Nepal: Minorities Call for Strike in Capital

Opposing the recently promulgated interim constitution in Nepal, minority communities called for a strike in the capital Thursday. The umbrella organization of indigenous communities Nepal Federation on Indigenous Communities (NFIN) called the strike. Owing to the strike, life has been crippled in the capital. The organizers are protesting in various quarters of the city, obstructing vehicular movement and forcefully shutting down shops. The federation activists disrupted traffic movement namely at Kalanki, Balaju, Samakhushi, Chabahil, Gopi Krishna hall, Jorpati, Koteshwor, Lagankhel and Ekantkuna. Similarly, the activists organized protest demonstrations at Putalisadak, Sundhara and Ratna Park. Public transportation has come to a complete halt although a few private vehicles and motorbikes are seen plying the roads. A number of shops at the corners of the city are open while major market places are closed.

Minor scuffles between the protestors and the police as well as locals have been reported. NFIN activists and locals engaged in a scuffle in the morning at Kalanki. The president of the NFIN, Pasang Sherpa, has alleged those who engaged in the brawl with the NFIN activists were hooligans. The Federation claimed that General Secretary Ram Bahadur Tahap Magar was injured on his head and another five activists have been detained from Kalanki.
Owing to the strike, the heart of the city, Ratna Park, remains calm. Nearly 100,000 people are supposed to pass through this way during normal days.

The NFIN had announced the Valley strike on Thursday to press for its demands to amend the interim constitution by addressing the grievances of the indigenous communities. The indigenous communities have been demanding recognition of their mother languages in government works and a guarantee of federal structure based on ethnic, regional and lingual identities. Nepal's southern Terai was crippled by the protests of Madhesis with similar demands for three weeks. Now the indigenous communities have been focusing their protest programs in the capital. The Terai unrest was calmed down after the prime minister assured their demands would be met.