NEPAL: Hundreds of anti-king protesters took to the streets of Nepal yesterday, burning tyres, hurling stones at police and chanting pro-democracy slogans as a four-day nationwide general strike entered its second day.
The strike and protests have been called by the Himalayan kingdom's seven main political parties in what they hope will be a definitive campaign against King Gyanendra, who sacked the government and grabbed control of the nation last year.
Students shouting "Death to Gyanendra" charged at riot police in the Tribhuvan University campus in the capital, as dozens of tear gas shells were fired at them. Carrying a Communist Party flag, hundreds of students hurled rocks at police. Some beat up a constable who got separated from his comrades.
Riot police also fired tear gas shells and rubber bullets at protesters in Lalitpur town in the capital region, where the government has banned protests. Protesters set fire to a post office.
"Vacate Narayanhiti, Democratic Republic is arriving," shouted some activists, referring to the royal palace in Kathmandu. "We want democracy", "Down with Gyanendra", and "Gyanendra leave the country" others chanted.
In Kirtipur, an ancient town outside Kathmandu, protesters blocked roads to disrupt police reinforcements before marching through the town shouting slogans against the king. "We are being peaceful and we will do everything peacefully to get our rights back," said Om Thapliyal, a Kirtipur activist.
Although pro-democracy protests have become routine since King Gyanendra took power in February 2005, political parties say the latest demonstrations will be the largest so far and hope they will be decisive in bringing democracy back.
The campaign is backed by Nepal's Maoist insurgents, who have been waging bloody battle since 1996 to topple the monarchy and establish communist rule.
The royalist government says it does not trust the guerrillas and has thrown a security blanket over the hill-ringed capital of 1.5 million people, with armoured vehicles on some main streets.