India’s undeclared’ blockade : Nepal appeals to China to reopen trade routes

By Ramesh Tiwari —

Kathmandu: Nepal government has expressed concerns over india’s ‘undeclared blockade ‘in the movement and clearance of Nepal bound cargo vehicles on the Indian side of the border.

Not a single cargo vehicle could enter Nepal through Birgunj, Biratnagar,Bhairahawa, Krishnanagar and Nepalganj checkpoints since September 23 due to Indian blockade.

The blocked checkpoint Birgunj , which lies 200 km south of the capital, serves as a major transit point between Nepal and India.

Twenty parties represented in the Legislature-Parliament have decided to protest India’s ‘undeclared blockade” and not to undertake any immediate revision of the new constitution as prescribed by India.

‘India is interfering in internal affairs of Nepal even after a sovereign Constituent Assembly of Nepal promulgated the new constitution with more than 90 % majority. Indian blockade is against the international law, ‘they said.

According to the media reports, the Indian govt. has instructed its Seema Suraksha Bal (SSB) to keep a close watch on the border following the recent bitterness between the two countries over Nepal’s new constitution.SSB officials are harassing Nepali drivers and the common people at the border.

After hundreds of freight-carrying trucks and fuel tankers remained halted on the Indian side of the international border,the Nepal government summoned the Indian envoy Ranjit Rae at the Foreign Ministry.

Though Indian Ambassador clarified that India has not imposed any restriction on trade with Nepal and the obstruction was caused by the protests in Nepal’s Tarai Madhes region, Nepali political parties claim this an Indian blockade.

Many people are seen lining up at petrol pumps in Kathmandu due to shortage of petroleum products. Nepal solely depends on India for the supply of petroleum products.

Meanwhile, the government has requested the Chinese government to reopen trade routes with the northern neighbour that are out of operation following the April 25 earthquake.

The government is making efforts to reopen Tatopani check point, and the Rasuwagadhi check point in northern Nepal to ease supply of goods in view of the blockade of trading points at the southern border.

Since the earthquake hit the country five months ago, the trade routes of Barabise-Tatopani-Khasa and Nuwakot-Rasuwagadhi-Kerung have remained closed.

Though a joint team of security personnel of Nepal and China cleared the Barhabise-Tatopani segment of Arniko Highway, traffic movement on the main road connecting Nepal and China has been far from normal due to frequent landslides. China has been undertaking road repair on their side of the border.

Nepal imports daily consumption goods, including readymade garment, footwear, machinery parts, electronics and fruits from China.

Tatopani at Nepal- China border is situated 114 km east of the capital and it is nearly 10 km from the Sino-Nepal Friendship Bridge to Zhangmu (Khasa) town. The distance from Zhangmu to Lhasa, capital of Tibet Autonomous region of China, is about 776 km.

The second largest Tibetan city of Shigatse is about 540 km from Kerung, the nearest Chinese town from Nepal, while the bordering Nepali district of Rasuwa is 35 km away from Kerung. The distance between Kathmandu and Rasuwa is 110 km.

Sept.2015