Today’s protests saw infiltration of vigilantes while NC leader Girija Prasad Koirala and UML General Secretary Madhav Nepal have announced that they will attend a mass meet on Tuesday that will circle the Ring Road and make an announcement of capturing the inner parts of Kathmandu.
No Entry Sign: Today’s strike witnessed incidents of loot in few places as well as vigilantes’s inflitrations. Pic by Bikas Karki
Evening Updates by Saroj and Deepak
Peaceful procession of around 10 thousand from Jorpati, Kapan and Mahankal arrived in Chabahil at 2 pm. Meanwhile, three vigilantes (one was Kiran Bista) tried to disrupt the peaceful protests. They hurled stones at the security personnel. The protesters immediately found out that they were not one of them. These vigilantes were beaten by protesters. They confessed that Inspector Pratap Gurung had sent them.
In another similar incident in Chabahil today, three vigilantes entered the mass and showed sword. They entered the house of Nhuchheman Manandhar when protesters tried to catch them. Protesters pelted stones at the house. But, he Human Right monitors and media persons prevented the house from further damage. The vigilantes told the protesters that they were sent by minister Nichhe Shamsher Rana.
Apart from these incidents, the protest in Chabahil largely remained peaceful. The protesters were 2 hundred meters away from curfew area. But, as the vicinity got tense, they moved 1 hundred meters back.
In Teaching Hospital, injured protesters, mainly from Gongabu clash, are undergoing treatment. Meanwhile RPP leader Pashupati Shamsher Rana paid visit to them. He condemned state ruthlessnes. Few protesters are eyes are injured resulting in their blindness.
Today, Lalitpur district saw massive protests. Mangal Bazar, Satdobato, Lubhu were the places of protests. similarly, in Kalanki, Shankhamul massive rallies were held and police fired rubber bullets and tear gas shell at the protesters.
Afternoon Updates
Koteshor is agitated today. Ruthless band of policemen opened fire at protesters that rendered many injured. Helicopter was involved in ariel patrolling. Security forces fired numerous shells of tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters. At least three protesters are seriously injured. A UN vehicle has taken them to hospital. The protesters have converged again and started chanting anti-king slogans. Few of them have embarked towards inner parts of Koteshor.
Samakhushi Chowk, 2:00
Protesters are participating in peaceful protest. They are staging sit-in in the road and chanting slogans. Most of them have arrived from Gongabu.
United We Blog 
Comments
158 responses to “General Strike Day XVIII”
I understand, Kirat. I agree. The UN needs to intervene IMMEDIATELY in the aftermath of the fall of the King. The Maoists have also said they find this acceptable, as you have so rightly pointed out, Kirat. Thanks for staying ahead of the game!! there’s just too much information overload out there right now…i posted Dr. Brian Cobb’s article, too, to share with you some of what is happening “out on the streets” (Dr. Cobb was a witness to the horrors). He is a true hero for having done what he did, and now he has been deported for having administered emergency treatment to protestors and security officers alike. That alone is enough for people to say, enough is enough.
m, a clarification-I never said the king’s present offer authorizes an election for the CA. Like st, said the SPA have to bite the bullet, take executive powers and then take the initiative on the CA. It’s more complicated than that but if they have guts and the vision it can be done. Why wait for the king to approve a CA? For the good of the country they should interpret the 1990 constitution in favour of a CA.
By the way the king’s people, I suspect, know the constitution better than the SPA’s.
And finally, an article by your own Manjushree Thapa in the Hindustan (these are long articles but i do think worth reprinting in their entirety)
Nepal’s Troubled Kingdom
April 22
The Hindustan Times
to everyone advocating for serious UN involvement: outside of this blog, I haven’t seen much advocacy for this… in the papers or on the streets (here or outside Nepal, where ex-pats/NRNs are protesting), for example. You’ve been writing a lot about it here, why not put your arguments in newspapers and connect with Nepali activists elsewhere (in the States, for one, proximity to UN) to put this on their agenda?
there was talk from Kahane (head of UN Nepal) a few days back of Nepal coming before the Security Council, but that seems to have fallen by the wayside.
since the Maoists ostensibly welcomed UN mediation a few months back, what is the resistance to this other than the King? And India, of course. where is the SPA on this? i suspect in a week when the protests fade a bit and they’ve lost their leverage, they’d be more keen than at the present moment.
