The first-day of four-day General Strike saw closures, protests and police clampdowns
Photo Essay By Saroj Raj Adhikari
It was a story of make and break. The only debate was who were trying to make and who were trying to break. Protesters were burning tyres, policemen extinguishing them; protesters were chanting slogans, policemen were chasing them and protesters were putting disturbance, policemen were clearing them.
Activists closed down the road leading to Kirtipur by putting up stones on the road and burning tyres.
Policemen cleared them.
The Kirtipur Municipality office with broken windows after the protesters stoned it.
There were arrests but not before the protesters at Kirtipur kept the policemen out of the city for more than an hour and contined chanting slogans and hurling stones at the advancing policemen.
Elsewhere,
Protesters burnt a motorbike at Teku in the morning. Although I missed the shot of burning motorbike as I was late, I could capture it after policemen extinguished the fire.
Popular student leader Gagan Thapa made a brief appearance at the protest in Ratopul and addressed a small gathering there asking the citizen to support the program and accusing the Royal Regime of wrong-doings.
Additional Text by Ujjwal
United We Blog 
Comments
74 responses to “On Photos: April Uprising I”
Layman,
Its shocking how much more racist a person can be than to advise people from other ethnic commuinities to learn another language.
Newars, Tamang, Madhesis, Tharus all have their own language and this is what they need to continue.
“DO not have enemity with crocodile if you want to live in water.” Come to streets of Kathmandu to challenge newars and you will be shown your great grandfathers marriage and where they belong.
Who the heck do you think you are asshole? You are not even brave enough to mention your caste.
Its upto an individual to learn whatever language he chooses. The first thing that newars will demand is removal of “THIS COMPULSORY NEED TO LEARN NEPALI”.
All ethnic communities should learn their own language. We should not continue the sad heritage of Panchayat regime which tried to suppress all ethnic cultures.
I however do not suggest any violence in terms of ethnicity in already divided country like Nepal.
Layman,
THANK YOU FOR PROVING MY POINT.
YOU ARE THE EXACT EXAMPLE OF RACISM IN COUNTRY AND YOUR ATTITUDE IS AN EXACT EXAMPLE, i.e. to use violence as a means.
LAYMAN, PLEASE DO WORRY ABOUT YOURSELF AND DO NOT UTTER WORD AGAINST NEWARS, OR FOR AGAINST ANY CASTE AND CREED.
However, you seem to be ashamed to mention your ethnicity my friend. By the way, I think you should learn THARU language for a change, just to understand the diverse culture of our country.
However, people with your attitude are the ones marginalizing themselves. I understand how you would like to see violence rather than give up your past glories. However, along with royal forces, its time for people like you to vanish as well.
Maoists have gathered popular support because they are against this ethnicity and racism, and that is what people of Nepal want.
I tell you Newars are like Kuwa ko Bhyagto. You never understand your weaknesses and strengths. I tell you once again that you are minority inside Kathmandu valley also. If you had any strength, you would not have lost to prithvi narayan and remained under Gorkha King till now. So do not boast anything, you cannot do anything and you are helpless.You are slowly losing your identity too.
Hey Layman,
Your forefathers know us well, we beheaded your foremothers, foresisters, forebajes, forebajais from India and due to our socalled GENEROCITIES about a long time ago now you are representing yourself in a place where you are, speaking bastard language which you are proud of so much and you even feel ashamed to speak your TRUE MOTHER TONGUE DON´T YOU??
Donot just boast about your majority or any other matter for minority, we will unite one day all of you in one BIG BROTHERHOOD, u don´t agree u will loose out, your family will loose out and YOUR RACE WILL LOOSE OUT FOR EVER.
After all you BASTARDS guys have bit of our FOREFATHERS BLOOD anyway, WE WILL CONVERT THIS PARTIAL BLOOD TO FULL BLOOD AND ASSIMILATE IN ITERNITY.
Be careful what you say and what you do. Time waits nobody so do the tide, perhaps you might have seen some of those sign already throughout Nepal and even in Kathmandu TOO.
Rayofhope is right. Something has to be done about the military. We have to absolutely take them out of the royal orbit.
Otherwise, armymen might just call themselves Royal Bodyguards.
