Nepal indigenous group enforces strike to demand constitution

Aug 28, 2011, 5:09 GMT

Kathmandu- An indigenous group shut down the Nepalese capital and the nearby districts Sunday to press demands for a new constitution by the August 31 deadline.

Markets remained shut in city centres and public vehicles stayed off the streets during the strike called by Tamsaling Nepal Rastriya Dal.

Police detained protestors for trying to enforce the shutdown and for vandalizing taxicabs from some places in Kathmandu.

Indigenous leader Parshuram Tamang said the group was demanding secularism, federalism and republicanism in the new constitution.

It was the first of a series of strikes called by various political groups as the deadline nears.

Nepalese political factions are deadlocked over issues including the fate of former guerrillas who have been confined to camps since a decade-long civil war ended in 2006.

If the deadline is not met for drafting the constitution - one of the provisions of the 2006 peace treaty - political instability could threaten to derail the peace process.

On Sunday, the parliament was scheduled to choose a new prime minister.

Caretaker premier Jhalanath Khanal stepped down on August 14 to make way for a unity government, after he had failed to complete the constitution drafting and the peace process with Maoist former rebels.