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# At least 12 killed in Nepal, Kathmandu valley under curfew(LEAD) April 08, 2006 By Sudeshna Sarkar, Indo-Asian News Service Kathmandu, April 8 (IANS) Tanks patrolled the streets of this Nepal capital placed under day curfew Saturday and mobile phones were cut to thwart an agitation by the opposition even as fresh attacks by Maoists left at least 12 people dead in two southwestern districts.
Under cover of darkness Friday night, the communist rebels simultaneously attacked Butwal, headquarters of Rupandehi district, and Talaihawa, headquarters of Kapilavastu, the birthplace of Lord Buddha. Nepal's defence ministry Saturday said the forces had inflicted heavy casualties on the rebels. The bodies of nine guerrillas had been found in Butwal after the battle while security forces lost three men, it said. In the battle that continued till Saturday morning, the ministry said thousands of guerrillas had attacked an army barrack in Butwal, the police and army training centres and the district police office. In Kapilavastu, they attacked at least four security bases, the district police office and the prison, freeing over 100 prisoners. Day curfew was enforced in Butwal Saturday, from 8.30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Day curfew was also clamped indefinitely in the city as well as neighbouring Lalitpur and Bhaktapur cities and some areas of Kirtipur town. The government also switched off mobile telephones indefinitely from Saturday, the second time in three months. Riot police hit the city roads in the morning, announcing the imposition of curfew on megaphones. Soon after 10 a.m., policemen swung into action, chasing curious onlookers and forcing the few shops that were open to down shutters. The curbs were anticipated in view of a mass protest here Saturday by seven opposition parties, who began a four-day nationwide shutdown from Thursday to pressure Gyanendra's to step down and restore democracy. Saturday was significant for the protestors as on the same day 14 years ago, an uprising had led to then king Birendra, Gyanendra's brother, to relinquish absolute power and lift the ban imposed on political parties by his father. On Friday, the government hinted at stringent measures in view of Saturday's protest with Home Minister Kamal Thapa saying all options, including imposing curfew and emergency, would be used to suppress the protests. The government had begun arresting opposition leaders and political activists since Thursday, the number of detainees crossing 1,000. Besides party workers and students, professionals have also started joining the protests with government employees, doctors and teachers participating in demonstrations. Meanwhile, international criticism of the government's curbs continued to pour in after hundreds of protesters were arrested Friday. After condemnation by the US, the European Union, India and Japan, seven Republican members of the US Congress wrote to Gyanendra, asking him to respect civil liberties. 'It is very difficult to reconcile your commitment to return to multiparty democracy with many of your government's actions, including the arrest of protesters,' they said in a letter. Copyright Indo-Asian News Service
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