공지사항
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- '노란봉투'캠페인/국제연대..
- no chr.!
4905개의 게시물을 찾았습니다.
4.11, THE 6th DAY OF GENERAL STRIKE...
..and according to CNN and BBC World the government, despide the police and army is using excessive violence, is losing the control.. More and more people demand that the king should leave the country immediately.
CNN yesterday called it the 'Final struggle'!
The Nepalese news agency eKandipur reported following..
Pro-democracy demonstrations continue, hundreds injured in police action; 9 tourists arrested
Despite the excessive use of force by security personnel to crackdown on protests, pro-democracy activists have intensified their demonstrations across the country.
Security personnel continued to use rubber bullets, teargas shells and batons to quell the demonstrations organized by the agitating seven-party alliance (SPA) in various parts of the country including in the capital on Tuesday.
Reports of several injuries and arrests are coming in from across the country.
On the sixth day of the SPA-called nationwide indefinite general strike, political activists today continued to take out protest rallies defying curfew orders.
In the Kathmandu Valley, the SPA activists staged demonstrations at Koteshwor, Bashundhara, Gongabu, Chabahil, Kapan, Jorpati, Bashundhara Chowk, Mahankal, Thamel, Chhetrapati, Ason, New Road, Bangemuda, Kalanki, Sita Paila, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur and Madhyapur Thimi, among other places, by defying curfew orders since this morning.
Over a dozen demonstrators sustained head injuries when policemen baton charged a peaceful rally at Panga, Kirtipur. Thousands of activists participated in the rally.
More than two dozen activists were injured in police firing at Gongabu. 65-year-old Toya Nath Poudel and former Gongabu VDC chairman Prakash Adhikari were among those injured.
A medical staff at the Emergency Ward of Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital, Maharajgunj told ekantipur over the phone that over 150 injured protestors were brought there today. 59 of them have been admitted.
“Five of them are in the operation theatre now (8:45 pm) and four others who are in very critical condition are under regular observation,” a doctor told ekantipur over the phone.
Tension in Gongabu
Policemen fired several rounds of rubber bullets at protesters from the house of a security man at Gongabu injuring dozens of activists.
The police beat up the protesters even after arresting them. The security personnel also fired dozens of teargas shells to disperse the protesters.
In yet another incident, policemen severely beat a child Aftahab after entering a motor garage at Banashthali.
In Bhaktapur, Nepali Congress aligned-Nepal Students Union’s Resham Dangol, Rajendra Wagle of UML aligned ANNFSU, were among six injured during scuffles with police. Nine activists were arrested.
The protesters vandalized the Land Survey Office and Land Revenue Office at Surya Binayak, Bhaktapur.
The local residents of Thecho, Lalitpur chased away the security personnel after the latter opened fire at the protesters.
A rally taken out from Patan went through Sundhara, Mangalbazaar, Gwarko, Dhaugal, and Chysal before converging into a mass gathering at Purna Chandi. Two taxis were torched and a trolley bus smashed by the activists at Shantinagar, Baneshwor this morning.
More than one dozen protesters including Nepal Tarun Dal’s Gokarna KC were injured during demonstrations at Chabahil, while a dozen others were injured in scuffles with policemen at Chakrapath Chowk.
Four protesters were injured and arrested later by the police at Sita Paila.
Police fire at a protest rally in Pokhara
Police indiscriminately opened fired at a rally taken out by thousands of protesters in Pokhara today. Two women Parbati Poudel and Bishnu Bhattarai were injured in the shooting.
The police opened fire after tear gas failed to bring the demonstrations under control.
The rallies were taken out from Shrijana Chowk, Sabha Griha Chwok and Prithvi Chowk.
Separately, 24 academics were arrested by the police from a protest rally at Lamachaur.
In Dharan, police fired three rounds of bullets at a protest rally.
A large pro-democracy rally was taken out at Narayanghat, Chitwan this afternoon. The rally defied the curfew orders in the town.
Police in Nawalparasi opened six rounds of fire into the air to disperse the agitating demonstrators, injuring six of them. Several rounds of teargas shells were also fired.
In Banke, almost all the employees of Teaching Hospital, Agricultural Development Bank, Nepal Bank Limited, Banijya Bank, Rural Development Bank, Electricity Authority and Nepal Telecom, halted their work and joined the SPA-called protest demonstrations.
In Biratnagar, protest demonstrations were staged by burning tyres on the roads since early morning.
Protest rallies taken out from Bargathi, Bus Park, Devkota Chowk and Pokhariya went through major parts of the town.
Similarly, All the doctors in Biratnagar stopped their work and joined the SPA’s protest demonstrations.
9 tourists arrested
Meanwhile many tourists held a protest demonstration in Thamel, a major tourist hub in Kathmandu, requesting the government, parties and Maoists to start dialogue immediate dialogue for peaceful solution to the ongoing conflict.
They also requested the government to lift curfew and begin talks with the parties.
police arrested nine tourists from Thamel for supporting and chanting slogans demanding early restoration of democracy in Nepal.
“Only the restoration of democracy in Nepal at the earliest can restore peace here. And we can enjoy our stay here only if peace is restored,” a tourist said before being arrested by the police.
http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=70892
BBC News - Dozens injured in Nepal clashes
IHT, AP..
CNN..
Nepal defies shoot-on-sight curfew
Al Jazeera..
Troops fire on Nepal protesters
BUT FINALLY THE PEOPLE WILL WIN! BELIEVE IT OR NOT..
THIS COULD BE THE FINAL PUSH AGAINST THE KINGDOM..
..CNN said in a report some hours ago.
Actually, according to the plan of the SPA, the nationwide general strike should be over yesterday. But because of the massive repression of the regime against the democratic movement they decided to to extent the strike. In a interview with BBC World one of the leading representatives of the SPA said that the strike will continue unlimited and more aggressively.
The forces of the government in the last 24 hours were acting more and more brutal against thousands of protestors who refused to accept the curfew. You just should watch BBC World or even CNN. Even young children were beaten bloody by the army.
But it seems that the strike is turning into a kind of mass, popular uprising....
Reuters, IHT published this yesterday, 3.10..
Curfews fail to curb demonstrations in Nepal
eKantipur reported this...
Demonstrations continue; scores arrested, injured
Pro-democracy agitators defied the government-clamped curfew in various parts of the country including the capital and staged anti-government demonstrations.
Security personnel used excessive force to quell the demonstrations, firing rubber bullets and baton-charging the protesters. Scores of protesters were injured today.
In the capital, the protestors staged demonstrations defying curfew orders at Kirtipur, Koteshwor, Gongabu, Jorpati, Bashundharachowk, Buddhanagar, Thamel, Chhetrapati, Banashthali, Ason, New Road, Bangemuda, Kalanki, Sita Paila this morning. Demonstrators in Bhaktapur, Madhyapur Thimi and Lalitpur also defied the curfew.
In many places, security personnel entered private houses and indiscriminately charged batons injuring dozens.
Dozens of injured protesters were taken to TU Teaching Hospital and Bir Hospital. One of the injured protestors was hit by four rubber bullets.
