A Plague of Strikes Upon Us?

Kantipur Report

 

KATHMANDU, June 22 - At least four strikes -  Valley and Nepal bandas — in a month and many more in the making. As if the rest of the country felt left out in the Valley-only transport strike on Saturday called by student unions and transporters’ unions.Starting Sunday, the entire country could be hit by chakka jams and road obstructions if transport entrepreneurs have their way and the law continues to look the other way.   

The transporters and students will have additional company beginning Sunday – petroleum dealers and petro-product carriers, all of them contributing in their own ways to make life more difficult for the man in the street.

Besides, eight student unions affiliated to political parties and transport unions like the Federation of National Transport Entrepreneurs (FNTE), Nepal Petroleum Dealers’ Association (NPDA) and Federation of Nepal Petroleum Supply Entrepreneurs (NPSE) will also join the fray Sunday.

Of late, venting one’s ire on the street has spread like a plague throughout the country. The strike callers are of all varieties – from the aggrieved relatives of those killed in road accidents to transporters to students. It does not matter that a banda or chakka jam announced at the last minute leaves stranded people on their way to work, while setting out on some emergency task, taking someone to hospital, appearing for an exam, traveling the highway, or simply returning home.

The latest round of strikes started with the government announcing a hike in fuel prices and the resultant raise in public transport fares. The government proposed an across the board hike of 25 per cent for public vehicles (but with three-wheelers and micro buses to decide fares through competition) against a 35-45 per cent hike demanded by transport entrepreneurs. Transporters and people employed by them usually park their vehicles astride the roads to prevent all vehicular movement. “If the government fails to address the entrepreneurs’ demands immediately FNTE will halt vehicular movement for an  indefinite period across the country from Sunday,” FNTE warned Saturday.

Students who have been enjoying a 33 per cent fare concession are also up in arms. They now demand a 50 per cent concession. The government’s decision to raise the concession to 43 percent is not enough, the students say. [The 43 percent concession is  also applicable to the Jana Andolan-injured]. Transporters, of course, oppose this additional hike. On Friday, the students vandalized vehicles at some places and burnt tires in front of colleges in the capital. More such spectacles are expected on Sunday.

“We will continue our protests unless our demand for 50 per cent concession in fares is met,” said the eight students unions after a joint meeting, Saturday. Today was the fourth consecutive day of protests by them.

On Saturday, petroleum dealers padlocked Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) depots across the country. NPDA that had announced nation-wide agitations from Thursday, demanding the the government ease the supply of fuel at the earliest. As a part of the protest, NPDA has announced a halt to the purchase of fuel from NOC depots from Sunday and to the sale and distribution of petroleum products from Monday. This will ensure lengthier queues in front of government-owned fuel supply stations.

Similarly, the Federation of Nepal Petroleum Supply Entrepreneurs (NPSE) on Saturday decided to halt petroleum supply across the country from Sunday. Issuing a statement  NPSE said all tankers supplying petroleum products will stop operating until and unless the government increases fares for tankers. 

With all sides determined to have their own way, get ready to walk to your destination. The sick and elderly travel at their own risk.

It was a long day of gathering gear for the trek, mostly. Amy and I had to get plastic mountaineering boots, sleeping bags and down jackets. On the advice of our lead guide, Dendi, we also bought fleece windstop balaclavas. 

It was amazing the variety of really crappy (but still functional, likely) brand name knockoff stuff that’s to be had here. North Face, Arcteryx, Mammut, Outdoor Research… some of the stuff identical except for the labels. Prices? Reasonable enough given the apparent utility of the gear, but by no means the bargains we’d been prepared for.

We mostly are renting, which for a 20-some day trek is not a tremendous economic advantage, but this is not gear we’re likely to get a lot of use out of in our back-home life. Unless the trip magically transforms us into mountaineers. Could happen I suppose. 

Do they let you get this down and dirty with the sleeping bags like this at REI? 

Today we also 

Met several of the girls: Tripta, Yelissa, Dewa, 

Met Karma Sherpa, another guide and friend of Trevor’s and Phil’s

Went to Pashupatinath, a Hindu temple in honor of the god, Shiva, and watched cremations on pyres. The girls were excellent guides. 

Hung out with a nice 13-year-old boy named Manoj, who lives with his mother at Pashupathi

View out our taxi’s windshield, rolling into the Thamel, Kathmandu’s tourist district, for a trip to the outfitter’s

When we were in the outfitter’s shop, a Maoist May Day march/demonstration passed down the street.

It was a pretty big day.  We finally got to meet some of the Little Sisters. Here are Yelissa and Tripta laughing at my attempt at Nepali. I love them. They are super smart and motivated. They blew me way with how interested and interesting they are. 

Pashupatinath Temple

I

“Illiterate meditation”

Scott took this picture inside of Manoj’s house located within Pashupatinath Temple.  He told Scott that his mom writes these marks in the notebook as a way to meditate in prayer. It is supposed to be God’s name, but she does not know how to read or write. 

Manoj and his mother at their house inside Pashupatinath Temple

Me and Scott reeling from the big day. 

After a long first day, we are super tired. More later (maybe little later, maybe a bit more later). For now: Tired.

In our room at the Hotel Tibet. Great place.