Killing of Nepalis  provokes nationwide protests

September 2, 2004
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Killing of 12 Nepali hostages by a group of Islamic militants provoked nationwide protests on Wednesday, reports said Thursday.

Local administration in eastern terai district of Jhapa imposed an indefinite curfew at Anarmani, Birtamod in the district after a crowd turned violent. People in Jhapa mourned the death of Prakash Adhikari, a resident of the district.

Irate students brought traffic to a halt temporarily in the major industrial town of Biratnagar. Janakpurdham, the district headquarters of southern terai district of  Dhanusha, was also grief stricken as four of the Nepalis killed in Iraq were from this district. Shops and educational institution remained closed on Wednesday in the district.

Students brought out rally and disrupted traffic along the Mahendra highway by burning tyres in Hetauda in central Nepal. An all-party meeting at the district administration office appealed  people to maintain calm and restraint.

In Pokhara, students of Prithvi Narayan campus burnt effigies of Moonlight company-that sent Nepali workers to Jordan who were later diverted to Iraq-and Iraqi rebels. They also chanted slogans against the government. The tourist town, however, remained calm throughout the day.

Demonstrations took place in Rupandehi, Uadypur, Khotang, Kailali and Kanchanpur districts, among others, in protest of killing of Nepalis in Iraq. The demonstrations were, however, largely peaceful, reports said.