Border crackdown deepens constitutional standoff

Nepal's busiest entry point for goods from India has witnessed a new wave of unrest after police failed to clear a border blockade, the attempt only strengthening the resolve of protesters to fight the Himalayan nation's new constitution.

Knots of demonstrators gathered around piles of smoldering tires in Birgunj, the latest flashpoint in agitation across the southern Tarai-Madhes strip, speaking of their anger at a federal setup enshrined in the new basic law.

The lowlanders, many of them ethnically distinct from Nepal's hill and mountain groups, complain their region has been carved up, denying them a say in running the nation of 28 million as it seeks a new start after years of instability.

Stones and pieces of brick littered the streets around a clock tower on Thursday, marking where police had fought previous battles with protesters. Burned-out cars and motorbikes lay by the side of the road to the deserted bus station.

"We light fires in the morning, they (the police) come in the day and shout abuse at us, charge us with batons and shoot tear gas or bullets. We throw stones back, and sometimes petrol bombs," said Abdul Rahman at one of the fires in Birgunj.

"All of us in this crowd voted for the mainstream parties in the last election after they promised to give us a Tarai province. Now we know they have lied to us, and we are out on the streets."

The middle hills and the capital Kathmandu have suffered fuel and cooking gas shortages after protesters in the south switched to blocking supplies from India, Nepal's largest trading partner, almost two months ago.

Many in Nepal accuse India of supporting the protesters - a charge New Delhi denies. India has expressed its dissatisfaction with parts of the constitution, although it also says it cannot allow trucks to enter Nepal while conditions are unsafe.