Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha (SLMM) has decided to intensify its protest at Nepalgunj-Rupaidiha border.

The SLMM leaders decided to increase the presence of their supporters in the border area and the no-man’s-land, claiming that cross-border cargo movement has gone up in the recent days.

The protest will continue while the top leaders are engaged in dialogue with the government in the Capital, the SLMM leaders said on Wednesday.

The SLMM had relaxed its protest programme in the border area with the beginning of talks.

Pashupatidayal Mishra, a local SLMM leader, said their protest has suddenly lost steam.

“Since there is sign of the government addressing our demands, we have decided to begin 24-hour sit-in protest at the border” he said.

Meanwhile, 46 cargo trucks, including 18 fuel tankers, entered Nepal from Nepalgunj-Rupaidiha border on Wednesday morning.

Area Police Office in Jamunaha informed that the cargoes entered without any hurdles, because there were only a handful of SLMM supporters staging protest at the no-man’s-land.

The cargo movement was allegedly restricted by the Indian border security force, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) in the afternoon.

“Although there are no obstruction by the SLMM supporters, the Indian SSB are still restricting the cargo movement,” Sub-inspector Bishnu Giri said.

Shops smashed

The SLMM supporters vandalised several shops at Shiva Chowk, Janak Chowk and Mahabir Chowk in Janakpur on Wednesday.  Police said the demonstrators smashed the shops for opening during the banda hours. The SLMM supporters also staged demonstrations at various parts of Janakpur. Meanwhile, the supporters of Sanghiya Samabeshi Madhesi Gathabandhan has started a fast- unto-death protest in Birgunj, demanding release of three party activists who were arrested on Tuesday for vandalising Narayani Sub Regional Hospital.

Int’l community concerned about humanitarian crisis

A section of Kathmandu-based diplomatic community held a meeting with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Wednesday and discussed the looming humanitarian crisis in some parts of the country due to shortages of fuel.

The acting head of the UN in Nepal, chargé d’affaires at the US Embassy and ambassadors from the UK, Australia and Switzerland jointly called on PM Oli and discussed the fuel crisis facing the country and its impact on humanitarian purposes.

According PM Oli’s Foreign Relations Expert Gopal Khanal, the diplomats apprised the prime minister of humanitarian situation in some parts of hilly and mountain regions, saying that people were hugely affected and aid agencies were facing hard time supplying essentials due to acute shortage of fuel.

They also expressed their readiness to help the Nepal government to overcome the trouble.

Thousands of earthquake victims in remote parts of the country are bracing for a cold winter and failure to supply medicines and other essentials on time could make their lives even harder.

The Kathmandu-based diplomatic and humanitarian communities have been warned that children, women and elderly people, who are still living in temporary shelters, could be affected the most due to shortages of food, medicines and other essential commodities if immediate action was not taken.

In response, PM Oli assured them that fuel crisis should not affect the distribution of humanitarian aid and the government is ready to provide all possible support to the humanitarian community for smooth supplies, said Khanal.

“We have to work together to overcome these difficulties,” Khanal quoted PM Oli as telling the diplomatic community.

After months of protests, Biratnagar sees normalcy

Jitendra Sah (Biratnagar)

After months of protests, calm and normalcy have finally returned in Biratnagar.

Since the Samyukta Loktantrik Madhesi Morcha (SLMM) has not organised any protest for the last couple of days, marketplaces have opened after a long gap. The number of vehicles plying the streets has also increased. Obstruction at Biratnagar-Jogbani border point has also been lifted.

 The SLMM supporters in Biratnagar decided to put off their protest programme for now after the senior leaders left for New Delhi to apprise the Indian leaders of their demands. Some SLMM leaders are currently in Kathmandu for dialogue with the major political parties.

Sita Karki of Biratnagar-7 said she was relieved to see the marketplaces open after a long time. “I recently returned from Jogbani Bazaar. I was glad to see that there were no obstructions at the crossing,” she said.

Yogendra Karki, headmaster of Saraswoti Higher Secondary School, said after the SLMM relaxed its protest, the students have no trouble reaching to school.  

“If peace and order continue, we will resume our regular classes from 10 am,” he said.

Rajan Kadel, chairman of Eastern Nepal Transport Workers’ Association, said they have been able to run the transportation service without fear as the

protesters have stopped throwing stones and torching vehicles.

 “This is a good sign. We hope that both the government and agitating SLMM will find a solution soon,” he said.