Nepal Shutdown For Making Alleged Killer A Martyr

By KTM Metro Reporter

December 19, 2011: Nepali Congress (NC) leaders have shown to what extent they could go terrorizing the people demanding the government of Nepal declare the alleged murderer Shiva Poudel: chief of the Chitwan Chapter Tarundal affiliated to the NC a martyr, and shutting down the entire country today to that end causing unbelievable suffering to long distance travelers particularly the sick and old people. Shiva Poudel died on Saturday morning, December 17, 2011 from the injuries suffered from the gang fight in the Chitwan jail on December 6, 2011.

Going beyond the democratic principles and norms so dear to them, immediately after the death of Shiva Poudel on Saturday, December 17, 2011, the NC leaders unleashed the NC and its sister organizations’ cadres to criminal activities such as burning tires on the streets, damaging vehicles and kicking cyclists because they did not listen to their call for a shutdown of the country for protesting the death of the alleged murderer Shiva Poudel.

Shiva Poudel and his accomplices had been serving the jail term in the Chitwan jail for killing Sanjay Lama of the Youth Association Nepal (YAN) affiliated to the CPN-UML. The Chitwan Tarundal led by Shiva Poudel and the YAN have been fighting for the state contracts and extracting commissions from the contracts obviously for their respective party. These two groups had been fighting against each other and junior brother of Shiva Poudel had lost his life in one of the fights. So, some of the YAN members had been already in the Chitwan jail for the death of Gopi Poudel: junior brother of Shiva Poudel. After the death of Sanjay Lama of YAN, Shiva Poudel and his accomplices had landed in the same jail in Chitwan. On December 6, 2011, YAN group serving in the Chitwan jail attacked the Shiva Poudel group in the jail seriously injuring Shiva Poudel and some of his accomplices.

On Saturday, December 17, 2011, Shiva Poudel died at the Neuro Hospital in Kathmandu. Top leaders of NC including Sher Bahadur Deuba visited the hospital to pay the last tribute to their earning Taurandal leader Shiva Poudel. Apparently, they have lost the most valuable leader, as they have immediately unleashed the thousands of NC and its sister organizations’ cadres to stop the vehicular traffic on the road across Nepal and destroy any vehicle that defies their order, and shut down the stores. They did their jobs excellently damaging several vehicles and burning down some of them, kicking motorcycles and their riders, and even throwing the bicycle at the rider. They also have shown their bravery burning tires in the middle of streets causing unimaginable pollution to the nearby dwellers in Kathmandu and elsewhere in Nepal. Thus, Nepalis have paid the price for the death of the NC Tarundal leader Shiva Poudel.

Then, the NC leaders put forward demands for declaring Shiva Poudel a martyr, and revoke all the criminal charges against Shiva Poudel and his accomplices, fire the Home Minister for not being able to prevent the gang fight in the Chitwan jail and pay compensation to the family of the dead for the loss of their love one. The NC leaders threatened to call for a nationwide shutdown if the government did not meet their four demands. Thus, the NC leaders had twisted the death of the criminal to the political issue.

Demanding the firing of the Home Minister, the NC leaders wanted to develop a crack in the current coalition government. Certainly, the government would not meet this demand in order not to break the coalition government. The government also could not declare alleged murderer Shiva Poudel a martyr, as six political parties in Chitwan had already opposed such declaration of Shiva Poudel a martyr. The government also could not immediately revoke the criminal charges against Shiva Poudel and his accomplices, as it needed to follow judicial procedures. However, the government has immediately made a decision on paying one million rupees as a compensation for the loss of their loved one to the family of Shiva Poudel. In addition, the government has formed a judicial committee to hold an investigation into the cause of the death of Shiva Poudel.

The NC leaders declared to shut down Nepal from 6:00 in the morning to 4:00 in the evening on Monday, December 19, 2011 and shamelessly called on others to support their call for the nation shutdown, as the government did not meet their four demands. On the eve of the Nepal shutdown, they took out torch light marches in Kathmandu and in other major towns across Nepal going beyond the principles and norms of democracy. The NC leaders had been advocating against such torch marches and shutdowns stating such things go against the democratic principles and norms, as shutting down the country means violating the rights of the people to go to work, to travel and so on. The NC leaders and their cadres are subject to punishment for gross violation of human rights of the entire population of more than 26 millions.

