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

Fifteenth Day of the Strike: 4/20/06

COCAP Report - April 20, 2006: Kathmandu.

 

Thousands of pro democracy Nepali defied curfew, staged rallies and demonstration despite state's persistent effort to thwart the people's movement. Three protesters shot dead by security forces. Corpses forcibly seized by police from the Model Hospital. For the first time in the history of Nepal, ambulances, restricted from curfew permits. Denial of curfew permits to health workers left hundreds of seriously wounded pro democracy activists at the dire need of emergency medical treatment, vulnerable.

 Protester shot dead by security force at Kalanki, Kathmandu on April 6, 2006.

For the fifteenth day mounting people's movement for democracy continued in spite of imposed curfew and prohibitory orders amidst state repression throughout Nepal. Hundreds and thousands of political activists and pro democracy citizens defied 18 hours curfew imposed by the government by participating in sporadic mass rallies and demonstrations. While the outskirt of the capital city was heavily guarded by riot police force, people took out rallies from nook and corner of capital city in the narrow alleys and major streets of Kathmandu.

 Peaceful demonstrations participated by thousands of people were organized at various localities in and around outskirts of capital city.

 A woman offering water to a thirsty democracy advocate

Rallies and demonstration in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, Lalitpur and Kirtipur : Kalanki, Chahabil Chowk, Jorpati, Gongobu, Vanasthali, Kirtipur, Bhaktapur, Baneshwor, Anamnagar, Maharajgunj, Balaju, Vanasthali, Budhanilkantha, Koteshwor, Chapagaun etc. Peaceful agitators clashed with security forces   at various places when they were obstructed to enter ring road area (fringe of capital city). Police opened fired bullets and tear gas shells upon the peaceful demonstrations. Three protesters were killed and dozens of them seriously injured as a result of police firing in Kalanki. Hundreds of them were injured. Police forcibly took away the dead bodies of the three protesters killed, from the Model Hospital. Both rubber as well as fetal metal bullets was used at Kalanki according to editor of Nepal Saptahik, Raja Ram Gautam. The security force has proven its humanitarian ground by not even sparing first aid tool kits from Kalanki.


Curfew passes were denied to ambulances and health workers, journalists, human rights defenders. Seriously injured protesters could not seek timely medical treatments. Ambulance hired by COCAP from Sangrila Hospital (run my ex-Gorkha communities) and vehicles of INSEC were used to rescue injured protesters in Kalanki.

Peaceful protest rally amidst curfew at Baneshwor.

Popular support and solidarity to the movement Restrictions imposed due to curfew failed to prevent ordinary citizens to extend their support and solidarity for democracy movement. Housewives, children, youngsters and elderly supported ongoing movement and protested king's regime. They were enchanting anti-monarch slogans and striking household utensils at one time from their respective houses in the afternoon, at various localities of Anamnagar, Ghatekula and Baneshwor. Their enthusiasm in this symbolic dissent was astounding and boasted moral support of those protesting on the streets. Ordinary citizens were found to supply water from their houses while rallies were passing through their vicinity.

 
Vanasthali, Kathmandu More than 15000 people staged demonstration at Vanasthali. Activist involved in citizens' movement for democracy and peace (CMDP) reported that security force opened fire more than 40 rounds of bullets and numerous tear gas shells. 40 protesters were injured. A 13 year old child was merciless beaten up by police. His situation is still critical. Police harassed health workers treating the injured at nearby community health post. Army stopped the ambulance coming to Vanasthali to rescue injured.

Armed police force chasing and spotting protesters at Kalanki.

GhatteKula Rally, Anamnagar: A massive rally participated by thousands of peaceful protesters breaking the curfew order were dispersed at Ghattekula, east of Singha Durbar after being laathi charged by riot police force. Eye witness, Navin Subba, democracy activist and a film maker reported that nine protesters have been arrested by police. The rally that began from inner Gattekula passed through narrow alleys of Baneshwor, to Bhimsengola and ended at Gattekula after police intervention. L.B.Karki; Krishna Khatri, Damoder Dahal; Ghandra Rai, Krishna Karki; Ajay Neupaney are amongst those arrested.

Gongobu tense again: In Gongobu, as reported to Kantipur TV news, riot police force entered a medical centre and laathi charged protesters. Dozens of injured protesters were undergoing medical treatment there. An eye witness account describes that a dozen of angry riot police force attacked and beat a protester at once. Demonstrators clashed with security forces. Hundreds of Armed Police Force and royal Nepal army force was mobilized to RNA mobilized. Tear gas shells were fired to suppress the agitation.

 Satdobato, Kumaltar: Around fifteen thousand people had gathered. There was a clash between protesters and riot police force when demonstration was intervened. Army mobilized opened fire in the sky to terrorize the protesters. Injured were manuallytaken to BNB hospital in Patan. Agitating protestors had set Krishi Sewa Kendra at Gwarko on fire.

 Pro-democracy activists organizing for a rally defying curfew at Baneshwor.

Mass Demonstration in Chitwan: Massive demonstrations protesting King's regime and demand for Loktantra (democracy) continued in Chitwan, south central Nepal. According to Janak Aryal, district president, FNJ around 2 hundred thousand people had filled 4 km road between Pulchowk, Naraygadh and Hakim Chowk. A mass gathering was organized in Pulchowk. Social activist, Laxmi Gurung reported that general public strongly protested and chased away local Nepali Congress (Democratic) leader, Prithwi Man Gurung, when he supported constitutional monarchy during his speech.

 Siraha: Around 500 rickshaw pullers at Golbazar, in Siraha eastern Nepal organized a demonstration in support of ongoing movement for democracy. They have declared east of Golbazar as Police Restrict Zone.

 Likewise, ever increasing people's demonstrations and mass rallies continued at Palpa, Tansen; Pokhara; Mahendranagar; Janakpur; Dhanusa; Rautahat, Gaur; Dhading; Gorkha; Chitwan; Dang, Ghorai; Myagdi, Beni; Dharan; Bardiya, Gulariya; Butuwal, Surkhet and different parts of the country.

 We would like to dedicate this report to those deceased in ongoing people's movement for Loktantra and to undaunted human right volunteers of COCAP who continued monitoring and rescuing injured in spite of the curfew today. We strongly condemn state's actions against ongoing non-violent people's movement for Loktantra (democracy) and Peace under the aegis of King Gyanendra's autocratic, authoritarian and repressive regime.

 (On behalf of COCAP Human Rights Monitoring Team)