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Nepalese Pro-Democracy Protesters Defy Curfew, Clash With Police
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=11B83E0:3919ACA Tensions run high
after two people killed and hundreds arrested in connection with the
protests on Saturday





Opposition party supporters flee after police dispersed them and fired
tear gas curfew in Katmandu, Nepal, Sunday, April 9, 2006In Nepal,
thousands of pro-democracy protesters have clashed with police after
defying a dawn to dusk curfew. The latest violence comes at the end of
a four-day nationwide strike called by the political opposition to
pressure King Gyanendra to give up power.

Demonstrators poured into the streets in the capital Kathmandu and in
surrounding towns, defying a curfew and shoot-on-sight orders imposed
by the King to clamp down on the anti-monarch protests.

Police in various cities and towns are reported to have fired tear gas
and rubber bullets to disperse demonstrators.

Tensions ran especially high in the two towns where troops fired on
demonstrators Saturday, killing two people.

A senior leader of the Nepali Congress Democratic Party, Minendra
Rijal, says a popular movement is building against King Gyanendra.

"If you look at the number of people who are coming in the streets,
people are coming out, common people, general people, people from all
walks of life are coming out," he said.

The king has faced growing protests since he seized power in February
2005 saying the government had failed to stem a decade-long Maoist
insurgency.

The government banned this latest four-day strike and detained
hundreds of political leaders and activists in a failed effort to stem
the rallies.

Nepal's seven opposition parties have joined with the Maoist rebels to
oppose the king and demand the restoration of democracy.


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