As the general strike enters the 19th day, protesters seemed a bit tired which is why there was less participation today. But, the spirit is still high and we can say that they are preparing for tomorrow’s final protests.
By Deepak Adhikari and Sarojraj Adhikari
Banasthali Burning Pics by Rajaram Gautam
Shankhamul, 12:30
Some 30 to 40 protesters were burning effigy of king. In Buddhanagar, protesters have continued to protest since yesterday’s police brutality.
Chabahil, 1:30
Around one thousand five hundred protesters chanted slogans. They however, stayed one hundred meters away from the chowk. When army’s spy plane was flying, protesters whistled at it. A protester told that today’s mass dwindled because of tomorrow’s big event. Protesters were warning the king not to flee from the country.
Banasthali, 1:35
A big log was burning as we reached Banasthali. Protesters told us that the clash was going on since 9am. Security forces were almost non-existent there. Protesters had created a barrier of wires. A pillar lied in the middle of the road.
Basundhara, 1:40
Around five thousand protesters gathered in the curfew area. Police fired three dozen tear gas shells. After a while, they also fired rubber bullets at the residents. Around 12 protesters and policemen are injured. Protesters chased the police and vice versa. Army’s spy plane was making round. Security personnel were retaliating. Police also pelted stones at protesters. This clash continued for an hour. You can see a hoarding board in Basundhara that reads: Welcome to Republican Nepal. The area from Basundhara chowk to Sitapaila is captured by protesters. It looked like a battlefield. I was also chased away by the policemen.
Gongabu, 1:45
This place has made a history in ongoing movement. I along with my colleagues was here on that infamous Tuesday. Protesters were shouting slogans, were making chains, the milieu was a bit tense. They were waving flags as the security forces prevented them from entering Samakhusi area.
Royal Palace/Ratnapark, 2:10
The palace area looked calm. A big Armored Patrol Car (APC) and a ferret car were kept just outside the western gate of the palace. We were subjected to check only at Ratnapark. Henceforth, they checked our vehicle three times. Today, we saw massive mobilization of army.
Patan, 2:30
Security forces disrupted a peaceful gathering. When NC (D) leader Pradip Giri addressed the meet, police backed by army made the announcement of curfew. Army was provoking the police force. Then, the mass was dispersed. Security forces have blocked the protesters in every corner of Lalitpur.
Kirtipur, 3:00
Prof Khanal addressing the mass in Kirtipur
Protesters were making round of Kirtipur that ended in a huge mass meet. Prof Krishna Khanal addressed the mass meet. He said: “Nepali kingdom is turning into a people’s nation.” He said that king could no longer fool people with his address. UML leader Bamdev Gautam and NC (D) leader NP Saud also addressed the mass of around 10 thousand.
With contributions from Bhojraj Bhat
United We Blog 
Comments
22 responses to “General Strike Day XIX”
Good luck to all tomorrow.
I would like to be with you, all my moral support for the peacefull demonstration from Ameland.
And don’t forget: bring flowers, no stones.
Bagmati rice, no bullets.
Ohm Shanti.
Nepal: Day 19…
Royal Palace/Ratnapark, 2:10
The palace area looked calm. A big Armored Patrol Car (APC) and a ferret car were kept just outside the western gate of the palace. We were subjected to check only at Ratnapark. Henceforth, they checked our vehicle three ti…
Namaste!
Good luck!
I pray for all of you in Nepal!
The future belongs to you!
SPAs should take the King’s offer.Form a new SPA cabinet and hold election for the parliament as early as possible. This will be democratic. Restoring the dissolved parliament is not democratic.
i too look tomorrow for the ultimate showdown tomorrow.
lets decide tomorrow to end the Jungle Raj of
a tyrant, self indulging, blood sucker, extravagant ( just take an example of taking more than 2 crore from the national treasury to treat his fatso daughter for mild flu and countless allowances that he takes from the tax , that we so dearly pay… imagine he is the richest king in the world when his subjects are paupers who cannot afford a single pair of shoes to walk the vast terrain in the hills and mountains of Nepal ) oh ! come on this is the height of his self indulgence , and so on and so forth… the list goes on and on… really useless to describe him.
tomorrow is ours. we msut seize the oppurtunity tomorrow to show him his door.ie to some banana islands in the South Americas or some African countries, where he can day dream of doing Jungle Raj.
see u all at the mass protests tomorrow.
united we stand. and we stand for a ” Republic of Nepal ”
Thanks
Actually the King of Saudi Arabia or Brunei would be the richest King in the world ….
but please go on with the discussion. I agree this king has wasted alot of money – Africa trips, Jaguare etc.
let the demonstation be peaceful tomorrow!
Guys I liked this news. Read This News You may like it……………..
Commentary > The Monitor’s View
from the April 24, 2006 edition
Kathmandu calling
The Monitor’s View
Anytime tens of thousands of people defy the bullets of a monarchy for weeks to demand democracy, the world must do more than gawk. As tiny as Nepal is, its massive display of peaceful people-power to achieve freedom cannot be ignored.
The urban uprising against King Gyanendra, who still commands the loyalty of the Royal Nepalese Army, is in its third week, with dozens of protesters killed, the economy in a free fall, and a humanitarian disaster in the offing.
Just how this showdown will end remains unclear. It has shades of historic revolts, such as the French Revolution; the 1986 Philippines uprising against a dictator; and the recent protests that brought down rulers in Georgia, Ukraine, and Thailand. But Nepal is a landlocked, feudal Hindu kingdom of only 25 million that’s also one of the world’s poorest nations. Its future may not be decided by it alone. It is squeezed between the world’s two most populous giants, India and China, while the US and Europe are trying to prevent more instability in southern Asia like that in nearby Afghanistan.
