Source: Ekantipur
The meeting between the ruling Seven-Party alliance (SPA) and the agitating United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) held on Tuesday concluded without making any headway to end the crisis gripping the Terai region.
During the meeting held at the Prime Minister’s Official residence in Baluwatar, the UDMF leaders put forward their demands which included:
the release of those arrested during the ongoing agitation in the Terai, withdrawal of the “false cases” filed against UDMF activists,
proper treatment for the injured and
an end to the repressive measures used against the agitation.
Emerging from the meeting, UDMF leader Anil Kumar Jha said that he was hopeful about the meeting and the front would resume talks with the government if the government created the proper environment.
UDMF, the newly-formed alliance of three major madhesi parties—Terai-Madhesh Democratic Party, Nepal Sadbhavana Party and Madhesi People’s Rights Forum- had agreed to sit for talks with the government to find an outlet to the Madhesi crisis through dialogue while continuing a peaceful and non-violent agitation.
During the meeting the PM was flanked by leaders Amod Kumar Upadhaya, Mahesh Acharya and Shekhar Koirala. Similarly, Front leaders Anil Kumar Jha, Maheshwar Yadav and Ratneshwar Lal Kayastha were present in the meeting that began at three this afternoon.
UDMF had called for an indefinite strike in the Terai region from February 13 putting forth a 6-point demand seeking autonomy for the Madhes (the Terai) with right to self-determination.
Life across the Terai region has been paralysed for the last seven days due to the strike called by the UDMF affecting the already insufficient supply of petroleum products to the capital.
Earlier today, CPN-UML leader Madhav Kumar Nepal, Jhala Nath Khanal and Maoist leader Prachanda called on the PM.
Khanal said that they advised the PM not to put off tomorrow’s deadline for filing candidacies for the Proportional Representation system for the CA polls.
They also advised the PM not to take any decisions without the agreement of the ruling Seven-Party-Alliance (SPA).
Khanal also told the PM that the UDMF’s demand for autonomy cannot be met.
The UDMF,however, had agreed to talks with the government after the Home Ministry Monday evening assured the Front that all its demands will be fulfilled and that the security personnel mobilised in the Terai region would show more restraint.
The Home Ministry had also expressed commitment to release the political prisoners of the Terai agitation, to drop all charges against UDMF activists and to provide appropriate relief to the injured and compensation to the families of those killed during the agitation.
Meanwhile,local administrations in Biratnagar and Siraha clamped curfews on Tuesday while the curfews in Mahottari and Nepalgunj of Banke entered their second and third day respectively.
One Rajesh Thakur died on Tuesday in a clash at Lahan of Siraha district. Thakur, who had sustained bullet wounds to his chest and hand, died on the way to a hospital in Dharan. Over hundred protestors were injured in the clash.
Following a clash between protestors and police in Biratnagar of Morang district on Tuesday morning, the local administration imposed curfew in Biratnagar from 11 am on Tuesday until further notice.
Fuel in the Valley
The government has brought 25 petroleum tankers ferrying over 300 kiloliters of fossil fuel through Birgunj customs, the largest import point, on Tuesday, the seventh day of the general strike in tarai.
Amid security concerns, those tankers were escorted to Raxaul depot of Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) after imposing curfew along the highway and in Birgunj sub-metropolitan city at 5 pm Monday. The tankers refilled till late night and were escorted back to Amlekhgunj.
Of the total imports, Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) dispatched 11 tankers (over 132 KL) to Kathmandu. “Few tankers were also sent to Pokhara for ensuring emergency supply,” said Mukunda Dhungel, director of NOC.
He informed the Post that three of the eleven tankers carrying petrol reached Kathmandu on Tuesday and the remaining eight tankers would reach here on Wednesday.
The corporation also transferred two additional tankers (24,000 liters) of petrol and four tankers (about 50,000 liters) of diesel to Thankot from Bhairahawa on Tuesday.
With the better receipt, the Thankot depot pumped out 60,000 liters of petrol and 156,000 liters of diesel to the Valley. It did not distribute kerosene though. “Apart from police, army and Sajha petrol pumps, we distributed diesel to private refilling pumps as well,” said Dhungel.
Irked by the short supply, consumers, meanwhile, organized protest rallies in places like Kalanki, Gongabu and Balkhu earlier in the day. However, they were dispersed by police.
Even though NOC gathered some 70 tankers at Amlekhgunj for the next round of import, their drivers refused to work despite security arrangements for escorting the vehicles. “They demanded curfew be imposed like yesterday if they are to work,” said a NOC official at Amlekhgunj.
And for the price of fruits and vegetables, it has shot up owing to the disruption of vehicular movement in the tarai region.According to Binaya Shrestha, planning officer at the Kalimati Fruits and Vegetables Market Development Board, the supply of vegetables have dwindled to around 550 tons per day in the last seven days from 750 per tons in normal days. More here
United We Blog 
Comments
13 responses to “Govt, UDMF talks inconclusive; Terai enters into 8th day of strike as Kathmandu continues facing acute fuel shortage”
they don’t want to solve the problem soon……….seems that they are doing the trading of dead bodies….. and nothing to say abt fuel shortage…………. life goes, and we don’t demand for compensation………. that’s all.
The CA election is MUST for institutionalizing whatever the
nation has achieved so far. It is also important for Madhesi and Janjatis. They too have got some major achievements particularly
the Federal structure. If CA does not happen all these will be
washed away.
