8 April 2006
from Pratik Pande - in Kathmandu, Nepal

The second day, 7 April 2006, of the four-day long general strike called by the Seven Party Alliance (SPA) in Nepal continued with demonstrations and huge clashes between the police force and demonstrators all round the country. There has also been arrest of hundreds of demonstrators and party activists across the country. According to government sources, 146 demonstrators were arrested in Kathmandu alone.

All shops, business houses, vehicles, factories were affected from the general strike. Staffs of government- owned Nepal Telecom, Electricity Authority, Nepal Rastriya Bank, Nepal Banijya Bank, Nepal Bank Ltd. did not work in their office in support of the general strike. Doctors and staffs of medical colleges of Nepal also protested against the autocratic royal regime. It has been analyzed that this is the first time after the restoration of democracy in 1990 that people from every sector have shown their solidarity of the present movement demanding the return of democracy to Nepal.

In the capital city of Kathmandu, vehicles of press, human right defenders, hospitals, foreign diplomats and police were only seen which were also very less in number. None of the vehicles entered Kathmandu from any of the entry points. All the highways around the country were silent. A few motor-cycles were torched, and a few taxis, private and government vehicles were vandalized in Kathmandu. Tires and logs were seen burning all over the road and demonstrators demonstrating against the royal regime of Nepal. Demonstrators also set fire to the post office of Patan, Lalitpur. Slogans against King Gyanendra, his son Paras and home minister Kamal Thapa were heard at most of the places.

Demonstrators took hold of Kritipur metropolitan city and declared it as a police free zone. The police force was seen escaping after the students of Tribhuvan University of Kirtipur and local residents demonstrated in huge mass. Student protestors vandalized the office of the vice-chancellor of the Tribhuvan University. Nearly two-dozen protestors were injured in a clash between students and police following the incident.

Kalanki, Kalimati, Baneswor, Samakhusi, Chabahil, Naya Bazar, Ason, Nardevi, Sorha Khutte, Gongabu Chok, Maitidevi were some of the major places in Kathmandu where demonstrations took place and clashes between the police and demonstrators took place the whole the day. During the observation it was also found that the police used vigilantes to get hold of demonstrators. Some police officers in civil dress were also found beating and catching the demonstrators within Kathmandu. Several rounds of tear gas were also fired. Police have not spared hitting the general public of the local area and have also injured several children.

While writing this report, the government today on 8 April has imposed curfew within the ring road of Kathmandu valley, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur from morning 10 am until 9 pm. Regular curfew from 11 pm to 3 am has also not been informed of released. From the morning 7 am today, connection of all mobile services have been cut down but landlines are still working. It was 8th April 1990 when democracy was restored in Nepal. So, in remembrance of that historical day as well as part of the ongoing general strike, today it was planned to have a huge mass rally and demonstration in the Basntapur of Kathmandu. This curfew imposed by the autocratic government is meant to disrupt the mass movement targeted for today. But the political parties and civil society organizations are planning to break this curfew today.