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Katmandu Protests: 12/19/05

Protests and Violence Continue after Nagarkot Killings

By the Collective Campaign for Peace

Katmandu, Nepal, December 19, 2005: The protests against the killings of 12 Nepalese civilians by vigilante military personnel last week continued today as student unions affiliated with the Seven Party Alliance pro-democracy political coalition began fresh campaigns demanding justice for the crimes.

Following the pattern of previous protests over the killings, these also turned violent. Demonstrations were planned in Katmandu and Lalitpur. The student rallies at Tri-Chandra College, Shanker Dev College, Patan Multiple College, Pulchowk Engineering College, Minbhawan College, Ratna Rajya (RR) College, and PK College were disrupted by clashes between demonstrators and riot police.

During these confrontations, police lobbed teargas shells at students and both sides exchanged volleys of stones. The students at most colleges blocked traffic near their campuses.

The treatment of the agitators on the RR College campus epitomizes the repressive tactics of the police force. Student leaders were targeted by police reprisals, and Prakash Acharya, a teacher of journalism at the college, had his nose broken after being struck with a stone thrown by the police. Many other demonstrators were also battered by security.

Over the last few days, 22 students from different colleges have been arrested for their activities protesting the violence that occurred at Nagarkot last Wednesday.

A list of students injured during today’s protests:

1. Subash Shrestha, Tri-Chandra College

2. Krishna Gautam, Tri-Chandra College

3. Balram Pathak, RR College

4. Sashi Dhungana, RR Collage

5. Prakash Acharya, teacher of journalism, RR Collage

- COCAP Human Rights Monitoring Team