Violence spreads in south Nepal

The violence has flared in southern Nepal

Violence involving the Madheshi people of southern Nepal is spreading with dozens of people injured on Thursday.

Madheshi activists are demanding greater autonomy, better representation in parliament and the removal of hill dwellers from important local jobs.

They have called an indefinite strike. The latest violence centred on the towns of Biratnagar and Janakpur.

The trouble comes as the threat from Maoist rebels diminishes following an invitation to join the government.

The BBC's Surendra Phuyal in Kathmandu says the plains-dwelling Madheshi groups are increasingly resentful of domination by hill people.

Brandishing spears

Eyewitnesses say angry Madheshis brandishing spears, batons and spades, have also damaged dozens of lorries heading for India. One eyewitness, Tanka Khanal, said at least three dozen people were injured in Biratnagar alone.

He said another dozen were injured in the district of Sunsari where a group of Madheshi activists also damaged a vehicle carrying local government officials.

The southern plain of Nepal, popularly called Terai, is home to the Madheshi people. They are a mixture of Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists. Many prefer speaking Hindi to Nepali.

Madheshis make up 33-45% of Nepal's population of 27 million but are vastly under-represented in government and the army, which tend to be dominated by hill dwellers.

Our correspondent said most of those injured were people whose origins were in the hills.

The violence comes as Maoist rebels are laying down their arms

In the town of Lahan, which was under curfew for the seventh straight day on Thursday, the situation was slowly returning to normal.

But reports from Janakpur say at least two dozen protesters, who were defying a curfew, were injured in clashes with the police.

Most of the towns on the plains, including the industrial town of Birgunj, are now under curfew.

Invitation to talks

Nepal's home minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula has invited the dissatisfied Terai groups for fresh talks ahead of the Constituent Assembly polls due for June.

But Upendra Yadav, the chairman of the Madheshi Janadhikar Forum, told the BBC he needed a formal invitation and a "proper environment" for talks.

The forum and other dissatisfied Madheshi parties are demanding a federal system of governance and a redefinition of the country's electoral constituencies before the June elections.

After signing a peace deal in November, Nepal's multiparty government and the rebel Maoists have unveiled an interim constitution.

But the Madheshi people say it does not incorporate their demands.