Nepal strike cripples life in Kathmandu

August 3, 2000
Web posted at: 11:49 a.m. HKT (0349 GMT)

KATHMANDU, Nepal (Reuters) -- A general strike called by Nepal's opposition Communist Party brought the capital Kathmandu to a standstill on Wednesday, police and organizers said.

The Communist Marxist-Leninist (ML) Party called the strike to protest a recent change in the citizenship law that critics say would make it easier for foreigners to get Nepali citizenship.

"The strike was a complete success," Bhairab Rawal, a member of the student group of the party, told Reuters.

Organizers had called on businesses, schools and factories to shut down. Witnesses said shops had closed in the main business district and taxis and public transport stayed off the roads.

Police said they detained eight demonstrators for trying to force shops to close and activists stoned at least four vehicles while trying to enforce the strike.

Currently, all Nepalis need a citizenship certificate for a government job, to buy or sell property, and to open businesses in the kingdom. Only those who produce their fathers' documents can obtain citizenship papers.

But last week parliament passed an amendment to the 37-year old citizenship law allowing people to get citizenship certificates without their fathers' papers.

King Birendra has to grant the royal seal to make the amendment effective.

Copyright 2000 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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