120 Nabbed for Defying Nepal Protest Ban
Via The Guardian Monday March 28, 2005, By BINAJ GURUBACHARYA Associated Press Writer:
KATMANDU, Nepal (AP) - Police arrested about 120 anti-government activists nationwide Monday for defying a ban on protests to show their anger at last month's seizure of power by the king.
Dozens of protesters marched outside the capital's Central Secretariat, which houses the prime minister's office as well as several other ministries and government offices.
``Down with autocracy. We want democracy,'' the demonstrators chanted as they threw fliers in the streets urging people to join their movement.
They arrived in a public bus and quickly pulled out party flags and chanted anti-government slogans, surprising police and blocking traffic for a few minutes before being loaded into police vans and taken away.
Nearly 50 people were arrested in front of the government offices in Katmandu and another 72 people were detained in demonstrations in nine other cities in what Nepal's banned political parties described as a nationwide protest.
Officials said the protesters in Katmandu were detained at the police station and charged with violating government orders.
It was the first time since King Gyanendra's Feb. 1 takeover and suspension of civil liberties that protesters have been able to demonstrate so close to the main government offices.
In taking absolute power and declaring a state of emergency, the king said he needed to defeat an escalating anti-monarchy communist insurgency and root out endemic corruption among politicians.
Since the king's power grab, many politicians have been taken into custody or driven underground. The new monarchist government has released some opposition figures in recent weeks. Sporadic rallies to demand the return of democracy have failed to attract large numbers and have been quickly broken up by police.
Still, Nepal's main political parties vowed to hold nationwide protests on April 8 to mark the 15th anniversary of mass pro-democracy demonstrations that ended autocratic rule by Nepal's kings.
``We are working on strategies to be bring out the mass protest next week. It will be joint rallies organized by the five major political parties,'' said Kashinath Adhikari of the Communist Party of Nepal, the second-largest party.
However, Adhikari acknowledged the low turnout in previous protests, citing a distrust of politicians who are widely regarded as inefficient and corrupt.
Jagdish Narsingh, a youth leader with the main Nepali Congress party, said the protests haven't gained momentum because their top leaders are either in detention, exile or hiding.
Nepal's government also has been under pressure from the international community to lift the state of emergency and restore civil liberties.
Britain and India have suspended military aid, and the United States has said it is considering stopping aid that Nepal needs to fight the insurgents.
However, a Pakistani official hinted on Monday that his nation could offer military assistance to Nepal.
Pakistan's junior minister for economic affairs, Hina Rabbani Khar, said Pakistan has pledged $5 million in economic assistance to Nepal.
``The whole thing is for industrial procurement but it can possibly cover arms and ammunition,'' Khar told reporters on arrival in Katmandu. ``It is up to Nepalese government to decide.''
The rebels, who say they're inspired by Chinese revolutionary Mao Zedong, have been fighting since 1996 to dislodge the monarchy and establish communist rule. The conflict has killed more than 10,500 people, many of them civilians.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4896905,00.html
KATMANDU, Nepal (AP) - Police arrested about 120 anti-government activists nationwide Monday for defying a ban on protests to show their anger at last month's seizure of power by the king.
Dozens of protesters marched outside the capital's Central Secretariat, which houses the prime minister's office as well as several other ministries and government offices.
``Down with autocracy. We want democracy,'' the demonstrators chanted as they threw fliers in the streets urging people to join their movement.
They arrived in a public bus and quickly pulled out party flags and chanted anti-government slogans, surprising police and blocking traffic for a few minutes before being loaded into police vans and taken away.
Nearly 50 people were arrested in front of the government offices in Katmandu and another 72 people were detained in demonstrations in nine other cities in what Nepal's banned political parties described as a nationwide protest.
Officials said the protesters in Katmandu were detained at the police station and charged with violating government orders.
It was the first time since King Gyanendra's Feb. 1 takeover and suspension of civil liberties that protesters have been able to demonstrate so close to the main government offices.
In taking absolute power and declaring a state of emergency, the king said he needed to defeat an escalating anti-monarchy communist insurgency and root out endemic corruption among politicians.
Since the king's power grab, many politicians have been taken into custody or driven underground. The new monarchist government has released some opposition figures in recent weeks. Sporadic rallies to demand the return of democracy have failed to attract large numbers and have been quickly broken up by police.
Still, Nepal's main political parties vowed to hold nationwide protests on April 8 to mark the 15th anniversary of mass pro-democracy demonstrations that ended autocratic rule by Nepal's kings.
``We are working on strategies to be bring out the mass protest next week. It will be joint rallies organized by the five major political parties,'' said Kashinath Adhikari of the Communist Party of Nepal, the second-largest party.
However, Adhikari acknowledged the low turnout in previous protests, citing a distrust of politicians who are widely regarded as inefficient and corrupt.
Jagdish Narsingh, a youth leader with the main Nepali Congress party, said the protests haven't gained momentum because their top leaders are either in detention, exile or hiding.
Nepal's government also has been under pressure from the international community to lift the state of emergency and restore civil liberties.
Britain and India have suspended military aid, and the United States has said it is considering stopping aid that Nepal needs to fight the insurgents.
However, a Pakistani official hinted on Monday that his nation could offer military assistance to Nepal.
Pakistan's junior minister for economic affairs, Hina Rabbani Khar, said Pakistan has pledged $5 million in economic assistance to Nepal.
``The whole thing is for industrial procurement but it can possibly cover arms and ammunition,'' Khar told reporters on arrival in Katmandu. ``It is up to Nepalese government to decide.''
The rebels, who say they're inspired by Chinese revolutionary Mao Zedong, have been fighting since 1996 to dislodge the monarchy and establish communist rule. The conflict has killed more than 10,500 people, many of them civilians.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4896905,00.html
posted by Ingrid J. Jones at Monday, March 28, 2005
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