Maoist problem…End to autocracy…Humanrights…Real problem we have is racism. Lets end racism. Lets end bahunism rules and everyone will get peace of mind
i am sure people of pokhara will chase this king of gurkha out and we will make sure that he wont find any place in kathmandu valley.
we were helpless before like any other communities, but not anymore. once we chase this king of gurkha out no one will lose their identities. layman come out of veil of rhetorics and go man, go to pokhara and save gurkha king if you can.
You Newars do not know the history. Who beheaded whom ? Ha ha ha in Kirtipur all you nose and tongues were cut. Why you do not join army you know , you are the most scared being. There is a proverb that you hide yourself in Ghyampo in the
last floor of the house if there is full scale war. You better ask Newars of Pokhara to chase the King. But in Pokhara there are other brave races than Newars they live there. In military, Newars write Nagarkoti to join army.This is the situation. All Shahas and ranas kept your duaghters as Bhitrinis. Now you understand your position before telling others Bastards. Who is bastards ? Our blood may be there in your bloods.
I agree with layman’s comment about Newars. They are the most “darpok” of all the races. They supported Panchyat System till the end. Only one Newar Ganesh man came out. But he did not have any guts to become PM. If he would have been PM it would have been a desaster. Even we could not have seen the present constitution.He started nepotism even not in power. That’s why nobody calls him the Sarbochha Neta.
Newars believe in conspiracy and remour. Look at the time of Hritik Roshan Kanda, they came out of the house without knowing what happenned actually and five people lost their life.Kaag le kaan lagyo bhanera bhanyo bhane Kaag ko pachhadi Kudne ?
Divide and rule the Brahmin way seems to have been a success. Until all ethnic groups of Nepal come together and kick these Brahmins and Brhminised people out of power, we will all be losers.
This Brahmin Hindu sh!t never do good for this country.Only Newars are the praisable people that they are holding whole economic business of nepal, If you ignore Newars mean you nepali guys will die like ants in Nepal. This few stup!d Hindu sh!t guys are craving for the power to crack down the king, but they forgot that king himself is their own forefather or their beloved mad God.
This Brahmin Hindu sh!t never do good for this country.Only Newars are the praisable people that they are holding whole economic business of nepal, If you ignore Newars mean you nepali guys will die like ants in Nepal. This few stup!d Hindu sh!t guys are craving for the power to crack down the king, but they forgot that king himself is their own forefather or their beloved mad Hindu God.
I see we’re going to have an ethnic war soon. Way to go guys.
i know in pokhara there are many brave people–unlike you–that is why i am more than sure, they will chase this king out.
gurkha king has cut and chope newar among other atrocities–you have some guts here dudes, because many arrogant khas tend to deny this fact. well what can i say, its payback time. as far as your blood is concern, have you done your genetic lab test. if not you better test right now.
well limbu–efficienct lahure?–i hate to spell it out, but you must have been in malaysia or UAE doing labourer job when 1990 popular movement and hritic scandle happend. only that reason could explain why you dont know any thing about those two events.
like i said before, i will not be destracted by any of bullsh!t above.
its final fight for freedom from 250 years of shah atrocities.
Why are you posting anti-Newar statements here?
We all know that if Newars were not present in Nepal, marwaris would have controlled the entire economy. Thus, entire Nepali community should thank Newars for that.
However, people like Layman needs to go and get their brains checked up. He is a perfect example of sad heritage of Nepal which needs to be wiped off.
I wonder why Dinesh Wagle and Ujjwal Acharya is allowing racist comments from Limbu to be posted here.
I posted some true reflection regarding sad legacy of Bahunsim-Chettrism-Thakurism and yet its not been posted.
Please Wagleji and Acharyaji, show that this site represents Nepali people and not bahuns-chetrris only.
limbu, you got right here. back then it was one newar and three bahuns that brought democracy. here is your chance to see one of yours kind onboard.
UWB team dont be so idialistic. ‘only race we know is nepali?’ my ass. we are divided man, some of us are royalits, some maoists, and yet some are…well whatever whatever.
Randy Sizemore…
I really do like this place….
“The bottomline is, no country in this world is having what we call a GALA TIME”.
The problems facing different countries are very varied and manifest themselves in forms like protests, bans, strikes not to mention Sanctions against other countries. Violence, though is the most disruptive of all solutions people look for, but can we help it, lets accept it happens and NEPAL is facing one dirty violent crisis right this moment.
Thats exactly whats the people are going through as well.