Its time the border between Nepal and India is closed and regulated. Time to introduce the passport system. This will stop the criminals from entering Nepal and the talks should take place between the various parties.
As long as the border is open Nepal is just an extension of India and even if we solve the problem now it will again surface in another 10 years time.
I find it really funny when Congress, UML says that they are concerned about tarai situation and puts the blame on over king and Feudal system. I just have one question. Same Congress, Communist were in power for over 12 years why didnt they show concern on madhesi issue then. They just can’t get away by blaming king.
CA is not must unless major issue are addressed. If people are suffering now without gas, electricity, water, petrol now then what can we expect after CA. After all same inept people will come in the government.
Secondly, madhesi party said it wont take part in election which now puts question mark in the legitimacy of elction result.
Lastly, election won’t take part if madhesi parties dont take part in election.
If CA election will also occured in this situation where more than half of the nation is burning, these leaders are going washed away.
I don’t understand this crazy madhesis, if they got every demands before CA. Then, why the election of CA is there? And, hey madhesis! don’t u know that it is impossible to take your demand of “EK Madhes Ek Pradesh”. .There are others and Tharu people are there against you…………….be ware ……………
Yeah, some of the demands of Madhesis are crazy, and in no way there should be another KOSOVO in Nepal.But when all the maoists demand can be fulfilled before CA why not Madhesi demands?? When every major demands can be decided from this TIKE parliament why not some more ‘important’ demand ? And when they have already decided CA will just ratify the decisions made by this TIKE parliament why on earth one should wait until CA elections for any solutions?? When this TIKE parliament (SPA leadership) is the most powerful body which can decide anything to everything why we need CA elections for any way forward??
Besides, what I donot understand is what after CA elections?? If I am not wrong CA would be dissolved once new constitution is made. Are we going to have another election then or CA will become another parliament? How a govt will be formed from CA elections as the main purpose of CA would be just to make new constitution?? Can anybody mind enlightening??
Knock…knock…knock…
where are you civil society groups?
where are you human rights groups?
These three crook leaders are the starter of deciding everything before CA. Now they are facing the consequences. At the end the general people are being victims for ; price hike (more than 50%), critical shortages of basic needs, economic turmoil and unemployment, insecurity etc..etc..How the nation will suffer from the crook leaders is the present example.
Exactly Sagarmatha, the present situation is because of the
short sightedness of SPAM. They have made huge decisions
before CA. Now others are exploiting the tricks used by Maoists
to fulfill their demands.
There are many unsolved issues in Nepal since few months now and the issues are not minimizing at all. The shortages that we (at kathmandu) are facing are only being highlighted.
what about the whole nation? what are the problems they are facing? at least we can eat a meal a day. People at jumla and humla face cricis every year. now, when the capital faces a problem then it is focused. this is all capitalism. each and every one of us is responsible for this. it is not just the politicians.
but i don’t mean that the problem cannot be solved. To make a solution we have to start from ourselves only.
Our politicians played on the ethnic sensitivities of the different ethnic groups and are now reaping the fruits of their folly. Unfortunately it is the People of this country who have to bear the brunt of all this mess.
Do they still think that they will be able to hold on to the Terai by their stubbornness? Without addressing the Madesh problem, no election will succeed, the country cannot maintain its unity. You fools show some sense now.
Girija is the nations greatest enemy. Throw him out and with him his stubbornness. Madhav is an utter joker, send him to the Jawalkhel zoo. Prachanda is a stuffed up baffon, let him mate with our political monkeys.
Deva
Yes. immediately kicking out these crooks can be the solution for this nation and the people to bring back peace.
The conspiracy is going on to take over Nepalese Government by Madhesi (in essence Indian origin) leaders (another Fiji).
The utility of Nepal to the conspirators is water resources (they have major rivers donated in free by the Ministry of Water Resources without two-third majority decision as should be according to Nepalese constitution. We all know INdia has major power crisis as well as it has design to join its major river systems for sort out drinking water crisis, irrigation crisis and building transport system from east and west part of the Indian ocean (traversing through Mid part of Indian soil (another Suez canal).
The other concern for the conspirators regarding Nepalese utility is the security from Chinese side (year 1962 hangover when India was surprised by China and India lost miserably). Chinese side backed up 20 km back from Indian territory, because their intention was to just teach India ‘a lesson’.
If the present Madhesi unrest continues, and if Nepal governement could not be hegemonized by Madhesis, the conspirators will be happy if Nepal is divided into two: northern Nepal (ruled by the so called pahades much more landlocked and devrived of transportation, transit and agricultural resources, and under begging terms to its southern part) and Southern Part governed by Religous fundamentals backed by their financers and suporters in India, hegemonized by neo-nepalis coming from upper high class and landlords.
In essence its another story of Vietnam, when the only solution could be the military defeat by either north or south part. Which means a total war with a lot of bloodshed and unprecedented suffering to the peace-loving Nepalese.
So be aware of this… and prepare for the worst. The preparation is to live on bare essentials and hard life. Also preparation should be not to querrel like babies and stop lambasting goverment (which is at its weakest) and other parties (seven parties or whatever) and unite all the Nepalese who consider themselves sons and daughters of Nepal (maoists, King, king followers, major parties included). CA polls should not be a contest, but it is the time to unite and forget past differences, because Nepal is in crisis and Government should be on crisis management mode. Please do not fall into the conspirators’ tactics of ‘divide and rule’.
Lets get united, we all Nepalese who love Mother Nepal. On your toes! for ACTION.
-Major Sharp