Saturday

Nepali army fires on protesters

Nepali army fires on protesters


Violence erupts in the Himalayan state just days after the king sacks the government and declares a state of emergency.

By Connie Levett
South-East Asia Correspondent
Kathmandu

February 5, 2005


King Gyanendra's supporters gather in Nepal's
capital Kathmandu to back the monarch's actions.
Maoist rebels had called for a nationwide strike,
but it was largely ignored.
Photo: AP









The Nepali Army, under the direct control of the king after he sacked the government, fired at student protesters from helicopters, wounding at least 15, an Indian newspaper reported yesterday.

It is the first report of violence from the Himalayan kingdom since the king seized control on Tuesday.

The Hindustan Times said the shootings happened in the town of Pokhara hours after King Gyanendra fired the prime minister and declared a state of emergency. Immediately after the proclamation students at Pokhara's Prithvi Narayan College protested and prevented soldiers from entering the campus to halt the demonstration, the paper said.

The army responded with helicopters, firing at the protesters. About 15 students were shot and moved to army barracks. International observers said the army was using the state of emergency to arrest upper and middle-ranking politicians, student leaders and human rights activists in a clear attempt to silence opposition.

"This is a kidnap of democracy," Pimalendra Nidhi, the sacked education minister, said: "We are turning the clock back after so much struggle to get democracy."

Western observers predict the crackdown will get worse as the arrests continue.

"In doing this, the king has made enemies of everyone, the politicians, the Maoists, the people," a senior member of the international community said.

"There always were three corners to the power struggle, now his opponents are in one direct line."

The government has been fighting a nine-year battle against Maoist insurgents, with 11,000 casualties and human rights abuses on both sides. The army has changed from a largely ceremonial outfit to a well-equipped force, doubling in size to 80,000 men.

'International observers said the army...
was using the state of emergency to silence opposition.'


The capital, Kathmandu, has become a communications black-hole with all mobile phones, landlines and internet services out of order.

Local radio stations have been ordered to present only music, Indian television news channels are blocked and army colonels are scrutinising newspaper editorials.

"We know the army is inside the telecommunications building, the phone system could be down for another week and when it is operating again, they will be tapping phones," the international observer said.

"Initially the phones were cut to stop people from organising when the government was dismissed. But now they are using it to facilitate more arrests, so no one knows what is going on."

One Asian diplomat believed 40-50 politicians had been arrested.

Local and international activists said the army was closing human rights offices. It was also reported to have told all non-government organisations to re-apply for approval to operate, raising fears of a further crackdown.

The army is under UN scrutiny for the disappearance of prisoners and Amnesty International recently accused it of shooting prisoners, rather than taking them.

The Ministry of Information has banned for the next six months the publication of any
"interviews, articles, news, information, opinions that are against the sentiment of the royal address made on February 1".

In response, the editorial in the country's leading Nepali-language paper Kantipur, a strong critic of the government, on Wednesday explored a ballet dance drama. On Thursday, it editorialised on archery in Nepal.

"They were expressly forbidden to (discuss the crisis) so Kantipur is ridiculing it by looking at archery," the Asian diplomat said.

Yesterday's Kathmandu Post editorial was titled Appreciating the weather:

"Thursday witnessed weather at its best . . .
It was the kind of day when things taken for granted suddenly take on new meanings."

There is an almost surreal normality on Kathmandu's streets. There was a heavy military presence earlier in the week but it is now limited to key facilities.

Taxi drivers and travel agents say the politicians were corrupt and that the king's decision to take power will be a good sign to tourists that things are again under control. But flights into Kathmandu are nearly empty and departing flights oversubscribed.

Nepal's two biggest supporters, the US and India, have expressed dismay at events.

The Indian Government called it a grave setback to democracy. The US State Department said it was deeply troubled by developments.

- with agencies

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