Pro-democracy activists continue to defy curfew orders on Monday in the capital, Kathmandu, and other parts of the country and continue their protests against the government.

According to latest reports, protestors carried out rallies in different parts of the Capital including Dhumbarahi, Gongabu, Kalanki, Pulchowk, Chuchhepati of Chabbhil and Kritipur defying the curfew orders.

Over two dozen protestors were arrested in Kalanki. Likewise, nearly a dozen protestors were injured during a clash at Gongabu area.

The Seven Party Alliance (SPA) is holding demonstration in Bhaktapur. The local authorities lifted curfew order in Bhaktapur on Monday.

Likewise, reports from different parts of the country said, activists of SPA organized protest rallies in different parts of the country.

A report from Dhangadhi of far western Nepal said three protestors were critically injured during clash between police and protestors. 43 protestors were injured in the incident. Police arrested 15 protestors.

In Mahendranagar, police arrested 8 people from protest rally organized by SPA.

Reports from districts said, activists of SPA took out protest rallies in major cities of the country including Nepalgunj, Butwal, Dhankuta among others.

Three protestors were killed during the four day long general strike of the SPA.

Sunday’s meeting of the SPA decided to continue the four-day long general strike that concluded on Sunday. nepalnews.com pb Apr 10 06

Police have taken into custody over 90 peaceful demonstrators from Pokhara and Dhangadhi on Monday while they were protesting what they call the government’s attempt to suppress nationwide pro-democracy movement.

Professionals including school and university teachers defied curfew orders in the western town of Pokhara and demonstrated at Palikhe chowk, near Mahendra Pul against the alleged atrocities committed by the security personnel. Those taken into custody include university teachers Krishna Adhikari, Gorakhraj Ojha, Sabita Baidhya and Dr. Krishna KC.

Meanwhile, hundreds of opposition activists continue to defy curfew orders in Pokhara. They have also clashed with police. The local administration has imposed 11-hour long curfew in the beautiful tourist town during the day on Monday.

In the far-western town of Dhangadhi, police intervened and took 37 people into custody as they were carrying out a peaceful demonstration calling for restoration of peace and democracy. Over 50 people were injured during the clashes that was sparked due to police intervention. Seriously injured activists, Narayan Dutta Bhatta of the Nepali Congress (Democratic) and Lachhi Ram Acharya of Akhil (United) have been taken to Lakhimpur of India for treatment.

Some half a dozen policemen were also injured during the clashes. nepalnews.com by Apr 10 06

Democratic Nepal party, led by minister in the royal cabinet Keshar Bahadur Bista, has asked the government to call upon the constitutional, political forces in the country for dialogue in a strong, credible and forceful way.

A statement issued by co-chairman of the newly launched party, Janardan Acharya, on Monday said the country is longing for peace and murder, violence, destruction and suppression can’t be a way out to the present stalemate. He also urged the political parties to look at the gravity of the situation and take initiative for bringing the Maoist rebels into the political mainstream. “Let all sides set aside their stubbornness,” Acharya said in his statement.

Democratic Nepal party has also called upon all the political forces in the country to stand at the same place in order to resolve the on-going conflict and restore peace in the country.

Bista’s party is the first pro-government political outfit to call for dialogue after the seven party opposition alliance launched their latest round of protests calling upon His Majesty King Gyanendra to give up his 14-month-old direct rule. nepalnews.com by Apr 10 06

Journalists, human rights activists and professionals continued their protests, expressing solidarity to the ongoing pro-democracy movement of the seven opposition parties, on Monday.

In Kathmandu, the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) carried out protest rally in the morning, demanding press freedom and immediate release of all detained journalists. Some 100 journalists participated in the demonstration organised in front of the FNJ central office at Tilganga.

Addressing the protest rally, FNJ president Bishnu Nisthuri said journalists would continue to defy the prohibitory orders imposed by the ‘unconstitutional royal government’. He said journalists had support to the ongoing movement of the seven parties.

He informed that over 100 journalists were arrested while rallying for press freedom and freedom of expression in the last few days while over two dozen journalists are still in detention.

In Biratnagar, journalists carried out a protest rally demanding immediate release of four journalists arrested on Sunday. Similarly, journalists in Dang, Ilam, Banke and various other districts also organised protests, reports said.

