Nepal’s agitating Madhesis called off their nearly five-month long blockade at the Indo- Nepal border on Monday, bringing relief to the country suffering severe shortages of fuel, medicine and other supplies due to the protests against a new Constitution.
Considering the current crisis facing the nation and the public necessity and aspirations, the ongoing protest programmes of general strike, border blockade, government office shutdown have been called off for now. The agitation will continue till our demands are addressed.Statement, United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF)
The announcement to end the border blockade comes ahead of Prime Minister KP Oli’s trip to India on 19 February, the first overseas visit of the new Nepalese premier. The UDMF has announced only three protest programmes including a torch rally, a lathi rally and a people’s vote collection campaign in district headquarters.
Nepal’s Madhesi community, largely of Indian origin, are opposed to the new Constitution that divides their ancestral homeland under the seven-province structure and have led an ongoing blockade of key border trade points with India.
The agitating community that shares strong cultural and family bonds with India was demanding demarcation of provinces, fixing of electoral constituencies on the basis of population and proportional representation, and had launched a protest for months that claimed at least 55 lives.
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