Nepal protests 'threaten peace'

The general strike has left many towns deserted

Violent protests in southern Nepal could undo recent progress made towards establishing peace, the EU has warned.

The heads of EU missions in the country have urged Nepal's government to restore order in the south before holding nationwide elections in April.

The polls aim to boost a peace process that ended a Maoist rebellion in 2006.

The plains of southern Nepal, home to half the country's population, are being blockaded as part of a strike by an ethnic group demanding more rights.

The threat of violence from the Madheshi activists of the Terai region has forced drivers off the roads used to import fuel from India.

As a result, several Nepali towns and the capital have been running out of fuel.

Talks between the government and Madheshi representatives have yet to yield a solution.

An EU statement on Thursday urged the government to "work quickly to secure an agreement that allows representative elections to go forward".

"The violence and the unsatisfied political demands are risking the achievements Nepal has made towards peace," the statement said.