“Day of reckoning” in Nepal, tens of thousands protest against the royal regime

As pro-democracy activists have defied—for the first time in the country’s history—curfew orders imposed in the capital, reports say tens of thousands of people across the country have joined in the pro-democracy rallies denouncing the royal regime and calling for restoration of peace and democracy in the country on Saturday—the third day of the four day general strike called by the seven party opposition alliance (SPA).

The Alliance had called for the nationwide peaceful rallies on Saturday (today in commemoration of the ‘ Chaitra 26, Jana Andolan 2046 B. S.’ (People’s Movement 1990) that ended the three-decade-old direct rule of the king ushering the country into a democratic era.

The biggest rally so far has been organized in the Maoist-insurgency hit Bardiya district in the mid-western region where over 30,000 people thronged to district headquarter, Guleriya, on Saturday.

A journalist based in Guleriya told Nepalnews over phone that thousands of villagers, majority of them from the ethnic Tharu community, started arriving at Guleriya from early morning and later converged into a huge rally. They were carrying flags of Nepali Congress and CPN (UML) in their bicycles. Bardiya is one of the districts hit hard by the Maoist insurgency. Dozens of civilians have been killed in Bardiya from both the warring sides and several people have been reported as “disappeared” over the past few years. Reports say unlike in the past the rebels did not stop people from going to the district headquarters to take part in the opposition rally.

In the mid-western district of Dang, over 20,000 people walked for hours to take part in a pro-democracy rally at the district headquarter of Ghorahi. They chanted anti-king slogans and called upon the rebels to give up violence and sit for peace negotiations. Similar rallies were also taken out at Lamahi and Tulsipur in the district.

In the nearby Surkhet district in the mid-western region, local authorities have declared curfew during the day even as the opposition cadres were preparing to take out a rally. The curfew has been enforced from 3:00 p. m. to 7 p. m. on Saturday.

In south central district of Chitwan, thousands of people have taken to the streets and have declared the district as a ‘Loktantrik Chhetra’ (Democratic Zone). Demonstrators clashed with police and vandalized offices of local municipality, district office of Rastriya Prajatantra Party led by Home Minister Thapa and a few government offices, according to reports.

Situation remains tense in the western town of Pokhara following the death of a demonstrator, Bhimsen Dahal, when security personnel opened fire on a group of peaceful demonstrators. Local people, including former Gurkha soldiers, joined the protest rally in protest of the killing of a civilian and have been demanding action against the culprits. 83-year-old Padma Raj Koirala was also among the demonstrators in Pokhara, Kantipur F. M. reported.

Local authorities have issued prohibitive orders declared in western hilly district of Myagdi and Waling of Syangja district to thwart opposition rallies. At least 20 demonstrators have been arrested in Besisahar of Lamjung district. Reports say thousands of people have taken part in the peaceful rallies in Sankhuwasabha, Udaypur, Dolakha, Bara, Kavre and even remote northern district of Humla.

Talking to Nepalnews this afternoon, central committee member of Nepali Congress Arjun Narsingh KC said there had been tremendous and enthusiastic participation of the Nepalis in Saturday’s demonstrations across the country. He said opposition parties would not be deterred from what he called the government tactics of imposing curfew and issuing prohibitive orders in the capital and other parts of the country. “Our peaceful protests will continue by defying all kinds of restrictions,” he added. nepalnews.com by Apr 08 06

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