The largest outcry for democracy since Nepal’s king seized power last February continues for the fifth straight day. A four-day nationwide strike and general protest was called to start on Thursday and end on Sunday jointly by the Seven Party Alliance and the Maoists, but because of its success and unheard of amount of support, they have called for it to last indefinitely. That is, when they achieve victory or when they are crushed by the King’s security forces.

KATMANDU, Nepal — Protests continued for a fourth day across Nepal on Sunday as crowds demanding the restoration of democracy took to the streets, despite a daytime curfew and official orders to shoot violators.

Security forces have killed three protesters and jailed more than 800 as thousands of workers and businesspeople have joined with students and opposition political parties.

“Even the parties didn’t expect such a massive public participation across the country,” said Lok Raj Baral, executive chairman of the Nepal Centre for Contemporary Studies.

The protests, part of a nationwide strike, were to end Sunday, but opponents of King Gyanendra said they would continue. The government warned of a harsher response.

Maoist rebels were supporting a strike by the political opposition for the first time, though the two sides struck an alliance late last year. The rebels’ leader, Prachanda, announced a nationwide campaign Sunday that is to include defying curfew orders, blockading highways, breaking royal statues and punishing all those who pay taxes.

The demonstrations will be “long-drawn. I can’t say how this will end,” said Ram Sharan Mahat of the country’s largest party, the Nepali Congress, one of seven parties that oppose Gyanendra.

The entire country is basically shut down. People are staying at home from work and many are even taking to the streets. The King has decreed a daytime curfew and has ordered the security services to shoot anyone walking around in daylight. Several have been. But many more are going out anyway. The effect is that Nepal is completely a police state now; not just repressing the polical opposition to the King, but the entire population.

It backfired. People do not believe that the King has any authority to fire at peaceful people simply for being outside, and because of it, they are resisting by literally fighting back. The curfew also hurts the poor the most, as even if they don’t have the time or resources to join the opposition on the street, they now can’t go to work to make a day’s wage. Now that their livelihoods are affected, they are also in opposition to the King.

The phenomenon that has occurred with this national strike is that it has spread because it no longer simply involved the upper-middle class and an assortment of journalists and human rights activists. It’s the entire population. The Poor. Businessmen. Teachers. Doctors. Even government workers! They’re all joined together in protest, refusing to work, blockading highways, and making it impossible for the King to govern. They’re all against the King and want democracy restored. All that’s left is the security services. If they defect or can no longer manage the security situation, there is no way that the King will be able to withstand the pressure.

Will we see a Kathmandu Spring?

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– Paramendra Bhagat is blogging about the uprising.

– United! We Blog has many, many updates from on-the-ground.