Yes m,
It could be, but my problem is not so much with the process but the candidates themselves. I would hope that wiser people would run for these elections, but my instinct says it will be more of the same goons that we see from all sides with all the money they have acuumulatedillegally over the years, who may say one thing but do completely the opposite. Therefore, I would rather take the longer path and put my faith in the people of Nepal and take this one step at a time. Therefore, a referendum to see if the people agree first.
I agree that assurance is required regarding the RNA, as we do regarding the PLA as well. This where the UN can help.
one idea, no of the major players want the UN to come in- India’s against it because it has a lot separatist problems in the North East and Kashmir and this UN intervention precedence does not suit them. Gyane would be against it because it would leave him powerless to do any dirty tricks, the Maoists because they would have to disarm without achieving their stated goals of establishing a one party communist rule (they give lip service to it though) and the SPA-well I don’t know what these idiots want.
We just can’t call the UN over here though they would want to know exactly what their mandate would be.
Kirat,
I found your ideas somehow acceptable.(Except your impolite address to the King by distorted name)
1. Now SPA should show courage and take responsibility to control the situation in favour of peace and stability by forming the government with executive power.
2. That government should reinstate the parliament. After that, Parliament can decide:
a. to declare CA election
b. start dialogue with maoists and invite them to join the government.
c. to invite UN to monitor CA election + disarmaments of Maoist army.
(Note: CA election without disarming maoists will be no different than the recent local elections and bears no legitimity!)
d. Maoist army also should be taken under govt. command by forming a separate GULM, which can initially be used to construct roads at the remote parts of the country. After few years, they can be assimilated to the national army step by step.
I AM SURPRISED TO SEE THE INDIFFERENCE AND INABILITY OF SPA LEADERS TO COME FORWARD AND TAKE THE COMMAND! WHY THEY ARE INSISTING THE PARLIAMENT TO BE REINSTATED BY THE KING SINCE HE HAS ALREADY GIVEN UP THE POWER FROM HIS SIDE? DO THEY WANT AGAIN THE KING TO MAKE POWERFUL? WHAT A PARADOX!
GO ON SPA, BEFORE THINGS GO OUT OF CONTROL!! CHEERS!
kalupande, you and Sandesh (the commie) are two sides of the same coin-Royalist and Maoist-intent on achieving their selfish ends no matter what the cost to the poor people of Nepal. I wish we could ship both you Maoists and Royalists to some deserted island with no fresh water but just a jerry can full for you guys to fight over.
kirat, I agree India would clearly be against the UN coming in for precisely the reasons you say (as well as for the pride of appearing a burgeoning world power that can take care of its neighborhood).
but if the SPA and Maoists (the bigger if)could somehow agree to it (again, next week once their leverage from these protests is dissipating but the memory still fresh in the world’s mind), they could openly call for UN involvement. The King would clearly reject it, and it would be another issue that they could use to weaken the King in the press. And it would perhaps win back the support of the international community, which just abandoned the SPA (and always distanced itself from the Maoists).
just a thought. of course that ‘if’ (the MBs) is a big ‘if’.
Great article in washington post: 10 overlooked autocrats (and guess who one of them is?). Here.
kirat,
Don’t go after personal comments! give views for views!
oneidea, the international community has not yet abadoned the SPA. The SPA has to be this one time brave enough to take over executive powers offered by gyane and set the ball rolling with a CA proposal and UN presence to ensure that the RNA and PLA behave.
Hye shadowrati,
By the way are you mentally ill or a blind supporter of US to say that article is “GREAT”.
For US, all those who dont support them are bad guys.
Funny you should day that Kalu.
sorry read say instead of day! Kalu
Since the Maoists have alredy agreed to surrender arms if the CA election is held under the International observation including that of UN, there is no necessity of UN intervention except for CA elections monitoring.
Never bring UN in Nepal because country will be Somalia in one year.When there is no option left, then only we can ask for the UN intervetion.
Really ? Have Maoists agreed to surrender the arms in case of constituent assembly election takes place ?
