Govt asks Janajatis to withdraw bandh

The government has asked the Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NFIN) to call off its two-day bandh (general strike) beginning Sunday.

According to NFIN president Pasang Sherpa, Peace and Reconstruction Minister Ram Chandra Poudel and Home Minister Krishna Situala asked him, during an informal meeting Saturday morning, to withdraw the bandh. The ministers also reiterated that the government was positive about the demands of Janajatis.

NIFN will announce its decision later today on whether to go with the bandh, Sherpa said.

Meanwhile, issuing a statement minister Poudel, who heads the three-member talk team of the government, also appealed to the NFIN and other groups to end their protest and be ready to resolve the problems through dialogue. He said the government was committed to address the issues raised by Janajati groups.

Demanding proportional electoral system for constituent assembly election and the federal structure of the state on the basis of region, ethnicity and language, indigenous groups and various affiliated organisations have been waging a movement for some time. nepalnews.com mk June 09 07

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