The agitating seven-party alliance (SPA) which yesterday said that the ongoing mass movement against “unconstitutional autocratic monarchy” wouldn’t be stopped unless complete democracy was restored in the country, gave continuity to its nationwide general strike today.
At Kapan, thousands of people participated in a rally blowing conch shells. They also torched an effigy of “regression.”
Mass gatherings were organized at Naya Bazaar, Kirtipur since this morning.
Police opened indiscriminate fire at a protest rally taken out by the Engineers’ Association, Pulchowk. The policemen also fired several rounds of teargas shells at the boys’ and girls’ hostels injuring nine students.
The police arrested local residents Suman Adhikari and Sunil Adhikari from their house at Balaju, dozens of activists including NC’s Ramchandra Tiwari from Kalanki, NC leader Jhalaknath Wagle from Bashundhara and Rohit Rai of NC-D, among others.
Thousands of activists marched towards Chabahil and defied the curfew before staging a mass gathering. More than one dozen activists were injured in scuffle with the policemen at Patan.
Student leaders Nil Kamal Bhattarai and Rabichandra Upreti were among those injured in Gahanapokhari clash.
Dozens of protestors including NC-D’s Gangaram Kutu and Bishwo Raj Thapa were arrested from protest demonstrations in Bhaktapur.
According to Insec, a human rights watchdog, at least 46 political activists including former mayor of Bhaktapur, Madan Krishna Shrestha were arrested.
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And if I understood it well, it was just once reported on BBC World, the Peoples Militia, the Popular Resistance Committees and the CPN.M will now take a more active part in the uprising... if it is a uprising..
DAY 4 OF THE NATIONWIDE GENERAL STRIKE..
...but the game is not over, definetely!!
If I understood the latest news by CNN well, the Seven Parties Alliance, SPA, together with the CPN.M, decided to extend the strike.
Yesterday and before yesterday, according to Western news agencies, tens of thousands, so BBC World, of pro democracy protestors resisted the two days ago imposed curfew and clashed with the troops of the regime. Western observers are saying that the regime is getting more and more weak. If you watch the reports about the clashes you also can see that the government troops are losing more and more the control about the protesting masses.
Nepalese news agencies reported that over a million people demonstrate in favour of democracy and against the royal regime over the last two days
In India thens of thousands were demonstrating yesterday against the monarchy in Nepal.
AP just a few hours ago reported following..
Nepalese Forces Fire on Protesters, Kill 1
Security forces fired at anti-monarchy demonstrators in eastern Nepal on Sunday, killing at least one man, as the main opposition parties said a nationwide general strike and protests would continue indefinitely.
The death in Banepa, 20 miles east of the capital, was the third in ongoing demonstrations to pressure King Gyanendra to give up absolute rule. The shooting occurred as a large crowd of protesters shouted slogans and hurled stones at security forces, a local official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
Read the full story here..
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-5744194,00.html
NYT published 4.9 this..
2 killings spark more violence in Katmandu
Nepalese eKantipur reported yesterday from the 4th day of general strike following..
Demonstrators continue to defy curfew, 1 killed in Banepa; dozens injured in clashes; parties to continue strike
The Seven-party alliance (SPA) continued to defy the government-clamped curfew at various places in the Kathmandu Valley on the second consecutive day today.
The protesters assembled at various places like Naya Baneshower, Maitidevi, Kalanki, Gongabu, Samakushi, Chucchepati, Chabahil, Kirtipur, Patan and different places in Bhaktapur defying the curfew order and chanted slogans against monarchy and in favor of complete democracy.
In Banepa, a protestor was killed and three others seriously injured in police firing.
Shiva Hari Kunwar, 22, resident of Walting was killed in the indiscriminate firing by the police. Mukesh Kayashtha, Bikram Kapali and Purna Bahadur Shrestha were injured in the incident. All of them have been brought to Kathmandu for treatment.
Hundreds of protesters took out a rally at Gongabu on Sunday morning; police intervened in the rally as it reached Balaju Chowk from Gongabu, charging the demonstrators with batons, firing several rounds of tear gas shells. Over 100 protesters including UML activities JP Nepal and Lal Bahadur Tamang and Nepali Congress activities Sudarsan Acharya were injured.
Several bystanders including Asmita Lama, Radha Chapagain, Subash Lama, Jagat Basnet, Sagar lamichhane and Susmita Gurung were seriously injured in police indiscriminate baton charges. Police also opened fire at the protesters at Gongabu.
The protesters and police clashed at Chucchepati near Chabahil. Three activists were injured in police firing at Chabahil while three policemen including an inspector were injured during clashes with the agitating protestors. Police arrested 11 demonstrators including Nepali Congress leader Lokehs Dhakal.
The protesters set ablaze a police post at Chabahil and torched a government motorcycle this morning.
Likewise, Jiwan Bhattarai of UML aligned All Nepal National Free Students’ Union, was injured in police firing at Ghattekulo.
There are reports of police-protesters clashes in Kirtipur, Pulchowk and different areas of Bhaktapur.
Meanwhile, Tribhuvan University has cancelled the exams of BA 3rd year and I Ed 2nd year scheduled for today due to the curfew.
Reports from Janakpur said, nearly 1 thousand workers of Janakpur Cigarette Factory halted their work and joined in the SPA-called general strike and protests.
Reports coming in from Butwal say nearly 10,000 protesters took out a rally against autocracy and in favour of democracy defying curfew orders. Activists staged demonstrations at Puspa Lal Park. Two activists were injured in police firing there.
Nearly three dozens protesters are reported injured in clashes with police in Chitwan.
Protest demonstrations were also held in Nawalparasi. In Parasi, the headquarters of Nawalparasi, bank, telecommunications, electricity and other government employees halted their work to express solidarity with the SPA’s general strike.
Thousands defy curfew in Chitwan
At least three protestors were injured when police opened fire at demonstrators in Bharatpur of Chitwan district Sunday afternoon.Two people were injured in Gaidkot while one was injured in Narayangadh.
Thousands of protestors are taking out rallies in Shahid Chowk, Pulchok, Lions Chowk, Paras Buspark and other areas defying the curfew order.
Over a dozen have been arrested while a further two dozen were injured in clashes with police.
Those who were arrested were also badly beaten. Some protesters took out rallies on elephants in Rantanagar Municipality.
Protestors in Ratnanagar also vandalized the municipality building, Nepal Electricity building and Rantangar Indusry and Commerce building.
Reports reaching here said the SPA, defying the government imposed curfew orders, staged protest demonstrations across the country.
Police opened fire at demonstrators in Shyangja and Pokhara.
Two demonstrators were injured when the army opened fire at protestors at Lakeside, Pokhara. The injured were identified as Rudra Raj Pahadi and Shanti Pahadi.
Likewise, seven political activists were injured in Lekhnath, Kaski.
Protest demonstrations were staged in several other cities including Bhairahawa, Dailekh, Biratnagar and Sunsari.
