- Title: NEPAL: Country grinds to halt as rebel strike takes effect
- Date: 8th February 2006
- Summary: (W3) KATHMANDU, NEPAL (FEBRUARY 05, 2006) (REUTERS) WIDE SHOT VILLAGE AND DESERTED STREETS; SOLDIERS ON STREET; WIDE SHOT STREETS GROUP OF MEN GATHERED ON STREET POLICE OFFICERS ON BACK OF TRUCK UNIDENTIFIED MAN SPEAKING (Nepali) WIDE SHOT KATHMANDU METROPOLITICAN CITY OFFICE
- Embargoed: 23rd February 2006 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Nepal
- Country: Nepal
- Topics: Domestic Politics
- Reuters ID: LVABAYA0BIKBOW2P6XLCS9OG25PY
- Story Text: Hundreds of soldiers and riot police guarded government buildings and patrolled deserted streets across Nepal on Sunday (February 5, 2006), the first day of a week-long general strike called by Maoist rebels.
The guerrillas called the countrywide closure of transport, businesses, factories and educational institutions to disrupt Wednesday's (February 8) municipal elections ordered by King Gyanendra, who seized full power last year. They have carried out a series of bomb blasts across the country and are blamed for killing two election hopefuls and for shooting and wounding another.
The government has asked people to ignore the strike but residents are scared.
In Lele village in Pattan district, some 30-km south of capital Kathmandu, streets were empty and shop shutters were down. Most of the men played Carom or cards while women kept themselves busy by taking in some sunshine or working on the odd job on their sewing machines.
Roshan, a young village boy, said the current unrest must end for people to live a normal life. "There is an atmosphere of terror all around, they (the Nepalese people) are fighting each other. It would be better if the issue is resolved through dialogue," Roshan said as he watched his friends play a game of carom by the roadside.
A few yards away, a group of men played cards to kill time. Prem Bahadur, a cobbler who could not go to work on Sunday because the strike had ensured there were no vehicles driving on the roads, said such prolonged shut downs could force poor families to starve.
"If there is a shutdown for the entire week, it would really hurt the families and the children, because we have to work and earn every single day to be able to feed them in the evening. This is very bad for poor like us," said Bahadur. In the past, the rebels have punished those disobeying them. The Maoists, trying to topple the Hindu monarchy and establish a communist state, have a loose anti-king alliance with mainstream political parties fighting for democracy. The parties are boycotting the elections and call them a ploy by the isolated king to legitimise his regime. Last month, the guerrillas, who control large swathes of the hinterland, ended a four-month truce after the government failed to match it.
More than 13,000 people have died in the 10-year conflict, at least 120 of them since the truce ended. The shutdown also spread to the western part of the country with shops and businesses closing and students staying home. Government offices were still open and employees walked to work. Gyanendra, who has justified his take-over as necessary to quell the insurgency, has promised to restore democracy in three years but Nepal's key donors say that is too late. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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