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Shutdowns Causing Woes To Nepalis And Their Economy
By KTM Metro Reporter
May 16, 2012: shutdowns enforced by the people protesting against the ethnic-based provinces, and demanding such provinces have caused sufferings to the common folks elsewhere in Nepal during the last two weeks. The people have been fighting with each other in the far western region: some trying to continue the shutdowns whiles others trying to stop the shutdowns of business of the common people.
Coercing the people to stop their businesses is illegal but the current political transitional period has been the most opportune moment for the people taking everything to the streets and stopping the traffic, and businesses of the people. The government also could not enforce the rule of law, as the people in power have not forgotten how they also had been on the streets shutting down everybody’s business demanding to meet their demands. So, the victims are the common folks and their businesses.
According to the economists, Nepal has been losing Rs 1.5 billion a day due to shut down of factories and other businesses. This is only monetary loss but the students cannot go to schools they lose their study time. Daily wager earners cannot go to work. How many of them go hungry nobody knows. Patients cannot reach hospitals; probably some of the critically ill people lost their lives. On top of that the perpetrators of the shutdowns of the business in the country damage the vehicles and other private assets when they find these guys are going against their shutdown calls.
The government not only cannot protect the lives and properties of the people but also don’t compensate the people for their losses caused during the shutdown periods. Some of the political parties hire a gang of mercenaries for coercing the common folks to stop their businesses otherwise damage their assets and beat them on camera. The government needs to enforce the law that make the perpetrators of violence criminals and bring them to justice. If the government cannot do so then it has no legitimacy to remain in office.
According to the economists, the shutdowns have caused the adverse impact on the economic growth and fueled the inflation hitting very hard to the common folks.
