KATHMANDU, Nepal - Nepal’s Prime Minister Balendra Shah on Thursday appealed for calm after clashes between Hindu and Muslim groups in the country’s south sparked unrest that has left three people dead. Shah, who has kept a low profile since being elected in March, broke his silence to deliver his first address to the nation, calling on his countrymen to be “responsible citizens and remove the clouds of unrest.” The violence began late Sunday in a village in the southern Sunsari district, which borders India, after an argument over loud music and the use of religious flags during a Hindu procession, according to officials. Police opened fire to disperse the crowd, said local official Poshan Lamichhane. Two men died in the unrest, according to police spokesman Abi Narayan Kafle. Authorities are investigating the deaths and have imposed a curfew in Sunsari and neighbouring districts to prevent further clashes. A third man was killed Thursday in the nearby Siraha district during a demonstration that took place while the curfew was in force. “I, on behalf of the government, sincerely appeal to the citizens, civil society, religious communities, all respected leaders, all political parties and responsible media, to exercise patience and restrain and maintain peace, harmony, brotherhood and national unity,” Shah said in a video address. Nepal, a secular republic where more than 80 per cent of the population is Hindu, has seen tensions flare occasionally in the southern plains, where sizeable Hindu and Muslim communities live side by side. In his address, Shah vowed that the investigation would be “completely fair and transparent.” “The government is committed to bringing to justice whoever is responsible for the incident,” he said. Kafle, the police official, said efforts were being made to restore order. “We have kept all police officials in the field on alert and are trying to protect public property and prevent any conflicting situation with minimal use of force,” he told AFP.
