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| Thursday, 19 August 2004 |
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Maoist rebels block land routes to Nepali capital KATHMANDU, Wednesday (Reuters) Maoist rebels, fighting to topple Nepal's constitutional monarchy, cut off all land routes to the Himalayan kingdom's capital on Wednesday, disrupting food and supplies to the city of 1.5 million people. All roads leading to the temple-studded tourist hub of Kathmandu, ringed by lush green hills, were nearly empty as buses, trucks and cars stayed off the highways due to a threat from rebels who enforced the first ever blockade of the capital. "Only children are playing, and cows, goats and dogs are roaming on the highway," said a resident of Naubise, 30 km (20 miles) west of Kathmandu, a major entry point linking the national capital with the southern plains bordering India. "There used to be a rush of buses and trucks at this time. It is quiet now. There is no tension." Officials said troops were on high alert on highways. Rebels, who are campaigning to set up a communist state in the mountain nation perched between Asian giants China and India, are demanding the release of detained guerrillas, a probe into alleged killings of Maoist activists and information about thousands of missing comrades. They control large swathes of the countryside in the desperately poor Himalayan nation and in the past have enforced transport strikes in Kathmandu and local blockades outside. The Maoists have stepped up attacks along the cities and southern plains since peace talks collapsed last year but have spared the high security national capital from major attacks. "The Maoists are now targeting Kathmandu to show their strength," said widely read Nepali magazine, Himal. Ten top industries and businesses have been shut since Tuesday due to the threat from rebels who accuse them of unfair labour practices. Authorities, who have not commented on the rebel demand, also blame the Maoists for Monday's bomb basts in Nepal's oldest luxury hotel that caused no injuries. |
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