Kathmandu, April 8:

The United Nations Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)-Nepal expressed grave concern at reports of the Royal Nepalese Army firing at a crowd of demonstrators in Pokhara today, resulting in the death of a person and injury to another.

The firing by a soldier from the top of a building at demonstrators clashing with police in the street below, thereby killing a person, is a clear violation of international standards for law enforcement which require that “in the dispersal of violent assemblies, law enforcement officials may use firearms only when less dangerous means are not practicable, and only to the minimum extent necessary”, an OHCHR statement said.

“From the OHCHR’s investigations, it is clear the soldier resorted to excessive force in a situation where there was no direct threat to life,” the statement said. The statement said the recent days had seen non-violent demonstrators defying government bans and curfews. Some aggressive demonstrators were also seen throwing rocks, bricks and other projectiles and attacking public property, it added.

“OHCHR-Nepal reiterates its call for the use of minimum force required of those responsible for policing during public demonstrations,” the statement said. Ian Martin, Representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said: “It is essential that government requires members of the security forces to observe their obligation to minimal use of force and firearms in the current context of demonstrations. The use of force against peaceful demonstrators is not acceptable. In the case of demonstrations involving aggressive throwing of rocks, bricks and other projectiles, security forces must exercise restraint and as far as possible use less dangerous means than firearms, so that they respect and preserve human life.”

The agitating parties have condemned the security forces for opening fire at peaceful protesters in Pokhara killing a CPN-UML cadre Bhimsen Dahal today.

The UML said the unconstitutional government was trying to hogtie the movement by imposing curfew and prohibitory orders as a last resort to prolong its regime. “The daytime curfew clamped to suppress the people’s voice for democracy and peace is a manifestation of the government’s defeated mentality,” said UML acting general secretary Amrit Kumar Bohara, adding: “Nepal belongs to the Nepalis; the country is not the personal estate of any individual or dictator.”

Bohara also appealed to the Maoists to declare a ceasefire and suspend their violent activities, as there could be no fusion of peaceful agitation and violent struggle.

The Nepali Congress (Democratic), in a statement, condemned the government for clamping daytime curfew in the capital. It imposed curfew to suppress citizens’ fundamental rights guaranteed by the 1990 people’s movement, said the statement.

Meanwhile, treasurer of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) Hemanta Kafle, in a statement, condemned the government for beating up half a dozen journalists in Kathmandu, Baglung and Chitwan districts while they were covering the day’s events.

Kafle urged the government to respect the professional rights of the journalists and fundamental rights of citizens to peaceful assembly.

Also today, the politburo of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) denounced the “crackdown” by the government of Nepal against the movement for democracy.

In a statement, the party said the repression unleashed by the King would not deter the popular movement to end his authoritarian rule. “The CPI(M) demands the release of all those arrested, including the CPN-UML general secretary, Madhav Nepal,” the statement said.

It also asked the government of India to demand an end to all repressive actions by the Nepal government and make the monarch realise that he cannot continue with his present course of action.

The Joint People’s Movement Central Coordination Committee of the seven-party alliance, in a statement today said the alliance’s movement would not cease until the goal of total democracy is achieved.

“We would like to reiterate the fact that the peaceful movement will not be stopped midway without completely transferring the state power and sovereignty back to the people,” said the committee statement. The committee also condemned the government for imposing curfew and cutting off mobile phone services.

“The royal government clamped curfew and cut off mobile phone services fearing wide support of the people to the movement,” said a statement, adding that the alliance’s protest programme would continue as scheduled.

Calling upon the people to actively take part in the movement, the statement also expressed gratitude to the people all over the country, including those in Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur, for extending support to the movement for democracy.

A report from Hetauda said the Makwanpur Multiple Campus Unit of the Tribhuvan University Teachers’ Association today provided Rs 10, 000 in cash for the movement.

The unit provided the money for arrangement of food and treatment for the arrested and injured agitators, unit chairman Yubraj Giri said.

Wife faints

Kavre: Debaki Dahal, the wife of Bhimsen Dahal, who was killed in RNA firing in Pokhara, was rendered unconscious by the shocking turn of events. Following the news of the death of her husband, Debaki, a resident of Agal of Ugrachandi Nala VDC, lost consciousness. She had not regained consciosness till late Saturday evening. Hundreds of people gathered at the house of Dahal to express condolence. Seventy-four-year-old father of Bhimsen, Janaki Prasad, said his daughter-in-law lost her consciousness as soon as she heard the news of her husband’s death over the phone. Bhimsen was running a cyber cafe in Pokhara. — HNS