From 17 January to 8 February, protesters clashed with police during demonstrations by the ethnic Madhesi people, led by their political party, the Madhesi People’s Rights Forum (MPRF). The clashes, in which thousands of people were injured and 31 killed, ended on 8 February after the government agreed to talk to Madhesi leaders about their demands for greater autonomy and political rights.
There has been no breakthrough in the negotiations, however, so people in the region are bracing themselves for possible disruptions and food shortages. During the earlier protests, most of the cities and towns in the region came to a complete standstill because of strikes and a curfew. Trucks transporting food grains, vegetables and other agricultural products were also not allowed to move from markets to villages.
“Poor people like us suffered the most due to a lack of food stocks. We could not afford to buy food in bulk to last for weeks,” said Anil Mangal, a 15-year-old rickshaw driver, who is his family’s breadwinner.
Photo: Naresh Newar |
Anil Mangal, a 15-year-old rickshaw driver |
"Poor people like us suffered the most due to a lack of |
“We had to beg food from door to door in the village [during the protests] as all the food markets and shops were closed,” he said adding that the government made the situation worse by imposing a 12-hour (9 a.m. to 9 p.m.) curfew for three weeks.
Katahari village, with a population of 6,000, was one of the most severely affected areas in the eastern Terai, where villagers said they were arrested and beaten by the police for participating in the protests. Many said they were just spectators and some were forced to join in the protests by the Madhesi leaders.
“Nearly 500 people were injured in this village alone and although they are gradually recovering, they still live with fear and uncertainty about how they will live if the violence recurs,” said Lal Bahadur Kamat, a 35-year-old farmer, who showed IRIN his head injuries after being battered by the police.
Most of the villagers work as farmers and labourers in local factories for a daily wage. They said the local administration had failed to help the impoverished families who had lost all their income and could not afford to buy food.
Terai unrest |
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“The situation was quite grave during the curfews and strikes. Many families were having difficulty finding food and medicines for their children,” said a community worker, Shakuntala Pande.
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see also
Aid workers under threat
Food shortages in Terai
This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions