The International Crisis Group has issued a conflict alert for Nepal, warning that the government must act urgently to reduce the risk of more violence in Madhes. The statement which can be found on the group’s website, warns that if it is mishandled then the violence would grow. “An enormous trust deficit between agitating groups and Kathmandu’s political leadership would worsen if the government and major parties persist with a heavily securitised response to fundamentally political protests, and if they and the media portray the protests as marginal or criminal,” it reads. It also suggests that the government should urgently form an independent commission to investigate the recent killings.

Here are excerpts of the statement, the anger in the Tarai and among various social groups is real. If it is ignored or mishandled, the violence will grow. If the new constitution is truly to be one for all Nepalis rather than a starting gun for new forms of conflict, its framers must recognise that getting it done right is more important than getting it done fast. It is unlikely the discontent can be resolved by a deal between power-brokers in Kathmandu that does not address core issues. While some district-level political leaders and parties that represent Tharu and Madhesi groups in the Constituent Assembly have been involved in the protests or support them, the mobilisation and leadership come largely from within local communities. Many of the protests do not involve huge numbers, but rely instead on better organisation and target the shutdown of specific infrastructures, such as government offices and stretches of the national East-West highway.