The BBC's Joanna Jolly in Kathmandu says protests so far have been largely peaceful, barring a few scuffles.
Officials say that armed police have escorted lorries with food supplies and fuel into the capital, which has been paralysed by the strike since Sunday.
The Maoists have forced most businesses, offices and schools to shut.
Food shops have been allowed to open for two hours in the evening but are reported to be running out of supplies.
On Tuesday the authorities began evacuating scores of tourists stranded by the strike.
Correspondents say that while the Maoists have not threatened tourists, their supporters have blocked roads and stopped vehicles, stranding many visitors in the western resort town of Pokhara.
Those wishing to leave from the country's only international airport in Kathmandu - which remains open - were forced to walk there as there are no taxis operating.
The main tourist area of Kathmandu, Thamel, has effectively been closed down because of the strike, officials say.
One of the organisers of the strike told the BBC that the protesters were determined to continue until their demands were met.
A number of Maoist supporters have returned to their farms outside the city to plant their maize crop. But they are being replaced by new supporters who say they have enough food and water supplies to stay for weeks.
The prime minister has said he will consider stepping down, but only if the Maoists pursue their demands through dialogue and meet certain conditions.
These include resolving who would lead a government of national unity, disbanding the Maoist paramilitary wing and returning property they seized during their 10-year conflict with the state.
The Maoists say the government has not consolidated Nepal's peace process and has failed to draft a new constitution.
Dear Mr.Shabana Bashir !
ReplyDeleteThanks you have released the facts about the Nepalese Maoists strike and protests in Kathmandu.
I am sending this comment, it may be long, but, please read and use my opinions.
The reality is that due to the rising of the Maoists in Nepal since 2006 Nepalese people tolerated the worst political practice made by corrupt and culprit leaders. The nation achieved the climaxed height of the lawlessness, theft, robbery, ransom and murders. The corruption is out of control. A corrupt tendency has been institutionalizing as a system.
Nepalese people do not want any kind of communist authoritarianism, they aspire only full democracy. The concerns of the people are political stability, peace and good governance.
Now, Nepal has been known as the party of opportunists and destructors.The court, national army and various bodies of the state should fulfil their respective responsibility. The most destructor-money minided, power hunger former PM Girija has died but he is the firest cause of the crisis in Nepal. In the leadership of Congress Girija the current violence, murder, theft, rape and insecurity started from 1991. The creator of Maoist rebellion was Girija. After 1992 in name of annihilating Masal-Communists (later who called the Maoists) the murder, suppression, rape was not much it crossed the limit. In revenge, Maoist systematically killed thousands of civilians, police and army personnel. Millions worth physical infrastructure was destroyed or burned.
Now, the Maoists are opening a ‘Pandora’s Box’ (evils collections) in the name of so-called- ‘people’s supremacy’ in another word- 'one party communist with anarchism'.The Delhi 12 points agreement 2005 has been the major cause to create the crisis and desintrigate.The Maoists proposal is just like a poisonous wine in a new bottle. Without analyzing the assumption, the Indian leaders supported the Nepalese Maoist’s hypocrisy. ‘Crows are never the white for washing.’
Can Indian leaders and America & US’s diplomats and UNMIN answer the result? I am sorry to write that it was a great blunder of Indian diplomats- Shyam Saran, Sive Shankar Mukharejee and other officials who not only blundered in their assessment of Maoist but
also did much harm to Indian’s interests in Nepal.
What were pitfalls of the Constitution of 1990? Why was it suspended
without reason? What kind of new constitution they require? These are
the causes of crisis in Nepal. Nepalese democratic exercise faced the
black period in between 2005-2010. During the period, the Nepalese people
tolerated the worst political practice made by corrupt leaders. Nepalese people feel ashamed of so called leaders who are giving slogans to built New Nepal. The culprit leaders are trying to make the people fool.
Therefore, we must not take up anything that would become too burdensome to carry on. Nepal does not have any basis or foundation that could support republic. Carrying the slogan of a republic is not the solution of our country. The King had no role in bringing this sorry state of this country. The existing, uncertain and precarious situation can only be averted if a balance can be maintained among nationality, monarchy and parliamentary democracy. Nepal's independence, sovereignty and democracy can never be safeguarded by abolishing monarchy.
Thank you.
With best regards
Dirgha Raj Prasai
Former Member of Parliament,Nepal.
Political Analyst.
Email: dirgharajprasai@gmail.com