Nepal’s Madhesis protesting against a new Constitution Monday called off their nearly five-month crippling blockade at the border with India that led to severe shortages of fuel, medicine and other essentials in the landlocked nation and strained Indo-Nepal ties.
“Considering the current crisis facing the nation and the public necessity and aspirations, the ongoing protest programmes of general strike, border blockade, government office shutdown have been called off for now,” the United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) said in a statement. “The agitation will continue till our demands are addressed,” said the statement issued after the meeting of UDMF leaders, three days after angry traders from both sides burned down tents set up by agitating Madhesis on Friday.
The “UDMF leaders decided to withdraw their ongoing protest programmes,” Laxman Lal Karna, the vice-chairman of Sadbhawana Party, one of the members of the front, told PTI. The announcement to end the border blockade comes ahead of Prime Minister K.P. Oli’s trip to India on February 19, the first overseas visit of the new Nepalese Premier. Prime Minister Oli welcomed the decision by the Madhesis to call off the agitation and said it was a “positive move.”
“The Prime Minister has stressed on talks among the parties to address the differences,” said a press note issued by Mr Oli’s press advisor.
“I am confident that the differences and disputes can be addressed through talks among us,” said the Prime Minister, who had publicly announced that it would not be appropriate for him to visit India unless the border blockade ends.
Nepal’s Madhesi community, largely of Indian origin, are opposed to the new Constitution that divides their ancestral homeland under the seven-province structure and have led an ongoing blockade of key border trade points with India. Mr Karna said that the UDMF is considering to change forms of their protests.
The UDMF has announced only three protest programmes, including a torch rally, a lathi rally and a people’s vote collection campaign in district headquarters.
In a bid to resolve the crisis involving the minority Madhesi community, Nepal’s Parliament last month voted to amend the new Constitution four months after its promulgation. However, the Madhesi groups rejected the two amendments, saying that they did not address their demands.