Kathmandu, October 17, 2006

Life was paralysed nationwide due to the general strike called by the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) today.

The strike affected life in most of the districts today, our reporters said. Due to the strike, revenue collection also came to a halt in Biratnagar, Birgunj, Bhairahawa and Nepalgunj custom offices. A report from Biratnagar said traffic came to a halt and all industries remained shut down today.

Biratnagar bazaar remained deserted. Revenue collection also came to a halt in Biratnagar customs office, said Hari Sharan Pudasaini, the office chief. A rally was taken out here urging to make successful the general strike.

As the strike organisers decided to provide salary for workers today, more than 500,000 workers of different industries here did not go for work.

However, academic sectors remained opened. Many passengers, who had returned from India to celebrate Tihar and chhat, were stranded in Jaynagar, a report from Siraha said. No untoward incident was reported during the strike, security sources said.

The strike hit life hard in the far western region-based hilly districts today. All bazaars remained closed and no vehicles plied. Industries, bazaars, private and government schools in Udaypur district headquarters Gaighat, Beltar and Rampur remained shut down.

Life in Saptari was also crippled. A report from Birgunj said traders closed all industries, bazaars, and education sectors.

Nepal loses to Indonesia in UN voting

Nepal lost a United Nations Security Council non-permanent member seat to Indonesia at the UN General Assembly balloting in the US.

The Assembly elected Belgium, Indonesia, Italy and South Africa as non-permanent members of the Security Council for a period of two years. The elected members will begin their term from January 1,2007.

Out of two Asian contenders for the non-permanent seat at the Council, Indonesia received 158 votes, while Nepal received 28 at the voting at the General Assembly on October 16, said the UN. Nepal was also a former non-permanent member of the Council during 1969-1970 and 1988-1989.

However, “a fifth non-permanent seat, to be awarded to a member of the Group of Latin American and Caribbean states, remains in contention after neither Guatemala nor Venezuela obtained the needed two-thirds majority during 10 rounds of voting” the UN website said.

The new non-permanent members will be replacing Denmark, Greece, Japan and Tanzania’s terms as terms at the Council end on December 31.

“The members were elected according to an agreed geographic allocation, which awards two seats to African and Asian countries, two to Western European and other states, and one to Latin America and the Caribbean during this year’s round of elections,” the UN said.