The government is still clamping down in Nepal, arresting over 500 protestors in light of planned pro-democracy rallies of several thousand.

KATHMANDU (Reuters) – Nepali soldiers killed at least 50 Maoist rebels in a deadly overnight clash, the army said on Friday, as around 500 political activists were reported arrested by police during pro-democracy rallies in the kingdom.
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The new violence came as police in Kathmandu arrested about 50 political activists, including some former ministers, who were demonstrating against King Gyanendra’s move on Feb. 1 to declare emergency, sack the multi-party government and seize power.

“Down with the proclamation of emergency. Long live democracy,” some protesters shouted, waving party flags above their heads before being dragged away by helmeted policemen.

Around 450 more activists were arrested in pro-democracy gatherings elsewhere in Nepal. In the eastern towns of Janakpur, Sarlahi and Mahottari, dozens of activists were injured after police used batons to break up protests.

The king said he had to take control of the Himalayan nation — including curbing civil liberties and jailing politicians — as squabbling political parties had failed to crush the Maoist revolt which has left more than 11,000 people dead since 1996.

In Janakpur, where political activists staged protests against the king, a local journalist said he saw at least 45 injured demonstrators at a local hospital.

In Kathmandu, the temple-studded political heart of the impoverished Hindu kingdom, pro-democracy protesters who appeared suddenly in ones and twos were quickly arrested, bundled into iron-meshed vans by police and driven away.

Friday’s protests coincided with the anniversary of the establishment of multi-party democracy in 1990.

As some activists were detained, others standing in the narrow streets and alleys would shout slogans and throw leaflets that urged restoration of democracy, resulting in a cat-and-mouse chase with police, witnesses said.

“We can’t remain silent spectators to the hijacking of democracy and individual freedoms,” former legislators and leaders of the biggest opposition group, the Nepali Congress party, said in a statement.

Here’s a lot more information.

Hundreds of slogan-shouting activists, demanding restoration of democracy and civil rights, gathered at Kathmandu’s New Road to mark People’s Movement Day defying the government’s ban on demonstrations.

They chanted slogans like “Down with autocratic king”, “Restore Democratic Rights” “Long Live Democracy” and “Reinstate Parliament”.

Riot police, deployed in Kathmandu in large numbers to supress the demonstrations, cane-charged the agitators and arrested at least 100 of them. The activists waved party flags and distributed pamphlets even as they were taken in the police vans.

Veteran Communist leader Bhakta Bahadur Shrestha and Nepali Congress leader and former minister Ramchandra Adhikari were among prominent people arrested today in Kathamandu.

A large number of workers of Nepali Congress, Nepali Congress-Democratic, Nepal Communist Party-UML were also arrested from New Road.

One hundred activists were arrested from Pokhara, twenty-five, including Nepali Congress central member and former Minister Rambaran Yadav, were arrested from Dhanusha today, according to Nepali Congress sources.

In Dhanusha some 3,000 activists demonstrated and police cane-charged them. Fifteen people were arrested from Bardia and 15 from Nawalparasi as they staged anti-King demonstrations.

Pro-democracy demonstrations were also held in Dolakha and Tanhu districts.

Over two dozen pro-democracy activists, including student leaders and teachers, were arrested in the country on the eve of country-wide protests by the five agitating political parties including Nepali Congress, Nepal Communist Party (UML) and Nepali Congress (Democratic).

Police arrested Chandra Bhandari, ex-general secretary of Nepal Students Union affiliated to the Nepali Congress, and five other activists from Gaushala and various campuses in Kathmandu yesterday.

Government spokesman and Communication Minister Tanka Dhakal had warned of tough action against the protestors.

“The government is not talking of clampdown on political activities. In fact, it (govt) does not at all see the possibility any stir. But it is prepared to seriously deal with violent agitations,” he told reporters yesterday.

Lying through his teeth. Judging from the numbers of protestors, however, it seems that there are more and more as the situation continues. Let’s hope that this internal democratic pressure and that of India finally busts a hole in the police state.