Kathmandu. The main opposition party Nepali Congress has claimed that the northern neighbor China has encroached Nepali land in Humla of Karnali Province. There had been discussions a month ago about some buildings having been constructed by China in Nepali land in the bordering area of Limi Valley of Humla. Nepal government had informed that China had not encroached Nepali land.

After the statement issued by Nepal government, leader of the chief opposition party Nepali Congress and Provincial Assembly Member for the Karnali Province, Jeevan Bahadur Shahi, made a field visit of the Limi Valley and presented a report at the Nepali Congress central office. Nepali Congress made the claim on Wednesday that China has encroached Nepali land in Humla on the basis of the report. The report was prepared after studying the bordering area between border pillars no. 5 to 12 for 11 days. It concludes that at Limi in Namkha region the Chinese government has made an intrusion of about two kilometers in Nepali land.

Releasing a statement on Wednesday, Nepali Congress spokesperson Bishwa Prakash Sharma accused the government of having betrayed the nation, lying about the border encroachment by China.

The Congress statement says that the party is much concerned about the government’s intent as it had ‘hurriedly’ refuted the claims of the Chinese intrusion earlier and now that the evidences are on the table, it does not say a word, trying to cover up things. When the news about the Chinese intrusion into Nepali territory reached Kathmandu, the government rebutted it through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Nepali Congress had suggested the government not to respond in a hurry, but to wait for the field report  and that it was it was too early to make comments then.

The statement further reads that irresponsible activities of the government— its inability to have information about the two kilometer border encroachment, seeking clarification within 24 hours from the assistant CDO who provided the information, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs declaring that there were no such intrusions even before the submission of report by the surveying team, the report not being made public and the silence of the provincial and central government both after receiving the field report prepared by a parliamentary party leader of the chief opposition party— are all depressing, shameful and objectionable and Nepali Congress condemns all such acts.

The statement further adds, “Encroachment from any of the two neighbors, either from the north or south, is unacceptable. The intrusion made by China in Nepali territory in Humla is a grave issue for a sovereign nation like Nepal.”

Nepali Congress has demanded the government to make its view on the topic public immediately and form a national consensus on the issue. It has also suggested to send a ‘protest note’ to China and seek solution through diplomatic channels without delay.