Parties to continue general strike The agitating seven-party alliance (SPA) has extended its nationwide protest demonstrations and general strike for indefinite period.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the last day of the four-day general strike, the SPA said it would continue its protests against the “unconstitutional autocratic royal regime” unless complete democracy is restored in the country.
The decision to this effect was taken by a meeting of the Joint Mass Movement Central Coordination Committee this evening.
The alliance has also directed its local-level party units to come up with additional protests.
The SPA has also requested the residents of the Kathmandu Valley to observe blackout from 8:15 to 8:30 pm. today.
Tear gas attack against residential areas in Kathmandu, 4.9
Protests rocks Pokhara
Protestors in Pokhara set on fire two ward offices as they took out rallies defying government imposed daylong curfew on Sunday.
Security men opened fire at the protestors injuring two of them who were heading towards Hallanchowk in Lakeside.
Among the injured where Shanta Pahari and Rudranath Pahari. In another protest, three people were injured in a police baton charge in Simapni near Bagar area. The protestors have placed various barriers in the streets making it difficult for the security men to move around in the vehicle who later returned without removing the barriers. They also set on fire Ward no 17 and Ward no 3 offices of Pokhara Municipality. Security men opened blank fires in Nareshwor Chowk, KI singh Pul and Naya Bazaar to bring the situation under control. Local authority in Pokhara suddenly clamped the 9am-9pm curfew as people were not aware about it. Pedestrains were seen walking on the street saying that they did not know about the curfew being imposed. "The curfew has been enforced to prevent the terrorist and unruly activities," the district adminsitration said in the statement. Meanewhile, the security men took the body of Bhimsen Dahal from Western Regional Hospital without informing doctors and relatives of Dahal. Dahal was shot dead by soldiers during a demonstration on Saturday. The parties had planned a funeral procession in Pokhara today for late Dahal. The soldiers took Dahal's body at his ancestral home in Kavre while her wife and daughter is still in Pokhara.THE 3rd DAY OF THE GENERAL STRIKE
THE SPIRIT OF REBELLION IS VERY HIGH..
..BBC World yesterday said.
Especially on BBC yesterday the news about the current situation in Nepal were the top strory.
According to BBC World after the government imposed a all day curfew in Nepal in the city of Pokhara at least one person was killed by police or army snipers and several others were injured. The Seven Parties Alliance, SPA, called off a mass rally for yesterday, because of the fear of massacres... The regime is threatening that everyone will be shoot if he, or she ignore the curfew.. But according to BBC World the democratic opposition is planning for today a massive protest against the ruling kingdom... Thats what I understood..
IHT, NYT wrote yesterday following..
Defying ban, Nepalese rally for democracy
Al Jazeera reported this..
Nepal troops fire on protesters
NepalNews..
“Day of reckoning” in Nepal, tens of thousands protest against the royal regime
19 killed in Rupandehi, Kapilvastu clashes; several govt offices destroyed
Thousands take out protest rally in Pokhara, a demonstrator shot dead
Curfew yesterday in Kathmandu..
eKantipur reported this..
Protestor killed in Pokhara firing; curfew in Surkhet
A protestor was killed and two others were injured when security men opened fire at seven-party alliance (SPA) protestors here in Pokhara on Saturday, the third day of the nationwide general strike called by the SPA.
Bhimsen Dahal, who was running a cyber in Hotel Anandban at Prithivichowk was shot by security men. Dahal was rushed to the Western Regional Hospital in an army van soon after he was hit by a bullet. His body is still at the hospital. He is a permanent resident of Kavre district.
Two other protestors who were injured in the firing were taken away by army personnel in a van, human rights activists said.
Eyewitnesses said a soldier guarding the Nepal Telecom Office at Mahendrapul fired the shots killing Dahal and injuring the other two.
SPA activists have been taking out protest rallies and staging demonstrations at several places in Pokhara from the morning. Major thoroughfares like Sabhagriha chowk, New Road, Chipledhunga and Mahendrapul remain tense.
Police fired over a dozen teargas shells at protest rallies at Chipledhunga and New Road.
Hundreds of demonstrators chanted anti-monarchy slogans at various places.
Senior citizens in the city took out a protest rally from the famous Vindhyabasini temple, protesting against monarchy and in favour of republicanism. The rally chanting anti-monarchy and pro-democracy slogans passed through different places before it converted into a corner mass meet at Zero Kimi.
The police tried to intervene the rally at Mahedrapul and Sabhagriha chowk but eventually let it go. “Even we elderly people could not bear with the lack of democracy in the country and decided to take to the streets,” said 80-yr-old Netrapani Gautam.
Subhadra Koirala, 50, said the elderly had joined the street protests to restore the people’s rights, adding, “We will continue with the agitation until the people’s rights are restored.”
Police atrocity to clear way for royal motorcade
Security personnel used excessive force “to clear the road for royal motorcade” in Pokhara Saturday afternoon.
Over an hour before the royal motorcade, the police intervened in a peaceful rally taken out by locals and SPA activists to protest the killing of Dahal. The police charged the protestors with batons, fired a number of shots into the air and dozens of teargas shells at Prithvi Chowk, Pokhara.
A number of children and pedestrians had fallen on the road due to the indiscriminate firing of tear gas shells.
While entire Pokhara remained tense due to clashes between the protestors and security men and due to the killing, the king had gone to No. 3 Battalion of the RNA at Lekhnath Marg at around 11 in the morning and returned to the Ratna Mandir Palace at around 3 in the afternoon
Curfew clamped in Birendranagar
Authorities have imposed a curfew in Birendranagar, the headquarters of the Mid-western Region, from 2 pm to 7 pm on Saturday.
The District Administration Office, Surkhet, issued the curfew order only at 1:30 pm, just half an hour before a protest demonstration by the agitating seven-party alliance.
This is the first time that a day curfew has been imposed in Surkhet.
The curfew which has been imposed in Birendranagar municipality and a few surrounding villages at a very short notice has left thousands stranded.
http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=70660
Demonstrators defy curfew, stage demos; Daylong curfew in Kathmandu, Lalitpur on Sunday
Defying the government imposed daytime curfew, pro-democracy agitators Saturday continued their protest demonstrations in the Kathmandu Valley.
Dozens of representatives from various professional organizations took out a protest rally against the "autocratic monarchy" in Maharajgunj this afternoon. More than two-dozen activists were arrested from the demonstrations there.
Former justice of the Supreme Court, Laxman Prasad Aryal, former Speaker of the House of Represetnatives, Daman Nath Dhungana, human rights activists Padma Ratna Tuladhar, Malla K Sundar, Charan Prasain, Kapil Shrestha and journalist Kanak Mani Dixit were among those arrested from Maharajgunj.
In Kirtipur, one of the most affected areas of the seven-party alliance (SPA) agitation, local residents, political activists and students staged protest demonstrations this morning. Security was beefed up in Kirtipur on the third day today of the SPA-called nationwide four-day general strike.
Political activists from the SPA burnt tyres and obstructed the road to disrupt security personnel vehicles from entering the area. The activists also organized a corner meeting following a huge rally which passed though major corners including Naya Bazaar and Changyala Phanta.
Earlier this morning, the protesters vandalized the house belonging to the deputy mayor of Kirtipur Municipality.
Various political leaders including Rabin Sharma of the NC-D, Bipedra Shrestha of Jana Morcha Nepal and Bhupendra Nemwang were injured in a rally taken out at Patan this morning minutes after the curfew was in place, the SPA sources said.
Similarly, some half a dozen activists who defied the curfew orders were injured by security personnel at Gongabu this morning. Janak Thapaliya was injured by rubber bullets while Devi Prasad Phuyal was injured by teargas shells.
At least three students including Free Students' Union, Pulchowk Campus president Janak Raj Joshi were injured when police fired teargas at the agitating students.
Police arrested nine student leaders including president of UML aligned All Nepal National Free Students' Union, Khim Lal Bhattarai and general secretary Thakur Gaire, from Bagbazaar for defying the curfew orders.
NC aligned Nepal Students' Unions' (NSU) Omkar Adhikari, Dilli Sharma and Ram Kumar Karki were seriously injured when policemen severely beat them up at Kapan. Policemen also arrested NSU leader Madhav Bhattarai after severely beating him at Chuchepati, Chabahil. Security personnel also opened fire into the air to disperse the demonstrators there.
Clashes between the security personnel and demonstrators erupted several times at Sorhakhutte, Min Bhawan, Naya Baneshwor, Buddhanagar, Sankhamul and Tinkune. Some two-dozen people were injured in clashes with security personnel at Sankhamul while ten were arrested.
In Kalanki, clashes between policemen and protesters lasted for nearly three hours today. Police opened several rounds of fire into the air. UML leader Modnath Prashrit and Pushpa Raj Kandel and NC leaders Gauri Prasad Dawadi and Hari Adhikari were arrested from Kalanki today morning.
About four dozen activists were injured in clashes with the police at Maitidevi. The police fired several rounds of teargas and fired rubber bullets at the demonstrators. According to UML sources, fifteen activists were arrested there.
Kiran Pokhrel of NSU was injured when police fired teargas at the protesters at Patandhoka, Lalitpur. Some six activists including Govinda Maharjan of Jana Morcha Nepal, Lalitpur district, were arrested by the police.
Political activist Prajwal Mahato and female activist Mire Sen were injured when the army beat them up at Bhotebahal this afternoon.
Similar rallies were taken out at Gatthaghar, Kaushaltar and Lokanthali in Bhaktapur.
The government imposed an 11 hour daylight curfew within the Ring Road areas in the valley and in some parts of Bhaktapur to foil the planned showdown of the SPA at Bashantapur today.
Parties' showdown postponed for Sunday
Meanwhile, the SPA has said that they postponed their planned showdown for tomorrow.The parties' planned to stage demonstrations at the same venue at Bashantapur on Sunday afternoon after the government imposed a daylight curfew in the valley today.
Daylong curfew in Kathmandu, Lalitpur on Sunday
Meanwhile, the district administration offices of Kathmandu and Lalitpur have imposed a daylong curfew within the Ring Road area from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday.
The extension of the curfew period by two hours tomorrow comes in the wake of the intensified anti-government protests by the seven-party alliance in the Kathmandu valley.
The government, in a bid to foil today’s political showdown, imposed a daytime curfew in the valley and in some parts of Bhaktapur.
http://www.kantipuronline.com/kolnews.php?&nid=70662
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For my understanding the current devolopments in Nepal are very important for the international left movement. So or so, what ever comes out, we can, we must, learn more about their struggle. And of course we should, must, support this struggle!!!
THE 2nd DAY OF THE GENERAL STRIKE
Yesterday EuroNews and the German Vox TV reported heavy attacks by the RNA against demonstrations of the democratic movement.. But students and and young workers and unemployed persons were fighting back. According to CNN many leaders of the democratic movement were arrested..
eKantipur reported this..
Over 200 arrested, dozens injured; police open fire in Patan, Dang
Kantipur Report
Seven-party alliance leaders Astalaxmi Shakya, Krishna Gopal Shrestha Bachaspati Devkota, Yogendra Sangraula and Gobinda Koirala are among the arrested.
Sources at the Nepali Congress party said that around 100 leaders, party activists and students have been arrested during the protests.
Shukra Raj Sharma, Sushil Man Sherchan and Ram Chandra Adhikari were among the NC leaders arrested in the morning, party sources said.
Clashes between protestors and riot police were taking place in Patan, Bhaktapur, Kirtipur and Kalanki till late evening.
In Patan, situation remained tense as the protestors torched a motorcycle, vandalized a temporary police booth, set fire to the post office and hurled stones at police, who in turn fired rubber bullets and dozens of tear gas shells to disperse the protestors. Nepal Students Union (NSU) activist Anil Khanal was hit by a rubber bullet in the leg. He is undergoing treatment at Patan Hospital.
In the same incident Ravi Maharjan and Umesh Kumar Paudel of the NSU were seriously injured in baton charge and tear gas shell firing by the police.
Demonstrators in Patan also torched the post office at Patan Dhoka and two motorcycles. Protestors vandalized a private car and set on fire a taxi for defying the general strike.
In Gongabu, a student activist of Nepal Students Union-Democratic was injured in police baton-charge. They have locked the Gongabu VDC office.
In the Central Campus at Kirtipur, police entered the student's ladies’ hostel and resorted to baton-charge. Student leader Pranaya Singh Munna said that half a dozen students were injured in the police action. Police arrested seven students from the hostel.
This is the first time that the policemen forcefully entered the ladies’ hostel and beat-up the students indiscriminately.
The students vandalised two statues in Tribhuvan University premises. Two students were hit and injured by a police van.
The protestors have locked up the Kirtipur Municipality Office and took two security men under control for a while.
In Bhaktapur, the protestors entered the Municipality Office, set fire to documents and locked the office. They have also vandalised the Land Revenue and Education offices.
In Butwal, teargas shells fired indiscriminately by police at the Pushpa Lal Chowk landed in the nearby Lumbini Nursing Home leaving some half a dozen patients unconscious.
Civil servants join protests
Meanwhile, expressing their solidarity with the ongoing agitation of the seven-party alliance, civil servants have joined in the protests.
On the second day of the general strike today, employees at Nepal Rastra Bank, the central bank of Nepal, stopped banking operations and staged a demonstration in the premises of the office at Thapathali. Official works were also halted in all the other branch offices of the bank.
Likewise, protest demonstrations were staged at Rastriya Banijya Bank, Nepal Bank, Nepal Telecom, Agricultural Development Bank, Nepal Electricity Authority, Food Corporations, among others. The employees halted their works throughout the day today.
Doctors’ demonstrations
Doctors today staged protest demonstrations at TU Teaching Hospital and Kanti Hospital at Maharajgunj, Ayurved Hospital, Naradevi and B.P Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan.
Dozens of health professionals at Teaching Hospital observed a silent rally within the premises of the hospital.
NYT, IHT published this yesterday
Nepal police fail to stem protests for democracy
NepalNews..
Maoists leading and controlling anti-govt. protests: Minister Thapa
Demonstration continues across the country; protestors set fire to Lalitpur post office
Guardian, UK..
Hundreds arrested in Nepal protest
Once again.. the developments in Nepal could lead sooner or later to a new kind of society. We should follow this developments.... Aeh... this is just my opinion... aeh... nothing else....
THE FIRST DAY OF THE NATIONWIDE
GENERAL STRIKE IN NEPAL
PERHAPS JUST THE BEGINNING
OF THE FINAL SHOWDOWN..
eKantipur reported following
Day1 of general strike: 500 arrested nationwide
The seven-party alliance Thursday staged nationwide protest demonstrations on the first day of their four-day general strike, with police arresting nearly 500 protesters across the country.
More than 300 protestors were rounded up for defying the government ban on rallies and gatherings from different places in Kathmandu today, party sources said.
The Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist) in a statement said that the police arrested 250 protestors in the capital while 64 others were arrested in Hetauda as the party activists and supporters staged demonstrations against the royal government.
Meanwhile, reports from Rajbiraj said, Darshan Yadav, an UML cadre, who was seriously injured in a police baton charge during a protest rally on Wednesday, has died.
Yadav died while undergoing treatment at Rajbiraj Zonal Hospital yesterday night.
Small protest rallies were taken out from Koteshwor, Naya Baneshwor, Chabahil, Jorpati, Basundhara Chowk, Maitidevi, Gongabu, Thamel, Bangemuda, Chhetrapati, Sitapaila, Kalanki, Kalimati, Kirtipur and other areas.
Nepali Congress secretary Shovakar Parajuli said that over 50 party members and student leaders were arrested by police from various areas in the valley this morning.
Among the arrested include party leaders Meena Pandey, Sujata Koirala, Dinbandhu Shrestha, Shashank Koirala among others.
Nepal Congress-Democratic party sources said that at least 18 activists were held by the police during demonstrations.
Government authorities had mobilized large numbers of security men including plainclothes security personnel to clampdown on the protest demonstrations.
Likewise, clashes between security personnel and protesters erupted for a long period at Kalanki. Policemen fired dozens of teargas shells to disperse the agitating activists.
Policemen baton charged the protesters even entering the houses of local residents at Kalanki. Several pedestrians and locals were injured in the police baton charges.
Educational institutions, business houses and major markets remain closed while the streets wore a deserted look in the valley.
Most of the private and public vehicles opted to remain off the roads. But press vehicles, ambulances and vehicles belonging to diplomatic missions and security forces were seen on the streets.
Police, meanwhile, said that by noon some 100 protestors had been arrested in the valley.
"A motocycle was torched in Bhotebahal and three other vehicles have been vandalized," a police officer said.
Meanwhile, student leader of Nepal Students Union said at least a dozen students were arrested from Maitidevi and Chabahil during demonstrations. A dozen others were injured during clashes with riot police.
Among the arrested include Sudeep Mohan Bhattarai, Gajendra Karki, Sundamani Acharya, Swastika Poudel and Badri Mudwari.
The students also burnt a government motorcycle in Kirtipur and vandalized two vehicles and four taxis in Chabahil. Policemen and protesters clashed for nearly four hours there.
Scores of policemen in three trucks were forced to flee the area after thousands of political activists in Kirtipur chased them away. The activists, following the clash with the policemen, took out a rally around Kirtipur.
Outside the capital, normal life was crippled by the general strike. Only vehicles belonging to media houses and ambulances could be seen on the roads along the major highways across the nation.
UML sources said that 65 protestors were arrested in Birgunj, 23 in Pokhara, 24 in Ilam, nine in Ramechap, 10 in Surkhet and six in Damauli today.
Expressing their solidarity with the ongoing mass movement launched by the seven mainstream political parties, doctors today staged demonstrations in the capital.
The doctors gathered in the premises of the TU Teaching Hospital and said that they would join the parties’ protests to help resolve the current crisis facing the nation.
Meanwhile, Dr. Kedar Nar Singh KC, who was on his way to hospital, was seriously beaten up by the police today. Dr. KC, whose legs are believed to be broken, is undergoing treatment at TU Teaching Hospital.
“A total success”
Talking to eKantipur leaders of the alliance have vowed to intensify the demonstrations against the “autocratic monarchy” across the nation.
Nepali Congress Spokesperson, Krishna Prasad Sitaula said today’s demonstrations were a total success.
“Significant numbers of people have participated in the first day of our general strike,” Sitaula said.
He also called on all professionals and employees to join the parties’ demonstrations.
“Today’s demonstrations have shown that people are ready to agitate against autocracy,” KP Sharma Oli, UML standing committee member said.
Criticizing the government crackdown on political activists, Oli said, “It shows the government’s defeated mentality.”
Nepali Congress-Democratic Dr Minendra Rijal said that the large turn out of people proved that today’s demonstrations were a success.
“We call on all the people to join the upcoming agitation against the autocratic monarch,” he said.
NepalNews wrote this
Over 400 protesters arrested; dozens injured in 7-party protests
Al Jazeera
Hundreds arrested in Nepal protest
IHT, AP
Nepal arrests 300 as opposition strike begins
Please check out also GEFONT, the main Nepalese trade union, for a kind of independent informations
As I wrote before there is no real independent news about the current situation in Nepal, even it could be the first liberated country in the 21st century.
For example when you check out the web site from CPN.M..
...you find nothing! It is really unfortunate! Just in the international and Nepalese, such as eKantipur, bourgeois media you find some more detailed informations... But I will try my best to find and publish more stuff about it in the next days.
THE STATE TERROR SHORT BEFORE THE SHOWDOWN ALREADY STARTED..
NepalNews reported this just one day before the nationwide general strike, organized by the Seven Parties Alliance and the CPN.M
Govt announces curfew in the capital
Hundreds arrested in Kathmandu ahead of 7-party general strike
eKantipur reported this
Govt imposes curfew in capital; begins crackdown on leaders; scores of professionals arrested
In a clear attempt to foil the seven-party alliance’s four-day general strike and political showdown scheduled to begin from Thursday, the government has issued curfew orders in Kathmandu and Lalitpur with effect from 11 p.m. tonight till 3 a.m. in the morning.
The government’s move follows waves of arrests of political activists and professionals from demonstrations staged in the capital on the eve of the alliance-called April 6-9 general strike and the April 8 ‘huge’ political showdown.
Earlier today, plainclothes security personnel arrested at least three dozen leaders of various political parties from their homes while riot police arrested around 40 professionals including journalists, lawyers, professors and doctors during a peaceful demonstration at New Baneshwor, Kathmandu, Wednesday morning.
The protest rally was organized by the Professional Alliance for Peace and Democracy Nepal (PAPAD) defying the government ban order on demonstrations.
On Tuesday evening, local authorities in Kathmandu and Lalitpur issued prohibitory orders on all kinds of public meetings within the Ring Road area.
Among the arrested include 14 journalists, 13 lawyers, five professors, and three doctors.
"Police intervened in our peaceful protest and we were arrested soon after our protest rally started at 7 this morning," Balram Baniya, secretary of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists told eKantipur over the phone from police custody in Tinkune.
