Nepali Americans from the Terai region of the country protest against the brutal use of force and human rights violations by the Nepali government outside the White House in Washington DC on Sunday. (Photo: PTI)
Nepali Americans from the Terai region of the country protest against the brutal use of force and human rights violations by the Nepali government outside the White House in Washington DC on Sunday. (Photo: PTI)
Nepal Monday decided to clear key highways and border points blockaded by Indian-origin Madhesis for over two-months, affecting the supply of essential goods to the land-locked country, a day after four protesters died in police firing.
The agitating Madhesi parties have been blockading the Nepal-India border crossing points for about two months, obstructing movement of cargo vehicles creating acute shortage of fuel, medicines and other essential goods.
“We have mobilised security personnel along the highways and near the border areas so that key highways could be cleared and movement of cargo and other vehicles could resume,” home ministry spokesperson Laxmi Prasad Dhakal said.
“The government has decided to mobilise the Nepal police, armed police force and national investigation department personnel under special security strategy,” he said.
However, the government has not yet decided to mobilise Army in the Terai.
It has become necessary to mobilise all three security agencies in the southern plains in a coordinated manner in the wake of growing violence in the region, he said.
Special security plan has been adopted to clear the highways, he added.
The agitating Indian-origin Madhesi groups have been obstructing the border points with India and blocking the East-West highway, which links Kathmandu with the Southern plains of Nepal.
The move has been taken to ease supply of essentials, including petroleum products, LP gas and medicines to the country from India.
A key Madhesi party has announced to allow movement of vehicles belonging to the media, ambulances, diplomatic agencies, red cross and human rights organisation in the southern Nepal.
Meanwhile, two groups of Nepali-Americans have held peaceful rallies outside the White House with one protesting the alleged “unofficial blockade” by India while the other supporting the cause of Indian-origin Madhesis.
Several hundred Nepali-Americans from the hilly regions of the country held a peaceful protest rally in front of the White House Sunday, claiming that India had imposed an “unofficial blockade” which had resulted in severe shortage of essential goods in their native country.
Simultaneously, a few dozen Nepali-Americans from the Terai region held another peaceful protest rally.
