Nepal's army plans radio stations to counter rebels

KATHMANDU, Mar 29 (Reuters) The Nepali army is to run its own radio stations to counter what it calls propaganda being spread by Maoist rebels fighting to topple the country's monarchy, an army officer said today.

Brigadier-General Nepal Bhusan Chand said the army plans to start six FM stations to ''neutralise the propaganda campaign by the terrorists'', while also providing entertainment and news.

Independent radio stations were banned from broadcasting news after King Gyanendra sacked the government and took power in 2005.

Those restrictions have been eased, but private FM stations that reach most of the impoverished nation's 26 million people are still officially banned from broadcasting even censored news. State broadcasters are operating normally.

But some private stations have been running news bulletins after the Supreme Court temporarily granted them permission pending a final order on their petitions challenging the ban.

The rebels use portable FM transmitters to broadcast their messages and spread their ideology in the often remote areas they control. The army now plans to fight back over the airwaves.

The Maoists have been fighting the monarchy for the past decade in a war that has killed more than 13,000 people. They have stepped up their campaign in recent months after their unilateral ceasefire was not matched by the government.

REUTERS SB KP1150