Nepal's Maoist Guerillas Shut Down Birthplace of the Buddha

The birthplace of the Buddha, one of the holiest religious sites in the world, is being shut down by Nepalese Maoist guerillas. There is no word on how long the shutdown will last.

The Kapilavastu district near the India border (in southwest Nepal) is considered to be the site of the kingdom ruled by the Shakya dynasty. Prince Siddhartha, later known as the Buddha, was born into this dynasty over 2,500 years ago. The site still contains remnants of the palace ramparts of King Shuddhodana, Siddhartha's father. There are also remains of the holy temple where the prince's mother Maya Devi is said to have bathed before giving birth to Siddhartha via caesarian section. There are also several monasteries on the site. The communist guerrillas were instrumental in having Nepal, the world's only Hindu Kingdom, declared a secular state. They claim that they were enforcing the closure in protest against the Nepal Army in the district. T hey are also protesting the existence of a vigilante group that was armed by the army during the previous royal regime to 'combat' the Maoists.

Himalayan Broadcasting Corporation, a private radio station, said the protest was triggered after an army unit was stationed in Kapilavastu.

The rebels are demanding that the army unit withdraw from the area. On Saturday, the Nepalese government began negotiations with the group to try to persuade them to call off the protest.