Press fears over Nepal blockade

Both the government and rebels are criticized over recent attacks

A blockade of Nepal's capital by Maoist rebels fighting to overthrow the country's monarchy will "cripple life" in the Kathmandu Valley, writes The Himalayan Times.

This view is expressed widely in Nepali- and English-language newspapers, as the press unites in its criticism of the blockade and recent attacks by rebels in the capital.

The government also comes under fire for not doing enough to halt the recent spate of violence and protect the people.

Since Tuesday, many companies in Kathmandu have stopped operating after Maoists accused them of exploiting their employees. This came a day after suspected rebels bombed a luxury hotel - the Soaltee Crowne Plaza - in the city.

Children suffer

The Nepali-language Spacetime is concerned over the unemployment and hardship caused by the forced closure of industries.

The closure has affected thousands of labourers' children Spacetime

"As a political power, the pressure should have been exerted on the government and not on the industries," it says.

"The closure has affected thousands of labourers' children."

This sentiment is echoed in the English-language Kathmandu Post.

"The Maoists are oblivious to the fact that their tactic is going to hit the government much later, if at all, but thousands of labourers will be rendered jobless and their families will be without food right from today."

But it sees the government as equally responsible for the current situation, pointing the finger at the authorities and security forces for failing to protect the Soaltee hotel.

"In such a situation, small firms and industries located outside the capital cannot withstand the Maoist threat," the paper laments.

Tourism threat

An editorial in the Himalayan Times also fears for the people outside the capital, if the Maoists are able to create such havoc in Kathmandu.

The tourism industry being highly sensitive to such matters as security, tourists will be scared off Himalayan Times

"The downing of Soaltee's shutters under threat in the heart of the capital leads one easily to imagine what the situation elsewhere in the country is like."

The paper worries about the negative impact the Maoists' recent tactics will have on the country's economy as a whole - particularly its tourist industry.

"The tourism industry being highly sensitive to such matters as security, tourists will be scared off. This will mean an ever poorer economic performance."

It makes a plea for the government to address the "larger political canvas" to "put the country back on the rails".

BBC Monitoring, based in Caversham in southern England, selects and translates information from radio, television, press, news agencies and the Internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages.