Nepal tries to assure Muslims after riots
Move on to bring back Nepalis from Iraq
AFP, Kathmandu
Nepal pledged action yesterday against rioters who ransacked Muslim shrines and businesses following the murder of 12 Nepalese in Iraq, amid mounting criticism over the government's failure to save the hostages. Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba met Islamic clerics on a visit to the capital's main mosque, the Jama Masjid, whose possessions including hundreds of Korans were torched by the mob two days ago. "What happened is a matter of great sorrow. We are investigating and will punish those who were involved in this crime against this historic mosque," Deuba said. His government Friday formed a committee to draft a report within seven days on the unprecedented inter-religious riots including "lapses in security and recommendations for the future," a cabinet official said. Nepal has also contacted international bodies to help bring back at least 1,000 Nepalese who went to work in Iraq and around half of whom are still there, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Prakash Sharan Mahat said. Deuba spoke to a nearly empty mosque in Kathmandu amid a curfew imposed after the riots. The curfew was relaxed for three-and-a-half hours from 6:00 am (0015 GMT) to allow Kathmandu's 1.5 million people to buy essentials, but few Muslims used the opportunity to head to the mosque which is now guarded by soldiers. "Every Friday about 8,000 Muslims assemble for prayers at the Jama Masjid but today they prayed at home," said Sayed Yasuf, an administrator of the mosque. Leaders of Nepal's opposition also visited the mosque Friday to express solidarity and to accuse Deuba's four-month-old coalition government of incompetence. "The government has been depending on inefficient ambassadors to Qatar and Saudi Arabia instead of sending ministers to explain to the Iraqi militants that the Nepalese youths were not employees of the US army," said Ravindra Bahadur Thapa, a leader of the opposition Nepali Congress. Nepal has declined US requests to send troops to Iraq, saying its army had its hands full fighting an increasingly bloody Maoist insurgency. Meanwhile, Nepal said yesterday it was working to bring back at least 1,000 nationals either in or trying to enter Iraq after 12 Nepalese were murdered by insurgents. Some 1,000 Nepalese are estimated to have gone to Kuwait to work in Iraq, of whom half have already crossed over, Nepal's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Prakash Sharan Mahat said.
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