US Ambassador to Nepal Scott H. DeLisi wrote in his facebook the following: I think my position on the bandh is pretty clear. I believe that the bandh culture should be seen as Nepal's past....not its present and certainly not its future. As for whether Mr. Paudel is a martyr, I leave that to Nepalis to address. The human and economic costs of bandhs are, unfortunately, significant for citizens, businesses, and even diplomatic missions – all of whom are affected. The city is at a standstill with peoples’ lives disrupted, access to medical care impeded, and productivity lost. I know of one poor woman who had to carry her sick child to the hospital, walking through the morning cold because stick-wielding youths would not allow vehicles to operate. These same youth have threatened shopkeepers, forcing them to close their businesses and lose the day’s income. I will be interested to see if the organizers of this bandh can explain to the people how their activities are protecting democratic rights and whether their political agenda is worth these costs to society. How is the bandh affecting you?

“We have said before, and say again, that we do not condone the use of intimidation and violence by any party. We hope that the NC leadership will reconsider its decision and instead choose a path for peaceful protest that does not restrict freedom of movement for others and that is consistent with the values of a party that has been an advocate for democracy for decades,” DeLisi said in his facebook.

The U.S. Embassy and the EU have said that they are not for issuing visa to the organizers of such bandh (shutdown). Some of the EU members have said that they are not going to support such organizations if they indulge in shutting down the country and so on. In response to the announcements of the embassies, spokesman for the NC Arjun Narsingh KC has said that the NC would not stop the shutdown for fear of losing visa.

DeLisi also said that the US recently lifted the travel warning for American citizens hoping to visit Nepal and efforts are being made to bring American investors in the country. “This type of political violence puts our efforts at risk and threatens to recreate the atmosphere that led to the travel warning in the first place.”

A single day of shutdown costs the country Rs 1.98 billion, ‘The Himalayan Times’ writes quoting the figures of Livable Nepal that advocates for economic freedom. “Even an hour of bandh will cost around Rs 83 million.” The criminalization of politics and politicization of criminal activities have cost the country dearly in the last one decade, writes ‘The Himalayan Times’ quoting economists.

Quoting the RSS: state news agency, ’The Himalayan Times’ writes that leaders of several parties speaking at the Reporters’ Club in Kathmandu have requested the NC not to enforce the country shutdown as it goes against the principles and norms of democracy and violates the human rights of the people and makes troubles to millions of innocent Nepalis.

In course of the bandh today, an irate group of NC cadres set fire on a taxi (Ba 1 Ja 163) nearby Chawahil Stupa and vandalized a private vehicle (Ba 9 Cha 3720) in Tilganga, writes ‘The Himalayan Times’ quoting the police. Similarly, NC cadres also have vandalized a water tanker in Chawahil and police have arrested three people involved in the incident.

The Nepali Congress parliamentary party has postponed the discussion on various topics related to constitution writing and the federal structure with the CA members scheduled to hold at the party central office from Sunday, ‘writes ‘The Himalayan Times’ of December 18, 2011. The NC parliamentary party stated that the scheduled discussion with the CA members has been suspended in view of the political developments following the death of Tarun Dal Chitwan District president Shiva Poudel. NC leaders have put the issue of the death of the alleged murderer above the national issue that affects 26 millions Nepalis.

The opposition-called strike closed businesses across the country as protestors on major highways enforced a ban on road traffic by attacking cars and burning tires, asiaone.com writes on December 19, 2011. "We arrested 27 protesters, most in Kathmandu, and a coffee shop and five vehicles were damaged in the capital," it quotes police spokesman Binod Singh said. In towns throughout the country, government offices, banks and vehicles were vandalized, he said.

The UN's chief representative in Nepal, Robert Piper, tweeted Monday about what he described as "a coercive, enforced stoppage." "Using bandhas (strikes) to seek redress, & the trigger for this one - a murder in custody of an NC cadre - more evidence of weak rule of law in Nepal," he wrote according to the Asiaone.com news.

