NEFIN banda passes off peacefully; 1000 cadres rounded up

EKANTIPUR REPORT
KATHMANDU, AUG 15 2010 07:20 - The one-day nationwide vehicular strike called by the Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN) to press for a timely constitution passed off peacefully on Sunday, despite a few reports of vandalism and clashing. Vehicles began to ply the road in the evening after the banda was over at 5.
NEFIN Chairman Rajkumar Lekhi said the strike called to pressurise for new constitution and ending the political deadlock passed off peacefully. He informed that around 1000 cadres were detained across the nation during the course of banda.
“Our strike was supported from several quarters,” said Lekhi talking to eKantipur after the strike, “The banda remained peaceful despite minor clashes in some places including Kathmandu.”
The NEFIN, which is the umbrella organisation of Indigenous group, has decided to publicise further agitation programmes to pressurise for the peace and statute-drafting processes. For that, the NEFIN has convened a meeting for Tuesday.
Life paralysed nationwide
Normal life throughout the nation was affected due to the strike.
Academic institutions, industries and market places remained shut countrywide from early today. NEFIN cadres staged demonstrations in major thoroughfares of the Capital including Bajalu, Kalanki, Koteshwor, Kalimati, Baneshwor, Minbhawan, Chabahil and Bouddha.
As the agitating NEFIN cadres vandalised some vehicles plying the streets, clashes ensued in some places.
Four vehicles—three taxis and a private car—were vandalised in Shantinagar and Baneshwor, Traffic Police informed.
Dozens of NEFIN cadres, including Secretary General Ang Kaji Sherpa, were detained by the police, Chairman Raj Kumar Lekhi informed.
Sherpa, along with NEFIN vice chairman and some cadres, were detained at Bouddha Police Circle. 
However, some motorcycles, taxis and vehicles were seen plying in some places of the valley.
NEFIN cadres, who had been obstructing transportation at Satdobato, have been taken into custody by the police. Police resumed transportation in the area. 
Vehicles en route to Kathmandu and those going out of valley have come to a standstill.  
Bardia, Udayapur, Chitwan, Dhakuta, Banke, Bardia, Kailali, Kanchanpur, and Dang, among others, have worn a deserted look owing to the banda.
A motorcycle was vandalised and some NEFIN men have been detained by the police in Udayapur district.
NEFIN called for a one-day strike to pressurise the Constituent Assembly (CA) and the political parties to draft the new constitution at the earliest, and safeguard the rights of the indigenous people in it.
88 NEFIN cadres arrested in Capital
Kathmandu Metropolitan Police arrested at least 88 persons from various places in the capital for their involvement in vandalism of vehicles during the course of demonstration on Sunday as part of the one-day strike.
Unlike in the Banda called by major political parties, especially the UCPN (Maoist), a substantial number of vehicles were seen plying the streets of the Capital from early today, defying the strike.
According to the Metropolitan Commissioner’s Office Kathmandu, 63 persons were arrested from Kathmandu and 25 from Laliptur.
Some of them were arrested while they were pelting stones at moving vehicles, but most of them were detained on charge of obstructing the road.
The demonstrators vandalised four cabs in Baneshwor area two each at Kagtyani temple and Shantinagar gate respectively.
Police said, except those involved in vandalism, all of the NEFIN supporters arrested will be released by this evening.
 In Gaighat, the headquarters of Udayapur district, the agitating NEFIN cadres vandalised a motorbike. Normal life in the district was crippled by the strike.
Over two dozen motorcycles have been taken control of by the agitators, Police said.
According to the police, the motorbike (Ba 1 Pa 8468) belonging to District Animal Office, Udayapur was vandalised while the office chief, Dr Devnarayan Singh, was on his way to take part in a conference at Regional Directorate.
Likewise, the strike partly affected the main town of Dhankuta district. All the vehicles heading for nearby districts such as Bhojpur, Terhathum and Sankhusabha were left stranded.
According to District Education Officer Jhum Prasad Rai, students were forced to bear the brunt of the strike due to the obstruction of vehicular movement.

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