told us that they hold the identities of all those who would scheme against the constituent assembly elections and action against them is already under way.

UML central committee member Shankar Pokhrel attributes the Maoist decision for persecution to increasing low morale inside the Maoist camp, thus the reason for propaganda. "During the civil war, the Maoists persecuted and punished whoever they pleased, and now, even in times of peace they wish to do the same, but that is not possible. To do so would weaken their own position," says Pokhrel.

"Before, they made people follow them with the threat of guns, now they wish to do the same with the threat of persecution."