Though the strike was largely peaceful as claimed by the party, half a dozen agitators were detained while enforcing the shut down and three vehicles were damaged in the capital, PTI quotes Chief District Officer Ratna Raj Pandey. The agitators torched a vehicle near the Tribhuvan International Airport, another vehicle was stormed at Chabahil area and a motorcycle was vandalized at Putalisadak in Kathmandu, he said.

Bandh supporters in the Kathmandu valley torched four vehicles including tourist vans and private vehicles, the Metropolitan Traffic Police Division, Ramshahpath said, ‘The Rising Nepal’ of today writes. A private van, Ba 9 Cha 3720, was torched at Tilganga and a tourist van, Ba 1 Ya 850, and a taxi, Ba 1 Ja, were torched at Mitrapark. Irate bandh supporters vandalized Ba 8 Cha 3789 Tata mobile at B&B hospital, Ba 1 Ya 4807 at Machapokhari, Balaju, Ba 8 Cha 3715 van at B&B hospital, Ba 44 Pa 2552 motorcycle at Minbhawan, Ba 31 Pa 8551 motorcycle at Satdobato, Ba 47 Pa 9882 motorcycle at Satdobato, Ba 1 Ja 9847 microbus at Balkumari bridge, Lalitpur, Ba 41 Pa 7877 motorcycle owned by editor of Sarathi Monthly and Ba 1 Cha 2779 Tata mobile at Kamalbinayak according to ‘The Rising Nepal’ of December 20, 2011.

Meanwhile, the strike called by Nepali Congress (NC) crippled normal life in Makawanpur district. Protesters vandalized the building of the Unilever Nepal multinational company situated in Basamadi for defying the strike. The cadres of the Nepal Students Union vandalized the Agriculture Development Bank office at Kanti Rajpath. The protesters also vandalized the office of the District Land Revenues. The SSIE Education Centre near the Nepal Bank also got a minor damage, ‘The Rising Nepal’ of today writes. Entrepreneurs said that the strike caused millions of rupees in loss as industries across the district were closed. The District Education Office informed that the third terminal examination of the secondary level was postponed in more than 600 schools.

A news conference held at the Ministry of Home Affairs, joint secretary and spokesman for the Ministry Shankar Prasad Koirala said the government yesterday initiated a necessary process to revoke the murder case against late Shiva Poudel, ‘The Rising Nepal’ of today writes. Koirala also said that the government would take steps to declare Poudel a martyr after it received the report of judicial probe commission. The government formed the commission under former justice of Supreme Court Mohan Prakash Sitaula to investigate the attack in Chitwan jail leading to the demise of Poudel. The government’s move came after the series of talks held between the Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai and senior leaders of Nepali Congress including party president Sushil Koirala. Meanwhile, NC central committee meeting, held this evening, decided to disrupt the House business if late Poudel was not declared martyr by December 21, ‘The Rising Nepal’ of today writes.

Despite the Home Ministry announcing that the process of withdrawing cases against deceased Nepal Tarun Dal Chitwan chairman and others has begun, Nepali Congress decided to continue its protest programs, ‘HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE’ reported on December 19, 2011.  “The protests in Parliament and on the streets will continue until the government declares Shiva Poudel a martyr and withdraws false cases filed against him, Pramesh Rai and others,” concluded the Congress Central Working Committee meeting held at the residence of the party President Sushil Koirala in Maharajgunj.

The Nepali Congress leaders have boasted that the shutdown was completely successful and peaceful barring a few incidents, and said that the party needed to hold the strike, as the state mechanism was used against a person’s life and the government remained insensitive towards the incident, ‘HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE’ reported.

In addition to paralyzing normal life in capital Kathmandu and across the country, the Nepal shutdown called by the Nepali Congress on Monday to protest the murder of Shiva Poudel has affected the constitution drafting process, nepalnews.com writes. The meeting of the Constitutional Committee (CC) scheduled to hold on Monday to discuss the contentious issues resolved by the Dispute Resolving Sub-committee, has to call off, as its members could not attend the meeting due to Nepal shutdown.

The Sagarmatha TV aired the video clipping showing how the cadres of Nepal Student Unions forcibly entered the Balmiki Campus in Kathmandu snatched the answer books from the students taking the examination on Monday, and torn off the answer books in pieces enforcing the shutdown called by the Nepali Congress.

Revised on December 20, 2011