Who is abusing who in this BLOG? Nepali born Nepalis cursing their brothers i guess.
And as far as having a political opinion goes, everyone is entitled to have one. But trust me friends talking about demographic statistics has never helped. Be it Bahun, Chettris or Mares, it all boils down to what one does to make him or herself productive.
Well, I would agree with “Kathmandu Newar” only to the extent that NEWARIs have a sound business mind and are good at that. But its foolish to think that one single community can appropriate all the resources of NEPAL and keep it under their butts. Thats not happening my friend.
Also, its unfortunate that when two of our biggest neighbours (China & India), are growing in the proportion no one has witnessed before, here we are, going through the pain and discomfort of a civil war like crisis.
I Dont agree with “Dilip” when he says blogging or sitting in our rooms with the computer is useless, well my friend, thinking people could do wonders when they go out to work. Lets say all the “Remittance money coming in to nepal, in excess of 1Billion U.S. Dollars, being sent by Nepalis abroad. Its not just for their family members to consume, it also serves a big social purpose, that is to make nepalis believe that they are productive and to whatever extent, they can, they will contribute.
WELL I AM GLAD ABOUT ONE THING, I ALWAYS THOUGHT THAT ONLY MARES WERE HATED IN NEPAL. YOU MADE ME THINK OTHERWISE. THANKS FOR THAT.
I dont advocate hating anybody. I agree there is some perversion in some of the Classes, including marwaris, but hey!, isnt that living is all about. We look at people, some we admire, some we dismiss as ridiculous, but hating is not an option for a country like Nepal.
Well I am on hunt for a job, didnt get any for 7 months, but have a few good leads. I hope you guys could wish me good luck.
Well I wish you guys luck in your future and definitely to resolve whatever disputes you have.
Buy for Now
With All My Heart
“JAI NEPAL”
For all those carrying anti newar sentiments
Newars to me are the bravest community of the country.The other misleading sentiments as that posted by unknown figures like Layman are the example of anti newar sentiments culminated since the Prithvi narayan era
Prithvi Narayan is one of the most hated ruler in Nepalese history and he was not alone there were score of bahun chetris thakuris behind him
I think the anti newar sentiments posted in this blog are the jobs of those whose ancestors were beheaded by Kirtipure newars in Gurkha Kirtipur war
Brahmins are opportunists and Chhetris are no more than the Usina Chamal eating loyals of Shah army and police who are always scared of Newar reprisalThey are resposnible of harbouring the 300 years of Shah regime
But my dear friends this time of hilo chyyapne should not continue now there is no alternate to provinicial republic without participation of jan jatis including NEWAR
For those who like to see the newar bravery I would be there to stand face to face let me see who hides under ghyampo bahun chetr or others?
Jackie newar
It is quiet surprising that the lato Limbus are also following the anti newar trail carved by the bahun chhetris like Layman . Mr Limbu ! if you were brave enough how did you lose your limbuwan kingdom to Prithvi narayan supported by bahun chhetris.You lost the war without any fight ! You darpok or Newar? How dare you challenge the mighty newars?
Seeing all the arguments in this blog, we only involving ourself unnecessary mud slinging each other. Every body is trying to prove that their race is only the super and others are inferior. In fact we all are exploited by the Shahj dynesty and their men. By nature these Bahun,Chhetri and Thakuri are very shrewd. They talk cunningly and cheat people. Since these people availed the chance to get education and made such a atmoshphere in the country that other people should not get even basic education. Why this so. Because if other people get the education then their importance will go away. No one will ask them. As such they grabbed all the Govt. higher post by them even though other caste people aso equally qualified for that. This was the intentionally planed to keep away other from the mainstream. But because of our own courageous quality we esgtablished our rapo in the world map. It is not because of cunning Bahun, Chhetri, Thakuri. Since these people have earned lot of money , lands and power they do not give importance to we original ethnic people of Nepal. Still you may see, at the time of posting of Ambassador, High Commissioner, or other high posting , only their relatives, caste poeple only be considered. Only for eye wash, some case may be for other caste people. In this discussion, I smelling foul being played by those people only . We original people are unnecessary fighting. Real matter of dispute is vanishing. Now blaming one ethnic group to other ethnic group. The same thing they were playing earlier in past and present also playing.
