About Birgunj
Birgunj Nepal is the border town through which the vast majority of petrol products for Kathmandu are processed. Here is what Lonely Planet says:
There’s very little in the hectic border town of Birganj to suggest that you’re not in India. As the main transit point for freight between India and Nepal, the town is mobbed by trucks, deafened by car horns and jostled by rickshaws. With its oppressive heat, clouds of dust and total chaos it’s not a place you’ll want to hang around too long and it is most commonly visited by travellers crossing to/from Kolkata in India.
The clock tower on the main road serves as a useful landmark, leading south to the town centre and Indian border, while eastwards takes you to the bus station. Read more: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/...
Birgunj is in "
the Terai" and there is
one American anthropologist who has spent time there (!). To see a three-minute video from a month ago that will give you an idea of Birgunj and the protests,
click here. It shows the exact causeway-type "bridge" where the November 2nd police action took place, and includes a brief interview with the man who is now Nepal's Prime Minister.
Ever been around a burning tire? the smoke is toxic. There is now a curfew in Birgunj. This photo is from a FaceBook page..... accusations have flown back and forth today.... the one definite thing is, this is an escalation. Many people have predicted that things would come to head this week.
Another Ambulance Attack
Evidently, protesters attacked an ambulance. This is not the first time. Click here to read about the previous incident and the statements from the International Committee of the Red Cross about attacks on humanitarian response.
Tensions high in Birgunj
At the Police action Nov 2nd in Birgunj. An ambulance is being attacked by protesters. This is not the first time an ambulance has been attacked.
click here for link to reaction to previous attack.
Preliminary Report:
KATHMANDU, Nov 2: An Indian national was killed and scores others including security personnel have been injured in clashes that have erupted in different parts of Birgunj on Monday. - See more at: http://myrepublica.com/...
and another report
here.
and yet another, which reports the impact of this event on the negotiations over provincial boundaries.
Evidently, there were 500 trucks owned by Indian companies, on the north side of the India-Nepal border, waiting to go south. At 5 a.m., the Nepal Police made a surprise raid on the skeleton crew of protesters sleeping at the bridge, and cleared them out of the way. The 500 trucks passed. Then the protesters retook the bridge - not one Nepali truck waiting south of the border crossed into the north. The police fired fifteen rounds of bullets and three of tear gas. A curfew has been imposed. The protesters have reclaimed the bridge.
Kathmandu Petrol Update
Continuous fuel import through northern border in coming days: Ambassador Maskey The Nepal Ambassador to China gave a press release saying more oil will come from China to Nepal.
This photo shows the actual tankers sent on the first test run to Rasuwa, to pick up the "grant fuel" (a gift from China) at the border. now tell me the truth: can you picture hundreds of such trucks going both ways, every day? is there anybody who honestly thinks that Nepal has broken the stoppage at the India border, by sending a dozen tankers?
"Listen to the People" from Kathmandu Post
Here is what is in dispute. A primary issue is something any American would identify immediately - "
Gerrymandering." see the three border districts (Jhapa, Morang and Sunsari) in province number 1,on the right? the protesters want to put them into province number 2,the yellow district. Also, province #5 has too many "hill districts" and they want the two districts at the Indian border to be added to Number 5. So, the borders of five out of seven would need to be adjusted.
The objective of federalism
The most contentious issue in the new constitution remains the delineation of the seven provinces. The Tharu-Madhesis are vehemently opposed to it and accuse the leaders of the three big parties of violating the agreements between the Madhesi forces and the government in 2007. The disgruntled groups further censure them for adopting a federal design that promotes the interests of the privileged hill high castes debarring the oppressed groups from getting a reasonable share in the power-structure. read more at http://bit.ly/...
How many ways can you slice a hot dog? It's all about the maps...
for more discussion about the various models of provincial maps for Nepal, go to http://demrepubnepal.blogspot.com/...