"The police baton charged the protestors injuring several of us. Gopal Thapaliya has been seriously injured and has been taken to Bir Hospital," said Baniya.
Those arrested are president of Federation of Nepalese Journalists Bishnu Nisthuri, general secretary Mahendra Bista, chairman of Nepal Bar Association Sambhu Thapa, former FNJ president Harihar Birahi, SAFMA's Gopal Thapaliya, journalists Kosh Raj Koirala, Yuvaraj Acharya, doctors Kedar Narshingh KC, Madhu Ghimire and Mahesh Maskey among others.
Early this morning, plainclothes security personnel arrested over three dozen leaders of various political parties from their homes, just a day before the planned four-day general strike of the seven party alliance, party sources said.
"Plainclothes police have arrested at least 20 leaders including Keshab Baral, Subhash Nemwang, Raghu Pant and Arun Nepal among others from their homes between 5-6 am Wednesday morning," said UML leader Rajendra Pandey.
Pandey also said that police raided the homes of Mukunda Neupane, Surendra Pandey, Astalaxmi Shakya, Gokarna Bista, and student leaders Khimlal Bhattarai and Bhanubhakta Dhakal this morning.
Leader of Nepali Congress party Shovakar Parajuli said that plainclothes police arrested NC central member Sunil Kumar Bhandari and leader of Nepal Trade Union Congress Manju Bhattarai from their homes this morning.
"Police also searched the houses of NC spokesman Krishna Prasad Sitaula and other leaders who were not present at their homes when the crackdown began," said Pandey.
Similarly, spokesman of Nepali Congress-Democratic Minendra Rijal, general secretary Bimalendra Nidhi, leaders Man Mohan Bhattarai and Indra Bahadur Gurung were arrested from their residences this morning.
Also arrested were NC-D student leaders Kiran Poudel, Kalyan Gurung, Shree Ram Lamichane, Nuwakot district chairman Dhurba Adhikari, Bardiya's Arun Singh Rathaur, Kathmandu district secretary Damodar Poudyal, regional chairman Chakra Thakuri and Manju Khand of NC-D Women's Association.
The leaders including Bimalendra Nidhi, Manmohan Bhattarai, Jip Tsering Lama, Bhim Rawal, Subash Nembwang, Minendra Rijal, Mohan Basnet, Chetan Thakuri and Manju Khad, who were being held at Duwakot in Bhaktapur and Mahendra Police Club in Kathmandu were, however, released in the presence of Kathmandu District Court authorities in the afternoon.
Journos arrested, released later
Meanwhile, police detained at least 14 journalists who tried to defy the government ban order on gatherings and rallies from New Road area in Kathmandu Wednesday afternoon.
Those arrested include Kanak Mani Dixit, Shiva Gaunle, Damodar Dawadi, Baburam Dhakal, Bal Kumar Neupane, Nirmala Sharma, Hemnata Kafle, Dharmendra Jha, Rajendra Aryal, Dev Raj Rimal. The names of four other journalists could not be immediately known, reported our correspondent Deepesh Das Shrestha from New Road.
They were arrested from a protest rally organised by the Professional Alliance for Peace and Democracy Nepal (PAPAD).
Police intervened as the protestors moved forward from New Road to Indrachowk defying the ban orders.
All of them were released later.
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More news from the current situation in Nepal, but unfortunately not independent, you will find here
BBC News - Nepal police in rally crackdown
BBC News - Nepal rebels call a partial truce
BBC News - Nepal government rejects truce
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And last but not least please read the interview with the chairperson of the CPN.M with the BBC
Prachanda interview: Transcript
The German bourgeois magazine Der Spiegel published yesterday following articles
Letter From Berlin
Germany's School of Hard Knocks
By Marc Young
Recent revelations about a violence-plagued high school in Berlin have Germans worried about the state of their country's education system, the decay of modern society and the poor integration of foreigners. But are things really that bad and are Germany's immigrants to blame?
Anyone who's spent time in Berlin knows what a safe city it is. Sure, there's petty crime and occasional violence like in any big city, but compared to London or even the new cleaned-up, Disneyfied version of New York City, Germany's capital is a very peaceful place to live. That is, unless you happen to be teacher at the Rütli high school in Berlin's scruffy Neukölln neighborhood.
Last week, a letter from the school's faculty describing a complete breakdown of discipline and growing tendency towards violence by the students was made public. The situation had gotten so bad that some teachers refused to enter their classrooms without a mobile phone they could use to call for help if they were threatened. One Rütli teacher even told SPIEGEL that he often dreamed one of the out of control teens would "finally burn the place down" so he wouldn't have to face another day working there.
So what's life like at a Berlin school where 83 percent of the student body has a non-German background? The faculty letter describes an institution that appears to fail both its students and the teachers working there: "We must realize that the mood in some classes currently is marked by aggressiveness, disrespect, and ignorance towards adults ... The tendency toward violence against property is growing ... In most of the families of our students, they are the only ones getting up in the morning. For them, school is a stage and battleground for attention. The worst culprits become role models."
The letter created an immediate uproar across the country. How could this happen? The ensuing frenzy by the German media made the Rütli school sound like it could rival the worst inner-city schools in the United States. Police and metal detectors at the doors was the answer offered by a few pundits. Some politicians pointed to the extremely high percentage of students from immigrant families. Was it not evidence of Germany's failure to integrate foreigners and a warning against further immigration?
But the calls for prison-like security and the xenophobia-tinged scapegoating of foreigners completely miss the mark. If anything, the whole episode is more an indictment of an antiquated German school system that shunts students off into different academic tracks early on, as well as the country's inability to make many immigrants feel they are valued part of German society.
Neukölln is not South Central LA
To be sure, by German standards Neukölln might be a rough and tumble place. The Berlin district does struggle with widespread joblessness and a fair chunk of its non-German inhabitants are indeed marginalized from the rest of society. But the neighborhood and its schools certainly can't compare with downtown Detroit. No one is getting shot on a daily basis -- not at Rütli and not in the neighborhood -- and there is nothing of the kind of gang violence found in South Central Los Angeles.
The kids at the Rütli are without a doubt disrespectful, destructive and uncivilized. But such uncouth youths are a problem wherever apathetic and disengaged parents fail to care for their children. It would therefore be easy to chalk up the "scandal" about the school simply as another example of Germans talking down their own country. It's in fashion these days to complain about the decay of Germany's economy and society. Whether it's the country's chronically high unemployment, the inability to compete in a globalized world, or simply the poor state of German soccer, moaning and Cassandra-like panic has become something of a national pastime. But dismissing this as Teutonic malaise would be wrong for several reasons.
While not as bad as they are made out to be, Germany shouldn't wait until things get worse before it tackles the problems exposed by the Rütli school affair. If anything, this should serve as incentive for a long-overdue revamp of the German school system. Currently, high schools are broadly separated into three tracks: Gymnasium for university-bound students, Realschule for the less academically inclined, and Hauptschule -- vocational schools like Rütli -- that all too often end up being receptacles for problem kids from troubled homes. Germans have unfortunately long clung to this inflexible system which needlessly segregates children early on and frequently determines a person's later station in life. In Berlin, the children from many immigrant families are predictably more likely end up at a Hauptschule than Gymnasium.
