Nepal shut down by rebel strike

Lawyers and politicians call for peace

Nepal ground to a halt on Tuesday as citizens observed a five-day national strike ordered by Maoist rebels fighting to overthrow the king and government.

Normally bustling streets and shops in Kathmandu were deserted by people reluctant to defy the rebels, and businesses, schools and offices stayed shut down across the country.

People who dared to go out were forced to walk or cycle as national transport had been halted.

There were reports in the south-western city of Nepalgunj that police had tried to force shops to open and break the strikes but there was no one on the streets.

If I open my shop today, they would take note of it and attack me some other day

RB Chhetri, Nepalese shop owner

The Nepalese Government had warned citizens on Tuesday that it was prepared to shoot on sight anyone enforcing the five-day strike.

Troops, carrying assault rifles and wearing camouflage uniforms, guarded the streets and occasionally checked people as they walked past.

State of emergency

Many Kathmandu shopkeepers said they would close down rather than risk the wrath of the Maoists.

Minister Khadga has said the government would not tolerate strikes

"If I open my shop today, they would take note of it and attack me some other day," said Ram Bahadur Chhetri, who sells greeting cards from a small shop. "How can I risk it?."

Maoist rebels, battling to replace the Himalayan kingdom's constitutional monarchy with a one-party communist state, launched a wave of intimidatory attacks ahead of the strike.

Police said there were two small bomb explosions in Kathmandu on Monday night, but no signs of trouble early on Tuesday.

The rebels also reportedly captured four ambulances which were returning to their home bases after taking patients from western Nepal to Kathmandu.

The drivers were, however, released without any harm being done to them.

The strike was originally scheduled for the beginning of this month but the rebels postponed it to prevent disruption to students' end-of-year exams.

In previous strikes, the rebels have attacked and set on fire buses that have been running.

The current strikes come as the United States military experts are in Nepal advising the government on how to fight the rebels.

King Gyanendra declared a state of emergency in November after the rebels pulled out of peace talks and launched a wave of attacks.

Since then, the army has joined in operations against the rebels.

Both sides have suffered heavy casualties in a series of encounters that have left hundreds dead.