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King Gyanendra adressing the nation April 24, 2006. |
The government imposed daytime curfews consecutively for five days from Thursday ( April 19, 2006) to Monday (April 24) in the urban parts of Kathmandu valley crippling the mobility of common people. In an attempt to foil the peaceful demonstrations called by the seven seven-party alliance on Thursday the government ordered a 18 hour long curfew from 2:00 am to 8 pm. Before this curfew time ended the government issued another notice extending the curfew hours till 3:00 am the next morning. In the consecutive days the government issued curfew orders at varying time slots. However, the demonstrators widely defied the curfew orders.
At least three Nepali workers died in Mamoura locality of Qatar on Wednesday in an accident that took place in an underground drainage. According to reports, the deceased have been identified as Til Bahadur Karki of Jhapa, Ram Chandra Mahara of Siraha and Ujir Bahadur Ejim of Taplejung. "Although the exact cause of their death is still unknown, they must have choked to death after inhaling toxic gases formed in the underground drain," reports said. According to, Gulf Times, a leading newspaper of Qatar, Nepali Ambassador to Qatar, Shyamananda Suman, visited the incident site as well as the morgue of Hamad General Hospital, where the bodies are kept. After visiting the accident site, the ambassador said that it was sheer negligence that led to the tragedy. "Oxygen masks must be provided to those working in deep excavations which could be filled with toxic gases," Gulf Times quoted the ambassador as saying, adding, "I will take up the matter with the authorities to ensure that all companies adhere to adequate safety measures." Qatar is the attractive destination to the Nepali foreign job seekers. Remittance is giving life to the national economy at a time when the country is passing through a difficult turn due to the flaring conflict of the country.
A recent survey has estimated that there are some 720,000 mentally retarded persons in Nepal. A survey carried out by Mentally Impaired Welfare Organisation said that of the total victims, 40 per cent children below fourteen years age are mentally retarded. It is said that 10 per cent people out of the total population are disabled. The state run news agency Rastriya Samachar Samiti quoted, General Secretary of the National Disable Federation Nepal Mitra Lal Sharma as saying that disabled need help while eating, dressing up, sleeping and in other works, therefore the state, civic society and NGOs should work jointly to provide more facilities and extra care to the mentally impaired persons. According to a survey, it is stated that there are 250 scientific reasons behind being mentally retarded. Meanwhile, the Mentally Impaired Welfare Organisation from its various branches in 22 districts has been providing assistance to some 5,000 mentally impaired persons throughout the country.
Not only the prices of daily consumer goods but the prices of gold and silver also continued during the general strike that is running in third consecutive week. The price of gold set a new 25-year high record in the bullion market over the week, with its price ending at Rs 14,575 (US$ 201.31) per ten gram on Wednesday when the market closed from Rs 14,150 per ten gram on Sunday when the market opened. Spurred by a rise in the international price of silver, the domestic price also saw a steep rise in the domestic market over the week, touching a 25-year record. The weekly silver trading data demonstrates that the price of silver reached Rs 335 per ten gram on Wednesday, the last day for transactions this week from Rs 312 on Sunday when the market opened.
The United States of America has welcomed the royal proclamation to reinstate the parliament. “The United States salutes the people of Nepal's courage and resilience in their struggle for democracy,” said Adam Ereli, Deputy Spokesman of the USA issuing a press release. “We believe that he (the king) should now hand power over to the parties and assume a ceremonial role in his country's governance.”
GNP Welcomes Decision
Our party welcomes the decision to re-convene the Parliament dissolved in 2058 and the new government of seven agitating political parties. We will extend our co-operation and support in the practice of multiparty democracy. In his press statement Kuber Sharma, Chairman, Green Nepal party said “we express our deep regards to the martyrs of ‘Peoples Revolution’ and express our sympathy to injured and hurt participants. We urge the new government to stop vandalism to facilitate practice of multiparty Democracy.