A socio-economic problem
And that leads to the next point: Although poor integration certainly doesn't help matters, the horror stories emanating from the Rütli school have less to do with immigration than with basic socio-economic problems. It wouldn't be hard to find a young black man born and raised in Detroit who feels just as marginalized in American society as a young Arab or Turk in Neukölln does in Germany. And there are most certainly a number of schools in economically depressed eastern Germany filled with just as many troubled German kids from failed households.
The outgoing principal at the Rütli school, Brigitte Pick, recognized that in a letter published on Monday in the Berlin daily newspaper Der Tagesspiegel. "The actual problem doesn't stem from the Arabic, Turkish or Serbian background of the students, but rather the lack of opportunities for them," she wrote. "The Hauptschule is only chosen by marginalized groups without a future and from students expelled from elsewhere."
Cem Özdemir, a Turkish-German member of the European Parliament, pointed out in a SPIEGEL ONLINE commentary last week that this has, in effect, exacerbated efforts to integrate foreigners into German society, since the children of immigrants and the children of middle-class Germans have very little contact with each other in the country's school system.
Of course, when parents no longer teach their children how to behave as civilized human beings, it makes it very difficult for teachers to do their job no matter how committed they are as educators. But this is a universal lament in nearly every modern society. Unless young men and women feel that they have both a stake in their society and a shot at a decent future in it, there is little a shocked and outraged nation can do to convince them otherwise.
More about this issue maybe later, when I got a workplace, computer with internet... Right now I am just writing in PC bang..
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France's Lost Generation
The Faces Behind the Protests
By Francois Krug in Paris
Behind the scenes of mass protest in France are high school students who fear a dismal future, university students who see their opportunities shrinking and McJobbers who are struggling to make ends meet as they are pushed from one company to the next.
These days, Paris's Latin Quarter looks more like Baghdad's Green Zone than the traditional home of France's thinkers and writers. The neighborhood has become a no-go zone. The streets surrounding the Sorbonne University are empty and blocked with steel barricades. Students and teachers have given way to policemen in riot gear who stand ready to repel assaults with water cannons and tear gas.
The Sorbonne has long been a reminder of the power of youth protests in the country since the May 1968 upheaval that shook the government of then-president Charles de Gaulle to its core. More than three decades later, it has again become a lightning rod for social upheaval. On March 10, more than 200 students occupied the Sorbonne to protest labor reforms recently pushed through parliament by Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin. The government promptly sent in the riot police to drive the rebellious students out. Officials had won the battle, but the Sorbonne protests sparked a nationwide political war that pitted university and high school students fearful for their future prospects against the government. The protest turned into a national revolt that quickly created disruptions at more than 80 of the country's universities and hundreds of high schools. This Tuesday, the country experienced its second general strike in seven days.
When Villepin announced in March he would loosen French labor laws to make it easier to hire and fire young workers, disillusioned youth erupted in anger -- evoking memories of 1968 and last autumn's riots in the banlieue suburbs of Paris. To curb the staggering youth unemployment rate, which rose to 22 percent in March, Villepin created the "contrat première embauche," or first-time employment contract. Previously, it had been extraordinarily difficult for French firms to fire employees who had been with a company six months or longer, but CPE allows workers 26 or under to be fired without notice or reason within their first two years on the job. Villepin had hoped the new legislation would give employers greater incentives to hire young people.
For a few weeks, the government staunchly defended CPE, but as the protests mounted, President Chirac intervened on Friday, announcing he would sign the law, but he order changes to be made to its most controversial clauses. The probationary period would be reduced to one year and employers would need to state a reason for firing workers.
Chirac's reassurances, however, have done little to assuage French youth. The Sorbonne has now been closed for three weeks, and all of its students are gone but one.
The lone counter-protester
Alexandre Duclos sits on a camping chair right outside the sealed-off Sorbonne Square. For a week now, the 23-year-old philosophy student, who is working to obtain his doctorate, has been holding a hunger strike in an attempt to reopen the university here on the sidewalk. "France has become a police state," he says in a weary voice. "This government is deaf and blind. Look at what they did in the suburbs (during the November riots) and what's happening now. Their only answer to people's sufferings is to send in the army. This country is sick."
Duclos has turned his abstract philosophy into reality by starting a protest of his own. But once the student movement is over, he will be forced to confront harsher realities -- on the job market. "I haven't thought about it yet," he admits. "Actually, I don't care." Asked about his dream job, he hesitates. "I guess I'd like to be a street philosopher," he finally answers, without any trace of irony.
As it turns out, Duclos has found an unintentional job as a tour guide.
An Italian woman stops by. She is disappointed by the neighborhood's tranquility. "Nothing's happening here, where should I go?," she asks him. "What are you looking for?" he asks. "Students, protests, action!" Duclos directs her to nearby Censier University.
The occupied campus
Further south in the Latin Quarter, student protesters still control Censier University. They have been enforcing their own rules on the campus for five weeks now and access is barred to strangers. Courses have been cancelled and replaced with political debates, documentary film screenings and plays. Every other day, students vote on whether to continue the strike and the occupation of the university.
This may look at first like a reenactment of the glory days of 1968. But there's a marked difference: the '68ers' had dreams, but today's students only have fears. "We don't want a revolution, we want jobs," explains Mathilde, a 21-year-old Italian studies major. "Baby-boomers could choose their jobs and keep them for life." Truth be told, their parents did have it easier: In 1968, only 6 percent of French university graduates were still jobless after finishing school. That rate has since swollen to a discouraging 29 percent. And for the first time since the end of World War II, young workers are earning less than their parents did at the same age.
"We're supposed to build the future, but our generation is being sacrificed," says Romain, a 21-year-old communications student who, like many others at Censier, declines to give his last name. "I'm speaking as part of a collective movement, not as an individual."
For many French students, giving up job protections that have long served as the cornerstone of French labor policy is unthinkable. "With CPE, the government is blackmailing us," says Nadège, a 20-year-old media and cinema studies student. "What they're saying is: If you want a job, you have to accept the fact that you may be fired at any time without complaining." Nadège works part-time in a warehouse, wrapping DVD boxes, and she has a better sense of the job market than most of her friends at the university. "I'm ready to accept reforms, but not this one," she explains. "But when you protest against reform in this country, the government describes you as a conservative. Our generation isn't conservative or revolutionary. We simply refuse to be singled out like this. This is a social protest, not a cultural revolution."
The high school students
The CPE legislation has also outraged high school students, who have served as an important part of the anti-CPE protest movement. The high school arm is being led by the Union Nationale Lycéenne (UNL), the country's national high school student union.