The Army and Armed Police Force were heavily deployed in the Terai after the Kailali murders August 24th. The over-reactions caused the Nepalis of Terai to develop solidarity, particularly after videos were shared on social media (see video link below in the Human Rights section. warning - it's graphic). And today we have another moment where this may happen again.... oh no.......
Human Rights issues
Here is the statement from the Embassy of India in Kathmandu Nepal:
Statement of the Embassy of India Nov 2nd, 2015. At Birgunj, the Nepal police conducted a surprise 5 a.m. action to clear demonstrators from the bridge. 500 trucks of Indian transporters had been waiting on the Nepal side, and these were convoyed through the border crossing. No Nepali trucks were allowed in to Nepal.
India has tightened security at other entry ports, even ones not populated by Nepali protesters.
And another statement from the THRDA:
Statement of THRDA. Nov 2nd
All this comes during the week that the UN will be looking at Nepal, in Geneva.
Human Rights explanation
On the Madhesi Youth site, is a Q & A about the Human Rights Periodic Review that will take place Nov 4th.
On that same site is a description of relations between police and Nepalis of Terai.
http://www.madhesiyouth.com/...
Video of Human Rights incidents
Here is the fifteen minute long video compiled by supporters of the Terai Andolan. (warning: it's graphic). As each event took place, the videos were circulated around the Terai and used by the Terai leadership to harden the resolve of Nepalis of Terai.
Finally
C K Lal is an editorialist. His most recent piece in Republica describes the atmosphere surrounding the 1989 Blockade of Nepal by India. It makes for very compelling reading. Just a small excerpt:
It will perhaps be uncharitable to compare Premier Khadga Prasad Sharma Oli with a Panchayat predecessor that perhaps faced more acute shortages in supply due to border blockages. It was easy for Singh to vent his anger upon India; Oli has to be circumspect in his criticism as Madheshis are blocking entry points this time round. However, strategists of the PEON seem to have reinvented some of the same techniques they had used quarter of a century ago. - See more at: http://myrepublica.com/...
From Republica. This drawing accomopanied the CK Lal editorial, linked above. My USA readers may not "get it." the Black flag is a symbol of Madhesi (i.e., Nepalis of the Terai) resistance to the new constitution. The drawing implies that followers of this movement are being led off a cliff.
All this is taking place while earthquake victims are on the verge of starvation during the coming winter. In a country where forty percent of children already show signs of permanent stunting, the highest percentage in Asia. Where every sector - tourism, restaurant, manufacturing, agriculture, health care, airlines & transport, banking - has been affected. Where every statement from all members of the international community has indicated that the solution will only be reached through negotiation between the government and the protesting Nepalis in Terai.
No poll today.
10:45 AM PT: The Nepal Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement about Birgunj
http://mofa.gov.np/...
Nepal police had successfully cleared the obstruction made by agitators at the Birgunj-Raxaul border check point between the two countries this morning. Out of five persons arrested during the course of clearing the obstruction, two were Indian nationals.
After the clearance of obstruction, all Indian trucks that were stranded inside the Nepalese territory for the last several weeks exited from Nepal and entered India by 10.30 AM today. However, a mob entered the bridge thereafter at the no-man’s land between Nepal and India from the Indian territory. While the Nepalese security personnel decided to back-off taking into account the sensitivity of international border, the mob increasingly became agitated, resorted to violence and started pelting stones at Nepalese security personnel. Seventeen Nepalese security personnel sustained injuries due to this violence. Then the mob started hurling petrol bomb and attacking a local police station in Birgunj. Nepal police warned the mob, fired tear gas and exercised maximum restraint. Finally it was compelled to use force to contain the situation in which one Indian national Ashis Kumar Ram, who was among the agitators, died. The Ministry regrets the loss of life of an Indian national under the above referred circumstances.
The Government of Nepal continues to adhere to its commitment to address the political question through dialogue and has been steering the talks towards the right direction. The Government of Nepal is equally committed to maintain the general law and order and protect the wellbeing and mobility of all including that of Nepalese and foreign transporters inside the Nepalese territory.
November 2, 2015