Nepal 6-province deal protest continues amid calls for peace

Hundreds of people today took to the streets in western Nepal against a six-province deal in the new constitution even as Prime Minister Sushil Koirala and other political leaders appealed for calm a day after two persons were killed in police firing during protests.
Demonstrations in Surkhet district, 375 kilometres west of here, continued on the second consecutive day demanding undivided midwestern region and the district be made its provincial capital in the new federal set-up.
At least 12 protesters were injured after police opened fire besides using tear gas to disperse the mob in Surkhet. Local administration has clamped curfew briefly in the district to prevent from any untoward incident.

Police had to open fire in the air as incidents of clashes with the security personnel as well as stone-pelting were reported in various parts of the district.
Security has been beefed up, with a large number of police personnel deployed in the troubled region while schools and shops were closed due to fresh protests.
Chief District Officer Baldev Gautam said that police had to resort to firing to bring the situation under control.

Yesterday, two protesters were killed and eight others sustained injuries when police opened fire on agitating groups to control the situation, according to officials.
The groups were unsatisfied with the six-province model proposed by Nepal's four major political parties in the new constitution.

Meanwhile, top leaders of the four major political parties appealed for calm after violence erupted in protests launched by different groups.
Koirala in a joint statement with other political leaders appealed to the public to "exercise restraint and help us with suggestions, stopping all protests" as negotiations over the new long-awaited constitution were ongoing.
"We will attempt to find solutions to the issues that have risen, keeping in mind the people's aspirations, and the country's need and interests," the statement added.
The leaders have urged the people to call off their protest programmes, expressing commitment to redraw the federal states agreed on the basis of people's suggestions.

At a special press conference organised in the Capital today, leaders of four major parties Nepali Congress (NC), CPN-UML, UCPN (Maoist) and Madhesi Peoples Rights Forum - Democratic, have urged the people to be calm and cooperate by providing appropriate suggestions, assuring that the state borders would be drawn according to the people's aspirations.
The four parties have reached a landmark deal to divide the country into six provinces, each sharing a border with India, resolving contentious issues of federalism under the new Constitution.