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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

Kathmandu Tensed on the Second Day of Protest: 4/07/06

Many Incidences on HR Violation

COCAP Report - April 7, 2006:

 

The second day of the strike begin with intense protests from various parts of the country. From early morning the cadres belonging to the seven alliance parties took out rallies and demonstrations to make the strike called by the seven party alliances successful and to pressurize the government to bow down. The party members took out rallies and anti government rallies widely in the capital. The protestors carried out protest rallies from different parts of the valley including Ason, Chhetrapati, New Baneshwore, Koteshwore, Jorpati, Chabbhil, Tripureshwore and Balaju,Kritipur, Sitapaila, Lagankhel, Basundhara, Samakusi, Kalanki, Nardevi,Naya Bazar etc. They blocked and obstructed the roads by burning tyres and tree logs. The life in the capital was completed paralyzed on the second day as well with the shops, market places, industries, offices, and academic institutions remaining closed. Public and private vehicles were largely off the road except for the diplomatic and UN vehicles, ambulances and police vans plied on the road.

 

A huge number of riot police and Armed Police Force were deployed to control the protests. There were severe clashes between the police and agitating protestors in different areas of the country. The protestors hauled stones and brickbats at the police and the police baton charged and fired several shells of tear gas at the protestors. Police also fired rubber bullet, which injured one student leader from Patan, multiple campus named Anil Khanal. Students and police clashed in front of various campuses of valley from early morning. Police used tear gas shells to disperse protestors in different areas. The angry agitators vandalized the government property in many areas. The agitating mob put two motorcycles to aflame in Patan Dhoka area and partially damaged Patan Dhoka Post office. Protestors burnt one taxi in Sorakhutte area and vandalized three taxis in Chabbhil area The main roads in the capital were littered with stones, brickbats, ashes and ember of burnt tyres, tree trunks etc.

 

In Ason area protesters raised pro-democracy voices from early morning. Large group of people gathered to extend solidarity to the ongoing strike. Men, women alike joined the rally. Police detained large number of the people from the protest site.

 

In Kalanki area of the valley the protestors tried to obstruct the road by burning large number of tyres and tree branches and logs. There was a heated clash and exchange of bricks and stones between protestors and the police forces. Police charged with lathis to the protestors. Three protestors suffered head injured in the baton charge. The casualties were profusely bleeding. The police forcefully entered into the shops and charged people with their batons. Large number of arrests was made from the area.

 

In Kritipur area, there was a massive protest where a large crowd of people gathered. As reported there were more than five thousand people protesting and people had declared prohibitory zone for police forces. There was a wild exchange of stones between the police and the protestors. As reported the police had difficult time controlling the mob and were blocked by the protestors from having access to the protest site.

 

Similar protests were made in Samakhushi area. Large number of protestors gathered and marched ahead chanting anti government and pro-democracy slogans. The police intervened and there was a ruthless clashes between the police and the protestors. Angry protesters burn a local taxi bearing no Bb. 1 A 6894.Police made several arrests from the area. Among those arrested includes a 14 Years school going boy of Grade seven from Basantapur School named Shyam Gurung.

 

As reported there were mass protests and demonstrations in other parts of the country. Main markets other districts like Kabhre, Rupandehi, Dhading and many more districts remain closed. Reports say the SPA have carried out rallies calling for the restoration of democracy in the country from various parts of the country on Friday People in large masses gathered in many important cities of the country demanding for the restoration of democracy and topple of autocracy. Over 150 of seven-party protesters were arrested in Hetauda, Bharatpur, Birgunj, Pokhara, Ilam and several other districts. Similarly, over two dozen journalists were arrested in different parts of the country during rallies organised to protest the arrest of journalists yesterday.

 

As reported Police have taken into custody dozens of leaders and pro-democracy activists from protest rallies of the Seven Party Alliance (SPA) for defying prohibitory orders on Friday, the second day of the four day long general strike of the SPA. As reported, police arrested more than two dozen party cadres including central committee members Asta Laxmi Shakya and Krishna Gopal Shrestha from different parts of the valley.

 

Likewise, Nepali Congress (Democratic) has said that police arrested nearly a dozen party cadres from Friday’s protest rallies in the capital.

 

During the protest by the demonstrators, COCAP staff, Suajn Sapkota has been misbehaved by the police personnel in Gongabu while he was taking pictures of police beating children and passer bys indiscriminately. Further, they tried to snatch his camera with force using abusive words. Similarly COCAP volunteer, Shrimani Dhungana, has been able to protect the life of a vigilante who was severely beaten by protesters in Kritipur. Dhungana, with help of INSEC volunteers has been able to rescue him to take to the hospital.

 

In the evening around 4 PM Mr. Madhav Basnet, a reporter from Dristi weekly Newspaper was mercilessly thrashed by the sub-inspector of police even after the former produced his press identity card. Situation grew very tense in the Samakhushi area and police blatantly neglected the presence of Human right activist. They heavily charged on the protestors beating them inhumanly and fired several shells of tear gas to disperse the crowd. Several people were hurt and injured in the chaos. Volunteers from Nepal Red Cross Society gave first aid treatment to the injured. Police made mass detention, which included small children. As reported seven children were detained by the police in the police beat and were harshly beaten. Police did not pay attention to requests made by human right activists to spare children. Situation turned tense in many parts of the valley during the evening when people came out to protest.
 

(On behalf of COCAP Human Rights monitoring team)