Nepal
Incidents of Political Clashes:2005

A Kantipur Online report said that at least 21 cadres of the People’s Front of Nepal (PFN) were injured when a group of armed Maoists attacked an anti-Maoist rally organized by the PFN at Bohoragaon village in Baglung district on December 3. Another report stated that the security forces’ recovered two dead bodies of the five abducted security force personnel in Dhankuta on December 1. A Himalayan Times report on December 3, quoting the Royal Nepalese Army sources, said a clash was going on between the security forces’ and Maoists in the Sampang area of Bhojpur district. Read less...

The Communist Party of Nepal (UML) - a partner in the coalition Government that was dismissed by King Gyanendra on February 1 - has said police have arrested at least three of its workers while protesting the monarch’s actions. Reports quoted UML sources as saying that pro-UML activists carried out a ‘corner protest’ at Ason in the capital Kathmandu on February 11 and also distributed pamphlets against the royal move. Police arrested at least three of their cadres, they added. The authorities are yet to confirm the arrests. Read less...

Security forces’ have reportedly arrested the Nepali Congress (NC) spokesperson, Arjun Narsingh, and another party leader, Meena Pandey, on February 16. The NC had decided to launch peaceful protests beginning on February 18 and planned to continue the demonstrations till democracy was restored in Nepal. Read less...

Nine political activists were also arrested from Pokhara on February 20 for carrying out protest rallies. Read less...

The police arrested a group of Communist Party of Nepal (UML) activists, including former Member of Parliament Kamal Koirala, while they were trying to stage a demonstration at Ason in the capital Kathmandu on March 4. Read less...

Nepal Police have reportedly arrested at least 200 political leaders and cadres across the country on March 8 for violating emergency orders and demonstrating against the King. Among those detained were CPN (UML) leader, Bidya Bhandari, Nepali Congress (D) leaders and former ministers, Tek Bahadur Chokhyal, Bhim Kumari Budha Magar, Sushila Swar and former parliament members Krishna Kishore Sharma Ghimire and Anand Dhungana. Read less...

Over 20 leaders and activists of Nepali Congress (Democratic) party including former Prime Minister and party president, Sher Bahadur Deuba and spokesperson, Minendra Rijal, and other Nepali Congress leaders, Hari Bhakta Adhikari and Haribol Bhattrai were released from detention on March 10 and 11. In a brief press meeting, Deuba demanded immediate release of Nepali Congress leader Girija Prasad Koirala and CPN-UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, and restoration of press freedom and other fundamental rights in Nepal. Read less...

Over 700 demonstrators were detained in various part of the country on March 14. According to reports, the police arrested 500 activists in Janakpur, 37 demonstrators in Mahottari, 29 in Dang, nine in Kaski, eight in Nepalgunj and three in Kanchanpur. The demonstrations were part of a nationwide joint agitation organized by the Nepali Congress, Communist Party of Nepal (UML), Nepali Congress (Democratic), Jana Morcha Nepal and Nepal Sadbhavana Party from March 8. Read less...

The Nepal Police arrested at least 21 political activists, including former minister and Nepali Congress leader Mohammad Aftab Alam, who took part in the demonstrations for restoration of democratic rights at Gaur in the Rautahat district on March 12. Meanwhile, the five political parties alliance have announced the second phase of their protest demonstration from March 14, today, to press their demand for a representative Government in Nepal. Separately, a day after his release from house arrest, former Prime Minister, Sher Bahadur Deuba, reportedly proposed an all-party Government in line with the Constitution to restore order in the country. During his press meet in Kathmandu on March 12, Deuba also admitted that he had made mistakes and that he was in part responsible for the current crisis. Read less...

On March 17, youth and student organizations affiliated to the five agitating political parties took out protest rallies in Kathmandu, Pokhra and Janakpur, demanding immediate restoration of democracy. The police reportedly arrested at least 15 demonstrators. Read less...

A meeting of the youth organizations affiliated to seven opposition political parties has decided to continue their protests in the Kathmandu valley on March 23 and countrywide protests on March 29, demanding restoration of peace and democracy in Nepal. Read less...

On March 19, the alliance of seven political parties and student organizations demanded the withdrawal of SF personnel from educational institutions and threatened the Government with a strong agitation programme if their demand was not met. Read less...

