Biratnagar protest turns violent, one killed; indefinite curfew clamped

BIRATNAGAR, Jan 30 - District Administration Office Morang on Tuesday issued an indefinite curfew order in Biratnagar and surrounding areas after a clash between the protesters and the police resulted in the death of a protester.

During the clash, another protester was seriously injured.

The DAO Morang issued a curfew order beginning at 1:30 this afternoon till the further notice.

The deceased has been identified as 41-year-old Rakumar Kaman.

The injured has been taken to the Koshi Zonal Hospital where he is undergoing treatment.

Meanwhile, General life in the rest of eastern Terai on Tuesday showed signs of returning to normalcy after nearly two weeks of unrest and violent protests.

Tensions in the region have gone down following the respective local administrations in the region lifted the curfew orders.

However, District Administration office (DAO) Bara today issued an eight-hour curfew order in Kalaiya of Bara.

The DAO Bara clamped a 10am-6pm curfew after the unrest there showed no sign of abating.

Likewise, citing peace and security reasons, DAO Rautahat also issued a curfew order in Gaur effective from 10 am to 7 pm.

Although city centres saw an increase in activities, vehicular movement is still disturbed.

Meanwhile, the government began an arrest spree since yesterday night detaining royal kingpins for their accused role in infiltrating the peaceful protests in the Terai region and inciting riots.

Yesterday, the police arrested Kamal Thapa and Badri Mandal, two ministers of the erstwhile royal government.

Likewise, other former royal-appointed officials suspected to have involved in the protests are also being tracked down, police said.

The epicentre of the recent unrest, Lahan in Siraha district, however, was relatively calm today. Although the marketplaces still remain shut people seem to returning to their daily activities.

Likewise, locals are breathing a sigh of relief after the curfew orders were lifted.

However, owing to continuous shut downs, strikes and then curfew orders one after another, there has been a scarcity of foodstuff. Rickshaw pullers, labourers, government officials and students in particular have been greatly affected by the food scarcity in the region.

Meanwhile, Janakpur and Birgunj remained relatively peaceful today.

The doctors in Janakpur today organised a silent rally, protesting against the attack by the police in the Janakpur Zonal Hospital.

Similarly, the workers of the Janakpur Cigarette Factory also joined the protests, expressing their solidarity with the Madhesi cause.

Meanwhile, the Madhesi people living in the hilly regions of the country today said that the demands of the Madheshi community were genuine and justifiable and the government must address them properly.

They, however, requested those living in the Terai belt to organise peaceful rallies only and also condemned the recent attacks on journalists and the media.

Terai unrest continues, Minister Tripathi resigns

Terai unrest continues, Minister Tripathi resigns KATHMANDU, Jan 29 - Although the tensions in the eastern Terai have started to calm down, life has not returned to normalcy yet as the local administrations Monday issued fresh curfew orders in four towns. The District Administration Offices issued curfew orders in Janakpur, Birgunj, Kalaiya and Gaur today to control the increasing unrest in the southeastern region. Meanwhile, citing the government reluctance to resolve the Madhesi issues, Minister for Commerce, Industry and Supplies Hridayesh Tripathi today resigned from his post from the ruling coalition government. He said that the ruling seven-party alliance was "not serious enough over the present turmoil in the Terai region." Minister Tripathi tendered his resignation to Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala through the chief secretary today. "The eight parties have failed to show the level of seriousness that merits the present situation. Madhesh is moving ahead with its genuine demands regarding the proportional electoral procedure and federal setup, among others." He said adding, "We had issued a note of dissent on the very day the interim constitution was promulgated on January 15, however, there has been no hearing over them." Central Committee members of the Nepal Sadhbhawana Party (Anandidevi) had recently urged the party to leave the coalition government accusing the government to have suppressing the Madhesi movement in the Terai region. Meanwhile, shops and transportation services remained closed for the 11th day running as protests resumed in some parts of the eastern Terai since Monday morning. In Lahaan where the Madhesi People's Right Forum (MPRF) first carried out the protests, life seemed to returning to normalcy but markets and shops remained closed. Although Lahan has been comparatively calmer in the past two days, transportation services have not begun operations and marketplaces remained closed. Krishna Bahadur Yadav, central member of the MPRF, said that the indefinite banda programme would continue until their demands like proportional electoral system, federal state and declaration of constituencies based upon the population, among others, are addressed by the government. In Birgunj, local administration imposed a nine-hour curfew (10am to 7pm) today again. Likewise, DAO Rautahat also imposed a curfew in Gaur from 9 am to 7 pm. Janakpur remained peaceful today. However, a 10-hour curfew has been imposed by the local administration from 8am to 6pm. Meanwhile, just before the curfew order came into effect, a group of Nepali-speaking people traversed the city area and expressed their solidarity with the Madhesi movement and appealed all to maintain peace and harmony in the region. Similarly, in Kalaiya of Bara a curfew has been imposed from 8am to 9pm today. Modraj Dotel, chief district officer of Morang blamed those who called the protests to have failed to maintain the peace during the demonstrations despite their continuous pledge to organize peaceful demonstrations. Likewise, life was badly affected in Jaleshwor, Mahottari, as the residents were deprived of essential daily goods as the shops remained closed. Due to the closure of transportation, newspapers have not been delivered for the past 10 days. In addition, even the local newspapers have not been published. According to our correspondent, due to the lack of newspapers people have been deprived of factual information. In Mirchai, Siraha, agitators forced around 300 Maoist cadres out of Shobha Shahi's house. The Maoists had captured Shahi's house six months ago. Protesters vandalized the Village Development Committee Office, Post Office and the Drug Administration Office in Mirchaiya. Meanwhile, the Nepali Congress leaders who are here in Janakpur to hold talks with the Madhesi leaders today expressed their solidarity with the ongoing movement. They stressed that that the protests should be peaceful and urged all concerned to maintain peace and harmony in the region. The team of NC leaders comprises of Ram Baran Yadav, joint general secretary of the party, Smriti Narayan Chaudhary and chief whip Anand Prasad Dhungana. Speaking at a press conference today, the leaders said that Madhesi people's rights have not been addressed adequately and this movement should only end with a plausible solution. They added that the Madhesi people's demands are justifiable and should be addressed.

