Two shot dead in Surkhet as protests turn violent

Protests across 11 districts

NEPALGUNJ, Aug 11: Two locals were shot dead and 50 other demonstrators injured as protests against the proposed provincial demarcations turned violent in Surkhet, Monday.

Locals in the district staged protests demanding that the mid-western region be kept intact while demarcating the country into provinces. They also demanded that Surkhet district be developed as the capital of the new province.

Locals turned irate as some districts of the region were included in federal province number 6 comprising most of the far-western districts while other mid-western districts were included in another province comprising the Lumbini region.

Though the locals had launched their protests since Saturday, the peaceful demonstrations took a nasty turn Monday morning when demonstrators stormed the office of the drinking water and sewerage corporation at Jhupra and set it on fire.

Angry protestors then set the house of Nepali Congress leader and lawmaker Purna Bahadur Khadka on fire.

"Police were compelled to fire into the air as the protestors resorted to vandalism and other violent activities," said Chief District Officer of Surkhet, Baldev Gautam. "We have yet to assess the losses and damage incurred during the clash."

The local administration clamped a curfew from 1 pm till evening. However, Tikaram Gautam of Birendranagar-4 was shot dead by police within 10 minutes after the curfew was enforced. Yam Bahadur BC was shot dead by police during curfew hours at 5 pm.

Protestors set fire to several offices, including the district development committee office, Birendranagar Municipality office and the party offices of the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and UCPN (Maoist). They also set fire to the vehicle of district police chief SP Rajesh Kumar Lal Karna.

They broke to pieces a CCTV camera, television set and other equipment at the district administration office and then set fire to furniture and documents at the UCPN (Maoist) office. They also vandalized the offices of the NC, UML and MPRF-Democratic.

Journalist Aising Rokaya of local Bulbule Radio was shot at by police while covering the protests. After sustaining a bullet injury in his right leg, Rokaya is undergoing treatment at the mid-western regional hospital.

Though CPN-UML politburo member Yamlal Kandel and some other local politicians had led peaceful demonstrations on Saturday, they were not to be seen during the protests on Monday when people appeared to be participating in the protests spontaneously.

Tej Bikram Basnet, who led the Akhanda (undivided) Mid-West Campaign on Saturday, said he was unaware of Monday's protests.

Locals in neighboring Dailekh and Jajarkot districts also protested, demanding that the mid-western region be kept intact and Surkhet be declared the capital of the province.

The protestors have also announced an indefinite general strike in Surkhet starting Tuesday.

Meanwhile, locals in Mugu, Kalikot, Jumla and Humla districts have launched agitations demanding that Karnali Zone be made a separate Karnali province. They have protested against the inclusion of the zone in the far-west province.

Likewise, demonstrations were held in Salyan and Rukum districts demanding that Rapti Zone also be kept intact in the federal system.

Indefinite agitations demanding undivided Rapti

Meanwhile, according to our correspondent in Dang, Devendra Basnet, daily life in Salyan and Rukum districts has come to a grinding halt as locals continued their agitations on Monday, the second consecutive day.

Market places, transport services and educational institutions in the two districts have remained close due to the agitations that the locals began since Sunday, demanding an undivided Rapti Zone.

Locals on Monday organized protests against the major political parties' decision to divide Rukum between two federal provinces.

As per the decision, the eastern part of Rukum will be included in province number five and the western part in province number six.

Agitating locals have pelted stones at the house of Janardan Sharma, CA member of UCPN (Maoist). However, there was no damage to the house, according to Keshar Karki, inspector at District Police Office (DPO), Rukum.

Locals have accused CA members of dividing up the district to fulfill their own political interests.

Agitating locals picketed the party offices of the ruling Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and UCPN (Maoist).

The decision on dividing Rapti has also caused dissatisfaction among the locals in Salyan district. People from different walks of life have joined protests organized by civil society.

"We won't accept the decision to divide Rapti, no matter what. All we demand is an undivided Rapti," said Chandra Prakash Bali, CPN-UML district secretary of Salyan. "The decision has hurt the sentiments of the people," he added.

According to him, the locals will continue their protests until their demands are met. Under the delineation of federal provinces, Salyan district has been excluded from Rapti zone and included in province number six.

Continuing protests for last 4 days

Similarly, according to our correspondent Dil Bahadur Chhatyal in Dhangadhi, a banda that has continued for four consecutive days has crippled life in Kailali district. Families living on daily wages are the hardest hit due to the agitations.

Industrial units, academic institutions and transport services have come to a halt for the last four days. The banda has also adversely affected people from nine different districts as transportation was closed in Kailali, the gateway to those districts.

Tharuhat Struggle Committee and Hindu Rastra Sanrakshan Sangharsh Samiti have continuously enforced the general strike in Kailali for the last four days. Tharuhat Struggle Committee has been protesting against the separation of Kailai and Kanchanpur from Tharuhat and including these two districts in the far western region. The latter is demanding restoration of Nepal as a Hindu state.

The four-day protest has paralyzed life in the district. However, no untoward incident has taken place so far, SP Bikram Chand informed.

Likewise, the locals of Mugu district on Monday announced an indefinite strike demanding a separate Karnali province.

Agitating locals have formed a Karnali federal autonomous province struggle committee in order to intensify their agitations. They have informed that they will coordinate with Karnali and Bheri zones in their protests.

Janakpur closed

At the same ltime, according to our correspondent Suresh Yadav, Janakpur remained closed for a second consecutive day Monday due to protests called by the United Democratic Madhesi Alliance (UDMA) against federal province delineation decisions.

UDMA activists have accused the major political parties of conspiring to end the very existence of Madhes through the delineation of the provinces.

A meeting of the UDMA on Sunday decided to call the protests. "As part of the protests, we have closed down Janakpur," said Brishesh Lal, senior vice-president of Terai-Madhes Democratic Party (TMDP).

He further remarked that the decision on an autonomous state in Madhes that was included in the interim constitution was a historic achievement for Madhesi people. But the delineation has annulled this past decision, Lal added.

The agitations will continue till their demands are fulfilled, according to local agitators.

Similarly, the delineation of provinces in Madhes has sparked dissatisfaction among locals and Madhesi party activists in different districts including Saptari and Siraha.

Madhesi locals and Madhesi party activists from Morang have warned the ruling parties that they will resort to stern protests if the proposed provincial demarcations are not corrected