Apr 3 2004

Thousands of protesters demanding the king allow a democratic government in Nepal burned vehicles and street signs and clashed with police for a second day today.

At least a dozen protesters were injured in the capital, Katmandu, as police used batons to disperse thousands of demonstrators.

Around 30,000 people gathered in various parts of the Himalayan kingdom today, a day after police fired on protesters and hit them with batons, leaving at least 205 injured.

They are protesting against a decision by King Gyanendra to replace an elected government with one loyal to the monarchy.

Protesters burned vehicles, tyres and street signs, as shops and offices remained shut in a general strike protesting over yesterday's police crackdown.

Hundreds of police in riot gear were deployed in Katmandu.

Violent clashes have occurred between police and demonstrators in some previous rallies, but yesterday marked the first time police have fired on protesters. Several senior opposition politicians were injured in the melee.

Nepal's major political parties, which organised the demonstrations, vowed to intensify their protests against the king and the government.

"The government violated our right to demonstrate peacefully. The actions by the government have made the situation even worse," said Arjun Narsingh of the Nepali Congress, the country's largest party.

"We will now intensify our protests and take it to the next level," Narsingh said.

"There will be bigger protests against the king and the government. We will step up our protests," echoed Subash Nemwang of the United Marxist Leninist Communist Party of Nepal.

Demonstrators burned nearly half a dozen cars and motorcycles whose drivers defied the general strike call.

General strikes are a common political tactic in Nepal, and many people follow strike calls because of fears of retaliation from organisers if they don't.

Gyanendra dissolved Parliament and fired former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba in October 2002, accusing him of incompetence and failing to control a Maoist insurgency. The king then assumed executive powers and replaced the government with pro-monarchy politicians.

However, faced with frequent protests, the king said last week that new parliamentary elections would be held within the next 12 months.

The rebels, who claim to be inspired by Chinese revolutionary leader Mao Zedong, have been fighting since 1996 for a communist state. More than 9,000 people have been killed in the rebellion.