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National strike in Nepal



Nepal begins 2010 with nationwide strike


Nepal News, 1 January 2010

Nepal has stepped into New Year 2010 not with a celebratory bang but with a nationwide bandh. A conglomerate of various indigenous and ethnic community associations has called a general strike throughout the nation, Friday, demanding the implementation of Convention 169 concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples by the International Labor Organization (ILO).



Life in Kathmandu and other parts of the country has been adversely affected due to the strike. Major market, some offices and educational institutions across the country have remained closed. Retail stores and other shops in the interior parts of the city are partially open.

A day after thousand of revelers partied all through the night to welcome new year 2010 in party venues across the capital including tourist hub Thamel, Kathmandu streets appears deserted with very few vehicles plying on the road.  Few private vehicles and taxis are seen plying on the streets of Kathmandu. Long distance buses from Kathmandu have not operated. Many people are seen walking on the road to reach their destination.


Bandh organisers had staged a torch rally in Ratnapark, Kathmandu, Thursday evening demanding the implementation of their demands. Issuing a press release on the eve of the bandh Thursday the bandh organisers said, they would allow essential services including dispensary, and movement of vehicles of media, human rights organisations, Red Cross and diplomatic agencies. They have also said they will not obstruct disposal of garbage during the bandh.

The conglomerate, Indigenous Nationalities Broad Front, has been organizing various protest programmes from the past one-month demanding, among others, that the government ensure the rights of ethnic/indigenous communities, called the 'Janjatis', in the new constitution, give them linguistic and cultural rights including right to self-determination and has called for the establishment of a federal autonomous state.

ILO 169 guarantees special rights on natural resources including land and water of people of indigenous people and preservation of their culture.

Meanwhile, the home ministry has urged the bandh organisers to withdraw their bandh as it would affect life of normal people.

From: http://www.nepalnews.com/main/index.php/news-archive/1-top-story/3189-nepal-begins-2010-with-nationwide-strike.html


Old poster celebrating 10 years of armed struggle

Comments

DomzaNet said…
Please, somebody else, make a little postikins. Just a small one will do. I'm embarrassed to do so many all by myself, so that it looks as if I am hogging. Whereas it is because you-all are hanging back.
Tuesday, 05 January, 2010
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