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Itinerary

Day 1:-
Kathmandu to Lukla by flight about 45 minutes the start trek to Phakding.
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Day 2:-
Phakding to Namche
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Day 3:-
Rest Day hiking and somewhere sightseeing and See Mt. Everest from Everest Hotel.
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Day 4:-
Namche to Tyangboche or( if you don't have time Back to Lukla.)
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Day 5:-
Tyangboche to Namche
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Day 6:-
Namche to Lukla
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Day 7:-
Lukla to Kathmandu By it flight 45 minutes.
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Visiting Mount Everest (Gokyo Peak)

With eight of the worlds ten highest peaks, Nepal is loaded with spectacular mountain vistas. The Everest trek is justifiably famous, not only for its proximity to the world’s highest mountain but also for its friendly Sherpa people, picturesque villages, great variety of cultures and traditions, colorful festivals and monasteries. The Sagarmatha National Park is rich with flora and fauna, but the existence of the yeti remains a mystery.
Trip Outline
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Solukhumbhu region of east Nepal (Lukla 2827m.)
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Bus to Jiri or fly to Lukla then walk to the Base Camp.
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Itinerary at a Glance:

Day 1:-
Arrive Kathmandu and meet with our representative at the airport. Drive to hotel.
Food: Welcome Dinner. Hotel: Hotel at Kathmandu.
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Day 2:- Kathmandu-Lukla
Fly to Lukla(2827m.) Lukla to Phakding

Situation in Terai worsens, curfew imposed in four districts

KATHMANDU, Jan 25 - Despite the Madhesi People's Rights Forum's (MPRF) commitment for talks with the government as appealed by the prime minister, the situation across various parts of the Terai region worsened on Thursday.

The local administrations in Siraha, Janakpur, Birgunj and Biratnagar today imposed curfew orders to prevent any untoward incidents in the wake of increasing unrest across the region.

Welcoming Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's appeal for talks, the MPRF in a statement issued today had said that it considers the appeal a positive step but would continue with "non-violence and peaceful protests."

The local administrations clamped curfews after the MPRF activists began to vandalize public properties.

According to our Siraha correspondent Bharat Jarghamagar, security has been beefed up in Lahan bazaar, where an 11-hour curfew has been imposed from 7 am to 6 pm today. However, defying the curfew orders, the MPRF took to the streets this morning.

Chief District Office Shashi Shekhar Shrestha said that the curfew would be relaxed once the situation in the area improves.

Meanwhile, the MPRF activists vandalized the vehicle of assistant chief district officer of Sunsari, Mohan Prasad Sharma, who was returning to his residence from his office this morning. The activists also attempted to torch his vehicle.

The activists padlocked at least a dozen government offices today.

Police opened blank fires to disperse the agitated mob, our correspondent said.

In Birgunj, the administration has imposed a curfew from 1:30 pm to 10 pm.

Our correspondent Sujit Mahat said minor scuffle erupted between the MPRF activists and police in Birgunj this afternoon.

The activists vandalized several hotels, shops, government offices and public houses from Ghantaghar to Revenue Office in the town today.

Four MPRF activists and a policeman were injured during the scuffle.

The forum has been launching various protest programmes in the area for the past few weeks, Mahat said.

The MPRF activists have carried out their activities that are against the forum's president's statement.

Four people have already died in the growing unrest in Lahan.

A 16-year-old student, Ramesh Kumar Mahato was killed during a scuffle between the Maoists and the activists of MPRF last weekend after which the district administration office has been issuing one curfew order after another in a bid to bring down growing tension.

The government had officially invited the agitating MPRF for table talks to defuse the growing tension at Lahan in Siraha district on Wednesday.

In a tea party hosted by Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala yesterday, the PM had iterated that dialogue can resolve the unrest in the Terai region.

Meanwhile, following a scuffle between the forum activist, Maoist cadres and police force, the Dhanusha District Administration office issued a seven-hour (10am-5pm) curfew order in Janakpur today.

At least nine MPRF activists were injured when police opened fire at the protesters in the town. Police also fired several rounds of teargas shells to control the mob.

In Biratnagar, our correspondent Bhim Ghimire said the district administration has clamped a six-hour curfew (from 4 pm-10pm).

A large number of police personnel have been deployed in the town but the activists have continued to stage protest demonstrations.

The forum's call for indefinite banda has disrupted life in Bara, Biratnagar as well.