Over 300 political leaders and cadres were arrested during a nationwide ‘civil disobedience’ programme called by the Nepali Congress on March 20. Read less...

The Nepal Police has reportedly arrested over 180 protesters who participated in a rally organised by the five agitating political parties against the February 1 royal move across the country including in Gaighat, Bara, Nepalgunj, Birgunj, Dang, Pokhara, Tanahun and in Kathmandu on March 21. Read less...

On the same day, the police arrested over 20 Nepali Congress (NC) activists who were taking out rallies in the Siraha, Bhairahawa and Chitwan districts. Read less...

Nepal News has reported that at least two dozen opposition political activists, including two former ministers Puskar Nath Ojha and Mahadev Gurung, were arrested during demonstrations against the King on March 28. Read less...

On March 28, over 150 Nepali Congress (NC) leaders and cadres were arrested across the country as they took out protest rallies against the King. Further, on March 28, the Ministry of Information and Communications spokesperson, Mukunda Acharya, said that apart from restrictions imposed on the United Telecom Limited services, mobile telephone services of the state-owned Nepal Telecom Company are also still under restrictions. Read less...

Over 42 political activists were arrested from different parts of the country as the agitating parties continued their protest against the Government on March 29. Separately, hundreds of journalists took out a peaceful rally in the capital Kathmandu demanded lifting of the state of emergency, restoration of human rights and press freedom in the country. Read less...

Kathmandu Post has reported that at least 29 Nepali Congress (NC) cadres were arrested during protest rallies in several parts of the country on March 30. Meanwhile, the five agitating political parties – the NC, Communist Party of Nepal-UML, Nepali Congress (Democratic), Nepal Sadbhavana Party (Anandi Devi) and People's Front Nepal - have formed a joint struggle committee in the Sarlahi district. Separately, during a meeting in Kathmandu on March 30, a senior leader of the CPN-UML, K.P. Sharma Oli, ruled out reconciliation with the King until the latter restores civil liberties, ends emergency rule and frees all detained political leaders, cadres, journalists and other professionals. He also denied any coordination and co-operation with the Maoists at the present juncture. Read less...

Five agitating political parties led by Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala and the Communist Party of Nepal (UML) General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal have organized a ‘protest rally’ against the Government and King Gyanendra in Kathmandu on April 1. Read less...

Hundreds of CPN (UML) activists reportedly carried out demonstrations on April 3 in the inner parts of Kathmandu demanding restoration of democracy in the country. Separately, Nepali Congress president Girija Prasad Koirala and the deposed Prime Minister and Nepali Congress (Democratic) president Sher Bahadur Deuba held a meeting on April 3 to discuss the current political situation in the country. Read less...

Former Prime Minister and president of Nepali Congress (Democratic), Sher Bahadur Deuba, was denied from meeting UML general secretary, Madhav Kumar Nepal, by the police on April 4. Further, Nepal Police arrested two leaders of the Nepal Student Union, Pradeep Paudel and Dharma Raj Khanal, from the premises of former Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s residence. On the same day, six more political activists were detained from Birgunj for taking out protest rallies. Read less...

On April 5, the Maoist Victims Association (MVA) staged a protest in front of the main administrative block in the capital Kathmandu, demanding that the Government grant internal refugee status to its members. Read less...

Nepal News has reported that at least 12 political activists were arrested during a pro-democracy demonstration at Mangalbazaar in the Lalitpur district on April 6. Further, in a statement issued on April 6, the Human Rights Promotion Centre (HRPC) under the Prime Minister’s Office said national and international human rights observers engaged in protection of human rights are free to move across the country and abroad to attend or organize human rights related programmes both within and outside the country. Read less...

The Police reportedly used force to diffuse protest demonstrations throughout the country on April 8 injuring at least 150 people. According to Nepal Samacharpatra, dozens of opposition activists were wounded when the police used force at a peaceful meeting in the Mahottari district. Separately, in the Bara district, four protesters were injured during baton charging. In Sarlahi district, the police detained over 100 opposition activists and later released 96 of them ten kilometers away from the district headquarters. Read less...

Reports indicated that nearly 300 Nepalis took out a rally in the Indian capital, New Delhi, and chanted slogans in favour of peace and King Gyanendra on April 10. Read less...

The Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist), has set four preconditions, including the release of all the political prisoners, restoration of press freedom, lifting of emergency and ensuring an environment for free political movement, before taking part in the municipal level elections announced by the Government last week. Read less...

