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# NEPAL: People defy curfew orders on Saturday

Authorities refuse to issue press passes, assualt journalists defying curfew orders as police as protestors clash nationwide

Nepal News
Sunday, April 9, 2006

AsiaMedia Editor's Note: Reports are unclear as to whether the lifting of the state of emergency on April 30 allows for press freedom, and thus Nepalnews may still be operating under the directives of King Gyanendra.

Thousands of people came to the street on Saturday, the third day of the four day long general strike called by the Seven Party Alliance (SPA) defying the curfew orders imposed by the government and organized rallies denouncing the royal regime and calling for restoration of peace and democracy in the country.

Though the district administrations of Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur clamped curfew in selected parts of the three districts from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and the government also disconnected cell phone service to thwart the pro-democracy rally, protestors continued protest rallies in various parts of the capital.

The government has imposed daylong curfew in the capital on Sunday as well. Apart from the night curfew, the government imposed curfew from 7.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m. on Sunday.

The government denied press pass to the vehicles of press.

Protestors at Kritipur, Kalanki, Gongabu, Sukedhara, Maharajgunj, Shantinagar and other several locations in the valley defied the curfew clamped by the government since 10 a.m. Saturday.

Police arrested Khimlal Bhattarai, president of the All Nepal National Free Students Union (ANNFSU), ANNFSU general secretary Thakur Gaire, ANNFSU secretary Yagya Sunuwar along with six other ANNFSU student leaders who took out a rally at Bagbazaar defying curfew at 11 a.m.

Demonstrators hit the streets long before 10 a.m. in Kirtipur, Patan, Bhaktapur and on stretches of the Ring Road.

Four students were injured in a clash with police when hundreds of protesters staged a rally at Maitidevi defying curfew at 10.30 a.m.

Clashes between the security personnel and demonstrators erupted several times at Sorhakhutte, Min Bhawan, Naya Baneshwor, Buddhanagar, Sankhamul and Tinkune. Some two-dozen people were injured in clashes with security personnel at Sankhamul while ten were arrested.

Kirtipur and Bhaktapur witnessed gross defiance of the curfew, with riot police playing safe and not cracking down on irate demonstrators.

In Kritipur, thousand of locals, SPA activists and students staged a sit-in throughout Saturday in defiance of the curfew.

In Shantingar, police fired eight rounds of rubber bullet to control the protestors, who were chanting anti government slogans and calling for restoration of democracy.

Rights activists and leaders of civil society defied the curfew order imposed by the government.

Police arrested Daman Nath Dhungana, Padma Ratna Tuladhar, Kapil Shrestha, Sunder Mani Dixit, Mahesh Maskey, journalist Kanak Mani Dixit and Shanta Dixit among others near Teaching Hospital, Maharajgunj for defying curfew orders.

Tens of thousands of people participated in various rallies staged by front activists in different districts of the country.

A CPN-UML activist, Bhimsen Dahal, 28, was killed when a Royal Nepalese Army personnel deployed at Nepal Telecom Office resorted to firing when protesters at Mahendrapul began pelting stones at the troops.

Western Division Headquarters of RNA at Pokhara claimed the security forces had to resort to firing in self-defense.

Dahal’s body will be sent to his native Kavre district after taking it around Pokhara on Sunday.

In Bharatpur, agitators set ablaze three government offices -- Internal Revenue Office, District Forest Office and the Bharatpur municipality. They also vandalised the offices of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (Kamal Thapa) and Democratic Nepal Party (Keshar Bahadur Bista). Three civilians were injured when security forces resorted to firing to control protesters. A journalist, Suresh Regmi, was injured in a police lathi-charge.

In Baglung, police arrested nine agitators while 17 others were injured in a clash with security forces. Agitators damaged a statue of late King Mahendra, according to reports.

Royal Nepalese Army personnel had to be mobilised to quell the situation. Five journalists, including the secretary of the Dhaulagiri chapter of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists Hari Narayan Gautam were injured in a police baton-charge.

In Syangja, police arrested 26 protesters. Prohibitory orders were in force since afternoon. Agitators chanted anti-autocracy slogans and defied prohibitory orders. Mobile phone services have been cut off since last night, reports adds.

In Mahendranagar, over a dozen demonstrators were injured when they and the police hurled stones at each other. Police arrested 31 demonstrators. Different unions, including members of civil society, leaders of political parties took part in rallies taken out in different parts of the city. Police beat up agitators and fired several teargas shells. Over 10,000 people took part in the rallies.

In Ilam, three students of Mahendra Ratna Multiple campus and five policemen were injured in a clash after the latter tried to break up the students' rally.

In Charikot, the federation of professionals' district coordination committee urged all professionals to participate in the stir. It also urged them to stage pen-down and a silent rally tomorrow.

In Dhading, normal life was paralysed. Only ambulances plied. Agitators staged rallies at different places and burnt effigies.

In Bara, agitators vandalised a motorbike at Kalaiya bazaar. All medical shops also closed down for an hour. People, including teachers, students, journalists, workers and others joined the protest rally.

In Dhangadhi, demonstrators got aggressive when the RNA tried to obstruct them. Around 10,000 agitators staged a rally from Campus chowk to Chouraha -- a distance of four km.

In Dang, 5,000 people joined a rally of the alliance. In Hetauda, the situation was tense after protesters staged a rally shouting anti-autocracy slogans.

In Nepalgunj, a dozen people including a child were injured when police baton-charged protesters. Thousands had joined the rally. Front sources said hundreds of villagers were prevented from coming to town. Curfew has been imposed here from 6 p.m. to 4 a.m.

In Bardiya, a massive rally was taken out. Over 20,000 people participated in a rally at Gulariya. All business sectors, schools and colleges remained closed.

A report from Dipayal said police arrested five agitators of different political parties from Siligadhi, the district headquarters.

In Dhankuta, front activists and members of different professional unions staged a rally in favour of democracy and the general strike. Dhankuta remained totally shut. Hundreds of passengers were compelled to walk. Only security forces vehicles were seen on the roads. Manthali, the district headquarters of Ramechhap remained totally closed.

A report from Gorkha said public life was crippled. In Tanahun, front activists staged demonstrations. Students took out a torch rally. At Prashasan chowk, police tried to snatch the torches. The agitators pelted stones at the house of former minister Durga Shrestha and at Byas municipality office. Main markets of Tanahun were closed.

A report from Birgunj said the shutdown was total. Agitators pelted stones at police vans. Demanding press freedom, journalists also took out a rally.

In Biratnagar, three agitators and eight security personnel were injured when they threw stones at each other. Some journalists and human rights activists were also injured.

A report from Dharan said front activists took out a massive rally which converted into a street corner meeting at Bhanu chowk. Various speakers including the vice-president of FNJ Rajesh Bidrohi addressed the people.

Date Posted: 4/9/2006