Bombing marks day 2 of Nepali strike
Afp, Kathmandu
A suspected rebel bomb killed a policeman and wounded four others in Nepal yesterday on the second day of a general strike called by Maoists to disrupt the country's first poll since a royal takeover a year ago. The rebels have threatened to increase attacks in the run-up to Wednesday's local elections, which King Gyanendra's government insisted would go ahead despite claims the poll is aimed at justifying his seizure of full power. The latest violence came as most shops were shuttered in the capital Kathmandu, after the beginning of the strike on Sunday brought towns across the Himalayan kingdom to a standstill. Few vehicles were out on the roads Monday, and many that were covered up their registration plates to prevent identification. Extra police were posted at major intersections and riot police drove through the city. The strike also badly hit the important southwest regional centre of Nepalgunj near the border with India, according to Bhola Mohat, regional coordinator for human rights group Informal Sector Service Centre in the town. "Today the strike is very effective. There are no civilian vehicles on the road, only rickshaws," said Mohat.
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Nepalese opposition activists stage a small demonstration against King Gyanendra's power grab in Kathmandu yesterday. A suspected rebel bomb killed one policeman and wounded four others on the second day of a general strike called by Maoists to disrupt local elections scheduled for February 8. PHOTO: AFP |