According to Nepal News, the Police have detained at least 16 activists affiliated to the pro-left Nepal Workers and Peasants Party while they were carrying out protests demanding restoration of civil rights at Indrachowk in the capital Kathmandu on April 22. In a separate incident, the pro-CPN (UML) students’ organisation has said that police have detained its general secretary, Thakur Gaire, on April 20 immediately after he was released as per the Supreme Court order on the same day. Separately, the Government has barred three legal professionals, including former Justice at the Supreme Court, Laxman Prasad Aryal, from flying to the Indian capital New Delhi on April 22. They were reportedly leaving for Delhi to attend a seminar being organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association of India. Read less...

The Private and Boarding Schools' Organization Nepal (PABSON) handed over a memorandum to the United Nations and other diplomatic missions in Kathmandu on April 25, drawing their attention to the indefinite closure of private schools outside Kathmandu Valley by the Maoists. According to PABSON, some 500 private and boarding schools have permanently shut down since the beginning of the insurgency in Nepal in February 1996. About half-a-dozen schools were bombed in the last two weeks alone. Read less...

Kantipur Online has reported that hundreds of students, teachers and others from more than 50 schools took out rallies in Birgunj on April 27 protesting the Maoist call for an indefinite closure of private schools. On the same day, teachers at Narayanghat in the Chitwan district staged a sit-in protest in front of the District Education Office to draw the office's attention towards the closure of private schools. Read less...

Nepal Police have arrested over two dozen student activists affiliated to the Nepali Congress (Democratic) party, including three central committee members Durlav Thapa, Rajib Dhungana and Saroj Thapa, while they were protesting against the arrest of Deuba at Baneshwor in the capital Kathmandu on April 27. Separately, security officials have arrested five top opposition political party leaders, including Nepali Congress central leaders Ram Saran Mahat, Chakra Prasad Bastola and Dil Bahadur Gharti and CPN (UML) leaders Raghuji Pant and Subash Nemwang from a meeting at Dilli Bazaar in Kathmandu on April 27. Read less...

Nearly two hundred Maoist victims took out a rally in the capital Kathmandu on May 7 demanding that the Government make proper arrangements for their rehabilitation. The Maoists Victims Association president, Dharma Raj Neupane, demanded: "The government should provide us food, clothes and shelter or declare us as internal refugees." Read less...

Nepal News has reported that hundreds of Maoist victims staged protests, demanding food supplies to the displaced families, in front of the Nepal Food Corporation depot at Thapathali in the capital Kathmandu on May 12. Chairman of the Maoist Victims Association, Dharma Raj Neupane, said that the Government had shown no concern to the problems of thousands of families displaced due to the conflict and urged them to declare Maoist victims as internal refugees. Read less...

Amidst tight security, hundreds of students affiliated to the seven opposition political parties took out a protest rally in the capital Kathmandu on May 13 against the King. Read less...

The Nepal Police have reportedly intervened at a sit-in protest programme organised by the Maoist Victims' Association (MVA) at Bhotahity chowk in the capital Kathmandu on May 13. They arrested over dozen people, including acting chairman of the MVA, Dharma Raj Neupane, and later released them. Read less...

At least 100 students affiliated to the All Nepal National Free Students Union (ANNFSU), student wing of the Communist Party of Nepal (UML), were arrested while protesting against the Government across the country on May 15. Read less...

The Nepal Police have reportedly detained over 200 Maoist victims who were organising a protest programme in the capital Kathmandu on May 15. They have been demanding an internal refugee status and that the Government should resettle all those displaced due to the conflict. Read less...

The Nepal Police arrested at least a dozen Nepali Congress (Democratic) activists in front of the offices of the RCCC at New Baneshwore for protesting against the commission’s arrest of Deuba and Prakash Man Singh on May 16. Read less...

Hundreds of students took out a rally in Kathmandu on May 20 calling for the restoration of democracy. Read less...

Hundreds of journalists held a mass rally organised by the Federation of Nepalese Journalists in the capital Kathmandu on May 29 to protest against the Government’s attempts to curb press freedom. Read less...

