Angry protesters stoned vehicles and shut down shops and schools in the Nepali capital yesterday as a strike demanding a separate Newar autonomous province took hold, police and witnesses said.
Various ethnic groups are demanding a greater role in running the government, and some are pressing for separate autonomous states as the Himalayan nation prepares a new constitution after abolishing its 239-year-old monarchy.
Ethnic Newars dominate temple-studded Kathmandu, the Himalayan nation’s capital, as well as several small towns.
They want the Kathmandu valley turned into an autonomous state.
“Streets are deserted as they (protesters) have not allowed even a bicycle to run,” said Rim Bahadur Khadka, an official at the police control room in Kathmandu.
“They stoned a few vehicles defying the strike but no one was injured.”
Thousands of children stayed at home as schools remained closed due to the strike.
Offices were open but employees had to walk as there was no transport available in the city, home to two million people.
Airport officials said flights were unaffected but passengers walked for hours to reach the airport.
Moderate communist Madhav Kumar Nepal was elected as prime minister in May, but he is yet to name his full cabinet due to wrangling among coalition partners over positions, leaving the country in limbo.
The Maoist former rebels quit the government amid a row over the firing of the army chief. Reuters
|