UNL's tiny office looks like a student's bedroom -- empty soda cans, paper packaging from fast food and piles of leaflets and newspapers are strewn about all over the desks and floor. But the office, hidden in a rundown building in the Pigalle neighborhood far north of the Latin Quarter, also serves as the control room of the high school protest movement
"Sorry for the mess," Floréale Mangin says, apologizing to visitors. "We've had a pretty busy day." Early in the morning, UNL members were arrested while blockading Paris's city freeway. In the afternoon, others invaded a train station and stopped traffic for two hours. And Mangin, one of the union's leaders, is now getting ready for a night of meetings and phone calls to prepare for the next wave of demonstrations.
At 17, she has already mastered the French rules of protest. Rule No. 1, she says, is to use any means necessary to put pressure on the government -- including disrupting the lives of normal people with traffic jams and train delays. "Making noise is the only way to get heard," Mangin explains in a soft-toned voice. Rule No. 2: When the government seems ready to bend, demand even more. Mangin remains unmoved by Chirac's plan to water down the CPE: "We won't negotiate until they fully back down."
Mangin is part of a new generation of protesters. Unlike the 1968 revolutionaries, these rebels are highly pragmatic. "We're not the children of the '68ers,'" she says, "Our movement is different. We are dealing with education and unemployment -- real issues, not ideals. This is a social protest, not a cultural revolution."
But there is more to this than the usual social protest. It is also a political war between generations. Young high school and college students are challenging politicians who are older than their parents and sometimes old enough to be their grandparents. Chirac is 73 and 85 percent of the representatives at the Assemblée Nationale are over 45.
"They don't live in the same world as we do, how can they decide what is good for us and build our future against our will?" Mangin asks. As a teenager, she has already honed her political skills, but she is not a full citizen yet. She will first be eligible to vote in 2007, just in time for crucial presidential and general elections.
20 and unemployed
Eugène Simsek is taking a cigarette break outside the local office of the government's job agency in the working-class neighborhood of Clignancourt, on the northern outskirts of Paris. The 20-year-old unemployed worker has just printed out the latest job postings and is giving them a careful read. "Restaurants, only restaurants," he mumbles. "I'm tired of restaurants!"
The documents in Simsek's hands would infuriate student protesters. They are proposals for jobs that adhere to an earlier version of CPE that was created for small businesses last year without much protest. Economists are still doubtful that the reforms will have much of an impact on the economy. Major employers are worried about the current uproar and most haven't adopted the controversial contracts yet. But if Simsek's case is any indication, Villepin may be right -- at least in certain respects. The new legislation could help Simsek to find a new job.
And the fact that it wouldn't give Simsek any job security doesn't seem to bother him. Since he left school two years ago, Simsek has gotten by with a handful of McJobs -- working as a bartender, a waiter and as a call-center operator. Last year, he finally signed an unlimited-length contract and became a salesman for a window-making company. His employer had hired him under the contract because of generous tax incentives, but it then turned around and laid him off on the last week of his three-month probationary period. Simsek has been jobless for two months now.
Villepin's legislation is expected to provide a boost to people like Simsek, who have limited education and experience and remain hopelessly unemployed. Unfortunately, as the government and the media focus their attention on the university students, people like Simsek remain the unheard voices of the French revolt. For them, unsteady jobs are not a threat. They are already a reality.
"Villepin's contract is unfair," he says, "But it's no worse than the other ones. I'm ready to sign it. I can't refuse proposals. Right now, I have no hope of getting a steady job."
Perhaps the current situation in France for former students is not so different from the situation in S. Korea....
The Israeli bourgeois daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported yesterday following
Al-Zahar wants 'Palestine from river to sea'
Palestinian foreign minister, Hamas leader Mahmoud al-Zahar tells officials ministry's policy should be to establish Palestinian state in place of Israel, says Jewish State must not be recognized
Israel must not be recognized and the Palestinian Foreign Ministry should aim to establish a Palestinian State from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean, in place of the Jewish State, PA Foreign Minister Mahmoud al-Zahar said according to Palestinian media reports.
Al-Zahar made the remarks during his first meeting with Foreign Ministry officials and ahead of the first session to be held by the Hamas-led Palestinian government.
Fatah officials, who are closely monitoring the situation, said in recent hours that prospects for the continued existence of the Hamas government appear slim. Such government would not be able to last as long as Hamas refrains from modifying its positions, which only serve to isolate the cabinet, the Fatah sources said.
The Hamas-led government's first session was Wednesday in Ramallah and Gaza and headed by Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh. The session was held via satellite, with more than half of the government ministers staying in Ramallah.
During the session, Haniyeh announced "Palestinian coffers are empty", and added that his government inherited problems left behind by the previous Fatah-led government.
No diplomatic declarations were expected during the meeting, which was mostly dedicated to internal Palestinian affairs, and particularly efforts to battle the financial crisis faced by the PA through a three-month emergency plan.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian street is closely monitoring the new government's conduct and its chances of survival, while Hamas works to end the growing isolation faced by the government.
Elsewhere, London-based Arabic-language newspaper al-Hayat reported that Fatah is considering the establishment of a shadow cabinet that would operate along the Hamas government and be ready to take its place should the official government collapse....
Read the full article, including many talkbacks, here
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3236542,00.html
THE NEPALESE GOVERNMENT IS THREATENING WITH STATE TERROR
NepalNews reported yesterday..
Govt is set to foil seven-party agitation: Home Minister
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Home Minister Kamal Thapa has said the government is fully prepared to crack down on the pre-scheduled four-day general strike of the seven opposition parties beginning April 6.
“The government will take strong steps to contain the general strike and other protest programmes of the parties. Since the Maoists are also involved in the general strike, the government must foil it,” Thapa said at a programme organised in Lalitpur on Tuesday to welcome the cadres of Nepal Samata Party (Samajbadi) who joined his Rastriya Prajatra Party (Thapa).
The Home Minister claimed that there was a “very dangerous Maoist conspiracy” behind the protest programmes called by the seven parties. He also insisted that the parties were playing into the hands of the rebels.
The government, however, would use “minimum force” to foil the seven parties’ protest programmes, Thapa said, without explaining what he meant by minimum force.
Thapa also made it a point to slam the Maoist statement to observe ceasefire in the Kathmandu Valley. “The ceasefire is nothing but a subterfuge. There is a dangerous conspiracy behind it,” he said and added that Monday’s Maoist statement was nothing but propaganda.
The Home Minister’s views came as the opposition alliance continued sporadic protests in Kathmandu during which over two dozen leaders and activists were arrested.
In an attempt to thwart the pre-scheduled mass demonstration of the alliance in the capital, the district administrations of Kathmandu and Lalitpur today announced indefinite prohibitory orders within Rind Road area with effect from Wednesday.
http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/2006/apr/apr04/news08.php
4.4 student protest in Kathmandu
eKantipur wrote this
Govt bans public gatherings in capital
The district administration offices of Kathmandu and Lalitpur on Tuesday issued sweeping orders banning all kinds of public gatherings in areas within the Ring Road.
Yesterday, in a sign of support for the peaceful general strike and demonstrations, Maoist rebels announced to halt any “military action” in the Kathmandu Valley with effect from Monday evening.
Meanwhile some days ago the main Nepalese Trade Union Gefont decided the full support of the nation wide general strike.
http://www.gefont.org/summary.asp?flag=3&cid=85
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