Nepalese Police Open Fire on Protesters
By BINAJ GURUBACHARYA, Associated Press
KATMANDU, Nepal - Nepali security forces opened fire and beat protesters marching toward the royal palace Saturday, as opposition leaders rejected the king's proposals for restoring democracy in the Himalayan country.
Four people were wounded by rubber bullets or live ammunition, and dozens were injured by police wielding bamboo batons. The clash occurred about 3 miles from the royal palace in the heart of the capital, where tens of thousands of protesters were headed in defiance of a curfew.
"Security forces opened fire on the crowd without warning, wounding many of us," said Ganesh Shrestha, who was hit on the arm by a bullet.
At the nearby Norvic Hospital, the hallways were jammed with injured people calling for care. Doctors there confirmed at least four people were injured by rubber bullets or live ammunition, and 43 were hurt by batons or in the scramble to flee.
The violence erupted after an alliance of seven opposition parties rejected King Gyanendra's offer to allow them to nominate a prime minister and form a government.
"We will not accept," Madhav Kumar Nepal, general secretary of Communist Party of Nepal, told cheering supporters in Katmandu. "We will continue the protests."
The crowd chanted, "We are here to support you. Don't get weak in the knees. Don't ditch the people."
Complete story at: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060422/ap_on_re_as/nepal
By BINAJ GURUBACHARYA, Associated Press
KATMANDU, Nepal - Nepali security forces opened fire and beat protesters marching toward the royal palace Saturday, as opposition leaders rejected the king's proposals for restoring democracy in the Himalayan country.
Four people were wounded by rubber bullets or live ammunition, and dozens were injured by police wielding bamboo batons. The clash occurred about 3 miles from the royal palace in the heart of the capital, where tens of thousands of protesters were headed in defiance of a curfew.
"Security forces opened fire on the crowd without warning, wounding many of us," said Ganesh Shrestha, who was hit on the arm by a bullet.
At the nearby Norvic Hospital, the hallways were jammed with injured people calling for care. Doctors there confirmed at least four people were injured by rubber bullets or live ammunition, and 43 were hurt by batons or in the scramble to flee.
The violence erupted after an alliance of seven opposition parties rejected King Gyanendra's offer to allow them to nominate a prime minister and form a government.
"We will not accept," Madhav Kumar Nepal, general secretary of Communist Party of Nepal, told cheering supporters in Katmandu. "We will continue the protests."
The crowd chanted, "We are here to support you. Don't get weak in the knees. Don't ditch the people."
Complete story at: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060422/ap_on_re_as/nepal
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