Nepalese Police Open Fire on Protesters (Saturday)

[leftchick]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060422/ap_on_re_as/nepal

KATMANDU, Nepal - Nepali security forces opened fire and beat protesters marching toward the royal palace Saturday, as opposition leaders rejected the king's proposals for restoring democracy in the Himalayan country.

Four people were wounded by rubber bullets or live ammunition, and dozens were injured by police wielding bamboo batons. The clash occurred about 3 miles from the royal palace in the heart of the capital, where tens of thousands of protesters were headed in defiance of a curfew.

"Security forces opened fire on the crowd without warning, wounding many of us," said Ganesh Shrestha, who was hit on the arm by a bullet.

At the nearby Norvic Hospital, the hallways were jammed with injured people calling for care. Doctors there confirmed at least four people were injured by rubber bullets or live ammunition, and 43 were hurt by batons or in the scramble to flee.

The violence erupted after an alliance of seven opposition parties rejected King Gyanendra's offer to allow them to nominate a prime minister and form a government.

[leftchick]

1. 14 people killed since April 6

just on CNNI. :(

[Oversea Visitor]

2. Yes

when third world country have instability people die :(
That is what people need to understand
We not America
Cannot simply push changes
Need to move slowly for change
Everytime destabalisation happen people die and thing move backward :(

[maddezmom]

3. Nepal's king clamps new curfew on capital amid fresh protests

KATHMANDU (AFP) - Nepal's embattled king has ordered a new curfew as protesters burned tyres and hurled stones in the streets, rejecting his offer to hand power back to the country's political parties.

State-run television announced an eight-hour curfew would start at midday (0615 GMT) as several thousand people staged protests against King Gyanendra's announcement late Friday, an apparent climbdown after two weeks of mayhem.

Nepal's seven-party opposition alliance were meeting Saturday to plot the next step in their pro-democracy campaign.

Gyanendra asked the opposition to name a new prime minister after more than two weeks of bitter demonstrations by protesters demanding the restoration of multi-party democracy in the impoverished Himalayan nation

more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20060422/wl_afp/nepalunrest;_

CNNInternational reporter Satinnder Bindra says there may be up wards 200,000 protesting and seems unstoppable.

[maddezmom]

4. Nepal police fire on protesters

KATHMANDU (Reuters) - Nepali police fired on protesters and used tear gas on Saturday to try to disperse tens of thousands of anti-monarchy protesters who defied a curfew and were marching toward the center of the capital.

At least eight people were injured, witnesses said.

The 16th straight day of protest, with marchers waving branches and red communist flags and heading toward the palace, came as a seven-party alliance rejected overtures by the king to form a government.

Police opened fire in two places, one only a km (half a mile) from the palace. Truckloads of armed police ringed the city center as the marchers, young and old, were dispersed, only to try to regroup.

more:http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060422/wl_nm/nepal_dc;_

[ugarte]

5. He needs to leave while he can still save his skin...nt

[Kagemusha]

6. I said that'd be the result.

At this point moving to 'restore democracy' is just showing weakness. Easily solved by killing more protestors.

And 14 deaths is NOTHING. Nothing yet anyway. That Maoist insurgency is responsible for much, much more. Their actions tend to result in 30-40 people dying in one incident... and there's been a lot of incidents over the last decade.

All forgotten now, I'm sure.

[David in Canada]

10. See "The Killing Fields"

If the Maoists take advantage of the situation and win up the middle in the chaos, their regime will be even worse than Gyanendra's.

The Maoists are similar in both ideology and brutality as the Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path) in Peru and the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. :cry:

To see what could --and probably would-- happen should the Maoists end up on top, watch "The Killing Fields" with Hang Ngor. It's on the Library of Congress' list of important films and the American Library Associations's too, I believe. You might be able to rent a free copy at your local library. :hi:

[Kagemusha]

11. I fear you're quite correct.

I'm hoping for the best but not expecting much here.

[David in Canada]

9. 50-50

I'd say the chances are 50-50 that he'll leave power alive.

He's a megalomanic and I don't think he can live as an ordinary commoner as an exile nor he wants to.

I think he's likely in deep denial about the impending doom of his regime and will slug it out until the end. He will likely have a Mussolini or Ceausescu style finale.

[David in Canada]

8. Too Little Too Late

Gyanendra is putting this bone out too late. Losers can't negotiate. When he had a realistic chance of getting what he wanted was the time to negotiate. Now, he's only negotiating to buy time.

I don't blame the democratic opposition for telling him to buzz off. Gyanendra is not a trustworthy fellow. If they went home and everything quieted down, he'd be back to his old autocratic style within 3-6 months.

My real concern is the Maoists potential to sneak a win up the middle.

[David in Canada]

7. Nepal's Monarchy in Last Days

I predict the reign of King Gyanendra will be over within 2 weeks --tops. The only question is whether he goes into exile or is executed.

Due to his megalomania and ruthless demeanor, he might stay and fight on until it's too late to get out and he'll end up lite Mussolini.

[paulk]

12. all this has seemed inevitable since the regicide

turning the military on his own subjects was the wrong thing to do - and practically guarantees a bloody end for Gyanendra. And hopefully his son, who is even more of a criminal.

Let us hope whatever government takes the place of the monarchy can reach some agreement with the Maoists that keeps them out of power.