KATHMANDU: The Ethnic Nepal Federation of Hong Kong today said the Nepali people in Hong Kong have been demanding the consular general to be from the indigenous community.

Organising a press conference here today Bhupendra Chemjong, president of the federation said 98 per cent of the Nepalis living in Hong Kong were from indigenous communities and therefore they have been demanding the government to appoint the consular general from the indigenous communities.

Chemjong said the Nepalis would boycott the recently appointed consular general Binod Upadhyay Nepal and launch a movement of non-cooperation if the government remained indifferent to their demand. "The government has not appointed a single staff representing an indigenous community at the consular general's office," Chemjong added.

Some 40,000 Nepalis are currently living in Hong Kong most of whom are the families of former British Army staffers. Meanwhile, president of Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities and CA member Pasang Sherpa has expressed solidarity to their demand. He suggested the newly appointed consular general to return home and let the government appoint another consular general from the indigenous community.