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Home Page Headlines World News National U.S. Opinions Business Politics Sports Technology & Science Health Entertainment Travel Weather In Depth Italian Elections Bird flu Israel Votes Turkish Web Directory About Us Advertise Feedback |  | # Kathmandu under strict curfew to cool protests 04-19-2006, 13h14 KATHMANDU (AFP)
Riot policemen in Kathmandu. The Nepalese capital is under strict curfew as the authorities issued shoot-on-sight orders to try to prevent a mass rally marking the start of a third week of a general strike (AFP)

The Nepalese capital is under strict curfew as the authorities issued shoot-on-sight orders to try to prevent a mass rally marking the start of a third week of a general strike.

The curfew was ordered after four protesters were shot dead and many more wounded during violent clashes Wednesday in eastern Nepal, the worst violence of a two-week campaign to end King Gyanendra's absolute rule.

Trucks loaded with armed police and soldiers roared through the streets, which were deserted except for foot patrols and security forces posted at crossroads, AFP reporters said.

"The curfew has been imposed from 2:00 am until 8:00 pm due to security reasons," said Kathmandu's chief administrator Shushil Ghimire. "Anyone found violating curfew orders will be shot on sight," he told AFP.

During previous curfews, passes had been issued to tourist, press, diplomatic and hospital vehicles but Wednesday night, a sign at traffic police headquarters said that "no orders have been given to issue passes".

"We knew that it was going to be violent," government spokesman and minister of communication and information Shrish Shamsher Rana said of the planned protest.

"We have discovered a huge cache of explosives and the Maoists were planning to use human shields to create violence. They have been forcing people to join in the protests," he said.

Maoist rebels who launched an insurgency 10 years ago demanding a people's republic have joined a loose alliance with opposition parties against the king.

Gyanendra grabbed absolute power in February 2005, blaming his politicians for failing to tackle the Maoist insurgency and to hold elections.

Despite the curfew, Nepali Congress party secretary Shobhakar Parajuli vowed the rally would take place.

"The state has taken every step to repress our movement," he told AFP. "On Thursday we will not remain silent, we will defy the curfew order and stage the demonstration as scheduled."

The curfew does not extend outside the capital and demonstrators were expected to gather on the outer limits.

The latest killings raised the death toll among protesters as Indian envoys arrived with a crisis message for the embattled king.

Indian special envoy Karan Singh was due to meet Gyanendra later Thursday with the scene set for more street battles in the capital -- and for a diplomatic showdown between mighty republican neighbour India and the absolute monarch in Nepal.

He joined India's Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran in meeting political leaders Wednesday night.

They held talks with Nepali Congress party leader Girija Prasad Koirala, Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, Nepali Congress (Democratic) president Sher Bahadur Thapa and chief of army staff Pyar Jung Thapa, party officials said.

India renewed calls for Gyanendra to restore democracy and to hold a meaningful dialogue with political groups.

"There should be peace and stability in Nepal and we would like it to be a flourishing democracy and hope all concerned would work to realise this," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said.

Asked if India has plans to send a peace-keeping force to the Himalayan nation, Singh said: "We have not reached that stage.

"It is a step-by-step process. The problems can be resolved by various Nepalese groups."

Karan Singh has warned that civil unrest was "spinning out of control" in the Himalayan nation.

AFP

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