This crisis could turn in large part on what big powers do.
Complicating the crisis is the success of Nepal’s communist guerrillas, who have taken much of the countryside since 1996, using the tactics and ideology of China’s late Mao Tse-tung. Nepal’s centuries-old monarchy, which was forced to allow a limited democracy in 1990 after street protests, sacked parliamentary rulers last year for failing to curb the Maoist advance.
But the king’s retaking of absolute royal rule has led to a suspension of civil liberties and such human rights abuses against the democratic opponents in seven political parties that they felt compelled to join hands with the Maoists in November, leading to mass protests that began April 6.
Nepal shares a long, porous border with democratic neighbor India, which has often manipulated the Hindu kingdom to keep it subservient. India has kept some supplies flowing to Nepal’s military but also supported the Maoist entry into the antiking alliance. India has its own Maoist rebellion and hopes it, too, will shed its antidemocratic ideology.
Nondemocratic neighbor China has fewer ties with Nepal but also recently aided the royal army. To Beijing, a democratic Nepal might inspire independence activists in Tibet to the north. And having rejected much of Maoism, China would be red-faced to have Maoists in a Nepalese regime.
The king has smartly played China and India against each other. But their conflicting interests should not hinder an international effort to pressure the king into letting the democratic parties set up an interim government and hold elections for a constituent assembly. The US and other nations must find a way to present a unified front to the king. Some sort of penalties, such as travel bans and targeted economic sanctions, could be used against the royal family and military leaders. At the same time, Nepal’s democrats must be supported to avoid any intimidation by the powerful Maoists.
The Nepalese have spoken with their valiant, peaceful marches for democracy. Now they need an equal measure of pro-democracy help from other nations.
May be the media is downplaying other aspects of the society while glorifying the protests but I am deeply confused by the looting that has spread across the valley.Here is what was published in THT. If this continues for long, I know we are heading for a complete chaos.
Looting Cases Increase in Kathmandu Valley
THT Online
Kathmandu, April 24
Over a dozen cases of looting and beating were reported when curfew was relaxed in the Valley during the last few days, police said. According to the Valley Police Office, six cases of looting and two cases of beating were reported on Saturday evening when the curfew was relaxed.
A group of armed persons looted Rs 1,200 from Ramesh Khadka of Okhaldhunga at Ghattekulo when he was heading for his residence at Baneshwor height. The looters showed khukuris and overpowered Khadka and took away his purse, police said.
At Kalopul, two persons looted Rs 700 and a gold ring from Ramkumar Kharel of Balaju while he was going to his relative’s house. Kharel told the police that the two persons looted him by showing a knife. “They snatched my purse and the ring and fled away,” he told the police.
Similarly, Hira Gauchan of Baglung was beaten up by an unidentified group near Sankhamul bridge at around 9 pm when he was going to his residence from Patan.
Elsewhere in Kathmandu, a group of armed persons broke into the house of Rajkumar Rai at Kapan and made away with property worth Rs 200,000 last evening. Police said seven persons asked Rai’s daughter to open the door. “When I opened the door, they showed me a pistol and asked to keep quite,” police quoted her as saying. Police said that the gunmen overpowered all the six members of the house and made away with Rs 35,000 cash and other valuables.
Police said that five minor cases of looting were reported on Friday morning when curfew was relaxed.
All the best for tomorrow’s demonstration and hope it would be a historic one.
what do you expect when total chaos and potential anarchy is ensuing? Looting, vigilanate violence, getting revenge…it ups the adrenaline, and you see it all over the world. riots occur, people get hyped up and then all chaos ensues. the coming days should bring much more looting, violence..the maoists, of course, have been doing this for ages, breaking into people’s homes, forcing them to provide food and shelter and money. clearly there is huge maoist infiltration in kathmandu, and not just maoists but wild young people carried away in the excitement and free loot will do the same…it is the “black hole” time between then the monarchy falls, when no government exists, that is the truly dangerous time. in addition to the hardships now being created by massive food shortages, shortage of gas and water…it is anightmare unfolding that will only get worse in the coming days.
Brave Nepali people, my thoughts (from England) are with you on your big march to freedom tomorrow. May you succeed and be safe in these dangerous times. I would march with you if I could be in Kathmandu.
Jai New Democratic Nepal!
Very interesting read on the link below people. I suggest people read it
Here’s a piece of humor for pessimists:
My sister, well known for her pessimism, had spent her weekend off in Hawaii. She also sent us a pic of herself bathing in sun attached in an email. We were delighted thinking she has made some change in her attitude after she went abroad ‘coz she never liked vacations, holidays or anything related to fun. But this was until when the email read “I hope you saw that beautiful scenary and the sun looking amazing in the clear sky. Well, that’s more than I watched it!”
Pessimist is the one who when has the choice between two evils chooses both.
So, better think positive and hope good when a change is about to commence. YOu’ve wasted all your years in talking, hearing and seeing negative. Now, let’s change your attitude just for a few days….And get ready to feel the change. Keep your hope alive…
Nepalnews has not been working properly for a while. Is that just me or what?
to all the people who are risking their their lives to come out and protest tomorrow. we nepalese residing outside nepal are with you. may tomorrow’s march bring freedom to our country.
i am praying for success of the movement and safety of all those who are involved.
raja le shahi sambodhan garne re!11.30 local time
hope, the real positive person puts his/her money where his/her mouth is. we who live in Nepal and had ample opportunity to live somewhere else are positive beyond belief!
King Gyanendra reinstates House of Representatives
Kirat:
Let us know what the atmosphere in KTM is after the Royal proclaimation.
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