Headline news in Nepal

Nepal sees only 12 days free of strikes in 6 months

 

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-06/28/content_11613992.htm

KATHMANDU, June 28 (Xinhua) -- Nepal's statistics showed that in the past six months only 12 days were free of any kind of strike, local media reported Sunday. According to a report of The Himalayan Times daily, strikes or bandhs have lasted for 166 days in the past six months, disrupting traffic and shutting down government offices, business establishments, hospitals and bazaars. All days in January, February and April saw a strike in some part of the country. Except for March 18 and June 13, strikes were recorded every day in the two months. In May, 46 bandhs were recorded, while June has seen 57 bandhs and strikes so far. The statistics, compiled from incidents reported by mass media across the country, also reflect that the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) (UCPN-M) has been using bandh as a tool for protest after it stepped down from the government in the first week of May, according to the report.  Organizations affiliated with UCPN-M enforced 22 bandhs and strikes in June and 17 in May. The party enforced bandhs for 69 such programs in the past six months. Other parties are also not far behind when it comes to enforcing bandhs. The Nepali Congress and the Communist Party Nepal-Unified Marxist Leninist organized 15 and 17 bandhs respectively in the last six months. Not only the political parties, even locals have started enforcing bandhs to fulfill their demands. In the last six months, the locals organized bandhs and strikes across the country for 175times. They mainly blocked roads demanding compensation for the families of accidents victims.

    Armed outfits and Terai-based groups in southern Nepal enforced such programs 145 times while the transporters and traders enforced bandh 92 times in the period. According to the daily, the increasing culture of bandhs is severely affecting the poor's ability to feed themselves, forcing many to skip meals and scavenge for food or borrow money and sell off assets to survive, the United Nations World Food Program said in a bulletin. The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industries also informed that the nation loses revenue worth 7 to 14 million U.S. dollars on every bandh day. According to the police, bandhs and strikes were recorded on 254 days in 2008. The strikes were carried out by political parties, ethnic groups, students, labor groups, journalists, traders and teachers, among others.