A Voice For the Voiceless

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The Advocacy Project seeks to help community-based advocates produce, disseminate and use information, and so become more effective advocates for human rights and social justice

Nepal's Political Parties Call for Strike: 1/26/06

As Elections Press Ahead

By the Collective Campaign for Peace (COCAP)

Kathmandu, Thursday, January 26, 2006: The alliance of seven political parties called for a nationwide strike today to protest the current regime's repression on peaceful protests, demanding for the immediate release of political leaders and rights activists. The day coincides with the filing of nominations for upcoming municipal elections, which are being boycotted by the major political parties in Nepal.

According to human rights observers, hundreds of riot police have been mobilized in the capital. Main roads, shops, educational institutions, and private offices are closed in the capital. There are only a few private vehicles and people on the roads. Public transportation is completely shut down. Some shops are only open in the inner parts of the city.

Pro-democracy political activists clashed with riot police between 3:00 to 4:00 pm today at Kanja, near Baraha cinema theatre, Bhaktapur. During the clash police charged and opened fire on activists with tear gas shells. Hundreds of political activists were arrested today when they staged protest demonstration today and called for a nation-wide strike. .

Six activists, including Ghyamso Lama and Rajendra Shrestha were among those arrested. Another activist was seriously injured. They were detained at the District Police Office in Bhaktapur. Bishu Prasad Prajapati, one of the protest activists, was immediately released after his arrest when human rights monitors intervened. Protesters damaged a vehicle windscreen and a private taxi in the vicinity. Ordinary citizens who were witnessing the clash were also threatened; some were also beaten and chased by the police.

When the COCAP monitoring team was heading towards Bhaktapur via motorbike, they were stopped agitating protestors. In spite of the team’s visible identity as human rights monitors, protestors argued and threw stones at them. Sahayek Biswakarma, one of the team members sustained a minor knee injury.

"We tried to explain our work and our purpose to them, but they did not understand,” says Bijay Shrestha, a member of the monitoring team.

There have been rallies today in various parts of the capital. Several political parties held a meeting in Maitighar, Kathmandu, with hundreds of activists participating. No police intervention took place.

Pro-democracy civil society organizations, professional groups, and rights activists have supported the strike. The Citizens Movement for Democracy and Peace (CMDP) had also expressed solidarity to the press for the nation-wide strike. COCAP strongly denounces the violent acts of riot police force opening fire against protesters in Pokhara and the continuous use of force in peaceful protests and demonstrations.

-COCAP Human Rights Monitoring Team