Meanwhile, professionals including doctors and government employees have organised demonstrations in different parts of the country against the government clampdown on the seven-party movement.

Nepal Engineering Association organised a demonstration in front of Pulchowk Engineering Campus this afternoon in support of the pro-democracy movement. Reports said three students of the campus were injured during clash with the police.

In Lahan, Siraha district, doctors, teachers and human rights activists jointly organised a protest program this afternoon, according to reports. Employees of Nepal Telecom, Nepal Bank Limited, Rastriya Banijya Bank halted woks in their offices to express solidarity to the ongoing movement.

There are reports of government employees and bank officials in Rajbiraj of Saptari district boycotting works in their offices. Professional organisations carried out protest rallies in Tehrathum, Mahottari, Udaypur, Jhapa and several other districts.

However, no violent incidents were reported during these protests. nepalnews.com mk Apr 10 06

The government of Switzerland has called recent arrests during peaceful anti-government protests in the capital, Kathmandu, an abuse of human rights.

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) described the detention of more than 150 lawyers, doctors and journalists as arbitrary.

Swissinfo, a Swiss news service, quoted Jörg Frieden, the SDC’s country director in Nepal, as saying that even though the human rights situation in the Himalayan kingdom left a lot to be desired, last year had actually seen some improvement.

“I am certainly not saying the human rights situation is good [but] efforts made by the international community have kept the damages and abuses in check and have certainly reduced the level of impunity.”

His comments came during a four-day strike called by the seven-party opposition alliance against the 14-month-old direct rule of King Gyanendra.

As a countermove, the authorities imposed all-day curfews in Kathmandu and the surrounding valley to prevent massive anti-royalist rallies against the king’s absolute rule.

Three people have died and hundreds have been injured in clashes with the police as thousands of activists defied curfew orders at several points around the capital. Police have been ordered to shoot anyone violating the curfew, which entered its third consecutive day on Monday.

“There is an extensive repression apparatus on the state side, which now denies democratic rights but intimidates and limits the freedom of movement,” Frieden said.

The strike started only a few days after Switzerland had invited representatives of the government and civil society for talks in Geneva to discuss the country’s human rights situation.

The meeting, which is scheduled for April 18, will serve as a platform for the head of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Kathmandu, Ian Martin, non-governmental and human rights organisations to express their views on the situation in the Himalayan kingdom.

Despite daily clashes between armed forces and demonstrators defying the government’s ban on political rallies, Frieden said the Nepali people had coped very well with the conflict, which has lasted more than ten years and has left more than 13,000 dead.

“It seems impossible that people so kind and friendly are not able to find a compromise to their political problems. A possible solution would be to integrate the Maoist rebels into the political life, leave some role to the king and establish a democratic regime based on elected representatives,” Frieden concluded.

Rebel violence has escalated since King Gyanendra sacked the government and seized absolute power in February last year.

Meanwhile, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has strongly condemned the crackdown on pro-democracy leaders and activists in Nepal.

“The government of India should demand an end to all repressive actions by the King, failing which, steps should be taken to make the King realise that he cannot continue with his present course of action,” party Polit Bureau said on Friday, according to reports.

The Left Party also demanded the release of all those arrested, including CPN (UML) General Secretary Madhav Nepal. nepalnews.com by Apr 10 06

Leading private sector newspapers published from Kathmandu have asked the government not to suppress popular movement that is calling for restoration of peace and democracy in the country and open dialogue with the opposition parties without further delay.

In its editorial titled ‘Defiance of the Curfew,’ Kantipur—a leading Nepali language daily– said the restrictive measures adopted by the government have been futile to suppress the agitation of the parties that is gradually turning into people’s movement.

“Upon failing to enforce the curfew, the (royal) government should have resigned immediately on moral ground, failure of which led the parties to extend their call for nationwide general strike,” the editorial said. The daily—that is extensively covering the pro-democracy movement—warned that the government may have to face the international judicial court if it continues to suppress people’s voice and violating people’s civic and political rights.”

Another leading daily, Nepal Samacharpatra, known for its pro-palace leaning said in its editorial, “The repressive measures adopted by the state has invigorated enthusiasm among the agitators, which may lead to dangerous political collusion and unexpected incident in the country.”