My newat brother has challenged that Limbu was lost because of Limbu could not do any thing against Shah. Dear newar brother, fact remains fact. Do not blame Limbu without knowing the actual history. This Gorkhas ditch the Limbu King by voilating the norms fixed by both the side. Since these Shah ancestors were from Rajsthan and they knew this tactic of cheating backing stabbing from the Muslim rulers of those days. Also they learned the tactic to marrying girls from other caste for their own interest, from the Mughal rulers. We were those day are very brave but very innocent. As such these quality became our weakness and we lost to them. Still we are the most courgeous clan with our innocent and sincere character. This is not my claim but you can go through the world history. We do not claim that others are not courgeous. We respect their qualities since they are our brothers. They do not play nasty politics like these so called intelligent caste. So I request you all please do not blame/criticise others. Remember when you raise index finger towards other for any blame, do not forget three fingers of the same hand are indicating your own side.
Thanks
Regards.
It was because of these stupid full time fighting that Nepal has been robbed of its ” the only hindu kingdom” in world. after mt everest, lumbini, this was one of our unique identity.
don’t forget; that except for some hilly tribes; most of all castes in Nepal are from Outside. I am a bahun and my ancestor came from Kumaon, India when moslems started murdering, raping and pillaging thousands of hindus in india. People of mongolians came from northwards: from china,burma, mongolia(those with chinky eyes,falt nose; can’t speak nepali properly)
so stop fighting and help nepal overcome the sati’s curse; which was cast in Ktm in malla king’s tenure; when a loyal courtier was killed for no crim of his.
If all nepalese start fighting like cats and dogs(newars); then nepal might be like sikkim and annexed by india.(it is already a bhutan; even prachanda who used to boast previously; is now whimpering in front of india; licking the sardar’s sole: without their petrol our capital is on bundh;we required thier support to kick the king;if they don’t give us their port; we will all die due to lack of necessities; prices will skyrocket etc.
so all you chyanba newars(you fuckers); shut up an learn to live in harmony with other races including bahun,kirat,chettri,magar. You are only 6pc and are trying to establish your dictatorship.
Newars Are Not Indigenous Nationality
Being the original inhabitants of the land is just one aspect of the terms ‘indigeneous’ or ‘adivasi’. The Newar people may perceive these terms in this manner only, but I am sure the Newar leaders know, as do the rest of the world, that these terms also indicate oppression, backwardness, and isolation, all of which have negative connotations. Could you therefore circulate the following revised write-up please?
“The training program that Ms Sumitra has been promoting is mainly about the indigeneous people of Australia. They are living in a wretched condition. Things are a bit better for the Maoris of New Zealand, but essentially they too are living like the Fourth World people in a First World country. I know this because I have been living in these two countries for more than ten years now.
I have noticed that Newar leaders and writers routinely refer to Newars as ‘indigeneous’ or ‘adivasi’ people. After the apex body of the Newar community, Newaah De Daboo joined Nepal Federation of Indegeneous Nationalities, Newars have literally become ‘indigeneous’ or ‘adivasi’ like the Raute or the Hayu communities. One of our top leaders, Malla K. Sundar has just accepted the Maoists’ nomination to the Interim Parliament as a representative of the indigeneous nationalities.
Newars in general may simply perceive the terms ‘indigeneous’ or ‘adivasi’ as the original inhabitants of Nepal or Nepal Mandal. However, I am sure the Newar leaders know, as well as the rest of the world do, that these terms also indicate oppression by the conquering people, living in isolation from other sections of the nation-state and economic backwardness, all of which have negative connotations. Indigeneous or adivasi people can’t help themselves and are therefore helped by other national and international organisations.
Newars are among the elites of Nepal, not an indigeneous people as our leaders want us to believe or as defined by international organisations such as the UN, ILO or the World Bank. Nobody else is calling us indigeneous people, except our own leaders who are possibly doing this out of self-pity or the ‘victim mentality’. Moreover, Newars share very few common issues with the indigeneous people of Nepal. Therefore, Newars have no reason to be a member of Nepal Federation of Indegeneous Nationalities.
Our leaders have been doing a great job by uniting a mixed community like ours by promoting Newaah Nationalism through Nepal Bhasha, Nepal Sambat, Newaah Culture etc. Can they stop calling ourselves indigeneous or adivasi, which we are not?”
Kind regards.
Uday Bajracharya
Sydney, Australia