Post Report

KATHMANDU, June 1: At least 13 language activists were arrested here today by the armed police, while they were rallying to mark the “Black Day” in the street peacefully against the three-year-old verdict that banned the use of mother languages as additional languages in the official documents of the local authorities.

The organisers said they had had permission to rally from the local District Administration Office and also had informed about their programme to the police.

In June 1, 1999, the Supreme Court issued a verdict that no other language other than Nepali could be used for local administration purposes after four people filed a case to the court against the decision of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Rajbiraj Municipality and Dhanusa District Development Committee to use local language along with the national language Nepali.

Those arrested are Sitaram Tamang, Kaman Singh Lama, Rajbhai Jakami, Amaresh Narayan Jha, Bhaktabir Yonjan, Sanu Yonjan, Bishnu Nhisutu, Suresh Karmacharya, Satya Narayan Manandhar, Suman Shrestha, Rukesh Shrestha, Himal Rai and Janga Bahadur Thapa Magar.

At 1.20 am, first three protesters with banners were arrested. Other protesters started rallying as scheduled with the rest of black banners and placards from Bhotahiti to Indrachowk and New Road. Others were arrested while the former lawmaker Kaman Singh Lama was addressing a mass-meeting at Bhotahiti, held after the rally. The police also took away the banners, mike, battery and other materials used by the portesters.

The rally was jointly organised by All Nepal Nationalities Convention, Nationalities Association, Nationalities Organisation, Nepal Nationalities Freedom Movement, Nepal Indigenous/Nationalities Journalists Association, Nepal Kumal Sangh, Nepal Tamang Ghedung, Nepal Thami Samaj, Maithili Society, Newaa National Movement, Nepali Indigenous/Nationalities Association and Nepal Bhasa Mankaa Khalaa.

Nepal Indigenous/Nationalities Association, All Nepal Nationalities Convention, Nepal Indigenous/Nationalities Journalists Association, Newaa National Movement protested the “communal action” of the government and demanded the arrested activists be freed immediately.

“The government’s intention itself is communal to foil the programme, against the one language policy of the judiciary, conducted after the permission from the local administration,” the press release issued by the association stated.