Massive anti-King rally in Kathmandu vows to continue fight
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
New Delhi, May 28, IRNA
Nepal-Rally
Stepping up their campaign against the monarchy, thousands of protestors belonging to the seven-party alliance Friday hit the streets of Nepalese capital for the first time after King Gyanendra's Feb 1 power grab, vowing to continue their fight.
About 25,000 protestors seeking restoration of democracy and civil rights in the Himalayan kingdom staged a demonstration in front of the office of Royal Commission for Corruption Control amid a government warning about terrorist plans to infiltrate such rallies.
While chanting slogans like 'long live democracy', 'Reinstate Parliament', 'Restore People's Rights', 'Down with Absolute Monarchy', 'Abolish Royal Graft Commission', the ralliers moved through the streets as baton-wielding riot police stood guard.
Addressing the demonstrators, Nepali Congress President and former Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala said "the King has tried to impose authoritarian rule by converting the entire country into a prison."
Issuing a stern warning to the King, he said "the Nepalese people are facing both Maoist terror as well as state terrorism and if the King tries to undermine the popular sentiment, then the people may also sideline him."
Hailing international community for their support to the democratic movement in Nepal, Koirala, who is leading the seven party-led agitation, said "human rights and democracy are like wind, which may transcend national boundary."
Koirala also demanded reinstatement of the House of
Representatives, saying the people want to restore Parliament and nobody can stop them from achieving that aim.
Accusing the monarchy of violating the constitution and creating instability in the country, he said the King should choose between a complete democracy or a republican state.
Addressing the gathering, acting general secretary of Nepal Communist Party-UML Jhalanath Khanal said without democracy there can not be true peace in the country.
He criticized the government's claim that law and order situation has improved since the power grab.
2160/1422
::IRNA No.006 28/05/2005 10:15 --End
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
