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WFP forced to halt food supply
KATHMANDU, APR 30 -
The World Food Programme (WFP) on Friday said its food supply across the country has been stalled due to the UCPN (Maoist) protests. It added that some trucks carrying foodgrain have been forced to cough up donation.
“Suppliers have stopped transporting WFP food across Nepal from Thursday in the wake of the May 1 nationwide anti-government demonstration and the indefinite general strike that may follow,” said Deepesh Das Shrestha, the public information officer of WFP.
Transporters and truck divers are not willing to transport food items due to fear of physical assault and vandalism by the agitators, he added.
Shrestha said Maoist activists asked eight trucks carrying WFP food from Attariya to Dadeldhura to pay Rs 5,000 a truck.
However, they were allowed to move on after paying Rs. 1,000, it added. Along the same route, 15 trucks carrying WFP food were allowed to move ahead only after they paid Rs. 500 each.
WFP, which claims to support 2 million Nepali people through its food and development programmes, says road transportation is vital for its operations.
PAPAD urges Maoists to withdraw protests
KATHMANDU: Profe-ssionals’ Alliance for Peace and Democracy (PAPAD) has urged the UCPN (Maoist) to withdraw its agitation and solve all problems through dialogue.
Organising a press conference on Friday, it also urged the government to show maximum patience and prevent loss of life and property during the Maoist protest. PAPAD asked the government to create an atmosphere conducive for forging national consensus.
Stating that the root cause of this political instability was the deepening polarisation among the parties, PAPAd urged all the political parties to get united to spare the nation further conflict and subsequent damage as well as to lead it towards peace.
Rameshwor Upadhyaya, chairman of PAPAD — the umbrella body of Nepal Professors’ Association, Nepal Bar Association, Nepal Medical Association, Nepal Teachers’ Union, Nepal Journalists’ Asso-ciation and Nepal Engi-neers’ Association — has stressed on the need for unity and consensus am-ong political parties.
Posted on: 2010-05-02 04:37
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