Children played on Wednesday on a main highway in southern Nepal as a Maoist blockade of the capital brought intercity traffic to a halt and left many residents of the Himalayan kingdom fuming.
While traders and vendors who make their living catering to passing traffic along the highway linking Kathmandu and the town of Naibu shut up shop, children took advantage of a school shutdown and the deserted highway to play games.
Tea vendor Bhim Narayan Maharjan was not in the mood for fun.
”My daily bread has been affected as there is no flow of passengers coming and going out of the Kathmandu Valley,” he said.
”There is no sense blocking the road — it only affects people like us who make ends meet by selling tea and homemade cookies,” he said.
Tourist restaurant owner Bhupesh Rai was equally disgruntled.
”Every day I normally sell tea, coffee and food, including boiled eggs, worth 3 500 rupees [about R300] and from this I make a profit of between 25% and 30%,” he said.
”But due to the blockade there were no visitors and I have not been able to sell anything. I have not even been able to make 250 rupees,” Rai said mid-afternoon.
Teacher Pushpa Sharma said schools had been forced to close because there was no transport for children from outlying areas.
”We are not sure how many days more we may have to close the schools,” Sharma said.
Food prices rose sharply in Naubise.
”The cost of fresh vegetables and fruits has already gone up by 10% to 15% as the these products failed to come from the lowland tropical region,” grumbled housewife Sukhamaya Gurung.
Residents of the town slammed the government for its failure to hold talks with the rebels.
”The four-party government headed by Sher Bahadur Deuba is busy inaugurating various functions but giving empty promises of peace, security and improvement of the national economy,” said Matrika Kuinkel, a scholar.
Only about 100 public carriers and trucks were seen operating along the highway on Wednesday escorted by a security convoy, said Sanukaji Maharjan, who works for a hotel in Naubise.
Normally about 2 000 heavy vehicles pass through the town a day, he said.
”If the blockade problem is not solved soon, there will be a shortage of goods and foods,” Maharjan said.
The Maoists, who have been fighting to overthrow the constitutional monarchy and install a communist republic, said they will keep up the blockade indefinitely until their demands are met.
The rebels are seeking release of jailed militants, details of missing activists and an inquiry into alleged custodial killings of rebels by security forces. They also want the government to stop calling them terrorists. — Sapa-AFP