“Upon failing to enforce the curfew, the (royal) government should have resigned immediately on moral ground, failure of which led the parties to extend their call for nationwide general strike.”
— Kantipur editorial

The Annapurna Post daily, in its editorial, stated that the use of force was the main cause of instigating political chaos and intensifying conflict at this time. The daily alleged that the government had taken the activities of the parties very lightly and in ‘squeezed mentality’.

However, Rajdhani daily—known for supporting the government– feared that the movement could turn violent with the increasing support from the Maoists.

The leading private sector dailies urged the government to look into the matter more seriously and stop use of force to suppress voices of the people. The newspapers sharply criticized the government’s action to ban issuing curfew passes to private media houses to cover the incidents during curfew hours. “Government is biased towards the media,” the Annapurna Post daily said. “Nepali media sector would face further challenge to fulfill its professional responsibilities,” Kantipur daily added.

As expected, the government-owned daily came out defending the government’s action. The Rising Nepal daily, in its editorial on Monday alleged the political parties of acting irresponsibly and resorting to disruptive activities. “The government has to look for the welfare and security of the people and having tried all options, it was compelled to impose the curfew in the interest of the common people,” the daily said. nepalnews.com Indra Adhikari Apr 10 06

Local authorities have extended night-time curfew in the capital, Kathmandu, by two hours.

According to officials, the night-time curfew will remain in force from 10:00 p. m. Monday till 4:00 a. m. on Tuesday. Earlier, the curfew hours were fixed between 11:00 p. m. till 3:00 a. m. the next day.

The authorities have extended curfew hours during night by two hours though they had reduced the day-time curfew hours by almost half. Night-time curfew remains in force for the last one week. nepalnews.com by Apr 10 06

Expatriate Nepalis and friends of Nepal have staged demonstrations in five major Indian cities to express solidarity to the movement of the opposition seven parties in Nepal.

Thousands of expatriate Nepalis and Indian nationals joined the demonstrations orgranised by United Nepali Front for Democracy in New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Bhopal on Sunday, according to media reports. Indian political leaders also participated in the demonstrations and mass meetings.

In New Delhi, the Indian capital city, a mass meeting attended by about 20,000 Nepali migrants was organised which was participated by senior CPN (UML) leaders Bam Dev Gautam and Jhalnath Khanal, who are in India since last few weeks, and leader of Communist Party of India (Marxist) Sitaram Yechuri.

Addressing the gathering at Ramlila Maidan, Gautam said the seven-party alliance was committed to take the movement against ‘royal autocracy’ to a decisive end.

CPI (M) leader Yechuri, who is also a parliamentarian, said most of the Indian political parties had support to the democratic movement in Nepal.

“But is for the Nepali people to choose what kind of political system they want,” reports quoted Yechuri as saying.

Leader of Nationalist Congress D.P. Tripathi, socialist leaders Vijay Pratap, Surendra Mohan, Samim Faiji, Dr Sunilam, Ananda Swaroop Verma, Deepak Mallik and few other Indian leaders also participated in the mass meeting.

India has been urging the King to initiate dialogue with the political parties to end the present political deadlock. Indian military aid to Nepal has been suspended after February 1, 2005, when the King assumed direct power. nepalnews.com mk Apr 10 06

At a time when seven political parties are orginising general strike for the restoration of complete democracy in the country, BBC quoted a highly placed source of the cabinet as saying that there is serious differences in the cabinet about adopting the path of reconciliation or suppression towards the political parties.

The source further said that nearly half the cabinet members are in favour of opening the door of reconciliation with the political parties.

BBC quoted an unnamed senior minister of the cabinet as saying that finally reconciliation would prevail.

The latest move came at a time Democratic Nepal party, led by minister in the royal cabinet Keshar Bahadur Bista, has asked the government to call upon the constitutional, political forces in the country for dialogue in a strong, credible and forceful way. nepalnews.com pb Apr 10 06

Police have taken into custody, over 200 pro-democracy activists from Dailekh, on Monday.

They were arrested while organizing anti-government rally in the district defying the prohibitory order of the local authorities.

People from all walks of life participated in the rally called by the Seven Party Alliance (SPA), as part of their ongoing general strike.

This is the first time such demonstration was held in the conflict hit district after the restoration of democracy in 1990.

The protestors alleged that police intervened in their peaceful demonstrations.

There are similar reports of arrest and protest in many districts of the country on Monday, the fifth day of the general strike of SPA. In many parts, the protestors defied the curfew orders and continued demonstrations.