Kirat,
Please make a small correction to your word, I am not a royalist but a ‘realist’. I am against all sorts of hippocrites, including also those who r never tired of shouting democracy or human rights or bla bla bla.. but behave contrary when opportunity comes. This might be the only difference between u and me.
Hey guys,
we Nepalese in Hong Kong too came out against the Royal Regime today
hello u all,
This naive villager is back again . Well, this time I have something to say. Please don’t despise me saying ‘yo pakhe ta janne huna thalechha’. I only speak that are palpable to my senses.
The aandolan has celebrated 18th bitrthday from its inception. Congratulations! By the grace of god
(maybe bishnu, girija, madhav, krishna, ram, babu, chanda,kamdev…….33,0000000th one) the life span
of this protest seems to be really high. May the aforementioned lords bless this movement keep it alive to see ‘golden jublee’ as well. Now, many folks from our village have entered this ‘khaldo’ for this movement.
They all are fighting with immense zeal, courage and anticipation of a bright future. Till this date they are fighting…..relying on either lockup or hospital as shelter, feeding on nothing else than tear gas, baton charges
and bullets. Well, those I’ve introduced are good old folks. I salute them. Harke tamang, birkhe, chaure kanchha et al fall under this category.
But there are other folks like dev prasad sapkota, kale bika, rikute, chature who are notorious in our village for their mischief and evil acts. Today a group of these guys broke a shop in kalanki-kalimati mod(forgot the name) and coerced the sahuni to give them beer, chiura, sukuti what else. They also used foul language. I would have
smacked them right there if they were in my village as i’ve done before but here I am intimidated. After some time the same chaps were busy arsoning two big offices in the vicinity . But I know who is behind this. Our kamrade ‘prahar’ had ordered these guys to do so. plese don’t tell anyone or he’ll spank me to death.
In the next place,these bloody imps were busy in eve-teasing the lasses who appeared in the window. And i just remained there dumb-founded , what could i do. In fact, Why should i care for what else that might happen here. Has anyone of you cared about my village. But I think it is my duty to at least make u aware since our fellows are involved to gurantee your freedom.
Jo hukum,
ghar mero rukum
I dont’t believe Maoists will surrender if CA is agreed. CA should come in THEIR FAVOUR then only they might put down the weapons.
And what in the past has maoists has done to believe them?
They have enough inner problems. Most of the low level militants have become fond of looting, killing and ofcourse not working for living. It has become their habit. They won’t change .
Glade,
People are discussing here without seriouness or any basis.
According to the 12 point agreement with SPA, they have already agreed to surrender arms if the elelctions to the CA is held under international and UN observation.So ? They have also agreed whatever decision is made by the CA for the new constitution of Nepal whether we want to keep the absolute monarchy, ceremonial monachy, constituional monarchy or its abolition and declaration of a Republic.Thats why there is no need of UN intervention at all.We may need them for the elections of CA.
If the Maoists do not surrender arms before the elections to the CA as agreed by them, then there is no solution to our problem. I am sorry my friends. Then Indian troops or NATO troops should come to solve our problems.
do you guys really think the maoists will lay dowbn their weapons – it is no mo re than than a joke.
Maoists w/o weapons are no more than NC and UML. They are bargaining as they do not feel social responsibilty and they have weapons and are no less than Al Quida. Al Qaida is better than the Maoists becoz at least they are clear on thier issue fighting against the USA. but the Maoists are no more than indian puppets.
The bottom line is that the SPA should accept the King’s proposal and nominate a prime minister. This prime minister can then demand the restoration of parliment.. If the King does not agree he will look really bad. Right now the problem is that the King has the backing of the International community and the RNA… by asking the SPA to nominate a prime minister the King has thrown the ball in their court and taken the pressure off himself.
Besides how long can there protests continue? Essential supplies are scarce, there is a constant curfew, hooliganism and vandalism is on the rise… if this continues there might be anarchy and then the King will have even more reason to hold on to power. The sacrifices and the efforts of the last 18 days will backfire and come to no avail.
