For the last two months the streets of Kathmandu and several other cities have been full of protesters and riots. Now the King has begun hosting meetings with the leaders of these protests in an effort of quelling the violence. Despite the peaceful gesture things have not calmed down. This week the country was shut down for another three days by a strike called by the Maoists. During the strike the government announced that they had given orders to their soldiers and the police to kill anyone who looked suspicious. I am not sure what the criteria is for looking suspicious but I cannot imagine what this will do to the already volatile situation.
The streets are very tense. People continue trying to go about their lives but it is hard not to pay attention to the tension that permeates the crowds on the streets. Now the already bad traffic problem has to compete with tanks plying up and down the roadways throughout the city. There are soldiers on every corner and armored personnel carriers on patrol.
Despite all this show of force there were still many incidents between the Maoists and the security forces. The streets are lined with burned out buses, bombed taxis, and burning tires left behind by the agitators who continued dealing with people they saw as enemies.
Many analysts agree that the next few weeks, as we begin the monsoon season, will be critical in terms of the ongoing insurgency. The Maoists are trying to force the government into peace talks and they will use whatever means they have to in order to get their attention. Bomb incidents have increased, over 1000 school children were abducted last week, and several villages were attacked in an effort to show the government that they want to be taken seriously.
Please pray for these next few weeks as we wait and see what will happen.
The Himalayan Times
KATHMANDU, MAY 18, 2004, Jestha 5, 2061
Insurgency: Shoot-to-kill to quell bandh violence
Rekha Shrestha
Kathmandu, May 17:
Security throughout the country has been beefed up to counter the Maoist
call for three-day Nepal bandh beginning tomorrow. Security forces have
received "shoot-to-kill" orders if they sight anyone suspicious. Armoured
Personnel Carriers (APCs), Ferret Cars and Mine Protected Vehicles will be
on duty with special security arrangement in the Valley. Security agencies
held meeting at the Valley Command Division today to chalk plans for better
coordination deal with the crisis, as the five-agitating political parties
too will continue their "anti-regression" programme. "No one can guarantee
that anyone carrying party's flag and participating in rallies and
demonstrations belongs to political parties. He/she can be a terrorist, as
the three-day bandh is on Maoist call," said senior defence official on
condition of anonymity.
He confirmed, "Anyone trying to jeopardise the Valley security will be
treated as a Maoist and if anything goes wrong under five-parties' umbrella
the concerned parties will be held responsible." In today's meeting, senior
police officials complained of not receiving "clear orders" from the
concerned body and "lack of coordination" between agencies. Perhaps that's
the reason why the Home Ministry has given firm orders to the police force
for sing "ultimate power" according to the Local Administration Act -
opening fire to contain unruly elements - during the bandh. A senior police
official argued, "Should the responsible political parties continue their
protest when the Maoists have called the bandh?"
Stating that the "anti-regression" programme will be limited to
sit-in-protest, major party leaders insisted that their programme would be
peaceful and disciplined. Added a senior leader of CPN-UML, "No rally will
be organised during Maoist bandh." A Home Ministry official said the
riot-police normally disperses crowd by means of water, tear gas shells and
lathi charge but during the bandh they have been ordered to use "ultimate
power". According to the Valley Division of the police, 212 policemen,
including six deputy superintendents of police, 22 inspectors, four
sub-inspectors, seven assistant sub-inspectors, 20 head constables and 108
constables were injured in the last 47 days of five-party agitation.
"Forty-five of the injured still can't perform their duty, while two of