A day after the Maoist victims demanded resignation of the Home Minister, the Police have reportedly forced nearly 200 internally displaced persons out of their temporary make-shift huts at the Open Air Theatre in the capital Kathmandu on June 5. Earlier on the same day, police intervened and arrested over three dozen members of the Nepal Maoists Victims Association (NMVA), including acting chairman Dharma Raj Neupane, while they were taking out a rally against the Government. Read less...

On June 8, over 50 journalists were detained by Nepal police while trying to stage demonstrations in the capital, Kathmandu and were released by the authorities on June 9, today. Read less...

Nepal News reports that at least ten journalists, including secretary of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) Bara district chapter Guru Prasad Gautam were seriously injured during a police interception of a peaceful demonstration by journalists at Kalaiya, district headquarters of Bara on June 9. Read less...

In the country, the Nepal Police has reportedly arrested at least four dozen journalists, including Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) president, Bishnu Nisthuri, general secretary, Mahendra Bista, and former president of the FNJ, Harihar Birahi, during a demonstration organised by the FNJ at Ratna Park in the capital Kathmandu on June 13. Read less...

Nepal Police arrested over 50 persons and many civilians were reportedly injured in police action during a ‘pro-democracy peaceful rally’ organised by the alliance of seven political parties across the country on June 17. Read less...

During a protest programme on June 22, the former Prime Minister and Nepali Congress chief, Girija Prasad Koirala, said, "The time has come for the king to choose between a republic and a liberal democracy in the country… The king should realize that if the republicans and democrats unite, there will be no future for the monarchy." During a separate meeting at Nawalpur in the Sarlahi district on June 21, Communist Party of Nepal (UML) General Secretary, Madhav Kumar Nepal, has said that the seven-party alliance cannot join hands with forces that pursue violent methods and added, "Political parties cannot trust Maoists as they have repeatedly committed mistakes regardless of their commitments expressed earlier." Read less...

Separately, at least 12 persons, including four police personnel, were injured during demonstrations organised by eight student organisations to protest the arrest of Nepal Students Union leader Gagan Thapa on July 28. Read less...

Over 300 Bhutanese refugees from the Bldangi camp of Nepal and Indian police personnel reportedly clashed at Mechi Bridge along the Nepal-India border in Jhapa district on August 3. The clash occurred when the refugees tried to enter into Indian territory, even as security forces arrested Bhutanese Human rights activist S. B. Subba. Read less...

At least 20 students were arrested and 36 others injured in a clash with the police while trying to block traffic in the major areas of Kathmandu as part of their protest against the Government’s decision to imprison former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and Minister Prakash Man Singh. Read less...

Traffic on the Mahendra Highway was reportedly affected on August 28 after the insurgents placed road blocks in several sections of the highway. The Maoists had called for a 'Mithilanchal bandh' to protest the killing of Chandeshwor Mandal, 'Chief' of the Dhanusha-based Maoist 'Peoples’ Government' by the security forces on August 17. The affected districts included Sarlahi, Mahottari, Dhanusha, Siraha, Rautahat and Saptari. Read less...

Leaders of the mainstream political parties have reportedly opposed the plans for elections to the House of Representatives before mid-April 2007 saying that it would not resolve the present political and constitutional crisis in the country. The Communist Party of Nepal (UML) General Secretary, Madhav Kumar Nepal, said, "Elections for the House of Representatives is not our demand, as it is not an alternative to the elections for the Constituent Assembly, the only way out of the present crisis." Further Nepali Congress General Secretary, Ram Chandra Paudel, said the latest move is intended to legitimise the unconstitutional takeover by the King and added, "If the King is honest in resolving the crisis, he should be ready to hold the elections for the Constituent Assembly, which even the Maoists will accept." The Nepali Congress (Democratic) party’s acting president, Gopal Man Shrestha said the seven-party alliance would not participate in any kind of election, be it municipal or parliamentary, unless the King is honest to resolve the crisis. Read less...

Five Communist Party of Nepal (CPN-UML) protesters were arrested in Kathmandu and one outside while protesting against the royal media ordinance. Read less...

Nepalnews reports that the Maoist-affiliated All Nepal National Teachers Organisation have shut down over 500 schools in the Dhading district indefinitely from December 11. It had called the closure of schools demanding that temporary teachers be given permanent posts and the annulment of the teaching license provision. Earlier, the Maoist-affiliated student wing had padlocked schools in the district demanding that the Government cancel its decision to handover school management to the local community. Read less...