Ethnic Madhesi end strike in southern Nepal

Mar 12, 2007, 15:11 GMT

Kathmandu - The ethnic Madhesi People's Rights Forum (MPRF) Monday withdrew its crippling week-long general strike in southern Nepal.

The MPRF move came amid growing signs that their strike call was fizzling out in several districts in the southern plains known as Terai.

President of MPRF Upendra Yadav told reporters in the capital Kathmandu that his organization had decided to withdraw the strike from Tuesday.

'We have decided to withdraw our call for general strike. But we will continue blocking custom check posts and besiege government offices,' Yadav said.

'We will start civil disobedience campaign and call on people not to pay phone bills and taxes to the government,' Yadav told reporters.

The weeklong strike had paralysed normal life in at least a dozen districts in south and south-eastern Nepal closing down schools, businesses and factories and halting traffic in major highways.

MRPF came under growing criticism following its decision to resume general strike nearly a week ago to press their demands for the resignation of home minister.

MPRF first began protests in early January calling for federal structure of governance and proportional representation in the electoral system.

After a month of violent protest in which at least 25 people died, the government gave in to their demands.

However, MPRF refused to sit for negotiations saying Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula must resign on moral grounds.

Meanwhile, local administration has imposed curfew in the town of Inarwa, about 190 kilometres south-east of the capital, following violent clashes between students and MPRF supporters Monday afternoon.

The clashes broke after MPRF supporters allegedly beat up students who had gone to MPRF office to protest their strike. At least 35 people were injured in the clashes.