13-year-old Monika Tamang cooks food inside a temporary shelter in Chuchepati where her family moved after their house was destroyed in the April 25 earthquake. She has been using firewood to cook food due to the gas shortage caused by the ongoing Indian blockade. Photo: Gopen RaiNepal's prominent civil society members have urged International Community to address humanitarian crisis caused by India's blockade against the landlocked Himalayan country.
In a press statement on Thursday, they said: "We are deeply concerned that the de facto economic blockade of the past two months by India has resulted in a grave humanitarian crisis in Nepal."
They added: "We appeal to the concerned parties of Nepal, and to the international community including India to recognise this crisis and take effective steps to bring it to an immediate end."
Nepalis are still struggling to overcome the impact of the April earthquake, and the extended blockade by India has crippled their economy and led to great human suffering.
They said: "As a sovereign nation-state and a society that believes in due process, Nepal is fully capable of dealing with its internal challenges, including addressing anxieties of its Madhesi, Tharu and other communities through consultation, negotiation and constitutional amendment. The solidarity between the communities of Nepal is strong, and they are capable of managing their interrelationships for greater good without the involvement of external actors."
The statement is signed by Nilamber Acharya, Megh Ale, Kanak Mani Dixit, Kul Chandra Gautam, Chandni Joshi, Dr. Arjun Karki, Anuradha Koirala, Dr. Bhagwan Koirala, Kedar Bhakta Mathema, Sushil Pyakurel, Kapil Shrestha and Dinesh Tripathi.