`Humanitarian catastrophe' looms in Nepal: donors

Nepal is heading toward a humanitarian catastrophe because fierce fighting between communist rebels and the new royalist government has ruptured the flow of much-needed aid in the Himalayan nation, international aid donors said yesterday.

A statement signed by the UN, the EU and others said in the past few weeks there have been increasing reports of women dying in childbirth because they could not get proper medical care, as well as children who lack vitamins, vaccines and other essential drugs.

"Insecurity, armed activities and the rebel blockades are pushing Nepal toward the abyss of humanitarian crisis," they said.

The statement -- also signed by the US Agency for International Development, Canada, Britain, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway -- urged both Nepal's troops and the Maoist rebels to "ensure that movement of supplies and vehicles intended to alleviate the suffering of civilian populations are not restricted."

The rebels have warned they will step up attacks and have called an 11-day nationwide general strike from April 2.

In the past, strikes called by the rebels have meant a virtual shut down of transport, schools and businesses.

There have been several reports in the past few weeks about rural health facilities running out of medicines and vaccines and sick people unable to be moved to better facilities because of rebel-called strikes.

"Every effort should be made to made to ensure that civilians have access to essential humanitarian supplies, and that medical emergencies are given free passage at all times," the statement said.