NEPAL: Two dozen pro-democracy activists arrested

Police intervene in peaceful pro-democracy rally and arrest protesters marching toward designated "prohibited zone"

Nepal News
Monday, July 25, 2005

AsiaMedia Editor's Note: Reports are unclear as to whether the lifting of the state of emergency on April 30 allows for press freedom, and thus Nepalnews may still be operating under the directives of King Gyanendra.

Police on Monday arrested nearly two dozen prominent professionals and members of civil society as they were taking part in a peaceful demonstration at Bhotahity in the Nepalese capital calling for restoration of peace and democracy in the country.

Professors, lawyers, doctors, artistes, writers, journalists, youths and students had gathered at the Ratnapark-Bhotahity section of the capital carrying placards that read: 'Down with Autocracy,' 'Long Live Democracy,' among others.

As hundreds of demonstrators tried to march towards Ratna Park—a so-called 'prohibited zone'-- only a couple of hundred metres away sharp at 4:00 p. m., police intervened and arrested eminent members of civil society. Those arrested include former minister Devendra Raj Panday, rights activists Krishna Pahadi, Malla K Sunder, Padma Ratna Tuladhar, senior journalist Kanak Mani Dixit, former minister Raghuji Pant and Dr Aruna Upreti.

Even after the arrests were made, youths and students who were expressing their solidarity for the cause of democracy chanted pro-democracy and anti-king slogans. They also denounced police intervention in the peaceful protests.

According  to sources, few demonstrators were injured in the police intervention in the peaceful demonstration. Of the injured, Sachin Ghimire- journalist affiliated to Radio Asia- has been hospitalized at Kathmandu Model Hospital.

"It is the blatant violation of human rights. It also exposes the government’s claims that it believes in democracy and rule of law," said Gauri Pradhan, a leading rights activist.

Youths and students later took out a rally that passed through inner parts of the city.

Citizens’ Movement for Peace and Democracy, a civil society initiative, had called for Monday’s protests in defiance of the government’s restrictions in carrying out peaceful demonstrations in certain parts of the capital including Ratna Park.

"Ratna Park belongs to Nepali people," read one of the placards before police pulled it down while trying to disperse the pro-democracy demonstrators.

The Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) had also staged peaceful demonstration at Ratna Park a few weeks back calling for restoration of democracy and press freedom in the country.

The seven-party opposition alliance, that has been protesting the royal takeover of February 1, has, however, kept itself away from organizing peaceful protests in the so-called 'prohibitive zones.'

"You can’t designate certain place a 'prohibited zone' for ever. To detain people while they are taking part in a peaceful demonstration is nothing but the curtailment of people’s fundamental rights," former Justice of the Supreme Court, Laxman Prasad Aryal—who was monitoring the demonstration—told Nepalnews.

FNJ, NUTA protest arrest of peaceful protesters

Professional organisations and rights groups have protested what they called police intervention in the peaceful demonstration by professional groups in the Nepali capital Monday.

In a statement, the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) said half a dozen journalists were among 26 professionals and rights activists detained by the police. According to the organisations, journalists who were detained included Kanak Mani Dixit, Shyam Shrestha, Purna Basnet, Sanjay Santoshi Rai, Kedar Khadka and Krishna Abiral. The FNJ said Shrestha and Basnet received minor injuries during scuffle with the police.

"The government’s intervention in the peaceful protest has exposed its authoritarian face," said the FNJ.

Similarly, Nepal University Teachers’ Association (NUTA) has also protested the police intervention in the peaceful demonstration. "Monday’s demonstration has showed that civil society is against regression and that the government doesn’t have morale to face them," said Rameswore Upadhyay, general secretary of NUTA.

Rights groups including Human Rights and Peace Society and Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Studies (CEHURDES) have protested the police intervention in the peaceful demonstration and have demanded immediate release of all those arrested.

According to latest reports, all 26 pro-democracy activists including Mrs. Suprabha Ghimire and Dr. Aruna Upreti are being kept at the Mahendra Police Club in Kathmandu. Other prominent personalities detained during Monday’s demonstrations include Dr. Devendra Raj Panday, Krishna Pahadi, Padma Ratna Tuladhar, Bharat Pradhan, Padma Lal Biswokarma, Charan Prasain and Subas Pokhrel.

The authorities have not said anything why they have detained the civil society leaders who were demanding restoration of peace and democracy in the country.

Date Posted: 7/25/2005