Like Kirat has said and I have mentioned we have to take things slowly… who ever is nominated prime minister can demand the retoration of parliment etc. and gradually the King can be stripped of all his powers…
As for the Maoist I think they are not stupid. They have long realized that an armed revolution is not possible. Because for all their flaws Baburam and Prachanda are not complete idiots obvilous to everything around them. They have seen the power of the people, they know that if they were to forcefully impose Maoist rule it would never work… they would have to confront the RNA head on and they realize that the international community (India in particular) would send its troops if there if it ever came to the Maoists taking over… So I am sure they will disarm!
But first thing is first … the people especially in KTM are really suffering and the SPA needs to start by calming things down.
Layman if you think NATO will come here than I do not know what to think of you. If you think inviting Indian troops to Nepal is an option then I really doubt your state of mental health. coke, better nepal, kalupande etc are probably having a fit at that suggestion of yours on Indian troops.
yah count me in too…
indian troops in nepal huh… urrrgggghh !!!!
NATO in nepal, give us a break. looks like posted under some sort of drug. hey Laymen you said you have opportunity to work with UN agency. what kind of person you are?
What about Nepals own UN/UK Gurkha’s?
they do very good jobs in Africa and elswhere.
Bhudai Pundit and Kirat is right.
Its time for peace now. SPA leaders should show their maturity and accept kings proposal. Otherwise the country will be thrown into grips of extreme leftists and/or extreme rightists.
Those who are demanding revolution should first understand the meaning of revolution.
WE ARE IN 2006, THERE IS NOT NEED TO ACHIEVE THINGS IN THE NAME OF BLOODY REVOLUTION WHICH WILL TAKE THE LIVES OF TENS OF THOUSANDS OF MORE NEPALESE.
STOP GLORIFYING VIOLENCE IN THE NAME OF REVOLUTION AND REPULICANISM.
UNITED WE BLOG SHOULD NOT POST COMMENTS WHICH GLORIFIES VIOLENCE. THEY SHOULD UNDERSTAND THE EVEN GLORIFYING VIOLENCE HAS BEEN DECLARED CRIME IN COUNTRIES LIKE UNITED KINGDOM AND UNITED WE BLOG ITSLELF MIGHT BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THESE VIOLENCE INCITING COMMENTS!!!
Why should the maoists lay down their weapons hell no! Nepal wouldn’t be on the verge of toppling the monarchy if there were no maoists. It would be a death wish for the people of nepal for the maoists to lay down weapons. The maoists are going to win I can’t wait to see them marching in the capital
Theo in practice that would be a bad idea as their impartiality (since they come from here in Nepal) cannot be guaranteed. Bad military practice.
GP Koirala and MKN to attend a mass meeting on Tuesday and announce plans to capture inner parts of Kathmandu? This SPA leadership nightmare keeps on getting worse! The country is crying out for a strong leader to take charge and return it to peace and stability and hopefully a proper democracy and these guys want to capture ‘inner parts of Kathmandu’? Prey tell me why? These SPA clowns!
who’s this naive nepali. Watch out his words.he might be another royalist who have succeeded to
thrive in this blog
to brian cobb (md)
i have my utmost respect to u for helping people on eihter side as much as u could.
many many thanks again.
yes,and the american government must correct like the indian governmnet asap ,to respect , what majority of the people want.
we majority of Nepalese love to loathe the ” chairman ” and his folks.
may we all rise from the rubble.
you know Kirat all these bugger learned from one bad example of the Prithvi Narayan is make the people of kathmandu to suffer and the then capture it. history tells us the PN Shah blockade Kathmandu for years before he strike here. and people keep repeating it, maoists has tried many times and these SPA leaders–who dont know how to fight political battle–think it is the only way. i know lots of people on the present mass rally dont have goodwill to the people of kathmandu, now i believe SPA leaders are no diffent.
Hi Pawan, I respect those who hit the streets and made Gyane bow down-but you are right 80% of these guys are definitely from Kathmandu-though they are Nepalis and have a right to march in the streets of the capital to protest for their rights. These guys have done their job but the SPA clowns keep wanting more from them.
No, you did not understand my points. If the Maoists are not ready to come to the negotiating table or join the Govt. as coaltion partner as agreed by them in 12 point pact, then what is the solution to have, First Indian, second, UN troops and then NATO troops ? Because India does not wnat UN troops to come now. First they will come and will not succeed like in SriLanka and UN will have to come. If UN can not solve the problem like in many countries, NATO will have to come like in Afghanistan. I think you guys has to check up you mental health instead ?
error below-please read ‘80% of these guys are definitely not from Kathmandu’
UWB is moderating nearly all my comments. The UWB team must think my comments rather important. Flattered!
