Nepali police gun down anti-king protesters

A pro-democracy activist yells anti-monarch slogans past Nepali riot policemen during demonstrations in the Chabahil district of Nepal's capital Kathmandu. Picture / Reuters

KATHMANDU - Nepali police opened fire to block tens of thousands of pro-democracy protesters marching into Kathmandu last night to confront King Gyanendra, killing at least three people and wounding up to 100.

But there were signs the embattled monarch was looking for a way to end the showdown with a seven-party alliance spearheading a campaign against his rule, said an Indian envoy who visited him to urge a speedy reconciliation.

"I am hopeful that very shortly some sort of announcement will be made by him which will help considerably defuse the situation," Karan Singh, an Indian lawmaker, told reporters in New Delhi on his return from Kathmandu.

"Now the ball is squarely in the court of the king."

Officials confirmed that three people had been killed in police firing to enforce a strict curfew in the capital, a clampdown ordered to prevent protesters marching on the palace.

Over 100,000 people gathered at various suburbs around the capital's ring road and police opened fire with rubber bullets and live rounds at three or four places to push back the crowds, witnesses said. Army helicopters flying overhead appeared to be monitoring the crowds.

Three bodies with gunshot wounds and about 40 injured people were brought to the Kathmandu Model Hospital from the western suburb of Kalanki, doctors said.

Scores of other injured were taken to other hospitals. In all, about 100 people were wounded, witnesses said.

"Police opened indiscriminate fire," said Kundan Aryal, a human rights group volunteer who helped take wounded to the Model Hospital from Kalanki.

"They used batons and fired rubber and live bullets. They chased the fleeing protesters. It was a massive firing."

At least eight people had been killed previously and hundreds wounded in police action against demonstrators since the alliance launched crippling protests 15 days ago to demand restoration of multi-party democracy.

In Geneva, United Nations human rights investigators today condemned "excessive and deadly use of force" by Nepal's security forces against protesters and called for the government to exercise restraint.

In a joint statement, the five special rapporteurs also asked demonstrators to act peacefully, noting some had attacked police with stones and other projectiles.

A general strike has prevented the movement of goods and people across the impoverished and aid-dependent nation.

The parties had planned massive rallies today to bring the movement to a head, but the royalist government clamped a curfew to prevent people from going outdoors.

"So many people have come out on the street despite the curfew and crackdown," said Krishna Prasad Sitaula, a leader of the Nepali Congress, the largest party in the coalition.

"It's an indication that our movement has succeeded. Only the result has to be announced. We will continue this until the result comes in favour of the people."

The parties said the momentum would be kept up and a similar attempt to march into the city would be made tomorrow.

Tens of thousands protested in other parts of the landlocked kingdom, aid workers and activists said. An army officer said at least 26 people were wounded in the western town of Bardiya when troops opened fire to disperse protesters.

But the interior of Kathmandu, a city of 1.5 million people, was deserted except for police and troops on patrol.

The gates of Narayanhity Palace, the king's city residence, were closed and an armoured car with a machinegun was on patrol. All shops on the usually busy Durbar Street leading to the palace were shut, and guests in hotels were barred from leaving.

"I can't even see a dog on the street," said Manohar Acharya, a resident of the New Road business district.

Unlike previous curfews, journalists too were told to stay indoors. The ban took effect at 2am yesterday (8.15am NZT) and was extended until 3am tomorrow (9.15am NZT).

Diplomats, including ambassadors, and even government ministers were not allowed outdoors. Police were carrying out emergency services.

Gyanendra sacked the government and took full powers in February 2005, vowing to crush a decade-old Maoist revolt in which more than 13,000 people have died.

Gyanendra, who came to the throne after the 2001 palace massacre when his elder brother, Birendra, was killed by his own son, the Crown Prince Dipendra, is now under tremendous international pressure to restore democracy.

Singh, the envoy, said he had made India's position clear.

"Obviously, India is for democratisation, for the restoration of multi-party democracy and is deeply concerned over the difficulties that the people of Nepal are facing ... economic difficulties, political difficulties and a general breakdown of law and order, so all those concerns were very clearly expressed," he said.

- REUTERS