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Protests:
Tourism industry hardly hit |
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Demonstrations
against King Gyanendra have spread to the tourist area of Kathmandu. Hundreds
of restaurant and hotel workers, trekking and travel agents staged and
tourists as well protested in the popular Thamel tourist district for the
first time. Reports say that Police have also arrested foreign tourists
involved in demonstration activities in Thamel. After an investigation
the foreigners have been released. No busses and public transport are plying
between the major towns in Nepal. Partial curfews have been imposed in
several cities of the country.
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'Abducted'
Polish tourists safe |
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Maoists
have abducted two Polish climbers from Lukla area of Solukhumbu district,
the Kathmandu-based organisation Nepal Esperanto-Asocio (NEA) said.
A
press statement issued by NEA said the Maoists abducted Polish nationals
from Lukla when they were traveling to the Everest region last week. They
reached the area via Jiri, Dolkha district, according to the NEA.
The
Maoists, however, have not yet confirmed the abduction of the Polish mountaineers.
First
message was wrong:
Four
Polish hikers out of contact since last week were safe after being stopped
by Maoists rebels in Bhandara village east of Jiri. The Maoists asked them
for a donation. After paying 20,000 Nepali rupees ($280) the rebels had
allowed them to continue their trek.
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Maoists
and Tourists: Request to keep their words |
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Stranded
tourists start returning to Kathmandu as Maoists end blockade.
Dozens
of foreign tourists, mainly trekkers, who have been stranded at different
places of the country due to the blockade imposed by the Maoists. Several
trekkers were forced to walk long distance to reach urban areas while many
others were stranded in highways and district headquarters with no vehicles
playing on the road. There were reports of tourists being stranded in Syabrubensi
of Rasuwa, Beshi Sahar of Lamjung, Jiri of Dolakha and on different sections
of the Prithivi Highway.
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Maoists
want the tourists to come |
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A
senior Maoist leader confirmed in an interview that the Maoists have a
policy not to physically harm any tourists or their guides. The Maoist
activists collect taxes from tourists but do not trouble them in any other
way. The rebels understand that tourism brings in some money, for themselves
and for the people.
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