Finally I find a blog where I can post the words that I always wanted to share to the people who is concern about nepal.
Presently nepal is passing through very critical situation, After the restoration of the democracy also, seems like all nepalese wants something else than the democracy ! might be repulic of nepal. But I dowbt on is, on the leaders that we have. We had already seen and experinced them before in the 12 years of time, they never give a shit about the peoples emotion and the goodness, they alwasy think about the satta that they want to have. Lets review back to our past, when all these so called political parties are fighting together for the satta, not more than that, for the chair inside one party as well there are quite bad politics going on for the satta. These parties leader cannot manage their own party, how we can believe these party to manage the country. there is a proof that non of the party is one in present scenerio, all the party had been distributed in pieces. So I guess we should not be believing these same old leaders again as well.
We definetly need to continue the fighting, fighting for the changes, fighting for the revolution. Lets not give any of these leaders chance again, lets get rid from all those leaders who create the present situation, who were one step ahead in the coruption.
I want you all the guys to see the hindi movie “Rang de bashanti” and need to learn something from that movie. We need to have revolution.
Hey do you guys remember yesterday SPA said that with in 24 hrs they will make “samanantar sarkar” if king does not agree with their terms.
I think 24 hrs is finished yet hoina ra?
What are they doing having chicken with bird-flu?
They cannot even do as they say. so no way we can trust them
THis is exactly how the Shah’s have been palying the game, either during current crisis situation or when everything is “Honky Dori”. We’ve all seen animal planet, how the lion lays low for a while, that is how the king is playing his hunt-game, playing his orgy between the party and the people. Knowing this we should unite and take those whiskers and claw nails out and throw him and his son into a pit, lets take the histry by the scuff and do what the Ranas did, only this time take them both. If he is relenting to pre Feb, 2003, we might be on a roll for a CA. I say keep pushing, mother nepal is giving birth to a new native son/daughter.
Wow, Laters a lot of animal planet there. This is now the end of the eighteenth day of the curfew/general strike in Kathmandu. I believe things are no better or worse in the rest of the country. So you want the people to face another I don’t know how many weeks/months of the same thing? There is an easier way you know. We spent the whole curfew day discussing it.
Yes Pawan you are right.
present SPA leaders don’t have goodwill among the people of kathmandu. I am from this place and talked with a lot of people in this neighbourhood.
And after what happened here in Ason and Indrachowk people are really worried about their home and family as these demonstrators just broke doors and came inside home without being invited and didn’t left their home.
There is one good picture in http://www.newsofnepal.com front page
Forget the un! It is controlled by imperialist countries and no good for nepal can come with un intervention. The best thing for nepal is a maoist victory. The maoist revolution is already inspiring millions around to world of the hope of a better future. I’ve read the writings of li onesto who has actually travelled to maoist controlled areas and many positive changes have already happened. Maoist revolution around the world is our only hope to save the planet. The polar ice caps are melting folks. The butchers that run the world will never willingly give up power it has to be taken. We can sit and talk about change but the maoists are making it happen!
Hey guys this news came “Three lakh protesters gathered in Dang”.
Does Dang even have three lakh population?
Its maoist populated area 90% Maoists i guess and 10% innocent civilians who were threatened by maoists to join them.
Even in Ktm Three lakh people haven’t gathered yet.
UWB Team,
You said that looting was seen in kathmandu but you never explained it. Is it possible for you to give us more information on that?
I guess we are going for a deep shit ahead. If the protests are to continue for a couple more days, people will surely start breaking into shops. We need a solution real fast.
Kirat, did not mean it to be that “wow”-like, but, yes it took 17-18 days for his majesty, to purge back what he swallowed in his whim. Granted we are not going to go lick on his blessed alms, theat he has relented for the time being may mean he is (easily?) wonded and although one more day has become a big deal, few more of it might save a lot of such days in the future for a CA. I say it because, just like due to MAO’s history it is hard to say they are with the Partys, same goes with His Majesty, only his histry reaches back 200 plus years.